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programme for Government sets out the commitment to progress legislation prohibiting goods from the occupied Palestinian territory. That is the mandate I received and what I am now progressing. The mandate concerns what is in the programme for Government

been engaging with parents, the NCSE, SENOs and school principals to push for a resolution to the crisis across Waterford city and county. Projects in Ballycurrane National School and Garranbane National School have been delayed, further adding to pressure, while bureaucracy and capacity constraints are frustrating efforts … John's Special School, Dungarvan. While temporary accommodation might be a solution for September, ultimately there needs to be an expansive and ambitious project to deliver a new extended school campus in Dungarvan. For now, however, parents need certainty. Their children deserve an education, not just a place

last number of years to accommodate more children, with St. John’s Special School and St. Martin's Special School availing of building projects in recent years. St. Martin’s currently has a project for an additional four special education classrooms, a quiet space and ancillary accommodations

will put 90 m-high pylons across high land in the midlands. The Government is spending hundreds of millions of euro on a project that will be blown down in future. I ask it to refrain from that project

scheme was informed by lessons learned through the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, the results-based environment-agri pilot project, REAP, and experience gained in locally led projects undertaken under the European innovation partnerships. ACRES has been a big change in our approach to agri-environmental

That is good news for young people and their parents watching these proceedings today. Of course, we have published a new programme for Government. It commits to publishing a new fully funded, radical and realistic housing plan to get more homes built. We are going to ramp … throw brickbats. That is up to him. The Minister wrote to me last summer in good faith outlining what a number of projections available to him, including from Deutsche Bank, said would happen. Of course, that did not materialise. The new Government is more determined than ever

have already made very clear to the Deputy about the programme for Government, negotiated by parties who won a clear majority in the last election and working with Independents, and what we have agreed to do in the programme for Government. That is what our focus

capital funding. It will absolutely allow us to not just deliver on the capital commitments that have already been made for many projects across our country, including in Galway, but it will also allow us to add new ones. I want to re-emphasise a point that … need buck-passing or saying that something is for another agency. We need to come together and deliver these projects. I do not believe funding will be the challenge

programme for Government refers to "all parties and groupings party to the Government". My question is simple. Which groupings are party to the Government and what agreements exist with them? Elsewhere, the programme for Government refers to support resources being made available to "others who support the Government

loved running on the Curragh. It is about the Curragh that I wish to put my question. Page 57 of the programme for Government commits the Government to a conservation plan and new management system for the Curragh. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Martin Heydon, was most instrumental … ensuring that provision in the programme for Government. It is absolutely essential that it is actioned now. Year after year, we have seen incursions onto the Curragh where it has become a vast illegal holiday campsite. The cost of rehabilitating the place last year was €185,000, which

Deputy knows, I agree with him on this issue and I am supportive of this project. It could be a real enabler for the south-east region. The new Minister of State sitting beside me, Deputy Canney, is due to meet his officials in the coming days specifically … that issue. It is, as Deputy Cullinane fairly acknowledges, specifically referenced in the programme for Government. Once the Minister of State has had an opportunity to engage with his officials, I will ask him to engage with Waterford Oireachtas Members on the next steps

farmers and communities in rural Ireland always step to the fore in supporting one another in times of need and difficulty. The programme for Government was an opportunity to give Irish farmers the support they deserved. Once again, however, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael failed to stand … shown respect and not more delays. The Mercosur trade deal poses the gravest threat to Irish farmers in a generation. In the programme for Government, we see only lukewarm opposition to the deal. We need to see a complete and utter rejection of the Mercosur deal

because it is about fairy tales about how many homes are actually being built. The reality and the fundamental problem is that the programme for Government is based on that falsehood of how many homes were going to be built. It continues the same policies that failed … Dáil. Policy has not been about affordable housing. This is the fundamental problem at the heart of the continued housing policies of the programme for Government that are about subsidising the market, developers and institutional funds. The Taoiseach spoke about there being record State intervention. Yes, there

tábhachtach dóibhsean a bheith ann agus i bpolasaithe an Rialtais freisin. It is a big job to put together a policy and a programme for Government like this and huge credit is due to those who were involved in negotiating this plan, putting it together and putting … need to make it easy for people to make that choice. In that regard, I certainly welcome the targets set in the programme but it is also important to put in place additional incentives to achieve those targets. Some of the difficulties gardaí have in particular relate

Israeli state project is a racist, apartheid project

abundance of data and evidence and, most importantly, we have heard the lived experiences and the needs of the people we represent. This programme for Government includes many solutions that can be implemented in the coming months. I believe some of them will address many of these needs … connect individuals and their communities. That will alleviate isolation and loneliness and reduce carbon emissions. To deliver these few examples from the programme for Government and to mitigate future natural or man-made crises, and we have heard plenty of that in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, there

that has not been upgraded. It is a death trap. A preferred route was picked but it has now been shelved. The new programme for the N11-M11 improvement scheme was shelved in October 2022. That needs to be re-enacted. Finally, the commuter train to Wicklow … crowded. It needs carriages and more trains. It is part of the programme for Government, which promises new roads and enhanced rail services. I really urge the Taoiseach to complete this

discoloured water. Many particles are visible in people's water supply. I am not sure whether he saw the "Prime Time Investigates" programme last week, but it truly is an eye-opener. He needs to see it. It is available on the RTÉ player … north side of the city. On its website it currently shows that it is 100% compliant, but the investigations done in the programme clearly show this is not the case. I ask the Taoiseach to intervene if he can and to talk to Irish Water to make sure

forest owners. The task force will address the interaction of forestry with power lines. One of the actions for my Department in the programme for Government is to work with the ESB to support and accelerate the timber and vegetation clearance programme. I am fully committed to this

outdated, overstretched and unfit for purpose. Let us talk facts. I am delighted to see the steps to legalise private wires in the programme for Government. There are gigawatts of renewable projects waiting for a connection. ESB Networks simply cannot handle this backlog with the current infrastructure

million in core support to UNRWA, as well as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Food Programme and others. Our humanitarian response is not only about funding but is also about the direct delivery of practical supports and solution. In Ireland … favour of the General Assembly resolution giving practical effect to the findings of the advisory opinion in September of last year. The programme for Government is clear in its commitment to progressing legislation to bolster its influence in the occupied Palestinian territories. We make no apology for progressing

regard to the retrofit of local authority homes, in 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the local authority energy efficient retrofit programme. This was designed around a programme for Government commitment and led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications

other requirements regarding access. These requirements are outlined in the Forestry Standards Manual. One of the actions for my Department in the programme for Government is to work together with the ESB to support and accelerate the timber and vegetation clearance programme and I am fully committed

include those aged between five and eight years and to support the roll-out of new and enhanced bus and rail services under programmes such as BusConnects and Connecting Ireland. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently commitment to improving public transport under the new programme

democratic representatives and led our party in detailed negotiations. He succeeded in securing a majority for a new Government based on an ambitious programme for moving our country forward. Surely the first qualification to serve as Taoiseach is to show the ability to work with people and build … Europe and globally he lobbied other leaders and businesses for Ireland. Every day, he pushed within his Government to develop an unprecedented programme that could rapidly distribute the vaccines. Once he succeeded in this, he then took his place in the queue along with his fellow citizens

Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be included in the next expansion of a programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23486/26

Education and Youth to outline the position in relation to school planning in the Ashbourne school planning area in Meath; the existing and projected, capacity; how additional demand will be accommodated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23509/26

working family payment as of March 2026; the average weekly payment; the total annual expenditure on the scheme in 2025 and the projected expenditure for 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23378/26

Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the Health Technology Assessment’s proposed expansion of the BreastCheck programme, particularly relating to breast density; whether their expert advisory group has, or will, invite Lobular Ireland to participate; the criteria for selecting support or patient

Health if, in view of the recent outbreak of meningitis B in England, consideration is being given to a catch-up vaccine programme in Ireland for older children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23271/26

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if she intends to roll out a catch-up programme for MenB vaccines in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23283/26

employed there; the number of additional beds that will be available in the new Community Hospital; the total cost of this facility; the projected running costs going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23311/26

Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 4 December 2025, if he or his Department is considering a reintroduction of the RAPID programme in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23218/26

Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 2168 of 4 November 2025, when he expects Community Services Programme to open for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23219/26

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if Listowel could be added to the recently announced list of CLÁR 2026 funding projects (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23371/26

asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total amount allocated to each local authority under the Local Enhancement Programme for 2025, in tabular form. [23501/26

asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total amount allocated to each local authority/county under the Community Services Programme in 2025, in tabular form. [23506/26

Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport the balance between costs and fares to date for the rollout of the TFI Anseo project in Killarney; the amount the service generated in fares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22922/26

Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 409 of 18 March 2026, to outline the projected additional corporation taxes that will be taken in as a direct result of the global minimum effective tax rate (ETR) of 15 percent

current status of the Stage 2A application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied); the reason for the delay in progressing this project, which has been ongoing for over a year; when a decision will issue on the revised submission recently provided to the Department

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the tender for a long-awaited school project (details supplied) collapsed prior to works commencing in 2025. [22614/26

approved in January 2025 for €750,000; if the tender report submitted to the Emergency Works section in December 2025 reflecting an updated project cost of €1,029,675 has been reviewed by the Department's quantity surveyor; the reason for the delay in issuing approval despite follow

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of schools that were successful in the Anseo attendance programme; if a geographic spread was achieved; and if the Pobal deprivation index was used in the selection of successful schools. [22679/26

rationale for maintaining the requirement of a minimum grade of C2 in higher level Irish for entry to Professional Master of Education programmes in primary teaching, given that applicants who took A Level Irish in Northern Ireland meet this requirement with a grade C, and that applicants

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the progress of the SNA classroom project for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22752/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the projected overall budget envelope for the 2026 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund and whether this will exceed the €277.9 million allocated under the 2023 round. [22544/26

Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the projected annual savings arising from the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme; the details of any cost-benefit analysis undertaken, including potential downstream costs such as delays, appeals or retrials

Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme align with commitments in the Programme for Government to restore criminal legal aid fees; the basis for any assertion that the proposals constitute a restoration rather than a reduction

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the stakeholders for participation in the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 were selected. [22680/26

Agriculture, Food and the Marine which environmental and social groups were represented as stakeholders in the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 were selected. [22681/26