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administrative burden in the funding provided to these organisations, through the tendering process. My last point relates to HIQA. In 2024, HIQA estimated that it would cost €1.1 million per annum to introduce licensing. In the first instance, we must get a commitment from the Minister of State … with greater powers to cancel the licence of a provider if wrongdoing is found. A much clearer message must be sent to the public that much swifter and more comprehensive action will be taken by HIQA if there are concerns. Right now, there is a belief among

Minister will know that I have raised this on many occasions and in parliamentary questions. A proper online booking system available at every public services centre is necessary. My constituents in Dún Laoghaire and those around the country should be able to book a slot online … Airtricity's increase adds an average of €310 a year for 296,000 customers, and Bord Gáis Energy's increase will add an estimated €317 to the average household bill from 9 October. Gas prices are already around 90% higher than they were four or five years

highest number of incidents. This was just a few years after free second level education started. The Central Statistics Office has estimated that the number of people who may have been affected by child sexual violence who are over the age of 35 years … sold over 800 properties over the course of three decades since the scandal of clerical child sexual abuse began to emerge in full public view from 1990. The scoping inquiry showed that the Christian Brothers were the largest offender when it came to child sexual abuse in schools

want to make explicit what is already implicit in the law. We cannot stand back and allow vested interests to trample all over public health measures in the pursuit of profit. The unfortunate reality is there is not a family in Ireland that has not been impacted … average four people die from drinking, and more people end up in hospital due to alcohol-related harm. The Government's own research estimates that alcohol costs our health service a staggering €1.5 billion per year. Therefore, I hope the Minister and the Government agree

permanent spending had three main objectives. First, it ensured the adequate provision of supports for external challenges while continuing investment in core public services. Second, it provided transparency on the costs of responding to external challenges. Third, it allowed funding to be provided for specific, temporary purposes that … target and support household living standards. In line with the standard procedures, these will be matters discussed as part of the annual Estimates process

processing competitiveness, environmental sustainability and young entrants into the industry. It is vital. Some €27 million has been allocated for capital projects in publicly owned harbours in 2026, and I welcome this investment. The Food Vision seafood sector group has been established to develop a structured financial support … annual sense of instability. Even in a difficult year, Ireland's fishing opportunities still amount to approximately 120,000 tonnes, with an estimated first-sale value of over €200 million. This is a sector with strength and resilience, but there is a fear that it really is being

Chief State Solicitor's office had identified savings under subhead A1, administration pay and excess appropriations-in-aid, which will offset the total estimated €1.264 million expenditure shortfall in Vote 6. I ask her to elaborate on where those savings have accrued. Returning to the points related … into the new legislative suite of proposals. We have not seen those proposals yet. They have not been published by successive Ministers for public expenditure and reform. One way this Government can recommit to accountability and transparency in public life would be to publish that legislation, have

1970s, I will pull my hair out. The population in the 1970s was half what it is today. We had a surplus of public housing. A person on a council list would be housed within two to three years in the 1970s. Today it is more like … extra €6,000 a year in rent. What this report actually says is that we, in Sinn Féin, were conservative in our estimate of the impact of this on renters, starting from Sunday. Simon Harris had the brass neck to come into this Chamber earlier

lack of a definition of special educational needs in the proposed legislation and the uncertainty if the legislation applies to all of the estimated 25 per cent of students with a special educational need who may be seeking a mainstream, special class or special schools; — while the proposed … role as Minister of State, my time as Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters and my time as a public representative. However, having studied the proposed legislative changes and considered the new measures being proposed and processed by my Department and the NCSE in regard

driver's licence rather than a provisional. However, the wait times are abhorrent. I am currently on the waiting list and it is estimated that I will only receive my invitation to book a slot for the test in September of next year. From November to the following … recruit enough people to do the testing. I have to wonder, given the fact that the Government has been misleading the public about its recruitment strategy in the health service, telling the public and this House repeatedly that it is trying to recruit people but is finding

thousands of young men not important? Second, I want to raise the issue of missing children. Latest reports from experts at Yale University estimate that as many as 35,000 children may be held in Russia and its occupied territories. There is a network of 43 Russian facilities … Ukraine stopped. Ukraine has now borrowed as much as it can. It has an official fiscal deficit of about one fifth of GDP. Public debt has doubled as a share of GDP since before the war to about 110%. Ukraine cannot borrow any more. Its last hope

work on the development of this new scheme will commence as a matter of priority through the relevant senior officials group. The estimated effect of Storm Éowyn on telecoms networks was the largest in ComReg's recorded history. A significant number of outages experienced on the telecoms networks … infrastructure resilience directive. The office has engaged with regulators and established national competent authorities to reinforce compliance with these new regulations across the public sector, with an emphasis on integrated forward planning. This includes working with ESB Networks and Uisce Éireann to improve infrastructure resilience. This involves regular

mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March 2024. Over its full lifetime, the scheme had been tentatively estimated to benefit up to a maximum of 34,000 people who spent time in mother and baby and county home institutions. The scheme is open … forth are helpful. The Department will continue to do all it can to promote and raise awareness of the scheme via a significant public awareness campaign. This is operating on a phased basis in Ireland and in jurisdictions overseas that have a significant Irish diaspora. The first phases

extension of the 9 per cent Value Added Tax rate currently applied to gas and electricity to end in October 2025 at an estimated cost of €85 million with the net benefit to households from 1st May to 31st October being approximately €26.60 with respect to electricity … wind capacity connected to the grid in order to meet the requirement of 80 per cent of electricity demand supplied by renewables; — the Public Services Obligation (PSO) levy funds Ireland's renewable electricity support schemes, the Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff and the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme

skills to recognise false material and help to prevent its dissemination. Media and digital literacy initiatives should be seen alongside the promotion of public interest information in this regard. Crucially, the provision of media literacy education for everyone in our society will help to ensure that … Department of Communications, Culture and Sport is developing proposals around this, including commitments in the strategy to media literacy as part of the Estimates process and subject to the availability of resources. While media literacy is a vital component in our fight to counter disinformation, it must

mitigating the socioeconomic barriers to education. A culture of lifelong learning must be encouraged by removing financial barriers and investing in childcare and public services across the island. Fulfilling investment commitments, as outlined in the national development plan and ensuring timely delivery of infrastructure such as all-island … HMRC and the NISRA to improve the data on tax receipts in the North. This would help to provide more reliable estimates and forecasting. It is about us having the data to be able to do the accurate forecasting we need

struggled with an infrastructural deficit. We have made some progress in closing this gap, with the difference between Ireland and our EU neighbours estimated to have halved over the past 30 years. A gap still remains, however, with most experts, international and domestic, suggesting the gap is equivalent … slowest approval processes for renewable electricity in the EU. The case for change is clear. It is urgent and, as evidenced by the publication of this critical legislation in addition to the extensive package of reforms we are progressing, it is the Government’s highest priority. The pace

this is. It intersects with the environment, military technology, the cost of living, which this motion focuses on, and many other issues. An estimated cumulative average of about €360 in ordinary people's energy bills has been laid at the door of data centres. With households already paying … seriously suggesting it could not pay a levy? It is well able to pay. Further than that, the ESB, which once was a public utility, should be brought back into State ownership and run for profit to get bills down in the first place. Bord Gáis announced

excess of €2.2 billion. Government is committed to that. That is a key fact and decision. As the Deputy will know, it is estimated that close to 3,000 homeowners are now at various stages of the scheme. That was the figure at the end of August … engineering professions. The panel is appointed by the Minister in a clear and transparent way, which is managed on his behalf by the Public Appointments Service. It is through that service that people are selected to go on the panels. The appeals system is an independent statutory function

private treatment abroad; and — women who opt for treatment abroad will be provided with ongoing care to manage their condition across the public network after they return; and acknowledges that: — psychologists play a key role in endometriosis care by helping patients manage chronic pain, emotional distress … specialist menopause clinics are currently operational for women who require complex specialist care, six regional fertility hubs will provide support to the estimated 47 per cent of women with endometriosis who will also experience related fertility issues.". I greatly appreciate being facilitated, a Cheann Comhairle. It is most

housing. Construction cost estimates, when URDF funding was originally approved in 2021, was about €595 million. The programme now has a total estimated cost of €1 billion plus. It is a combination of tender price inflation and development of the design of some individual subprojects, that is, when … raised issues in terms of Cork. I would point out that the Cork Luas project is not in planning. It has been in public consultation. There are a lot of issues around that. This is communicating with the public. Sports clubs have articulated real concerns about the proposed

Other Deputies have outlined the level of waste of public money on various projects, such as the national children's hospital, the Dáil printer that did not fit into a room, the art scanner that was bought for €125,000 without anyone thinking about where … remaining swimming pool in the south inner city. An apartment block named College Gate will also be demolished during this project. Reports have estimated it will cost up to €60 million extra to buy and demolish those apartments and relocate their occupants. As we stand here now, that

schemes. Through the catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme, the largest study of flood risk was completed by the Office of Public Works in 2018. It is not possible to progress all 150 flood relief schemes identified by the 2018 flood risk management plans simultaneously … coastal protection scheme ahead of a flood relief scheme commencing. Under the minor works scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost not more than €750,000. Rathcormac is included in the Midleton and east Cork individual property protection scheme, which is a Cork County

completion of an assessment of need within six months of referral. There are 16,000 children on waiting lists currently and that is estimated to increase to 20,000 by year end. There are over 40,000 on waiting lists for various therapies such as speech and language … disability policy and legislation at national level; and to promote universal design across services, the built environment, information and communication technology and public policy. Its role is to provide evidence, policy advice and monitoring that informs Government decision making. I was surprised and disappointed to find that

meetings with the groups. There are complex issues around this. We have allocated a significant amount of money. About €2.2 billion is the estimate of what this scheme will cost. Interestingly, 2025 funding has increased by over 50%, from €45 million to €70 million. In other words, there … implemented by the administrators of the grant scheme - the local authorities themselves. As the Deputy knows, in March the NSAI commenced the public consultation period of the revised draft of IS465