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homes in Ballyboggan but this is under threat due to a lack of water and sewerage infrastructure. The greater Dublin drainage project needs to be progressed. Nationally, it is estimated that we need up to €120 billion for water development. That is a huge amount and we need … focus on key projects as a result, through the Apple money and, of course, through strategic borrowing if necessary. We also need to resource our planning system, as others have mentioned. Logjams are seriously slowing the process down, and that is before community facilities, childcare, schools, public transport

programme for Government commits to ensuring a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion. A new model of care is currently under development to strengthen and standardise care, ensuring safety and best practice. My Department provided €770,000 in budget … appointed, a cross speciality clinical advisory group has been established and a review of the evidence base is under way. A community pilot project to identify the needs of children and young people who are gender questioning will also commence in the coming months. The model of care

expecting Deputy Clarke. Eating disorders are complex and individual and can be one of the most serious mental health issues. The national clinical programme on eating disorders is progressing well with 14 of the 16 teams envisaged by the model of care now funded and approximately 100 dedicated … Vincent's. A review of adult bed capacity for specialist eating disorder beds is currently under way and the national clinical programme is developing a plan with a geographic spread based on this review. I met with the HSE about eight weeks ago regarding a plan to increase

longer term. I go back to the question we are all going to face regarding the infrastructure guidelines, how we deliver major capital projects, the length of time they take and the number of stages involved. It is a question of coming to the best way of proceeding … whereby we get multiple bidders for these major infrastructure projects and have a competitive process that will deliver the right outcomes. In my time in the north west ten days to two weeks ago, across Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal, while I saw significant capacity and additional beds through

should be there for urgent and emergency care within the acute system. My priority will be to secure the funding to advance these projects and also, working with the House, to revise the infrastructure guidelines to get to a way where we can build more effectively and efficiently … which is what we need for these projects in particular

over. I will work with the Minister and do everything I can to ensure the new elective hospital in Cork is delivered. The project needs to be fast-tracked. The waiting lists in Cork are absolutely scandalous. The need for this elective hospital and for elective surgeries … perfect site of nearly 100 acres on the northside of the city next to Glanmire. I wish the Minister every success but the project must be fast-tacked

expected that approximately 50 people would present with an eating disorder. In 2024, 562 people were treated through HSE services. The national clinical programme on eating disorders has progressed well, with 14 of the 16 teams envisaged by the model of care now funded. Approximately 100 dedicated eating … focuses on adult inpatient services and a review of adult bed capacity for specialist eating disorders beds is under way. The national clinical programme is developing a bed capacity plan with a geographical spread, which is important, based on this review. I expect to receive the plan from

need for the property. I would be very interested in the Deputy's perspective, representing the area as he does. There is a programme of sale of buildings by HSE estates, which I have been partially updated on. There is also a programme to offer them

discuss the process to review the basic income for the arts scheme. Deputy Shane Moynihan - To discuss route finalisation on the Lucan Luas project. Deputy Donna McGettigan - To discuss the planned changes to the ambulance service in Clare. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan - To discuss the pilot scheme … appointment of coroners. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman - To discuss progress with the commitment to extend the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme. Deputy Thomas Gould - To discuss the closure of the tenant in situ scheme in Cork city. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To discuss the shortage

Under phase 2, both Cork schools in this phase have filled all therapy posts allocated as part of the pilot. Under the 2025 programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, there is a commitment to introduce a national therapy service in education, commencing in special schools and subsequently … Youth have begun engagement with relevant Departments and agencies on the design, timelines, alignment, integrated working and costings involved to deliver this ambitious programme of work. Regarding the provision of private therapies for children with disabilities, the Government and the Minister remain supportive of the use of available

Waterford has been done by the local authorities and by the airport. Planning is in place, the regional funding is there and the project is ready to go. What is missing here is the decision by the Minister for Transport that just needs to be made. This prevarication … that the costs have gone up. They have gone up precisely because the Government has dithered and done nothing. Inflation has made this project a lot more expensive in the time we have wasted when the Government would not make a call on this and when they backtracked

provision of additional carriages and the installation of a passing loop in Oranmore. Double tracking is a more medium- to long-term project. It is part of the all-island rail review that I will be looking at. I am charged with the delivery of that rail review … have lots of exciting projects on that. We need to just get them prioritised and get those done quickly that can be done quickly. We need to plan for doing the others in a way that ensures there is continuous work. There is no doubt that

like to see more flights out of Shannon, Cork and Ireland West. We see growth in all those airports as well as further projected growth this year in Cork, Shannon, Ireland West and Kerry and small growth in Donegal. For the information of the House, I am working … preparatory work on the PSO for the Dublin-Derry route, which was a commitment in the programme for Government and one which got excellent support from the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, particularly through the shared island fund. We are working on that. A Dublin-Derry air route

other agencies, along with RTÉ and the Arts Council, under his auspices that have had failed or partially failed multimillion euro IT projects; if he will make full disclosure of when his Department became aware of any issue with each such IT project; and if he will provide

Arts Council's €7 million IT project failure and RTÉ's €3.6 million IT project failure are the headlines, instead of €10.3 million being spent wisely and well. Let us think of all the sports clubs, musicians and arts and cultural bodies that could have done so much

deadlines were a barrier for many. The appetite is there; we just need the tools. Will the Minister explore a longer-term funding programme to focus on community-led regenerative tourism in just transition counties? Can we look forward to Offaly being prioritised for future pilot projects

programme for Government commits to assessing the basic income for the arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. The basic income for the arts pilot research scheme began with the first baseline survey in October 2022 and will conclude in August 2025. The data from the pilot … importance of basic income support for artists. I know there is broad-based support for the basic income for the arts research project in the House. I will be meeting shortly with the National Campaign for the Arts to hear its views on the scheme in detail

think that decent consideration would be given to this. Does the Minister of State have any further update on the timeline and how projects on the reserve list, such as Louth GAA, could get further? Even beyond that, what timeline are we looking at for the reopening … LSSIF into the future? The idea is to make sure that we are talking about projects that are ready for the road, that are fit to be built straightaway and that there are no delays with

thank Deputy Rice very much. I agree with him in general that we must come up with systems to drive forward infrastructure projects in a more timely manner. This is why we have set up the new infrastructure division of the Department of public expenditure and reform … people of Cork regarding the decisions we are taking, I would say that the Crawford Gallery is an example of a project that had been knocking around for quite a while. We took a big decision in that regard recently that I think is important. I will

many of these schemes have still not been formally approved. I spoke with one builder-developer in Dublin. He has a turnkey project for one of the large AHBs of more than 50 units. He has had to close down the site because they are still awaiting CALF … approval for the AHB. That application was submitted last July. I have spoken with builders in County Donegal and elsewhere who have completed projects, with homes built and empty that cannot be occupied because the funding has yet to be approved. Will the Tánaiste tell us when

Blackpool suffered flooding damage in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It was agreed that a flood relief programme would be put in place. Environmental impact studies were carried out and presented by the Office of Public Works, OPW, to the Department of public expenditure. There was a judicial review … will lend to anyone who wants to buy property in this area because they cannot get flood relief insurance. I ask that this project be given priority and that it is not delayed further. It is 12 years on from the decision being taken, and no action

Hopefully, stabilisation and an increase in enlistment would give more momentum to recruitment and obviously to the important retention aspect as well. The programme for Government has a welcome commitment to build on improvements in the recruitment process, including a nationwide programme for transition year and third level

Forces. Of course, to strengthen the Defence Forces, we rely heavily on the expertise and experience of instructors, who deliver high-quality training programmes to new recruits. These programmes act as a key driver to transform culture and to modernise the Defence Forces to ensure that the State

subject to change and that there is a new framework. However, even under that new framework, for first and second class, the patrons’ programme is going to get eight hours a month, which in most schools is religious education, whereas science only gets four, so science education … only getting half the time that we are allocating to the religious programme. There are huge issues with regard to the amount of time that is being allocated. We also know that this religious ethos filters through the whole day and it is not just the teaching time

previous target of having 400 such schools by 2030. It is deeply concerning to parents that this target was dropped from the 2025 programme for Government. We need to see some real progress. The Government should improve the pilot programme intended to facilitate the transfer of school patronage

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress made on the Programme for Government commitment to "review the 2001 Childcare Facilities Guidelines for Planning Authorities to ensure childcare spaces are provided and put into use"; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has overspent on the research and development project on a National Childcare Agency; and if she will outline amount of overspent. [28590/26

Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on developing State-led early learning and childcare facilities; the number of project proposals received from north Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29189/26

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current and projected demand for student accommodation in the Dublin region, as identified by his Department and higher education institutions; the actions being taken by his Department to support the provision

Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps his Department is taking to support and encourage the provision of adult and community education programmes through the medium of Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22067/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to address projected construction-sector labour shortages over the coming years, in order to ensure that national housing and infrastructure delivery targets remain achievable; and if he will

Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made in expanding apprenticeship programmes beyond traditional sectors; the targets set for new apprenticeship registrations over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22107/26

taken place between his Department and the Department of Health regarding workforce planning for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy; whether projected higher education training places are aligned with workforce demand identified by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement

Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the next phase of the development of the College of the Future project at a location (details supplied) which was given the green light in October 2024, in particular a timeline; the expected impact of this pioneering

Innovation and Science the measures being taken to address the ongoing apprenticeship in-class training delays; the number of dropout rates in apprenticeship programmes at phases 2, 4 and 6 for the years 2024, 2025 and 2026 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make

sought, or will seek, clarification from Research Ireland regarding the rationale behind the decision to discontinue the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme and move to a block-grant funding model administered through higher education institutions; and the specific protections that will be put in place

funding will be provided to the dental school in UCC who have submitted proposed to the Department for the expansion of their training programme, which would involve the development of a new hub in which additional students could be trained and practice; and if he will make

Minister for Education and Youth the specific training modules that deal with the question of visual impairment in the state-subsidised SNA upskilling programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29228/26

schools but do not themselves have DEIS status; and if so, whether interim supports such as HSCL access, school meals, or school completion programme supports are being considered in such cases. [29390/26

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when the next Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) will be open for applications; the way in which clubs can engage with this fund in advance of applications opening; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when the capital funding programmes for sport, specifically the Community Sports Facilities Fund (CSFF), will open for applications; the way clubs can engage with this fund in advance of applications opening; and if he will make

land at the state-owned Citywest complex for the promised 24-hour Garda station; if his Department will facilitate the acceleration of this project as a key community safety requirement for the Saggart area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29439/26

Marine his views on the merits of putting in place multiannual funding for animal welfare charities to allow for longer term plans and projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29447/26

formally raised with the Department or with SOLAS; the interdepartmental coordination mechanisms in place to ensure that training capacity keeps pace with the projected growth of the national EV fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29549/26

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the details of the progress made to date on the commitment in the Programme for Government to support the implementation of Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, to increase public awareness and crack down on dangerous driving

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to use ongoing data analysis and local knowledge to identify accident-prone or ‘black spot’ areas and focus road safety interventions where they are most needed; and if he will

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to invest in high-powered roads policing vehicles and continue to upgrade the Garda fleet to support effective enforcement; the progress that has been made to date

works at Kilcormac Garda Station, County Offaly in 2026; the scope of any such works; the budget allocated; the current stage of the project; and the expected timeline for commencement and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29132/26

works at Kinnitty Garda Station, County Offaly in 2026; the scope of any such works; the budget allocated; the current stage of the project; and the expected timeline for commencement and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29134/26

average number of contacts or interventions per child per year; and the proportion of supports delivered on a one-to-one, group, and programme basis, with national comparator data provided. [28815/26