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made to reduce waiting times for routine appointments. Indeed, the challenges facing neurological services are not unique to the midlands. The national clinical programme for neurology has acknowledged that demand for neurological services has grown significantly in recent years. To address this, the Minister for Health allocated significant … delivery of patient-centred neurological care; and improving value for both patient and health services across neurological services. More broadly, the national clinical programme for neurology is actively working on a hub and spoke model to guide equitable neurology services across the country. This aligns with the health

that small. I welcome the progress being made on the Shannon water supply project, which is now before An Coimisiún Pleanála. This project is about much more than supplying Dublin with water. It is also about creating opportunities in the future to develop spurs leading to Tullamore … Mullingar, which would create a counterbalance to Dublin and drive balanced growth within the midlands region. We all know that, when projects get done, the second phase can sometimes be left on the long finger, which can push them 20, 30 or 40 years down the road. Will

activate that as opposed to a reactive one. I could not agree more with Deputy McCormack. It is the eastern midlands project. I did not realise that the midlands was the second phase. In my view, if we are going up along, we need to sort … well. Some people are worried about it and opposing it but it is absolutely essential for the future of the country the that project gets off the ground and developed in terms of water supply and wastewater. It will have a negligible impact on the Shannon or ecology

second summit in a series initiated in Liverpool last year, at which Prime Minister Keir Starmer and I agreed a new comprehensive programme of strategic co-operation: United Kingdom-Ireland 2030. This year’s summit was an opportunity to review progress on United Kingdom-Ireland … operation and work to be taken forward across government in collaboration with United Kingdom counterparts. The summit in Cork had an extensive programme over two days, reflecting the significant nature of this bilateral relationship. The opening engagement was a round-table event attended by businesses and business representative

development of an updated clinical model of care for gender healthcare which we expect to be completed later this year. A national clinical programme for gender healthcare working group has been set up to develop this, bringing together expertise from across the system with a clear focus … included. We are also seeing really positive progress in our schools. Inclusion is becoming part of everyday learning. The updated senior cycle SPHE programme, which now includes LGBTIQ+ identities, is being introduced for students in the leaving certificate applied. This is being supported at primary level through

behalf of the State, I do not know what is. This is because of understaffing and under-resourcing of the school screening programme. Check-up targets have been missed on a massive scale. In 2023, only half of the eligible population of children were screened. Half … need the strategic workforce plan, as recommended by the health committee. We need to know what the capacity requirements of a school screening programme are if it is to deliver a service that actually works for people. At present, the Department simply does not know how many public

clear that after any election there is a negotiation with various parties to make up a Government. As part of that, a programme for Government is written down and committed to. Those are the plans which will be committed to over the lifetime of the Government … involved in the writing of the programme for Government. When that was being done, the commitment was clear. This Government involves a number of parties and individuals. The programme for Government lays out that over the lifetime of the Government, the cap of €200 will be achieved. There

same fair treatment. The reality is simple. The school cannot absorb over 45 incoming junior infants without an additional teacher. Current projections show that significant challenges would place unsustainable pressures on teaching, learning and deployment of special education resources. The school has a classroom ready and it requires … capital investment. Based on projected enrolment, the school will qualify for an additional teacher in September 2027. The need is clear, the space is available and the demand is already at the door. Surely it makes sense to act now to prevent disruption, distress and the educational fallout

week by Irish Rail showed that, for years, Iarnród Éireann staff expressed concerns about the ability of the contractor, Indra, to deliver this project. Despite these concerns, millions of euro continued to be put into this project. It demonstrates a real failure in project oversight. I understand that

very important project. It is clear from the evidence that Iarnród Éireann provided that the failure to deliver the system now risks the possibility of disruption to rail services. A sum of €50 million is an enormous amount of money. We just had a discussion about the lack … responsible for the delivery of the contactless payments on the public transport system, as part of next-generation ticketing. The cost of that programme is up to €269 million. Will the Minister confirm what actions he is taking to oversee that project as well

about to start MetroLink out in Dublin north. MetroLink to the south west would be another transformational project. I welcome the Deputy’s question on this. If we want people choosing public transport instead of cars, which they are in many areas whether for cost, congestion or climate … that it is considered in an integrated and holistic manner, alongside wider transport and spatial planning objectives for the greater Dublin area. The projects we are delivering now include DART+ South West and DART+ West, DART+ Coastal North, the MetroLink and the extension to Luas lines, which

very different scenario from what was promised by his predecessor, who indicated that funding would be announced and approved in 2025 and the project would be completed by 2030. From all the conversations I am having with public transport providers, I do not accept that the electrified depot … view is that the Government simply is not willing at this point to commit the funding for DART+ South West. That means the project will not start until 2028 or 2029 at the earliest and possibly not until 2030. The hard-working people of Dublin Mid-West will

know the area very well. TII has done superb work on this. Its public consultation and outreach into communities in respect of the project is an exemplar. We are now at the delivery phase, not just across this project but also in the context of our wider rail … just continued to shout me down, which is fine. There are some who do not want to see this progress happening, but this project is happening. I am looking forward to visiting the area again with Deputy McAuliffe in order to walk the new route. We will keep

award a new national electric bus charging infrastructure framework later this month. This framework, from which suppliers can be accessed for depot electrification projects anywhere in the country in the future, will replace the fragmented, project-by-project procurement approach to date. I hope that gives the Deputy

relation to funding, I believe it is €10 million, for the new road in Portlaoise. I think it was successful in two projects in relation to the housing activation and infrastructure office as well. The Government is doing its part. One of the reasons … that infrastructure is a key enabler for housing, 100%. That is why this week we allocated more than €800 million in funding to projects right across the country. We intend to build on that. The Deputy might that remember call 1, which is the round we have just

summer because there are always learnings. I take that point. I am going to balance that by saying that since 2019, the summer programme has gone from strength to strength. We have more than 1,800 schools and 71,000 children participating in the programme. That compares … well. The point I am making is that there is growing demand. I thank the people who will be involved in providing the programmes across the country this year. I am very happy, and I know the Minister will be, to have a detailed discussion about any learnings

friends growing into big strong men while he declines. Paudie should be given access to the drug Skyclarys under the compassionate access programme. We know this drug would have a huge positive effect on Paudie's quality of life. I know the Minister is a compassionate woman … this. It has happened in other European countries. Will the Minister talk to the Department about approving the drug under the compassionate access programme to give Paudie a longer life and a better quality of life? I know we are all going to die but this child

need to make progress to expedite the system and to ensure that we get the best drugs in the world into treatment programmes for people in this country who have rare diseases. I take this opportunity praise the families of those children living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Their … timeline a dependable standard as opposed to an aspiration. Ireland is now the only country in western Europe without a formal early access programme. We need to see the consideration and introduction of a compassionate early access programme. This is about recognising that for rare diseases, time

translate into practical actions with timelines and accountability. We have made progress in screening and diagnosis, including the expansion of the newborn screening programme to include more rare diseases. This step will make a real difference for children and families by enabling earlier intervention. Work will continue … further expand our newborn screening programme. In this regard, the National Screening Advisory Committee, NSAC, has accepted advice from its newborn screening subgroup on the grouping of similar conditions into a singular health technology assessment, HTA, process. The aim of grouping conditions is to expedite the review process

part of this Bill that we are realising that approach to carbon tax; this is a well-enshrined approach by this Government. The programme for Government committed to continue with carbon tax increases, aligning with the recommendations from the Climate Change Advisory Council and scientific experts … ensure a just transition. These measures are, contrary to what the Deputy says, designed to be progressive. To give effect to the programme for Government commitment to protect the vulnerable, a targeted package of social protection interventions was developed, which is informed by ESRI research that was commissioned

because it is not true. We have shown the Government time and again not only how it can deliver retrofits and environmentally-friendly programmes but that it can do so in a better way that is not a transfer of taxpayers' money to people who are already wealthy … that is why we need to see a restructuring of the grants. We also need to see more money spent on these programmes and we do not need carbon tax to do this. The Government could look at other types of tax. I have a novel idea

million more than the 2025 allocation. There is €566 million for the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment for retrofitting programmes, just transition and the ODA green climate fund, representing an increase of €89 million on the amount for 2025; €350 million for the Department of Social … increase of €30 million on the amount for 2025; €20 million for the Department of Transport for the continuation of carbon tax-funded programmes; and €5 million for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the continuation of carbon tax-funded programmes. That

unprecedented amounts of taxpayers' money to make sure that we get the big wastewater treatment plants through. These include the eastern and midlands project. It will be interesting to see if the House will support that very important public infrastructure. If it does not happen within a decade … areas on the east coast will be running out of water. It is likewise with the wastewater treatment plant and the Dublin drainage project. Big projects are under way, and that is where all the focus has been and will continue to be. It is arguable at this

sectors of the economy. The small business unit was established in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment last year, fulfilling a programme for Government commitment. There are a number of tools this unit and the Department will use to enable its work, including rigorous implementation … that any new policy, legislation or regulation may have on SMEs and to mitigate those impacts, where appropriate. Access to grants and support programmes has been simplified through the launch of the national enterprise hub. This is hosted and operated by Enterprise Ireland and has over 250 different

reliance on gas to provide sufficient flexibility and backup for secure electricity supplies at times of low renewable output. In line with the programme for Government priority, the approval to proceed with the strategic gas emergency reserve commits to exploring all opportunities to expedite delivery of the project … reserve Bill that Deputy Whitmore asked about provides for an expedited consenting pathway to allow the next stage of delivery of the project. The Bill is being finalised, having completed pre-legislative scrutiny in February 2026, with a view to being completed, I hope, in this session

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are examples of previous recipients of funding under the European Innovation Partnership Programme in Ireland who have been able to scale up and expand the projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25102/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the cost of construction of each of the following road projects and periods of concession when a public-private partnership was used as the means of delivering the projects: M1, M50, M3, M4, N6, M7-M8, Limerick Tunnel, Dublin Tunnel

Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of school building projects in Dublin south central, including any projects delayed due to inflation or capital budget constraints, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25138/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the four pathfinder projects in the interim fire safety defects scheme, including a detailed update on where each path finder project is at, the funding that has been approved

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, the funding that has been approved

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of people that have availed of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme; the total cost to the State each year for the programme; the cost of the support that each refugee receives in total; and the cost on average

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the staff resources allocated to the bovine TB programme for each year from 2015 to 2024, under the headings of veterinary inspectors, technical agricultural officers (specifying roles such as wildlife or other), farm relief … service operatives involved in the wildlife programme and administrative staff in the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25458/25

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she has plans to extend the chronic disease management programme to include epilepsy; if so, the timeline she is working towards; if not, the rationale for continuing to exclude this condition from the programme; and if she will make

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on the project timelines and set milestones for the delayed or paused student accommodation projects in both Trinity University and the University of Limerick. [25177/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice his plans to strengthen and expand the Garda youth diversion programme in the coming years, particularly in areas with consistently high referral rates; if additional resources will be allocated to youth diversion projects to support early intervention and prevention efforts

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the Mallow relief road project, including the expected timelines for completion of the planning phase currently being funded by the €700,000 allocation to Cork County Council; if he will outline … next steps in the process; when further funding will be made available through Transport Infrastructure Ireland to progress the project beyond planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24989/25

Minister for Rural and Community Development for a county-by-county breakdown of the level of funding provided for the present LEADER programme; the funding provided for the previous LEADER programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25048/25

taskforce for Dublin, if the Liberties area of Dublin 8 is included in the 'Rejuvenating our Capital City Centre' section of the Programme for Government; if elements of this section, including the launch of an urban communities initiative to revitalise disadvantage city areas and consider the appropriate concentration … criteria and mechanism by which a community can apply to be included in the 'Rejuvenating Our Capital City Centre' section of the Programme for Government, specifically the urban communities initiative. [17108/25

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health for an update on progress towards the Programme for Government commitment to extend the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme to anyone under 25 who missed it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23723/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications about the Programme for Government, and proposals concerning retrofitting; to report on the work his Department has commenced; how this differs from the previous Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if children (details supplied) are included in the hot meals programme; if the dietary conditions of the programme has been reviewed recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24197/25

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice the reason there is no refugee programme in place for Palestinians, equivalent to the Afghan admission programme, considering the acute humanitarian crisis in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23269/25

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health the projects in County Clare that are included in the HSE Capital Plan 2025; the funding allocated to each in this plan; and the timeframe for progress of each project, in tabular form. [23662/25

Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health her views on whether it is appropriate that there is no national skin cancer screening programme in Ireland at present; if there are any plans to establish such a programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Rural and Community Development if he will engage with a community services group (details supplied) regarding its application to the community services programme; if he will approve additional funding for the programme this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23481/25

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the N2 Kilmoon Cross to Rath roundabout project; if he will commit to funding this project to completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22818/25

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the design and construction of the Finglas Luas key infrastructure project; the progress to date; and if he intends to provide funding for the construction of the project subject to planning approval. [22881/25

Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Transport in view of ongoing delays to key transport projects, if he will bring forward legislation to facilitate delivering these projects in the shortest time possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22199/25

other agencies, along with RTÉ and the Arts Council, under his auspices that have had failed or partially failed multimillion euro IT projects; if he will make full disclosure of when his Department became aware of any issue with each such IT project; and if he will provide

questions, refused to identify the most senior official in his Department who was aware of the problems relating to the Arts Council IT project and who failed to inform the Minister; the reason he has refused to publish correspondence between the Arts Council and his Department in relation … project, which cost the taxpayer €7 million, and if he will do so now; and when he expects the reviews into governance and culture both at the Arts Council and at the Department to be completed. [22805/25