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required, remove the 72 hour obligation on SNAs, and continue to support the professionalisation of the SNA role; — introduce an initial teacher education programme for student teachers allowing them to complete at least one school placement in an additional needs setting, and introduce free upskilling … place in the locality. That is a fault of this Government's own making. It committed to introducing this application system in the programme for Government, but when will that be? Is it the next time academic year or will it be the academic year five years from

community groups but we also need to be bold with strategic investment. Let us use this fund to deliver real change and lasting projects, whether it be road upgrades over peat foundation, employment hubs, business parks or modern community centres and playgrounds, and to empower our towns … villages to ensure further enhancements. These are all projects that will leave a lasting legacy and truly make a difference. Offaly did not just endure transition; it led that transition. We now need support that reflects that leadership

open for business. Last year, we got great news in the sunny south east region with the announcement of a new veterinary medicine programme to be established in the campus of Kildalton agricultural college in Piltown, County Kilkenny, a venue the Taoiseach visited with me last year … Government, we need to prioritise the acceleration of accreditation by the Veterinary Council of Ireland through the inclusion of the new programme in the CAO listing in the 2025-26 year to provide for an annual intake of 40 students, commencing in September of next year

with existing third level institutions, road and rail infrastructure and access to a deep-sea port and international airport. The stated aimed of Project Ireland 2040 is to develop regional towns and cities as viable urban centres of scale that can act as alternatives and a counterbalance … continued growth of Dublin and its surrounding region. Project Ireland 2040 envisages that the population of Limerick city and its suburbs will grow by between 50% and 60% by 2040. Limerick has huge potential to develop as a regional city of scale and become a counterpull

County Council and the town councils of Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel and Tipperary. Local government is the beating heart of our democracy. The programme for Government references strengthening local government but in a generalised and non-specific way. One of its very few specific commitments is the promise … Minister of State to set up that task force immediately, with the specific objective - not the generalised woolly thinking and talk in the programme for Government - of re-establishing town and borough councils throughout this country. No planning framework can succeed without local democratic input from locally elected

them this way but I interpreted his words to mean he did not agree with this but was bound by collective government, the programme for Government and decisions previously made to pursue it. That is astonishing. Of course, a Minister can bring a recommendation to Government that … Government and the Opposition, seems a fairly big statement. To revert to Minister’s original statement, he said he was bound by the programme for Government, collective government and the agreements of his predecessors. In that case, I am sure most people would have to ask what

with regard to parental choice. I was very disappointed to see Government backbenchers expressing what is maybe a U-turn in what the programme for Government was talking about in 2020 on school patronage. It does not seem to appear in the current programme for Government, which

this Government stand over the defunding of Cork City Council through the shutdown of the 2024 social housing acquisition programme, leaving 28 families, some of whom have elderly or disabled members and some of whom are living with young children with special needs, at immediate risk of homelessness … Under Circular 11/2025, the Department allocated just €20 million to Cork City Council despite a project need of €33 million. That is a shortfall of €13 million. This leaves uncertainty and possible homelessness for a number of people in the city the Taoiseach and I share

victim's family. The perpetrator typically uses his or her powers to frustrate that. In Ireland, research by the Child Care Law Reporting Project shows that this affects on average seven children in the country every year. That may not be a large number, but the effect … Death Reviews received the Government guardianship rights paper. The conclusion to the Government guardianship rights paper simply restates the 2023 recommendation. The draft programme for Government published in January includes the following text on page 121: Examine proposals to remove guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their

thank the Taoiseach. I have a sore throat, so please excuse me being brief. Regarding the first home scheme, the programme for Government sets out the intention to extend that scheme to second-hand homes. It is a critical provision. I would like it to happen as soon … every means in his office and the new housing activation office, which I welcome, to ensure we fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government as soon as possible

wish to ask about the programme for Government commitment to earmark cost-rental units for key local workers like gardaí, teachers and nurses. We heard it at the GRA conference yesterday and at teacher conferences over Easter - housing is a key recruitment and retention issue. They need … able to secure affordable accommodation that is accessible to the communities they serve. We already have some cost-rental unit projects in Dublin West and they are proving very popular in Hansfield, Churchfields, Mulhuddart and Hollywoodrath. There is an opportunity here involving a development in Ashtown called Rathborne

resource constraints and children were lying in pain because budgets could not stretch far enough, while management salaries soared and new hospital projects blew through every promised deadline and cost ceiling. What of the new children's hospital, the project that was meant to be a beacon

statutory negotiation process. However, outcomes from the joint labour committee process are supported by Government through core funding, which in the programme year 2025-26 will increase to €350 million. An additional €45 million, as the Deputy referenced, has been ring-fenced to support employers to meet … committee's important role, to outline the Government’s continued support for the sector as a whole and, as outlined in the programme for Government, for the joint labour committee process. I outlined to representatives that Government expects the funding secured - the €45 million - will support the costs

process. Outcomes from the joint labour committee process are supported by Government through core funding, which will increase to €350 million in the programme year 2025-26. As the Deputy has referenced, an additional €45 million has been ring-fenced to support employers to meet the costs … Government’s continued support for the sector as a whole and for the entire joint labour committee process, as outlined in the programme for Government. As I have reiterated, I outlined to representatives that the Government expects that the funding secured to support the costs of increased minimum

gaps in the need for the service and the lack of the service being provided. The Government has given the commitment in the programme for Government that where this gap might be in play, and where no providers are taking the opportunity to provide the service, the State … Department to ensure we have the most up-to-date information on that. On ensuring the workforce is suitably upskilled, the nurturing skills programme is a very important source of support for workers. There has been a significant uptake, be it for professional development or ensuring that people

extension grant scheme is offering the largest capital grants in many years and allows, for the first time since the national childcare investment programme, for the purchase or construction of new facilities to be operated by existing community providers. Up to €750,000 is available … Pobal completed appraisals of eligible applications against three criteria, which were evidence of need, quality of application and readiness to progress the project, and the scores on these criteria have been collated. A list of recommended services is under review with further detail being examined in some cases

services roadmap set out measures. I will outline a few briefly. We are supporting practice education in CDNTs. We are supporting student sponsorship programmes. There is an initiative whereby four years' salary is now paid to new graduates over five years to support them in taking … year in year 5. We are also developing apprenticeship programmes. The HSE is driving a number of initiatives to address the CDNT vacancy rate. That includes intensive recruitment efforts across the HSE and section 38 and section 39 organisations. Also, we are engaging with secondary schools and higher

Government through core funding, which has seen its allocation increase from €259 million in year 1 to €350 million for the coming programme year 2025-26. An additional €45 million, which I referenced earlier, has been ring-fenced in the coming programme year to support employers to meet

primary care services in Fingal West. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the controls in place in respect of the sports capital grant programme. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss inclusion of the shingles vaccine in the national immunisation programme, drug payment scheme and medical card scheme. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan

chronic respiratory problems. This is one area where a lot of work and moneys could be saved if there was a comprehensive vaccination programme, especially for people over 65. There is a recommendation there would be five vaccines for older people available. We currently have three … more prone to getting shingles. Now is the time for planning as regards the ageing population and putting in place a vaccine programme to deal with this issue

spaces within the pool of college providers for the craft in question. In some instances, apprentices in Kerry have been assigned to a programme in Dundalk and apprentices in Dundalk to programmes in Kerry. There are similar cases elsewhere. Apprentices are entitled to request rescheduling should a college

thank the Deputy for the question. The programme for Government acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses, and aims to bring forward a number of measures to help contain energy costs. These include ard taxation measures to help contain energy costs. We have established … support a high renewable electricity system. This new modern capacity allows for the integration of a large volume of wind and solar energy projects that displace the need to run fossil fuel plants and thus reduce wholesale market prices. This capacity is procured through competitive auctions

Dublin. People respond to it incredibly well. I will be looking at ways to increase that budget from 2026 onwards to deliver more projects. We are now seeing these active travel projects and networks start to link up, which is positive. I am happy to work directly with

work he has done in bringing autism to the fore and ensuring it is firmly front and centre on the Government agenda. The programme for Government clearly sets out and prioritises the need to implement an autism innovation strategy and put it on a statutory footing, so that … Minister of State responsible for disabilities to ensure the CDNTs are filled. In that regard, there is a very clear commitment in the programme for Government to double the number of places within universities and colleges so we have more therapists, including OTs and speech and language therapists

thank the Deputy. Having been one of the leads in the negotiations for the programme for Government, I know the conversation on this was very clear. We need to support Dublin Airport but we also need to support our regional airports. We need to ensure people living outside … perhaps not the same level, but to an increased level, of air connectivity. That is why those commitments were made in the programme for Government. I do not have a timeline for the review but I will certainly ask the Minister for Transport to come back and engage

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Transport if projections indicate that electric vehicle grant funding may be exhausted before year end; if contingency funding is in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28331/26

Minister for Transport the level of capital investment committed in 2026 for public EV charging infrastructure; and whether this is sufficient to meet projected demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28334/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Transport the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28667/26

Shea asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the status of the proposed bus route 515 under the Connecting Ireland Programme, including the expected timeline for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28677/26

Shea asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the status of the proposed bus route 256 under the Connecting Ireland Programme, including the expected timeline for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28678/26

adjusted by the Dáil in Financial Resolutions 1, 2, and 3 recently, as in the resolutions for all years to 2025; and the projections from his Department from years 2026 onwards, in tabular form. [28635/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28657/26

Rock of Cashel in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to-date in 2026; and if each of those refurbishment works projects are still ongoing at present or completed, in tabular form. [28243/26

carried out at Cahir Castle in each the years 2024, 2025 and to-date in 2026; and if each of those refurbishment works projects are still ongoing at present or completed, in tabular form. [28244/26

Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28663/26

Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average delay in the delivery of exchequer-funded infrastructure projects with a value of over €70 million, for each of the past five years. [28725/26

Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average delay in the delivery of PPP-funded infrastructure projects of a value of over €70 million, for each of the past five years. [28726/26

asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average cost overrun in the delivery of exchequer-funded infrastructure projects of a value of over €70 million, for each of the past five years. [28727/26

asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average cost overrun in the delivery of PPP-funded infrastructure projects of a value of over €70 million, for each of the past five years. [28728/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28656/26

asked the Minister for Education and Youth if all schools under the DEIS Plus scheme will have access to the Junior Certificate school programme for students at risk of leaving school without formal qualifications, given that schools under the scheme have now been identified; and if she will

Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a school building project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28472/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28655/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28653/26

Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding schemes that are available to approved housing bodies that wish to carry out large-scale conversion projects bringing vacant offices or commercial buildings into residential social housing use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28116/26

date on which the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund will reopen; the amount applied for and drawn down to date by local authority and project. [28534/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28661/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28665/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28662/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28650/26