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Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny. The need for that primary care centre was identified as part of the HSE’s overall primary care centre development programme. It is to be delivered via the HSE operational lease mechanism. As the Deputy is aware, the HSE has advertised for and identified … advised me that the developer is in the process of preparing a response to that request. The preferred developer will issue a construction programme once approvals of the relevant statutory procedures have been secured. Once that programme is available, the HSE will be able to provide further updates

right across the board. The Department spends over €180 million annually, providing additional supports to almost 1,200 schools in the DEIS programme and reaching approximately 250,000 children. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is committed to narrowing the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and introducing … disadvantage. Recent research, including the OECD Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland have highlighted the role of the DEIS programme in providing an education system that consistently outperforms many other OECD countries but also exhibits relative socioeconomic fairness, making it one of the stronger

Loughrea. It is a growing town with a population of over 6,000 people and a large rural hinterland. Of course, a project like this would bring huge benefits to everybody in the community, particularly children, older people and people with a disability. The challenge will … this project shovel-ready and in a position to access capital funding. Significant funding is needed for the initial stages of project development because, as it stands, the LSSIF requires a huge contribution from the local authority and does not assist with project development, the purchase

area, including my colleagues, Councillors Aoife Breslin and Mark Leigh, have progressed this idea and allocated some LPT funding to the project. This would be an ideal pilot project for the Government to get involved with and is one I hope the Minister of State will support. Like … problem. The Government, through the local authorities, now needs to lead in the provision of additional playing pitches through investment, the sports capital programme and the large-scale investment programme. We need also to continue to invest in stadiums in this country. I have seen the difference

certainly a notable achievement and deserves congratulations. I echo the sentiments of many speakers about how advantageous and beneficial this programme is to communities in terms of the availability and the significant improvements made in the quality and quantity of sporting facilities in communities across the country … fact that the community has to come up with resources itself embellishes the scheme and generates a sense of community surrounding a project. This is also welcome. Also welcome, of course, is the increased participation in sport and the increase in the variety of sports now available

sporting landscape throughout the country are extremely important. The same applies to the large-scale sport infrastructure fund and the major events programme. The sports capital grants are delivered to sporting clubs of all types in all parts of the country, including rural Ireland. Those clubs … hand the positive effects this funding has had on my county of Kerry. With regard to the LSSIF funding, I will highlight one project. The Department has put more than €2 million into the Derreen project in Killarney, which the Minister of State has visited

welcome the chance to speak in this debate in the statements on the sports capital programme, the large-scale sporting infrastructure fund and the major events programme. I want to highlight four examples that show both the power of sport in our communities and the urgent need … local authority in Waterford - the chief executive of Waterford City and County Council – to show leadership and to identify this as a project worth advancing and to engage with the Department about funding for same. I do not need to explain to the Minister of State about

them. That has been the case in recent years. As acknowledged by Deputies, we have seen really significant investment through the sports capital programme. Let us look at the last few years. In the most recent funding round, almost 3,000 clubs received funding of almost €270 million … before that it was about €50 million. That shows the trajectory of the investment and the emphasis being put on the sports capital programme. It is important to do that. In the last few years, the LSSIF was also put in place, as a result of the national

what the Minister of State said. Read the e-tender. Yes, we have spent billions of euro on infrastructure. A lot of the projects we spent on have come in on target. Many schools such as Edmund Rice College, Dublin, Gaelscoil Sheoirse Clancy, Limerick, Patrician Academy, Mallow, were … budget, as was Walter Scott House, Forensic Science Ireland's facility. I could go on about the various road projects such as the Moycullen bypass and the Dunkettle interchange - a fantastic engineering project - which came in on budget and on time. These are serious projects

together. The Cabinet committee on health last met on 17 July and is due to meet again soon. The committee oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas and considers health reforms including Sláintecare, the reform of public … health and health system preparedness for future health threats. It also receives reports in relation to programme for Government commitments in the areas of mental health and drugs policy. Sláintecare 2025+, our latest Sláintecare strategy published in May 2025, aims to forge the way forward towards accessible, affordable

development of a new rail line from Letterkenny to Derry, which connects to a new proposed rail line linking Derry to Portadown. The programme for Government commits to working collaboratively to act on the rail review. Assisted by the European Investment Bank, EIB, advisory services, my Department … agencies across the island are working to progress the rail review's recommendations for the years ahead. As part of this, a project prioritisation strategy on how to optimise the implementation of the review's recommendations is planned for publication later this year. Officials from my Department

available to make the move to new technology and the National Transport Authority has entered into a contract with Indra to deliver the project. The initial focus of the project is on the greater Dublin area, rolled out across four phases. This is a major, complex project, with … phases 3 and 4 are under development. I met Indra and the NTA only a number of weeks ago. I am watching the project very closely myself. I gave a commitment to the House prior to the recess that I would meet the developers of the system

Ireland has no such national pathway. Access is ad hoc and clinician by clinician. The system has inequity in it by design. The programme for Government promises quicker access to innovative medicines. The time has come when we must commit to creating an early access pilot programme … cases of severe disease and long-term nerve pain at cost-effective levels, well within accepted thresholds. Broader analysis suggests adult immunisation programmes return up to €19 in benefit for every €1 spent. There are savings in hospitalisations, productivity and long-term care. We are creating

just the right thing to do. It is more important than ever that we in government deliver for people. That is why the programme for Government contains a commitment to support the vital role of social enterprise, recognising its value to local economies and society in general … further concrete evidence, details and data collection. I am a big believer in data collection and impact measurement, which is not about reducing programmes but about targeting and getting things right for people. I do not know what some people are saying, but I do not believe

million in year two and to €2.5 million in year three when all ten of the services in the chain participated. The Department projects that core funding for these services would be in the region of €3.3 million for year four of the scheme which would … significant financial support it offers and the substantial benefits and certainty it brings to the families accessing the services. For this coming programme year Once Upon a Time remains eligible to provide the national childcare scheme, the early childcare and education programme and the community childcare subvention plus

better it is in the long term. The plan, to outline it, will support the delivery of the commitments in the programme for Government. There is a specific commitment in the programme for Government to directly support naíonraí and crèches to ensure early education access in Gaeltacht communities … beyond, and plan the development of State-led facilities in tandem with the school building programme, including Irish-medium naíonraí. There are specific commitments in the programme for Government. In addition to the focus on Irish-medium ELC and SAC services, it is anticipated that the new national

diagnosed as yet. We have seen that to be the case with other rare diseases with initiatives such as the 100,000 Genomes Project helping to identify a number of previously unidentified cases in the UK. Between the difficulty in diagnosing cases of Okur-Chung and the wide … research and more information. Many more cases of Okur-Chung and other rare genetic conditions could be identified with more funding for research projects based on whole-genome sequencing along the lines of the 100,000 Genomes Project. With more cases to observe, clinicians could offer better advice

sense that, in fairness to all parts of the defence infrastructure, we need to go through a rigorous process of which project and when, and that pipeline and prioritisation. We will be in a position to publish the projects we intend to deliver in 2026 very shortly … will also be in a position a couple of weeks later to publish the sectoral investment plan for defence project by project. That will take us out for the next five years. That work is now under way. I have met the Chief of Staff on this issue

scheme, CEIGS, was launched on 10 September. This scheme is a key driver of Ireland's transition to a circular economy supporting innovative projects led by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations and small businesses. Since its launch in April 2021, we have awarded €1.8 million … projects while tackling priority areas, such as food waste, plastics, single-use packaging, construction, textiles and general waste. These projects are delivering real impact from BladeBridge repurposing wind turbines blades into public infrastructure to Happy Earth developing a compostable alternative to medical plastics. From 2025, the scheme will

Minister of State put his finger on it with regard to public consultation. Some of these projects can be very controversial and it is really important to bring people with them and show them the benefit of the project not only to us all but also to local … communities. In the context of the two projects I mentioned to the Minister of State, I know from speaking to people in Dún Laoghaire that there are two major concerns. One is the loss of visual amenity. As you look out across places like Dalkey Island that have

streets safer and breaking the perpetual cycle. The evidence is right in front of us. In our communities, mine being no exception, great projects are doing amazing work to counter the tide of antisocial behaviour, the violence that goes with it and the fear among residents … asked to live where it occurs. There are genuine projects working on a fraction of half a million euro per year and doing really great work. I want to talk to the Minister of State about a couple of them. Belvedere Youth Club, in my constituency

interest and that has implications for regional locations. As the Deputy will be aware, there was a mid-term review of the current programme for regional airports with high-level outcomes announced in July last year and a public consultation was then undertaken. Shannon Airport benefited to some … Knock, Kerry Airport and Donegal Airport. They continue to be eligible for funding. The potential for the development of an Exchequer funded programme or a commitment to broadening the scope of that programme to airports that handle more than 1 million passengers, which would apply to Shannon Airport

propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 16, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children and education oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments in the area of children and education. It receives detailed reports on identified policy areas, such as child poverty, well-being and education … Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Children, Disability and Equality, Health, Social Protection, Education and Youth and Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The programme for Government contains many important commitments intended to improve the lives of all children, especially those children who need our help most. These commitments

have met people working for State bodies involved in asset procurement for long-term infrastructure projects. One of the points they constantly raise is the lack of long-term financial planning and commitments on projects that take a long time to deliver, for example, ten years. They … that more certainty is needed and this would help improve the efficiency of delivering the projects and gain the commitment of suppliers to the projects. Can we move away from the short-term approach and put more emphasis on long-term financing and certainty

helps to deliver economic regeneration and transformation across our island and empowers and invests in young people, embedding partnership and collaboration. The PEACEPLUS programme and the shared island fund have driven progress across many areas and we are seeing the manifestation of that capital investment in the deliver … infrastructure in some instances and also in important community projects. I met Ms McIntyre in some of my North-South engagement and I can see the critical impact the PEACEPLUS programme is having on many communities across our island. We want that work to continue and be complemented

Flynn asked the Minister for Transport to provide the average duration of Environmental Impact Assessment processes for all Transport Infrastructure Ireland projects with an expected total cost above 200 million euro commenced since 2020; and the measures taken by his Department to address delays at this stage … project development. [68803/25

asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the current stage of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2024–2026; the number of projects approved; the total funding allocated to date; and the measures still under consideration. [68628/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the framework for the next Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme beyond 2026 will be published; and if he will ensure that the new programme addresses the needs of smaller rural communities that do not meet

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new school building projects and extensions currently underway in Cork, by stage and date the project entered that stage, including the number of pupils currently in the school, in tabular form. [68176/25

internal or indicative targets for the proportion of BEVs versus PHEVs within the national EV fleet for 2030; if modelling or projections exist for the expected BEV/PHEV split; and how these projections align with charging infrastructure deployment, grid capacity planning, and decarbonisation targets. [67943/25

Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport to confirm that funding is being made available to progress the N52 Tullamore to Kilbeggan road project; to provide a timeline for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68033/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the analysis that has been carried out to project the demand for special school places over the next five years, and if the Minister will publish that projected analysis. [67658/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made to date regarding an additional accommodation project under the School Capital Programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67674/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the savings originally projected in the 2015 business case for the Integrated Financial Management System, to identify the year in which those savings were expected to be realised, and to confirm whether these projections have since been

provide an update on the establishment of Research Ireland and its role in strengthening Ireland’s research and innovation ecosystem, including new programmes such as the Research Talent Call and New Frontiers Research Programme. [67814/25

Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if Ros Muc and Ceantar na nOileáin will be considered for funding through the empowering communities programme, given that they are both categorised as 'disadvantaged' or 'very disadvantaged' by the Pobal HP Deprivation Index; if the Minister will outline when decisions … made on funding for the upcoming year; and the number of areas in the state which will be selected as part of the programme in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67507/25

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the capital funding programmes under his Department, including the Community Centres Investment Fund, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the LEADER Programme, that are open to applications from family resource centres seeking

only to reapplying to the community centres investment fund itself or whether it precludes a group from seeking funding for separate and unrelated projects under different programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67729/25

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will introduce a specific multi-annual catch-up programme to address the backlog in maintenance and rehabilitation of local and regional roads; the estimated cost of such a programme; and if he will make a statement

Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to concerns related to the leaving certificate applied programme for deaf and hard of hearing students (details supplied); and the actions she will take to address these concerns to ensure equity and fairness … students taking this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66918/25

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new school development projects in County Galway currently in Stage 2B of the development process; the date each project entered stage 2B, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new school development projects in County Galway currently in stage 3 of the development process; the date each project entered stage 3, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the Humanitarian Admissions Programme; if his attention has been drawn to the application under this programme (details supplied); the best course of action the family can take to support their family members

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health for an update on the EuroHeart Data registry pilot programme active in the south-west; the methods that have been used in this programme to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66869/25

within the policy remit of his Department under the Climate Action Plan 2025, National Planning Framework, National Marine Planning Framework and renewable energy programmes, including grid development, offshore renewable energy, electricity system reinforcement and energy security projects; and to outline which Department holds statutory responsibility for the delivery

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the chronic diseases and diagnoses that are included under the Chronic Disease Management Programme; if routine blood tests are covered under the Chronic Disease Management Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66542/25

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if full funding will be provided to complete a project (details supplied) which was applied for in 2024; when the project will move to tender stage; and the timeline for construction and completion. [65679/25

Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will provide an update on the Maynooth ring road project; the amount of funding his Department has given so far to the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60207/25

Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 679 of 23 September 2025, to clarify that there is a distinction between 'ongoing development programmes' and 'replacement programmes', in the context of radiation therapy equipment. [65238/25

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide an update on the planned arts capital programme promised in the programme for Government. [64150/25