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want to raise concerns regarding the future of the WALK PEER programme and the potential loss of vital transition supports when current funding comes to an end in December 2026. The programme supports young people with intellectual disabilities and autism as they move from school into further education … training and employment, helping them to achieve greater independence and better life opportunities. The programme operates in ten partner schools across the country, including St. Ita’s in Drogheda, St. Brigid’s in Dundalk and Ballymakenny College in County Louth. Through one-to-one support, career planning

beacons throughout Ireland. Investing in our marine infrastructure is particularly important to the resilience of our seafood industry. The Department, subject to project feasibility and resources, administers the annual fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme consistent with the objectives of the national development plan. The strategic objective … programme is to contribute to the future viability of the fishing industry and the sustainability of our coastal communities. Between January 2015 and December 2025, the Department invested almost €335 million in the State’s publicly owned marine infrastructure through a mix of national Exchequer and Brexit adjustment

speak to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, tomorrow and bring back these issues. I am taking this matter on her behalf. The school building project for Coachford primary school was approved to enter the Department of Education and Youth’s pipeline under the additional school accommodation scheme. The project … will provide a two-class special educational needs unit, one mainstream classroom and one special education teaching room. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. The school received approval to progress the project to stage 2b, detailed design. It is currently with the planning

DART+ programme, including DART+ South West, is a priority investment for me as Minister and for the Department of Transport. Collectively, the programme will triple the length of the electrified Dublin commuter rail network and double its capacity, with customers starting to experience tangible benefits from the middle … next year when services to and from Drogheda come into operation. That is the first iteration of the programme. In terms of DART+ South West specifically, a major milestone was cleared in November 2024 when the project secured full planning approval. Procurement for both DART+ South West

this issue. We will reopen the portal. The Deputy is right; on occasions we can agree in this House. This is a vital programme that plays a very important part in the lives of children with additional needs, be they special educational needs or children from areas … economic disadvantage. The summer programme is a vital support for families. It is specifically designed to support children with complex educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage. We are very much committed to continuing to expand and grow the programme, and the facts will show this

courses available to allow professionals to upskill and reskill in high-demand fields. We have also been busy building out the tertiary degree programmes initiative where students begin in further education and training colleges and later progress into higher education institutions. I have now almost quadrupled the number … programmes from 19 in 2024, when it commenced, to 78 now in 2026, with programmes expanding into areas like occupational therapy, nursing, social care and the creative arts. I have just come from a graduation ceremony at Dunboyne College of Further Education, which now has a feeder school

infrastructure Fund, LSSIF, Kildare County Council applied for funding for the development of Sallins Park Community Sports Centre, which the Deputy referenced. The project was allocated €3 million for phase 1 of the development. Phase 1 consists of the development of five pitches and all associated works … grass training pitches. It is envisaged that the training pitches will be developed into soccer, GAA and cricket pitches in phase 2. The project will also include access roads, paths and a car park. As with all large-scale capital expenditure, each project must undergo assessments, as required

central pillar of the Government’s broader infrastructure acceleration agenda. The need for a Bill to fast-track a number of strategically important projects through approval processes was identified in the action published last December. The Bill has been drafted and introduced on a priority basis to respond … this need. Its primary aim is to allow the Government to designate certain projects or programmes as critical. This then requires all public bodies that may have an authorisation function to prioritise them within their approval processes. This will avoid delays, reduce timelines, parallel processes, and introduce

statutory entitlement to leave with pay from employment in order to enable an employee to avail of cervical, breast or colon cancer screening programmes provided by the national screening service or any other screening programme recommended to employees by his or her medical practitioner. Improving participation … sustainable, equitable and inclusive solution than legislating for employer-paid leave. This work is already under way across all four national screening service programmes, which are BreastCheck, CervicalCheck, BowelScreen and Diabetic RetinaScreen. The service’s equity framework is designed to ensure that population-based screening programmes in Ireland

from 2024, when the number of horses seized was 87. The Government is fully committed to supporting sustainable initiatives in line with the programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare, which is Ireland's animal welfare strategy for 2021 to 2025, with work progressing … replacement strategy. As part of this commitment, my Department has continued to support urban horse projects nationwide, working with local authorities, charities and community stakeholders. These projects have proven very successful and are aimed specifically at equine welfare and marginalised communities. The projects can foster community leadership

thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The proposal before us, as he said, is not just another bricks-and-mortar project. It is a strategic investment to deliver an integrated further education and training college for Kilkenny which addresses historical infrastructure deficits and drives the reform … enabling infrastructure, will consolidate dispersed provision into a single modern campus and deliver a consistent learner experience across a wide range of programmes. As the Deputy said, it is not ideal that provision has been scattered around 15 different locations. It should not matter where people live. This

behalf of the Minister for Transport I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to address the House on this issue tonight. The DART+ programme comprises five different projects in and around the greater Dublin area. It will extend the existing network from the city centre to Maynooth … Parkway, Hazelhatch and Celbridge, and Drogheda, and will improve current DART services from the city centre to Greystones. The programme will triple the length of the electrified network and will double city centre capacity from 26,000 passengers per hour per direction to 52,000 during peak hours

thank the Deputy for welcoming the fact that the work on the Crawford Art Gallery is going ahead. The national cultural institution investment programme is a key investment programme for the Department under the national development plan. All of the projects, including the redevelopment of the Crawford … Gallery, are progressed in line with the infrastructure guidelines. The purpose of the infrastructure guidelines process is to develop and refine the project, including the cost estimates. The redevelopment of the Crawford Art Gallery is a challenging and complex project that requires a combination of conservation

Finglas extension railway order was granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála in October 2025. This marks a major milestone in the progress of a project long in the making and long overdue. The project involves extending the existing Broombridge Luas green line to Charlestown, which will add four … good reason to believe that areas like Finglas were being neglected, marginalised and left behind when it came to such large-scale projects. It is long past the time that Finglas had a project of such stature, which would vastly improve the quality of life for many residents

thank the Deputy very much for raising this matter. I join him in expressing my sympathies. This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth’s construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework … Divine Mercy Senior National School are co-educational, Catholic schools under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin. This joint school building project will deliver a new extension and refurbishment of some of the existing accommodation to provide two 24-classroom primary schools with classrooms for children with

where the number of horses seized was 45. This Government is fully committed to supporting sustainable initiatives in line with the programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare: Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. As part of this commitment, the Department of agriculture has continued … support urban horse projects nationwide, working with local authorities, charities and community stakeholders. These projects have proven very successful and are aimed specifically at equine welfare and marginalised communities. These projects can foster community leadership and education in responsible horse ownership for young people. An exemplar project

giving ESB Networks the financial capacity to invest at scale. Grid constraints are now one of the biggest barriers to renewable energy projects. Developers of wind and solar farms across the country are waiting years for connections because of bottlenecks. Without new investment, Ireland will simply not meet … include annual reporting to the Oireachtas, for example, not necessarily just vague assurances from press releases. We need independent audit mechanisms that track project performance, delivery timelines and cost efficiency. There are over 500 capital projects planned under the investment programme. Which will be prioritised? On what basis

economic and social necessity. The delivery of homes is at the centre of the revised NDP, which includes €28 billion for housing programmes. It will create the building blocks we need to deliver thousands of new homes through upgrading our water and energy infrastructure, delivering roads and providing … period. While we are making real progress in the areas of energy, transport and agriculture, I have to acknowledge that the latest EPA projections make clear one thing, namely, that we have to go further to tackle climate change faster and at scale, particularly over the next five

start by supporting Deputy Kenny's call for clarity for that project in Mallow. To be fair, the funding announcement was made. I do not think the funding is in jeopardy at all. I do not want this to turn into a negative story because the funding … update from the Minister of State. To be fair, Councillors Pat Hayes and Gearóid Murphy have been in contact with me about this project as well. I will say something positive initially. I know it might be said that is surprising, but anyway. Sports capital funding is probably

North-West plans for housing, including social housing, are being withdrawn or ripped up. I refer here to public-private partnership, PPP, housing projects. It is absolutely scandalous that we are now seeing a judicial challenge to those projects. It is so frustrating. The language I want … were in place, were going to deliver and were going to start on sites weeks ago but the Minister decided to pull these projects. He had to know there would be judicial proceedings as a result of that decision. If he did not know, his officials need

education funding on an annual basis, including allocation towards student supports, are part of overall expenditure management and budgetary policy for Government. The programme for Government already sets out a commitment to reducing the student contribution in a financially sustainable manner over the lifetime of this Government … fully intended to progress this commitment and other programme for Government commitments in a way that is equitable, funded and fair. It is important today to set out the work the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is doing to effectively address the challenges

covering the period 2021 to 2025, for investment in non-Uisce Éireann water infrastructure. Included in this is €50 million specifically for demonstration projects to address the requirements of villages without public wastewater infrastructure. In April 2022, under the Department's multi-annual rural water programme, a dedicated … funding programme, measure A8, was announced for the wastewater collection and treatment needs of villages without access to public wastewater services. The strategic objectives of the measure are providing opportunities for rural housing development, addressing risk to public health, and preventing water pollution. The measure was designed

Killarney as well, like most people in Ireland, on a number of occasions and had good memories coming away from it. The N22 project is included in the national development plan, NDP, and has received a significant funding allocation for 2025. As I said, approximately €502 million … authorities in a manner which seeks to achieve the following key outcomes: protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progressing major projects in or near construction; and progressing major projects which are pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline. A number of new roads

delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — Housing for All, sets out an ambitious multi-annual programme that seeks to deliver more than 300,000 new homes by 2030; — record levels of investment are being provided for the delivery of housing … additional social, affordable and cost rental homes in the period 2025 – 2027; and €265 million to allow for a significant programme of acquisitions in 2025 for priority categories of need; — the capital provision for 2025 is supplemented by a further €1.65 billion in current funding to address housing

publication of the internal audit report by the OPW, following the review of projects costing €500,000 and under is welcome. It follows a commitment to learn from the bike shelter project and presents the internal audit findings, control recommendations and management response. The OPW has accepted … working across the OPW. The OPW takes a structured approach to delivering value for money across both the capital and current expenditure programmes, with the capital expenditure programme grounded in principles and requirements of infrastructure guidelines and adherence with the capital works management framework. The capital works management

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice the number of IT projects within his Department, or bodies under its aegis, which have been allocated funds in excess of €1 million in the years 2020 to date; the purpose of any projects; the initial estimate to complete … such projects; the total amount expended to date; the total estimated cost to complete; the estimated timeframe by which they expected to be completed; by project; by year; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22946/25

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of IT projects within their Department, or bodies under its aegis, which have been allocated funds in excess of €1 million in the years 2020 to date; the purpose of any projects; the initial … estimate to complete for such projects; the total amount expended to date; the total estimated cost to complete; the estimated timeframe by which they expected to be completed; by project; by year; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22935/25

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of IT projects within their Department, or bodies under its aegis, which have been allocated funds in excess of €1 million in the years 2020 to date; the purpose of any projects; the initial estimate … complete for such projects; the total amount expended to date; the total estimated cost to complete; the estimated timeframe by which they expected to be completed; by project; by year; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22936/25

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health the number of IT projects within their Department, or bodies under its aegis, which have been allocated funds in excess of €1 million in the years 2020 to date; the purpose of any projects; the initial estimate to complete … such projects; the total amount expended to date; the total estimated cost to complete; the estimated timeframe by which they expected to be completed; by project; by year; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22944/25

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of IT projects within their Department, or bodies under its aegis, which have been allocated funds in excess of €1 million in the years 2020 to date; the purpose … projects; the initial estimate to complete for such projects; the total amount expended to date; the total estimated cost to complete; the estimated timeframe by which they expected to be completed; by project; by year; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of IT projects within his Department, or bodies under its aegis, which have been allocated funds in excess of €1 million in the years 2020 to date; the purpose of any projects; the initial estimate … complete for such projects; the total amount expended to date; the total estimated cost to complete; the estimated timeframe by which they expected to be completed; by project; by year; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22948/25

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of regeneration projects (details supplied); if he will provide a description of the type of works intended; the funding allocated to date or committed to each project; the date of the initial project … submission from Dublin City Council; the indicative timeframe for each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22741/25

Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will grant a contract extension of three months to those projects funded by his Department under the community climate action programme from the end of September 2025 to the end of December 2025, in order … enhance the impact of the projects without altering the financial framework established in the original agreements after delays were experienced in commencing the projects as a result of the impact of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21186/25

Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by the OPW since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects in excess … other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered within time and or original budget allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19697/25

Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under measures 1, 2 and 3 of the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme in Meath in 2024; the grant approved for each project; the current status of each project; the completion … date for each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19113/25

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under measures 1, 2 and 3 of the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme in Donegal in 2024; the grant approved for each project; the current status of each project; the completion … date for each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17704/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project … cost of projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost … projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16682/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects … excess of €1,000,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16679/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects in excess … other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16693/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects in excess … other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16683/25

Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total … project cost of projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost … projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16681/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by her Department and organisations under the aegis of her Department since 1 January 2020; and the total project cost of projects … excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to her Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16680/25

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education with regard to the Gaeltacht learning period grant for primary ITE programmes, to consider the implementation of a similar grant model for post-primary ITE programmes, as the majority of Gaeilge post-primary student teachers have two compulsory cúrsaí … Gaeltachta, each two weeks in duration, as part of their programme, and this is identical to the required placements included in primary ITE programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14382/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total … project cost of projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost … projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16687/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects … excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16691/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects in excess … other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16688/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost … projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to his Department's attention for reasons of overspend or due to the fact that they failed to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16677/25