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said, I am very supportive of these projects. I said Cork County Council area but it was Cork City Council area that was allocated €27 million this year under the NTA’s active and sustainable transport investment programme. What happens is the NTA will do the allocations … stage. I am confident with the allocation we have through the revised NDP that we will be able to continue to deliver these projects at scale, including this one. Last year approximately 200 kilometres of cycling and walking routes were delivered across the country. Interestingly, in the coming

sectors like health, education and justice. Notwithstanding that, we have to address this. The Department has supported the development of various schemes and programmes in Tusla to improve its recruitment and retention of social workers and social care workers. New programmes are expected to increase the number … That is a significant uplift, year on year, in the number of those who graduate specifically from social work and social care programmes. The initiatives being taken by Tusla include: the introduction of a four-year tertiary degree, co-designed and co-delivered by Cork Education and Training

with 53 applications received by 16 February 2026. In 2018, the OPW completed the State’s largest ever flood-risk study - the CFRAM programme. It covered 80% of the primary flood risk in Ireland and identified solutions to protect 95% of that risk. Key outputs include flood maps … When complete, 95% of properties assessed will have flood protection. Other measures will address remaining risks, including minor flood mitigation and coastal protection projects, individual property protection, the voluntary homeowners relocation scheme and enhanced forecasting and community resilience programmes. So far, the OPW has invested €580 million

purchased homes are reducing year-on-year since 2023, and in 2025, 293 homes were bulk purchased, down from 675 in 2023; — the Programme for Government commits to maintaining the 'owner occupier guarantee', thereby continuing to prohibit the inappropriate bulk purchase of homes, and securing homes for homeownership … gaps, and support increased housing delivery nationwide; — improve equity availability for homebuilding through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund's new €600 million equity programme, in partnership with the national banks; — boost homeownership, and help support younger people seeking autonomy in the housing market, through measures like the First

will be published soon and will show continued strong performance. Over 14,100 homes have been brought back into use under the voids programme. More than 18,900 affordable housing supports had been provided by quarter 3 of 2025, increasing home ownership for families and ordinary workers. Over … both formal and informal engagement with various stakeholders to identify and address infrastructure barriers to housing delivery and to develop a co-ordinated programme of investment with key infrastructure agencies and the local government sector. Last month the Government announced a new multi-annual €1 billion housing infrastructure

largest study of flood risk ever undertaken by the State in 2018. The OPW catchment-based flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme was undertaken by engineers and consultants on behalf of the OPW, working in partnership with the local authorities. The CFRAM programme studied 80% of Ireland … prioritised, along with schemes already under way. The prioritisation of the first tranche of schemes was based on three criteria, namely, scale of projects, capacity to deliver the national development programme and the maximisation of return for investment in respect of property numbers. Flood relief schemes are complex

will advance the critical infrastructure Bill, which will help set the prioritisation and political direction for the Government and the Oireachtas around particular projects. That could be in advance of projects going into the planning process. With some of the projects that are in the planning process … reforming that area so we can deliver some of them in parallel. The risk of judicial review also hangs over a lot of projects. The reforms we will advance this year in the context of judicial reviews are to try to deal with that issue

have also had a wider step-change in investment in the water, transport energy and sectors. The sectoral plans detail over 200 specific projects that are being prioritised, with a particular focus on projects going to tender and construction in 2026 and 2027. This is with the specific … infrastructure guidelines were brought by me to the Government for approval this week. These key reforms relate to higher thresholds for major projects, the discontinuation of the external assurance process and the reduced approval requirements prior to issue to try to simplify the approval steps. The Government

want to ask about the school building and refurbishment projects in Dublin 24 that are included in the national development plan, NDP, sectoral investment plan. As far as I know, there are 105 projects listed for the tranche for 2026 and 2027. Only one of those … zero in Tallaght despite plenty of schools having a very desperate need. I know Government backbenchers are giving out about the number of projects in Galway. Ten of the projects are in Galway, which is 10% of the projects, when Galway only has 5% of the population

cause unnecessary stress for families and place a significant administrative burden on schools. In response to these challenges and a commitment in the programme for Government to reforming the admissions process, my Department is working towards a nationwide common application system. As a first step, the apply … Tullamore. While the apply to school pilot scheme received positive feedback, obtaining an 80% customer effort score, a key objective of the pilot project was to accumulate learnings for future developments. Detailed post-project evaluations with participating schools are currently under way and this input will be carefully

sectoral investment plan, which runs from 2026 to 2030, involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. Of the total €7.5 billion investment, it is envisaged that approximately €5 billion will be used for project … delivery and modernisation of school buildings across large-scale and additional accommodation, as well as the modular and annual September accommodation needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027, there will be construction work at approximately 10% of the school estate. These projects, when completed, will provide

Deputy knows, the community and voluntary sector is quite diverse and receives financial support through a variety and wide range of funding programmes and schemes from several Government Departments and agencies, including our Department. Our Department's community service programme, CSP, for the four year period from … full-time equivalent staff. This amount of total funding allocated is €36.2 million over the current five-year timeframe of this programme. In line with the programme for Government commitment and together with the Minister, our Department last year announced our intention to hold an open call early

residential and community energy upgrade schemes this year, and a further €140 million has been provided for the Local Authority Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme; — the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) continues to have a range of customer protection measures in place including, a moratorium on disconnections … Energy Affordability Action Plan to be published in Q3 this year; — under the auspices of the NEAT, the CRU will lead on the Programme for Government commitment to 'commission an independent review into the speed and level of passthrough from wholesale prices to retail prices, with an additional

challenges being faced in the school communities there. He has outlined it in his opening remarks. I reassure the Deputy that the project is at stage 2B and CEIST has advised that the stage 2B report is ongoing. It is important there is no delay at any stage … attention it needs. There will be back and forth on the ongoing issues between the school authorities and the patron bodies on this project. It is important right across the country but particularly in growing areas. We understand the need of both St. Joseph's and the Gaelscoil

metro, transit, grid upgrades and water upgrades. The Department will train the tradesmen to do these jobs through the apprenticeship paths and programmes. There are also all of the skills that go with the digital agenda. We are entering an AI age. There is also the energy revolution … this, the research and innovation aspect of the Department has received significant funding. Before Christmas I launched the €750 million INSPIRE research framework programme, which is fundamental to our knowledge economy, the ideas that we generate and how we succeed, innovate and remain competitive in a very robust

PATH 4 programme is a wonderful programme. It is a programme I am very passionate about. I am glad to hear the Deputy visited the Trinity Centre for Intellectual Disabilities. I have also been there. I met with the students, the learners and the educators. I have also … Dreams in Bishopstown in County Cork and a lot of other centres, including in my own area of Naas and Sallins. The project there is for people with disabilities participating in education. They are all wonderful centres, and it is really great to see them doing so well

Deputy knows the delivery of infrastructure on the ground is down to our network teams. We support that and the capital investment programmes being rolled out by EirGrid and ESB Networks. We have a role in assisting to fund that and in ensuring the right environment exists … businesses and homes. In December, the CRU published its final determination of what is called price review 6. That is the capital investment programme for our grid in this five-year period. It is badly needed. It follows on from price review 5 which concluded

future use of the Toghermore site. I recently met with Ability West to discuss disability services across County Galway and the proposed Toghermore project was raised with me. Given the massive potential of this project and the likely delays in securing funding if it were … capital project, there is a view locally that other options should be considered in progressing this project. One such option could be the potential gifting of the land to a section 39 organisation to allow it to progress this project. That organisation could also engage with local sports

delivery of skills provision for the county. It is really positive news that we have our own site but we need this project to move on to the next stage as a matter of urgency. The purchase of the 15-acre site was hugely important for the region … opportunity to reach their potential and they should have that opportunity as close to their home as possible. As I said earlier, the project will consolidate existing provision, incorporate new training programmes and specialisms, and develop support services at one location with convenient transport access and services. There

want. I really welcome the fact we are getting so close to the appointment of a design team this year for this project. It is not only the staff of Kilkenny and Carlow ETB that will benefit from this. There are 5,000 full-time and part-time … importantly, we need to see delivery. I implore the Minister of State to pull out Kilkenny and Carlow ETB as a stand-alone project. We are ready to go. We just need a little bit more impetus and drive from the Department to get this project over

well over the last decades and beyond and we need to ensure that we are really up to speed with it. The DEIS programme supports 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students with an annual investment of €180 million. The DEIS programme … supports, including the reduced pupil-teacher ratio, additional school grants, access to the home-school community liaison scheme and the school completion programme, literacy and numeracy initiatives and targeted attendance and retention measures. It is possible for two neighbouring schools to have different profiles in terms

party and I welcome every euro spent on public transport, but even with the news the Minister is announcing today, the relevant projects are years away. The plan itself is very light on delivery dates, yet commuters and people who must attend hospital appointments are stuck in what … work starting at 8 a.m. This is simply not good enough. I question the Government’s language around the DART+ South West project, which could improve the lives of commuters in County Kildare. We are not sure about the status of the plan or whether it depends

have raised so many different issues. I will start with the N24 Waterford to Limerick road. What is really disheartening about that project is it is not a great road. I know a lot of people who use it every day. It is very dangerous and needs … then, lo and behold, the Government simply stopped the funding and for the past two years, no funding has gone to that project. The local authorities have been screaming at the Government to provide the funding because of road safety issues and because it is an economic corridor

today. I commend him and his Department on the work done to date in trying to speed up the delivery of key infrastructure projects. Setting up the accelerating infrastructure task force and the action plan that emerged from that with 30 specific action points are very welcome. This … This is something that I and other Deputies have raised continually to see if we can make progress on this. The Cork Luas project will be transformational for Cork city and is something the city and its people deserve. An 18 km stretch of light rail serving

nurse specialists - working out-of-hours in emergency departments to support people presenting in distress. These teams will operate under the national clinical programme on self-harm and suicide-related ideation, which is now active in all emergency departments. More than 50 staff already work in this programme … Deputies have spoken to that tonight. While most hospitals have such a space, an audit found that eight do not. The national clinical programme is actively working with those hospitals to address this. Last year, I launched the national model of care for consultation liaison psychiatry, which guides

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a list of all capital projects, including road, public transport, and active travel infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of his Department, and bodies under their aegis (including the NTA, TII, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes funded or overseen under the remit of his Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Fingal

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes funded or overseen under the remit of his Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Longford

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes funded or overseen under the remit of his Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes funded or overseen under the remit of his Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Kildare

Department has undertaken a review of public procurement and contract management frameworks in relation to cost overruns and delays on publicly funded projects; whether a contractor performance assessment system exists to support contracting authorities in evaluating delivery performance across projects; whether enhancements to such systems are under consideration

Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the current framework in place for public procurement and contract management in respect of publicly funded projects; whether any reviews or reforms are underway to address cost overruns and project delays; whether a contractor performance assessment system exists or is under

further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 269 and 270 of 30 April 2026, to outline separately the current cost of the Midleton Flood Relief Project in addition to the cost of the East Cork Individual Property Protection Scheme; if it is envisaged that the cost of the Midleton Flood … Relief Project is likely to increase before works completion and handover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34314/26

Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes including those delivered through IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland which have been completed on time and within budget in the Wicklow Wexford constituency

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes including those delivered through IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland which have been completed on time and within budget in Fingal in each

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes including those delivered through IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland which have been completed on time and within budget in Longford in each

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide a list of capital works projects funded by his Department that also received EU funding in the years of 2025, 2026; and the amount of EU funding received per project if known per year

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes including those delivered through IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland which have been completed on time and within budget in Cork North

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide a list of all capital projects and programmes including those delivered through IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland which have been completed on time and within budget in Kildare in each

Education and Youth the average duration, as opposed to indicative timelines, that schools spend at each stage of the delivery process for projects under the School Building Programme; to provide a comparison of these durations with the time spent by a specified list of schools (details supplied

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth regarding the project (details supplied) for approval to enter a short-term rental arrangement for a room within their local community centre as an interim measure for SEN facilities due to lack of space in the current school … building, while the building project at the school, that is currently in phase 1, progresses. [34612/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the 'Key to the EU' programme developed through University College Cork for use in primary schools; if her Department would actively promote this programme within schools; and if she will make

John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools currently using the 'Key to the EU' programme; whether participation is monitored by her Department, given the programme connects fully with the revised primary curriculum; and if she will make a statement

Youth if she is aware of the concerning fact that consultant engineers are, of late, refusing to take work relating to school building projects because of delays in being paid for their works and the requirement for them to often send and re-send drawings and documentation … Department which do not always get officially acknowledged and often have no purpose in terms of advancing building projects which seem to be in a ‘holding pattern’ of unwarranted and unexplained systematic delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35250/26

Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects, including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects, funded under the remit of his Department that have been completed on time

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the eight pathfinder projects due to receive retrospective funding for building defects remediation; including a detailed update on where each pathfinder project is at; and the funding that has been