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November, December, January and February. Locally, yesterday's budget once again highlights the lack of follow-through from the Government on significant projects like the Mallow relief road and the Cork to Limerick motorway. Both of these projects are vital for the development of Mallow and its environs … well as connectivity and safer routes between our second- and third-largest cities. These projects cannot just be shoved into the general budget of the Department of Transport or Transport Infrastructure Ireland. They should have been recognised as stand-alone projects by the Government. On education, there have

happy to welcome budget 2026. It takes meaningful steps to delivering many of the commitments contained in the programme for Government. It is important to say that a programme for Government is a five-year commitment, and we have made a reasonable start in many areas. Looking … apprenticeships in 2026 to more than €408 million. That is double what it was five years ago. One of our commitments in the programme for Government is for 12,500 new apprenticeship registrations by 2030. We are well on target to meet that figure. We had 78 apprenticeship

lack of support being given. I know it was said that the Government would do something at Maynooth and UCD but those projects already exist, so that is nothing new. What about the technological universities? Nothing. There is no mention of them. I am glad to see there … being issued with guidelines on how things are supposed to be going, despite the scheme running for a lengthy period. The school completion programme, which I have long advocated and worked for, has the potential to prevent early school-leaving and re-engage very vulnerable students

thank the Deputy. As he is aware, the programme for Government will set out a review of the national development plan as a key priority. Through the NDP review, we are prioritising critical economic growth but also the health infrastructure we need to have, which the Deputy … Deputy and I both know, we have to drive further ahead. The NDP settlement recognises that there are certain key programme for Government priorities in health that will progress to statutory approval towards the latter part of the current NDP. In relation to shovel-ready projects, I have

done the maths. I have met with the Department. I know the money simply is not there to do all of these projects. It is a case of who is right or who is wrong when it comes to the funding. I would accept that the Minister wants … does come down to money. It is a case of "show me the money". If the money is there, we can do these projects. If the money is not there, whether they are shovel-ready or not, they simply will not proceed. We have seen health projects stalled

recent RTÉ “Prime Time" programme into the purchase of mobile phone location data was shocking. For very little money, and with very little effort, journalists were able to buy data which tracked the journeys of smartphone users across Ireland, based in different locations. They even tracked naval vessels … know, they were able to trace the residential addresses of political representatives. The Minister and Deputy Barry Ward were featured in the programme. It was particularly chilling - and the findings were chilling - given the recent reports of very serious online abuse and threats of violence against the Tánaiste

thank the Deputy for her question. I did see the “Prime Time” programme two weeks ago and I thought it was very concerning. It was an issue of considerable concern to me, not that fact that I or, indeed, other politicians were identified in it, but the potential … could identify the movement of individuals such as gardaí or prison officers. I am extremely concerned about it. In the aftermath of the programme, I met with officials in my Department and asked them to engage with the DPC which, as the Deputy correctly pointed out, has statutory

decade, and €245 billion-plus in total. Those are the facts. Now it is about delivery and we are seeing lots of our projects across the country coming through planning and starting to commence. I am sure the Deputy shares our commitment under the NDP and welcomes … communities right across the Republic. I will give a couple of examples. In Cork, I attended the contract signing for the M28 Ringaskiddy project, which will benefit the entire south-west region by providing much-needed improved access to the Port of Cork, thereby enhancing competitiveness

Minister said, it is about delivery at this stage. All the projects he mentioned are projects that were previously announced. The NDP review did not bring anything new to the table. It was also scant on any real substance or detail. Most of the projects were … books for years and some of them, like MetroLink, for decades. MetroLink, on the books for decades, is the only transport project the NDP review mentions. The Government is talking about new announcements but the people do not want announcements; they want project deliveries to happen across

fully funded multi-annual plan. In the coming weeks, each Department, including my own, will publish departmental NDP plans setting out specific projects. I could stand here for the next two hours listing the projects that are under way but I will give only a couple of examples … Phase 1 of the Cork area commuter rail programme is scheduled to be completed next year. There are ongoing station upgrades at Galway Ceannt and Oranmore, as well as the construction of a new Waterford Plunkett Station. These investments will increase accessibility and reliability for passengers, provide interconnectivity

coming weeks, which will provide further sectoral details in relation to the distribution of those investments and that allocation across the various programmes right across the Department. The Deputy asked about criteria. A clear focus of that plan will be on providing greater certainty on the projects … programmes that will advance and get delivered in the next five years. Deliverability and commencement of projects, and obviously making sure projects are moving through planning, are particularly important. In developing that plan, I will obviously take cognisance of commitments under the programme for Government, as well

area and championed it over that time. In total, more than €29.2 million under the EU just transition fund has been allocated to projects that are fully or partially based in County Laois. Of this, almost €3.6 million has been approved for projects under way solely within County … Laois, while more than €25.6 million has been approved for projects across several counties, including County Laois. I will provide the Deputy with the full breakdown of these allocations in tabular form, including details of the recipients, projects and amount of support allocated. That information will be provided

acutely aware of the personal and economic impact both physical and verbal assaults have on retail staff and their families. The programme for Government includes the examination of the introduction of a specific offence of an assault on a retail worker. The development of legislation is a complex … task that requires consideration of all the potential implications of any change in the law. Work to progress the commitments within the programme for Government has commenced and I am happy to engage in further discussions on proposals for the protection of retail workers. It is important

next ten years. Planning and prioritisation of the funding will be guided by: the critical priorities for infrastructure investment highlighted in the programme for Government; the capacity of sectors to deliver projects and programmes within the period of the review, while being cognisant of trade-offs within … labour supply; the cost of proposals in the context of competing priorities and existing levels of capital funding; and the alignment of particular projects with the core focus on housing and competitiveness. The revised national development plan will also form part of our broader structural plan and associated

different cross-Border programmes have been important since they were first initiated by then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, in the mid-1990s. There were the PEACE I and PEACE II programmes and INTERREG programmes. As the Minister, Deputy Chambers, will be aware, the PEACEPLUS programme is very important … Border counties, north and south of the Border. I am particularly anxious that we build on the great potential of the PEACEPLUS programme and I hope the Minister will be able to implement even more collaboration and co-operation on an all-Ireland basis in future programmes

target of 90% by 2030. The Deputy is correct that there is also a need for catch-up programmes. The programme for Government contains a commitment to extend the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme to anyone under 25 who missed the initial vaccination. When I mention … this commitment, the Minister for Health told me this morning that she has decided to introduce a schools-based HPV vaccine catch-up programme without delay. This will give an opportunity to students who have previously been offered a HPV vaccine another opportunity to receive that vaccine

legislative scrutiny report from the justice committee recommended that an examination take place regarding the current criteria and eligibility for potential projects under the community safety innovation fund. Sinn Féin has long advocated for the reinvestment of the proceeds of crime back into the communities most affected … would have seen the proceeds of crime reinvested into communities to build resilience through our drug task forces, family resource centres, youth diversion projects, unemployment services, sports clubs and anybody involved in working in a disadvantaged area. In response to this, the Government, in fairness, established the community

general, yes. All these projects are very divisive. They are all being led by private investors that are only interested in extracting a profit from local resources and are not interested in the communities around them. The public consultations on these projects are nothing more than box-ticking … exercises. There is no input from communities and many large-scale projects are in close proximity to residential areas. Everybody understands the critical need for energy security but this developer- and profit-led approach needs to change. Communities need to have real input and, ultimately, ownership of these

assistance. That commitment was reaffirmed in 2019 in A Better World, Ireland's international development policy. It is also been reaffirmed in our programme for Government. In recent years, the Government has consistently increased the allocation for the Irish Aid programme managed under Vote 27 of the Department … Foreign Affairs and Trade. This year, it stands at €810.3 million, the highest ever in the 51-year history of the developing programme. Total overseas development assistance and aid for 2024 are currently being finalised, but preliminary figures released by the OECD place Ireland's own overseas develop

thank the Deputy for his continuing support for our national library programme. When we served together in the Seanad, he was a strong advocate for library services. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I, as Minister of State with responsibility for libraries, are investing in our library services. They … public library strategy. It is an ambitious, forward-looking strategy and one of its key commitments is the delivery of a libraries capital programme. To that end, it is important for Members to bear in mind that the provision of library services is a matter for local authorities

community centres nationwide under CCIF 2022. To date, over €43 million of this has been paid to these communities, with 760 of those projects now complete. Last year, funding of €30 million was approved for the construction of 12 new community centres covering nine counties. These projects … million for 369 community centres under category 2, which provides funding of up to €100,000. This was in addition to 405 projects approved in November with a value of €7.8 million under category 1, which provides funding of up to €25,000. This brings the total amount

part and not an over-indexed part of the continuum of care for older people. I also need to acknowledge the "RTÉ Investigates" programme that was broadcast on 4 June. I echo the words of the Minister of State with responsibility for older people, Deputy O'Donnell … policy will set out, at a high level, proposed new legislative provisions for the sector. It will also set out a wide-ranging programme of non-legislative measures across our sector to achieve a culture of safeguarding that is fostered and embedded at all levels. More broadly

Limerick and Waterford and Galway, a number of key enablers were outlined as to how these cities can be developed and what infrastructural projects will be required for these cities to develop. For Limerick, Cork and Waterford, the key enablers all included some reference to rail transport … rail projects. However, there was no reference in the national planning framework to reopening the western rail corridor or to doubling the rail track between Galway and Athenry as part of the key enablers for Galway city. That was regrettable given the strong sense that came from this

every lever at our disposal - political, diplomatic and legal - in our response to this situation. We are delivering on the commitment in the programme for Government to progress legislation prohibiting import of goods from the settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories following the advisory opinion of the International … seems to be holding. We remain clear that only a negotiated diplomatic solution can properly resolve the many concerns around Iran’s nuclear programme. However, we must also recognise reality. Iran’s threats against Israel are unacceptable. So is its support for militant armed groups around the region

training initiative co-ordinators, LTIs, at four centres in south Tipperary. It informed them that due to budgetary constraints from SOLAS, the LTI programmes will cease at the end of this existing term. This is shocking news. Tipperary ETB made it clear that it has received a challenging … Despite ongoing engagement, it has been unable to secure enough funding to sustain the current level of further education and training programmes. Following a review of the funding, it has taken the decision to discontinue the LTIs. This is a retrograde step. I understand the Minister of State

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Defence for an update on the GUARD, OVERSIGHT and SeaDOM projects on maritime and subsea object detection at the Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CRIS) at the University of Limerick; whether any of these projects have become operationally capable

Equality the number of operators to date, that have been selected or approved under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the name of each operator and the associated project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54370/26

Disability and Equality the criteria used by her Department to select sites for investment under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the weighting given to unmet demand, deprivation, rurality, accessibility, value-for-money and project readiness; and if she will make a statement

Disability and Equality whether her Department plans to publish the Forward Planning Model, appraisal methodology and scoring framework used to identify and prioritise projects under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54373/26

Midwifery Board of Ireland, NMBI, on an application (details supplied); to clarify the specific "quantitative and qualitative deficits" that were identified in the programme by NMBI, and the NMBI/EU Directive 2005/36/EC standards and requirements that were identified as having not been met by the programme in order that

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress made in delivering the LEADER programme 2023–2027; the level of funding allocated to date to support rural enterprise development, job creation, social inclusion and environmental projects; the steps being taken

Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress made to date in allocating the €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund commitment under Project Ireland 2040; the total funding allocated, the number of projects supported, and the impact assessments undertaken in relation to the regeneration of rural towns

Education and Youth the current position regarding the application for funding under the summer works scheme in respect of a science laboratory project at a school (details supplied); the current status of the assessment of the application; if funding will be approved and made available in sufficient time … allow the project to be completed before the commencement of the 2026-2027 academic year, given the urgent need for these works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54100/26

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Defence the defence infrastructure projects that have been completed since 2020; and the funding provided for each project, by county, in tabular form. [53724/26

during the MetroLink railway order process, to provide an independent engineering expert (IEE) service for residents during the construction phase of the project; whether the terms of reference for the role have been prepared or are currently being drafted; if so, by whom; whether residents' representative groups will … place to ensure that the independent engineering expert is contractually and operationally independent of the bodies responsible for delivering the MetroLink project; when the independent engineering expert is expected to be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53261/26

Youth for an update on an application made through the online portal on behalf of a pupil for the July Provision Summer Programme (details supplied), especially as arrangements have already been made for the programme and a tutor for the pupil; if the application will get appropriate consideration

being left outside the centre overnight or in circumstances that could pose a risk to that person or to the surrounding community; the projected increase in the number of daily applicants attending the International Protection Office application centre at Citywest since the redirection of applications from Mount Street … projected increase in the total number of persons accommodated at the Citywest Reception Centre arising from this redirection; the timeframe over which this increase is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52846/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who availed of assisted voluntary return programmes in each year from 2020 to date in 2026; and the total amount paid by the State under such programmes. [52974/26

Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to advise on the way in which funding of €5 million for the new SÍOL Programme for 2026 will be rolled out; when projects are required to be submitted from councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans to deploy a Bovine TB vaccine as part of the BTB eradication programme following reports that the UK intend to rollout a vaccine programme by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52032/26

Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the capital funding that has been allocated, or is proposed to be allocated, for public infrastructure projects in Cork north west under the National Development Plan during 2026 and 2027; if he will outline the projects included; and if he will

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether any HSE Health Region has exhausted, or is projected to exhaust, its allocated home support budget during 2026; whether any financial control measures have been introduced as a consequence; and if she will provide, by Health Region, the allocated … budget, expenditure to date, projected year-end expenditure and estimated funding shortfall. [51901/26

Climate, Energy and the Environment if the transposition of Article 12 of the Energy Efficiency Directive 2023/1791 will occur within the Summer Legislative Programme 2026, as it is not named within the programme, and if a specific timeline of its transposition can be provided. [51607/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the projected total cost of establishing contactless payments on public transport in Dublin; the expected timeline for delivery; if he has considered extending this to services outside of Dublin and any associated projected costings; and expected timelines for delivery

Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department will review the eligibility criteria under the active travel programme to ensure that smaller rural towns and villages can access funding for footpath provision and pedestrian safety projects; and if he will make a statement

Department has undertaken an assessment of the extent to which smaller rural communities are unable to access active travel funding due to programme criteria, population thresholds, or project requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51164/26

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the next review of the DEIS school programme will take place given that it has been four years since the last extension of the programme which used 2021-2022 Department of Education enrolment databases and 2016 national

Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to extend the short stay visa waiver programme to South Africans; how often the list of eligible countries is updated; and the criteria used to decide the countries that will become eligible for this … programme. [51137/26

address the rise in District Court criminal legal aid expenditure from approximately €19 million in 2015 to €37 million in 2024; the projected savings that are expected from the new model; whether these projections have been shared with the Law Society and the Bar of Ireland

Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 28 of 23 June 2026, if she will provide a list of the potential projects and their locations, and the names of those who have proposed these projects including those from the local city and county childcare committees. [51828/26