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Will the Minister of State outline the actions his Department has undertaken to deliver contactless payments on all public transport and the estimated timeline for the introduction of this

context. I have some macro data here. We know that the total size of the public service of Northern Ireland, inclusive of civil service, health, education, police and local government employees, is estimated to indicate approximately 227,500 in October 2025. The annual pay bill is estimated … have been told that this increases to approximately £18 billion when the wider public services are included. Total public expenditure for the Northern Ireland Executive is estimated at €32 billion in 2025. I have set out some high-level data from the team who assessed the Deputy

youth mental health clinical specialty, (e) the estimated number of whole-time equivalent clinicians to fully and safely staff public mental health services, and (f) the estimated level of new additional funding required to provide full and safe services with timely access to care

already know of. The project cost was not properly estimated by the Arts Council and nor was any final estimate, as is required under the public spending code. Between 2021 and 2024, the Arts Council approved additional money for the project without approval from the Department

million is not huge. The fact is that all of the other Estimates go before a committee. This Estimate now falls under the Minister for public expenditure. It used to be the Minister for Finance. Yet, none of the Ministers have any responsibility for the Estimate. When … responsibility to Dáil Éireann for this matter under Standing Order 44. One of them was to ask both the Ministers for Finance and public expenditure the funding allocated to Vote 15, which in the past was Vote 22. Since 2011 the money is returned to the Exchequer each

club still has a waiting list for juveniles. There are way more running tracks on the southside. I believe the estimate is six or seven public tracks compared with two public tracks on the northside of Dublin. I do not know if this is because previous northside politicians

this Government is the exact same. Budget after budget, the Government failed to allocate the necessary funding for essential public services and relied upon Supplementary Estimates to cover its back. This overspend is not exceptional; these things seem to happen every year under the Minister's watch … practice of using Supplementary Estimates to cover overspends. To be honest, I think that is quite shortsighted. It also shows the poor budgeting that we have seen. I have never seen anything like the last budget, to be perfectly honest. The public deserves to know exactly where those

paper from that group, which will set out information on the adjustment of income tax standard bands, including the estimated cost to the Exchequer. These publications are all based on the Revenue ready reckoner and are useful for all of us in this House to determine the different

number of people who are currently in Ireland subject to deportation orders.". There you have it. The Committee of Public Accounts has heard that the State spent an estimated €2.1 billion on IPAS last year. That means €2.1 billion of the public's hard-earned money went

increase in the real burden of income tax.” It also states, “In the event of an economic downturn and unexpected deterioration in the public finances ... [we would] postpone changes to income tax credits or bands, as we did in Budget 2021”. I am happy to engage further with … recently, the budget 2026 strategy paper set out information relating to indexing the income tax system, including the estimated cost to the Exchequer. The costs used in this publication were taken from the Revenue Commissioners’ ready reckoner publication. This year’s annual progress report also included projections

June or July. However, I will engage with the Ministers in the Department of Finance and the Department of public expenditure on this. A budget Estimate package is being put together in my Department. I am working with my officials to devise it. It will focus

first question veered into another area, so the response to that is in the written reply. I am having pre-Estimate discussions with the Ministers for public expenditure and Finance for the upcoming budget. What we all need to see is an increase in the budget and support

employment will continue to grow, even on the basis of the 25% tariff scenario. The modelling to which I refer estimates that the impact on the public finances would be approximately €500 million. Given what was announced yesterday, it appears that the impact will be somewhat less. Will

aware that the scheme is in place. The interdepartmental group that advised the Government on the design of the scheme estimated the cost of communication and publicity to be well in excess of €2 million. That includes social media and advertising abroad whether it is the United States

reliability for passengers and commuters. This investment will also form part of the Department's engagements with the Department of public expenditure as part of the annual Estimates process, which has not yet concluded, for next year. On an overall basis, fare revenue only covers approximately … costs funded by the Exchequer. It is, therefore, imperative that there is a rebalancing of the critical equation in how we fund PSO public transport nationally, ensuring that fare revenue continues to make a sustainable contribution alongside significant levels of subsidy, while maintaining the affordability and accessibility

know for example that this year's budget saw total spending up by 12% on the 2025 Estimates. In budget 2026, we saw the largest allocation of public money ever, beating last year's record. That is required to meet the social and economic demands of a growing … exercise its rights and constitutional functions when it comes to accountability for our public spending. This is precisely why I will shortly be publishing legislation to establish an office of an Estimates commissioner, which will greatly enhance the capacity and function of the Dáil to keep the Government

become a political football. Not alone are energy costs high but Government decisions on the cost of groceries, housing, the inadequacy of public and active transport and the lack of a real right to remote work have unleashed acute financial pressures that households feel every … their annual budgets are a work of fiction. What we have seen are massive overruns being papered over with Supplementary Estimates, averaging €2 billion each year. The public finances are being treated like Fine Fáil's and Fine Gael's personal piggy bank, not as a tool

must also stress that when finalising the 2025 Revised Estimate for the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation agreed that any additional third party cost falling due in 2025 would be funded by way of a Supplementary Estimate

Minister claimed that because of an expanded population we require additional Ministers of State. We had that debate yesterday. He is right that public sector employment levels will grow to a record high this year and that is to be welcomed. There is a degree of misalignment between … Irish Times a couple of days ago. The Minister may have seen the piece published yesterday, where it was estimated there would be 415,000 civil and public servants by the end of this year. He said his figures are that it will be in excess

maintenance of industrial peace in the public service. The second principal function of the Bill is to provide a legal basis for expenditure to continue into next year in the period before the Dáil votes on the 2026 Estimates. As set out in the Central Fund (Permanent Provisions … continue in the period between the beginning of January 2026 and when the Dáil approves the 2026 Estimates. This will ensure the continued funding for the delivery of front-line public services, including our health and education services, social protection payments, funding for An Garda Síochána and much

housing. The State is the main player in house building at the moment. The Department of Finance estimates that we need to spend about €20 billion per annum, between public and private sector investment, to get to that figure of 50,000 houses that the ESRI says

Deputy for the proposed amendment. The issue of reducing private income in public hospitals is one on which he and I agree. Indeed, we discussed it during the recent debate on the Estimates at the Oireachtas select committee. It is particularly pertinent given that this is the year … have reached a critical mass of consultants on the public-only consultant contract and this is the year we expect to see it in our figures. We had a good discussion about that in the context of the Estimates. I do not expect this to be a recurring

those teeth but the child cannot have dentures. This is very regrettable. The school dental scheme has to be the foundation of a public dental scheme. We have to catch people when they are young. When this fails, as it is clearly failing in Laois, the whole system … provides workers and families with a cleaning and an examination. It does not cover treatment. The Irish Dental Association estimates that we need at least 500 additional public dentists immediately because, as has been outlined here, we actually have fewer public dentists now than we had five years

establishing a dedicated State body governance unit within the Department. Transparency regarding departmental use of funds is ensured via publication of the annual budget books, the annual Revised Estimate and the annual appropriation account, as audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Each of these bodies under … which are subject to audit and laid before both Houses. The Department and the bodies under its aegis, where relevant, appear before the public accounts committee and both Joint and Select Committees on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport. My Department continues to advance work to improve oversight

highlighted some of these issues as well. Of course, these will have to form part of the annual Estimates process through engagement with the Department of public expenditure. In this context, law enforcement agencies, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland and the Companies Registration Office may also

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of doubling and trebling entitlements under public access to IVF. [48665/26

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the estimated yearly cost of establishing a new annual public holiday. [46581/26

Minister for Health whether the nationwide unused medicines return and disposal service recently announced will include the collection and publication of data on the quantity, type and estimated value of medicines returned annually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45891/26

Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the total number of non-statutory bodies in receipt of public funding in each year since 2020; the estimated aggregate annual funding provided to such bodies; and the proportion of that funding subject to formal governance codes equivalent

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an estimate of the total volume of data currently stored by or on behalf of the State by his Department in data centres in Ireland; data centres outside of Ireland

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of the Public Only Consultant Contract since its introduction in March 2023; whether the Department has established measurable performance indicators to determine whether the contract has delivered its stated objectives

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the total Supplementary Estimates in 2025 to date. [69853/25

Health if she will support the calls of an organisation (details supplied) for the introduction of viable fees for public eyecare schemes (medical card and PRSI-estimated cost of €20m annually and the roll out of an over 8s national eyecare programme estimated cost €1.2m annually

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport the estimated full-year cost of making all public transport, including both public service obligation services and private commercial services, free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35679/25

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport if he is considering public transport fare reductions in his Department's estimates 2026 submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34027/25

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost to the State of making all public transport free for persons aged under 18, under 25 and under 30 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31016/25

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated yearly cost of establishing a new annual public holiday. [28011/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of introducing contactless payments on all public transport. [26885/25

Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost to the State of making all public transport free for persons aged under 18, under 25 and under 30 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26967/25

changing prostate cancer medication that has been approved by the European Medicines Agency, will be made available to all public patients at the earliest possible date; the estimated full year cost of providing this treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23673/25

Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated gross cost of extending State indemnity to all public primary and post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66810/25

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the breakdown of the estimated 30,000 additional recipients across the pension, illness, disability and carers schemes respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65199/25

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide the Abridged Estimates Volume for Budget 2026 for Vote 15 including the provisional sub head and programme level allocations. [59537/25

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide the Abridged Estimates Volume for Budget 2026 for Vote 13 including the provisional sub head and programme level allocations. [59538/25

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide the Abridged Estimates Volume for Budget 2026 for Vote 11, including the provisional sub head and programme level allocations. [57194/25

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has estimated the administrative or financial cost of collapsed or re-run procurement competitions; and if any analysis has been undertaken on the reasons for such failures and how they

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated net additional cost of providing two rounds of publicly funded IVF. [28688/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to estimate the cost of installing solar panels on building owned by OPW where there is an excess of 80 car park spaces. [28149/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the estimated full-year costs to recruit two additional Fire Safety Engineer Grade 1 for the OPW. [25862/25

Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the estimated financial gap in annual pension income for fast accrual pension scheme members between the age of 55 and the State pension age; the Department’s response to concerns that this