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nicotine pouches. That seems short-sighted. Why is the Minister repeating the mistakes of the past? Inevitably, we will be back in the House rehashing this debate in a couple of years. On the question of flavours, I am glad the regulation is finally being advanced. This … update is on that. This is where the line should be drawn. The suggestion that was made on the floor of the House that banning vapes is like banning cider because it tastes like apples is a ridiculous argument and one that should not be entertained. Finally

efforts in raising awareness of the dangers of vaping, particularly among younger people, have been invaluable. The briefings it has provided in Leinster House have been both informative and sobering. Its advocacy plays a crucial role in ensuring that we, as policymakers, remain informed, responsive and grounded … This is not a marginal issue. It is a generational one, and it demands a comprehensive, sustained response. I join colleagues across this House in encouraging people, including those in my constituency, which covers Carlow and Kilkenny, to seek support if they are trying to quit

Ireland's right or discretion to opt in under Protocol 21 annexed to the Lisbon treaty. I am seeking the support of the House for an Article 2 opt-in, which must be completed by 30 April of this year. I must emphasise that this … that we can again supply vehicle registration data to the United Kingdom and receive data in return. I commend this proposal to the House and seek the approval of the motion to participate in this Council decision

crack down on serious criminality that operates on an international or cross-border basis is clearly important. However, it is important that this House is clear about the safeguards that are required when transferring personal data to Britain which now operates outside of the EU and, therefore … have far-reaching consequences. In this case we are talking about something that I think will be broadly supported by everybody in this House but not all cases are as clear-cut as that. I am fearful about the lack of actual debate on and rationale behind some

When the Taoiseach comes in here week after week and gives this profoundly positive spin about housing, I have to wonder if he even feels convinced by his own words. We do not just have record rents and record house prices; we have record homelessness. We are talking

want to ask the Taoiseach about some of the other recommendations. What of the recommendation for a total regeneration of social housing complexes in the city centre, giving tenants warmer homes and protecting them from the worst of the next energy crisis? What about the recommendation to deliver … Central put their attention to the by-election, I have three questions for the Taoiseach. When will the large-scale regeneration of social housing begin? Is the Government still committed to the additional 1,000 gardaí, and when will they be delivered by? How much additional spending

prescribe a solution. It merely creates a framework. It provides a choice and I hope that regardless of political perspectives, Members of this House can engage with that principle because, ultimately, this is about dignity, independence and giving people financial options later in life. I commend this Bill … House

Minister to update the House on his plans for a new savings and investment scheme for retail investors and if he could enlighten the House as to what he anticipates the estimated cost to the Exchequer in terms of tax forgone in the first five years

very much up to the idea. Generally, people come to this House and come up with ideas on how to spend money. It is refreshing to have people come into this House and come up with ideas on how to generate money. A tourism tax or levy

they can make. We need to be looking at that. I was involved in a community project in Skull where we built 12 houses recently. Two people in CoAction were able to move into these houses, but I had some fight to get them in there

current circular is completely outdated, restrictive and cruel. It is incredible that it took people - SNAs and families with disabilities - protesting outside Leinster House to make this Government realise what was happening. A review was being undertaken which would have seen on-the-ground cuts, essentially … Government to listen to the people. The people of this country should not have to blockade infrastructure or spend hours outside Leinster House to get this Government to wake up and listen. I am asking the Minister to ensure that the circular is updated, that the invaluable contribution

child deserves the chance to thrive. I welcome and thank the Minister for visiting schools across Dublin Bay North, including St. Michael's House Special National School, Baldoyle. St. Michael's House Special School Foxfield in Raheny would also love the Minister to visit. They are brilliant

extraordinary school community to ensure that a child can flourish. I want to use this opportunity to put on the record of the House my deep appreciation for every school principal, teacher, SNA, bus escort, bus driver, secretary, caretaker, and other school staff members around the country … this morning, we will go well beyond that in terms of provision for the next school year. It has been noted in the House tonight that more than 330 special classes have been approved this year, with more to follow in the coming weeks. As Minister of State

this is something we have mirrored all across the country - we might have seen a GP practice in the middle of a housing estate. That would have been very common years ago. Now the new GPs may be unwilling. Will they be able to set up a practice … that feedback from them, but it is just about that chronic shortage we see in the commuter belt. We are putting in the housing, the wastewater and the roads, and it is just that social infrastructure of the likes of GPs to go with

private practice is also so important. Whatever we can do to enable more GPs, it has come up again and again in this House, correctly, and I can point out all the new GPs that have been registered by the Medical Council, all of that work to clear … that people can access, it is very challenging. I recall going to a GP practice. There was one or two in every big housing estate. It was a very natural thing and it was often a front room. Now it is a slightly different model, and that

pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the issue of side-by-side housing within the defective concrete blocks remediation scheme, particularly in light of where we now stand with the legislation having been progressed. We had amendments towards the end of last year. We had regulations … side and then to transfer the necessary equipment into the new home. Those people could not go down the town and find a house where this equipment could be provided. It is crucial that the scheme is inclusive and reflects the full spectrum of disability, not only physical

just about a physical disability alone. Other factors have to be taken into consideration. I hope we are not back in the House on the second week of May debating this. I plead with the Minister of State to impress upon the officials that this matter is vital … daily lives. This has already been a multi-year issue. I hope this is the last time it will be discussed in the House. I hope that when the guidelines and regulations are signed off, we will not be back here again requesting that they be amended. They

billion, a record level of investment. This will work in tandem with reforms to support the delivery of critical infrastructure in electricity, transport, housing and energy. Capital spending at the end of March was €2.7 billion, showing an increase of 8% on the same period last year … Department of Education and Youth, which was up €89 million; the Department of Transport, which was up €57 million; and the Department of housing, which was up €56 million. Capital spending, as the Deputy knows, tends of ramp up as the year progresses, with the highest spending levels

critical foundation of employment growth, house construction and industrial development is what we have sought to prioritise in the national development plan in terms of building out our energy system - where there will be opportunities for the midlands - ensuring that transport connectivity is enhanced, which is reflected … have in our economy. I am confident that with what has been set aside in the national development plan, we will see increased house construction in the Deputy's part of the midlands and also upside benefits in terms of job creation by SMEs and FDI companies. When

what the Minister is saying, but will there be a prioritisation framework so, for example, housing and public transport can be prioritised ahead of data centres? It is one third of our electricity and it is predicted to go much higher. It is already causing grid interventions … higher household bills. In the midlands in particular, it is preventing housing being built. Data centre demand has skyrocketed and gone out of control. It could not have been anticipated five or six years ago how high it would go - up by over 500%. EirGrid has been concerned

That is not the case. Industrial and economic growth is not in conflict with growth in housing output. In the past five years, we have delivered 135,000 new homes; last year, over 36,000 new homes. That is good and is what we need … there are about 520 capital projects. As part of that, it states what this investment will support. It supports large energy user growth, housing growth and other industrial and economic growth. That is right and proper. In this discussion, data centres are treated by some as a negative

Deputy Dooley is a Minister of State responsible for energy with regard to a critical piece of infrastructure. We should know in this House about progress on this critical piece of infrastructure. I say respectfully that it is not good enough to say that EirGrid will tell … order that we can have reliability of energy into the future. We should know and we are entitled to know in this House about progress on major infrastructural projects such as this. EirGrid is doing it on behalf of the State. I appreciate that the Minister of State

agree or disagree on certain policy areas and you can criticise us and we can criticise you. You do not come into this House and constantly suggest the abolition of significantly important taxes and come up with a load of new spending ideas at the same time. That … sustainable position. It was very interesting earlier in the week that the House did not divide when it came to some of these issues. It did not divide along the lines of the big bad old Government over here and all of the Opposition together over there

Come on, Pearse, give everybody a chance in this House. No bully-boy tactics, please. We support the Critical Infrastructure Bill. We will be happy to tease through the detail of it. The Deputy is right in that there are lots of factors involved. At times, environmental … about all projects; it is about those that are deemed to be critical. As the Minister takes the Bill through the House, he will engage constructively and tease through the detail

variety of issues and her own professional background that she is data driven in terms of the questions that puts down in this House and, indeed, in the discussions that we had around the programme for Government. I thank her for that because what she is raising today … Even in a country the size of Ireland, some of the issues are common but there can also be very significant differentials. The housing example Deputy Gogarty gave us is an example of that too. In some parts of the country, we are seeing a very significant number

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the research that was carried out by his Department prior to the recent changes to planning regulations for modular homes, specifically in relation to disputes from neighbours whereby a new modular build in a garden negatively

Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review a case (details supplied); his views on whether this is correct; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33621/26

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will consider providing financial assistance for the renovation of Kilmainham Mill, in Kilmainham, Dublin 8. [33637/26

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department or any bodies and agencies under his aegis use software and or products from a company (details supplied); and the duration and cost of the contract; and the services they avail of from

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 743 of 28 April 2026, to clarify details in respect of the criteria ( details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33884/26

Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an assessment has taken place on the additional infrastructure required for the population within a 27 acre site (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33890/26

Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps that will be taken to address the additional needs for infrastructure, such as water, waste and power capacity; the addition of primary and secondary school places; the provision of additional primary healthcare

Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has considered extending the mandatory retirement age to 62 years for members of the Retained Fire Service; if analysis of the potential cost has been conducted; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the deadline for postal vote and special vote applications for the two by- elections was set only one working/postal day after the moving of the writ; and his views that such deadlines, effectively disenfranchise

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of civil and public servants employed by his Department in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [33955/26

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether formal national criteria have been defined for determining, medically vulnerable status, the absence of safe housing in Ukraine for the purposes of continued eligibility for State supports; if so, to provide those criteria; and if not, the basis on which

Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any verification, audit or assurance mechanisms are in place to assess claims relating to lack of safe housing in Ukraine; the body responsible for such oversight; and whether any audits or reviews have been conducted to date. [33605/26

temporary protection beneficiaries accommodated in private accommodation supported by the Accommodation Recognition Payment, State-contracted commercial accommodation, the modular or rapid-build housing; and the average annual cost per person within each category. [33606/26

Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has conducted or commissioned any formal assessment of housing availability, safety conditions, or regional stability in Ukraine for the purpose of informing Irish Government policy on return; and if so, to provide details of such

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health her views on the merits of the provision of emergency funding for housing and full-time care for the adult children of aging parents; if this is under consideration within her Department; and if she will make a statement

Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the assessment that has been undertaken regarding the impact of critical skills employment permit thresholds on wage levels, housing demand and labour market competition for younger workers. [31889/26

specific entitlements available under each of the five pillars of the Government support package for survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse (Health, Education, Advocacy, Housing and Funeral Costs); including the supports that are currently accessible in practice and what remains pending implementation; and if she will make a statement

concerns of residents in (details supplied) in relation to not being able to get access to fibre broadband due to their houses having direct buried leads, making the installation of fibre broadband more costly and difficult; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31902/26

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the latest update on discussions his Department has had with Dublin City Council or the Land Development Agency in relation to the Ballymun Shopping Centre site; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration is being given to purchasing lands at Lugnaquilla to provide a new national park; if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31879/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the public campaign requesting the Government to purchase lands at Lugnaquilla with a view to providing a new national park; if this is under review within his Department

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether data is collected on residential property purchases by non-EEA nationals holding temporary immigration permissions; and if so, to provide relevant figures. [31891/26

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will consider the acquisition of the 1,527-acre land parcel, including the summit of Lugnaquilla, County Wicklow, due for auction on 1 May 2026; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider amending Part L of the Building Regulations to introduce a mandatory requirement that all new-build residential properties be equipped with an on-site renewable energy system such as solar panels

Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to amend the croí cónaithe grant process so that applicants may draw down funds on the basis of a completion certificate issued by a local qualified engineer, rather than being required to submit