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school year. It missed out on the immediate adjudication and assessment of a school for inclusion in the DEIS programme. If we look at the overall picture of the school itself, it is one that has the needs add profile to justify the bestowing of DEIS status … this is a school that has all of these needs but does not have access to things like the home school liaison programme or the school completion programme and is not able to employ a caretaker because of the size of its ancillary grant. Were we to have

high prevalence of suicide among young men. These vital posts are, therefore, vital and working hard for the community. I visited the project recently and want to put on record how impressive it is. You walk into the beautiful skate park that has been there for a while … pull aside for help and community support. It is a preventative-type relationship. It is relationship based. The essence of the project is community safety. Over the past two years, the funding has enabled diversion from antisocial behaviour. It is just the tip of the iceberg

This year, we will spend about €363 million across the country on active travel. We have already invested over €1 billion in these programmes. I am aware that Tramore Valley Park is a tremendous facility but I am also aware of the frustrations raised by the Deputy, namely … Tramore Valley Park. What has been allocated now, the €4,000 to support the development of options and a preliminary design for this project, is the first step. Obviously, the project itself will cost more than that, but what the Deputy has identified is what we are finding

said, is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection, I know this is a matter of genuine concern for foster carers. The programme for Government 2025 introduced a number of commitments relating to foster care. This included commitments to examine and develop a pension solution for foster … departmental officials. This engagement will occur in accordance with my ongoing commitment to support foster carers and within the context of the related programme for Government commitments, which I have already outlined. Work is under way within the Department on the development of a national policy framework

across the country have yet to progress to planning. Some have been in the system for almost a decade. Out of 54 large projects where some work has begun since they were prioritised for development back in 2018, the majority - 31 - are only at preliminary design stage. Some … those are in my own region. The target completion times for many of the projects run well into the 2030s but those who are suffering annual, and now more frequent, deluges simply cannot wait any longer. That said, I believe the Minister of State is genuinely committed

situ scheme to address the scarcity of rental accommodation. The tenant in situ scheme, as has been referred to, is an acquisitions programme specifically in respect of those who are at risk of homelessness and already qualify for social housing support such as the housing assistance payment … been exhausted. Our focus must be on constructing new social homes but I note that significant funding will be provided through our acquisition programme of second-hand homes for those at risk of homelessness, again under the 2026 programme, as a response to short-term pressures, affording local

raising an issue that is very close to her heart and for which she is advocating strongly. The €200 childcare cost is a programme for Government commitment. We will progressively implement that. The next budget will be important in that regard, in addition to what has been achieved … even further. There is additional capital funding this year to create 2,300 additional childcare places. The early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme benefits over 105,000 children. The Equal Start programme is also expanding, with more priority services and the Bia Blasta nutrition programme. That said

agree with Deputy Conway-Walsh on the Skillnet project. Bord na Móna is a transformative State agency. It is a great example of how to go from being a contributor to probably making one of the better contributions among State agencies to the climate change agenda … Deputy's point that it is not a silver bullet. It is not an either-or. The optimal position is the hard engineering projects but complemented and supplemented by nature-based measures. We need to rewet a lot more of our uplands. We need to engage with

sure the Tánaiste watched the "Prime Time Investigates" programme on the mental health service and the catastrophe within it. The families of Natalie McGuinness and Jimmy Loughlin, both of whom lost their lives as a consequence of failures within the mental health service, appeared on the programme. Both … families live in my constituency, and I have their issues here several times. Many other families who appeared on the programme expressed their frustration at being stonewalled by the system and at not getting any accountability. I recently tabled a parliamentary question about the number of people

what actually happened but I am just speculating. The Bill proposes that there should be a 50:50 quality-price ratio for large projects. Often, people might bid low on price but you get a higher quality for a higher price. The one with the higher quality … article about the watchdog - the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC - that refers to cartels that are rigging their bids for State projects. The article mentions areas like construction, but not just construction, where companies are working together to see how they can bid up the price

County Mayo many times himself. I welcome that, after ten years, the Crossmolina scheme is going to be done. I ask that that project be expedited as quickly as possible as well as the project in Ballina. Many other smaller schemes, though, need to be done … Council and tourism bodies. What is required here is that the agencies work together and not in silos to get solutions to these projects so people can get on with their lives and we can get what needs to be done, done. An awful lot of money

hear the Deputy loud and clear about keeping the project alive. As I said earlier, we should try to progress projects as far as we can. There are not endless sums of money for every road project at the one time but we can progress projects

situation with housing and the high rents they are paying. The Government is bringing in a measure. We have heard the RTB projections in the debate. The Minister can contradict them if he likes. It knows, and the people who look for this know, that this is going … allowed that to happen? Talk about a tinder-box. That is the conclusion we came to when looking at a repeat of the programme last night. I think it was a "Prime Time" programme in relation to the timber cladding on the outside of it. Dry timber

case: Deputy Pat Buckley - To discuss the need for Gaelscoil Choráin, Youghal, County Cork to be included in the DEIS urban band 1 programme. Deputy Pearse Doherty - To discuss the impact of the new PSO contract for flights between Donegal and Dublin. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss … increases to retired staff of Eir and An Post. Deputy John Paul O'Shea - To discuss the importance of the N20-M20 motorway project for the Munster region. Deputy Albert Dolan - To discuss the allocation of SET and SNA hours for primary schools. Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher

want to raise the importance of proceeding with the N/M20 Cork to Limerick motorway project. It is not just a road project; it is a vital piece of national infrastructure that will shape the economic and social future of our region for generations to come … Families, commuters, businesses and emergency services all feel the impact of an outdated and overburdened route on a daily basis. Proceeding with this project in 2026 is essential. I am calling on the Tánaiste to maintain the momentum this year to provide certainty of funding and to ensure

major floods since 1974. Three of them were in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It was decided in 2013 that a flood relief programme would be developed, and the submission was made in 2018 for the Minister for public expenditure to sign the statutory confirmation. The Minister gave … time action was taken, the reports were out of date. In 2021, the Minister signed off on this flood relief programme. We are now five years later and still have not approved the programme, even though judicial reviews have been submitted. This cannot go on. Blackpool

Minister and for the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support eligible animal welfare charities nationwide through the animal welfare grant programme, which is administered by my Department. I thank the Deputy for his kind comments on the increase in that space. Each year my Department invites eligible … animal welfare charities to submit a funding application under the animal welfare grants programme. To qualify, applicants must meet specific requirements that are clearly set out in the application process. The process is robust and comprehensive. Applicants are asked to provide information on their activities, including reporting specific

termination in 2021, the City of Dublin ETB commissioned KPMG accountants to draft a report focusing on lessons learned arising from the project and what had gone wrong, which included looking at supplier issues, the delays and all the factors that combined to render the project unsuitable … requirements right at the outset, having a layered approach and having a front-loaded design stage front and centre. For example, the new project uses a cloud-based architecture which means it sits on the web as opposed to a single server. That is meant to have better

respect of the cost overrun on the project, the figures that I have available to me tell me that the cost of the project was approximately €3.8 million between 2015 and March 2022. That figure emerged at the Committee of Public Accounts recently. The project included internal staffing … That basic process mapping is important. Improvements to reporting structures will catch these things early or earlier than was the case previously. Project management capability is so important in this, as does ensuring that somebody has an eye on things and that there are reporting structures, toll gates

under phase 2. I have had engagement with Trinity College, in particular, and I have been learning about the immense benefits of its programme in terms of empowerment, agency and work readiness. The programme for people with intellectual disability is state of the art. It is a world … students. I look forward to reading the review of PATH 4 when it comes out and I hope to see funding for the programme mainstreamed in the next few years. However, in the meantime, there is a lot of uncertainty. Phase 2 funding is coming

certainly will because, as the Deputy said, I have an interest in this project. I remember being in Clonmel with Deputy Murphy on many occasions. The work of Tipperary County Council, Tipperary ETB and all of the really good interagency work being done on the Kickham Barracks site … involving partnerships with Tús and the university too. It is my understanding that the Minister, Deputy Lawless, who is very committed to this project and the further education and training, FET, college programme in general, had a meeting recently with all 12 of the chief executives, including

very positive development. Investment in education is a critical part of infrastructure delivery. I acknowledge that the Government has invested significantly in capital projects in education but I am extremely disappointed that in the announcement today regarding the schools building programme under the NDP, not a single school … necessary investment to move beyond stage 2b. I have always referred to that stage as the purgatory within the Department of education, whereby projects get to design stage but then tenders are not issued. The first school is Bunclody Community College, which has only three mainstream classes that

ongoing at Mallow General Hospital. In 2023, a new ward block for Mallow General Hospital was constructed and opened. As part of that project, two additional floors were constructed to facilitate subsequent infrastructure investment at the hospital, as the Deputy is aware. The subsequent development of the ward … being progressed in two phases. Phase 1 involves the fit-out of the additional space to provide a 24-bed inpatient ward. This project is under way and is anticipated to be completed in quarter 1 of 2026, which obviously we are currently in. It is planned that

extension of the wastewater treatment system from Grange to Tullow in County Carlow. The funding was allocated to this project two years ago but we have not yet even started the work. The issue is that Grange is a small area. It is a lovely area to live … septic tanks. This is in 2026. My concern is that we are always announcing the funding is coming. As I said, this project was announced two years ago and we are still in the same position. Another area that has been very much highlighted

there alone. This is a thing that is happening across the city. The report highlighted the work of the Whitechurch addiction support project, which is supported through the Drug Related Intimidation and Violence Engagement, DRIVE, initiative. It has done excellent work supporting 75 families in the past year … However, the kicker came at the end of the report when we heard that the funding for this DRIVE project is now over and this work will end in the next month. It seems incredible that at a time when the Government is promoting this project nationally, funding

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport to confirm when the Mallow relief road project was last formally reviewed by his Department; whether it has been discussed at ministerial level within the past 12 months, and when the next departmental or ministerial review of the project

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the status of the delivery of the 35 Pathfinder Programme projects (details supplied) under the National Sustainable Mobility Policy 2022-2025, in tabular form. [6485/26

Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school building projects delayed beyond original completion dates in 2025, as reported in her Department's capital programme. [5684/26

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of a building project for a school (details supplied); the current stage of the project within her Department’s planning and delivery process; when her Department last engaged with the school’s board of management

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of a building project for a school (details supplied); the current stage of the project within her Department’s planning and delivery process; when her Department last engaged with the school’s board of management

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the school building programme for primary and secondary schools, respectively in Cork north central; the details of the current stage of development of each; the projects still in the planning or design phases

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the sports capital funding programmes administered by his Department that support the development or refurbishment of public swimming facilities; whether any application has been received under these programmes in respect of a proposed public swimming facility (details

Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the level of funding allocated under the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund to projects in Dublin Bay north; the status of approved or pending projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6379/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the HSE’s 2026 Service Plan does not make reference to the Teach an Saol project; if her Department is committed to progressing this vital project nearly four years after it was initially proposed; and if she will make

Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the projected targets for the number of children to receive spinal surgery in 2024 and 2025 under Children's Health Ireland's in-house and outsourcing capacity plans; whether those targets have been met to date; the projected target

Health to provide a breakdown of all planned and approved capital works for Mallow General Hospital; the nature and scope of each project; the current stage each project is at, including planning, design, tender or construction; the expected timelines for delivery; and if she will make a statement

update on the planned redevelopment of the emergency department at Beaumont Hospital, including the current status of the design and planning stages and projected timeline for tendering and construction; to confirm that the project remains a priority within the HSE capital plan; the expected opening date

decision will be made be made on whether the community access support team will be renewed for an additional, year; if the programme will be expanded; and if central funding will be provided to support the programme. [4441/26

Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which organisations can apply for funding under the Community Safety Fund; the names of projects in south Dublin City that received funding under the Community Safety Fund in 2024 and 2025; and the amount received per project, in tabular form

Health the breakdown of all planned and approved capital works for St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; the nature and scope of each project; the current stage each project is at, including planning, design, tender or construction; the expected timelines for delivery; and if she will make a statement

Health to provide a breakdown of all planned and approved capital works for University Hospital Waterford; the nature and scope of each project; the current stage each project is at, including planning, design, tender or construction; the expected timelines for delivery; and if she will make a statement

asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the role envisaged for local authorities in the expansion of district heating; whether pilot projects are in place or planned; if there are any projects planned for Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4644/26

Health and Social Care Workforce’, will guide long-term workforce planning across the health and social care sectors; the way its evidence-based projections will support the delivery of Programme for Government commitments and Sláintecare 2025+; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4526/26

asked the Minister for Health for an update on the work of the NSAC to consider the further expansion of cancer screening programmes; when the BreastCheck and BowelScreen programmes will be extended to persons over 70 years of age; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for a detailed report on the current progress and projected completion dates for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) deployment in the Mayo Intervention Area; the reasons for any recent delays in the roll-out in key rural … Mayo, have access to fully operational broadband connection points as a critical prerequisite for drawing down funding under the CLÁR and LEADER programmes. [68160/25

Shea asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of investment made through the most recent Sports Capital and Equipment Programme in Cork north-west; the number of projects approved, completed and paid out; whether further allocations will be considered to address gaps in sports infrastructure

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the status of the LSSIF projects in Cork City and Cork County; the number of projects that have proceeded with drawdowns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3764/26

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to set out, in tabular form, the total amount of Exchequer funding provided by Ireland to programmes relating to Gaza and the West Bank from January 2023 to date, broken down by year, funding instrument, recipient organisation, and administering body … state the projected allocations to each recipient body to the end of 2026. [3950/26

confirm comments made by him in a report (details supplied) that there is flexibility within the NDP with regard to the delivery of projects; if any reconsideration of projects is ongoing; if so, if DART+ Southwest is included in this; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether MetroLink or any other major transport projects included in the National Development Plan are dependent on new or upgraded electricity grid connections; whether any such projects are subject to connection risk or sequencing issues; and if he will make