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reduction in customer service and compliance roles, and also in the financial services element. I have written a national AI workplace replacement programme to essentially direct how we should help workers whose jobs are at risk or are impacted by AI. The Minister, Deputy James Lawless, has done … proposal is that when a company is going to reduce its workforce, it should notify the Government and the national AI workplace relations programme. The State could then assist in retraining thee workers involved to take up new roles within the business. If no roles are available within

Cearúil for raising this very important issue. I recognise his strong work on it and on developing a national AI workplace transition programme and leading out on it in the context of meeting with employers, unions and the relevant Ministers. The Deputy's work within the political system … through agile, responsive and accessible skills supports. The Government recently held its first national skills round table, marking the beginning of a national programme of high-level engagements focused on ensuring Ireland has the right skills for a rapidly changing economy. This will include a series of sector

they receive for their produce. It is a crucial driver in rural economies, particularly when it is taken in tandem with the LEADER programme with which it is linked. It is therefore of deep concern that the CAP has been viewed by successive European Commissions as a soft … touch and something to be raided to fund the pet project of the day. This has led to decreasing funds for Irish farmers in real terms at the very time Ireland became a net contributor to the European budget. The Government wants to spin the figures

Today's Environmental Protection Agency report confirms Ireland is nowhere near on-track to meet our climate targets. In fact, we are projected to achieve barely half of the emissions reductions required by law. In that context, the climate Minister’s interview earlier today with David McCullagh … getting worse. This is also why the Government sat on the land use review for months on end. Emissions from that sector are projected to soar by more than 70%. Michael Healy-Rae may have resigned as Minister of State but we now know he is far from

looking forward to the new hospital and the new wing. Is there a timeline for that?. Will it be a design-build project? Patient safety is a huge thing. One of the cases in UHL, which I have brought up in the House on many occasions, was that … years' time. I hope the lessons have been learnt from the last hospital and that it will be a design-build project that will be delivered on budget and on time. That is what a design-build does. It means that it is factored in by whatever contractor

transport? I will briefly mention another critical issue. We all know about the great work done by Youthreach and local training initiative programmes. I am familiar, for instance, with Youthreach in Gorey. The Gorey and Courtown local training initiatives, LTI, offered through Gorey Youth Needs Group do incredible … have gone on to pursue incredible careers. However, there remains a differential in the pay structures between staff who operate on Youthreach programmes and staff who operate on LTI programmes. Those inequities need to be addressed. The people providing young people with real opportunities need equity

raise the extension of the Luas to Poolbeg. I can tell Deputy Hayes that I have had engagement with the NTA and the project is progressing at pace. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, hopes to go to public consultation early in the new year. I re-emphasise the need … that project. It is not a very large project - a couple of kilometres - but it would make a difference to an area where there will be 10,000 people living and potentially an additional 10,000 people working. TII has confirmed that there is a demand

very much engaged in all of these issues and very much informed about them. It is interesting that, if you take those tourism projects, we have increased passenger traffic on the Dublin-Belfast rail line by 40%. The shops and retailers in the North are doing much better … Mountains. That will be completed late next year and it will be a major, iconic manifestation of the investment from the shared island project and initiative. Deputy Crowe proposed a very interesting idea. He articulated it in a very measured way, unlike other times, but I think

more frequent services and a modern system but in many cases, this is a far cry from what was actually delivered. Like most projects delivered by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, it was marked by delays, spiralling costs and community frustration. Originally envisaged at about €1 billion, costs … part of a wider pattern of announcements without delivery, ambition without execution and spending without control. We have seen massive overruns across project after project. Nearly €500 million has been spent on MetroLink before a shovel has gone into the ground and €50 million was written

enables the NTA to deliver the infrastructural elements of BusConnects Cork and removes the statutory gap that has held up a major project for far too long. I thank the Minister and his officials for bringing the Bill forward. We are committed to the development of a strong … modern and integrated public transport system across the State. The programme for Government commits to expanding bus services in our cities and the Bill is part of delivering on that commitment. Expanding the NTA’s power is one thing; how those powers are used is another. I want

million under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with Disabilities; — a €25 million allocation to the Public Transport Accessibility Retrofit Programme, to deliver bus and train accessibility improvements to increase the numbers of wheelchair accessible small public service vehicles (taxis), and to expand the Independent … Children, Disability and Education chaired by the Taoiseach; — in addition to the measures already taken, the Government is determined to deliver on its Programme for Government commitment to introduce a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment; — this commitment was reiterated as a core objective of the National

response - "The Department anticipates the project will pass approval gate 1 in the coming weeks" - but it is two years since the funding was secured. I will emphasise a couple of points. From the Sallins perspective, it is Kildare County Council running this. It is not a community … group that may or may not have the time. It is the local authority running this project. How can the local authority not be trusted, having to put it through so many hoops or what you might want to call "gateways"? I think four or five times

have provided growing levels of funding to rural communities in recent years. Our local authorities are working closely with local communities to deliver projects. Funding under these schemes is generally by way of a competitive call for applications. Funding is allocated to successful projects on a multi-annual … basis. This is an approach that has worked well in recent years. It ensures high quality and impactful projects are funded in a targeted and strategic manner. We continue to ensure that the funding the Government is investing in rural towns and villages will deliver

Over €440 million has been invested in 160 projects through the RRDF since 2020. Many of those projects are now coming to fruition. Some €140 million has been invested in the town and village renewal scheme, which has dealt with 1,000 projects since 2020, owned and driven

relevant areas in the Deputy's constituency, which is not something we should be proud about. There has not been an urban disadvantage programme that includes capital investment. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, is doing huge work with SICAP but this programme needs to make a difference … need to ensure it is not wasted and the money goes directly to projects and communities. What I do not want is for it to go into administration or stuff that will not deliver to the communities we want to target it at. Second, it will be evidence

certainty. Local authorities, for example, depend on funding over time. Often with sports capital funding, for example, they are able to identify a project and then over time they are certain of funding. RAPID has to be the same. We have to have this on a permanent basis … public expenditure to ensure there is sufficient funding. I also credit Joe O'Brien in the previous Government, who had the enhancing communities programme. It builds on this but we have to learn the lessons from that programme too as to where things did not go right. Enhancing

Deputy McCarthy for this very important question. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are working together in the context of the community services programme, which supports 453 services nationally through 434 community organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model, with … with the Department of public expenditure's circular. The detailed financial information contained in audited annual financial statements enables Pobal, which administers the programme on behalf of my Department, to monitor the financial performance of supported organisations, to review the notes to the audited accounts and to rely

those convicted of the most serious crimes should not retain automatic legal authority over the children left behind. This Bill delivers on the programme for Government commitment to "examine proposals to remove guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their partners or a parent of their child". This … families concerned but must be regarded as a child protection and welfare issue. As I said earlier, this Bill delivers on the programme for Government commitment to "examine proposals to remove guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their partners or a parent of their child

Bill, it is a very significant one. I thank the Minister and his officials for bringing it forward. It delivers on a clear programme for Government commitment. It implements a key recommendation of the independent Study on Familicide and Domestic and Family Violence Death Reviews. It does … budget 2026, which is a 22% increase on the previous year. I welcome the achievement of full nationwide coverage of youth diversion projects, with 94 in operation. I also welcome the continued funding of the Greentown programme, which targets children subject to coercive control by criminal gangs. These

cannot do everything in one budget. This is a five-budget Government. Childcare is a key issue; it is in the programme for Government. All three parties in the Government are committed to it. Decisions were taken on the last occasion about disability, for example, which went … income families to qualify. We will have the budget in October to see how much further we can progress the commitment in the programme for Government to reduce the costs of childcare to people in line with the objective of the programme for Government

previously served as the Minister for Health. I want to bring up this issue again because we have given a commitment in the programme for Government that we will reform the reimbursement process. We really need to start that body of work now. If the Taoiseach had watched … programme, he would have seen Emily Felix and other people with Friedreich’s ataxia. Craig Coady from Cork, whose child suffers from the same condition, has lost a child already and his wife is seriously ill. On that programme, Professor Michael Barry indicated that the reason pharmaceutical companies

December 2022 and announced, to be fair, the great redevelopment of the National Concert Hall. The fear now is that unless both projects proceed in parallel, the new concert hall will face closure for a prolonged period when, and if, construction eventually begins on the national children … science centre. We know now, following arbitration last December, that the OPW is legally obliged to deliver this project by the end of 2029, with annual work commitments already falling behind schedule. Will the Government unequivocally commit to delivering the national children's science centre? Which Department will

Speculation was doubled down on and the vulture funds made billions of euro. In 2014, the vulture funds began to make their move. Project Sand saw a pool of residential loans worth €1.1 billion bought by Lone Star and Oaktree Capital. The Project Stone loan portfolio, worth … billion, was acquired by CarVal, Lone Star and Deutsche Bank. Project Eagle sold €5.6 billion-worth of commercial loans to Cerberus. The vulture funds were here to stay, buying up loans, buying up homes and pumping up prices. Cerberus alone has seen the value of its assets

brought in the county's first pollinating plan so this is a very welcome new plan by the council. The tern project on Dalkey Island also helped protect breeding sea birds on one of the most important coast line sites in our constituency. The eco grazing project … salt marshes, the dune systems, Brent geese and the harbour porpoises and terns. Last week, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council launched a new project at Dún Laoghaire Baths called UrbanDip, which is a partnership with DCU that is fully funded by the European Regional Development Fund. UrbanDip combines

bother mentioning any candidates or anything. I am very good like that. I commend the work they do. The Cooley Peninsula Marine Litter Project is a fabulous project. It is quite like Ronseal. I do not think I need to get into what it does. I have been … more work than I did, but that can happen from time to time. I also welcome the work done by the Bee Kind Project, which engaged Louth Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council from the point of view of planting native fruit trees, and engaged with

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the status of a school building project for a school (details supplied); to confirm at what stage the project is currently at; an estimated timeframe from construction to completion; and if she will make

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education for an update on a school building project (details supplied); to confirm when the project will move to construction stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19981/25

Minister for Education for an update on the Louth and Meath ETB headquarters development for Drogheda; the reasons for the delay in a project that was agreed 12 years ago by Government; when contractors will be on site; when the project will be completed; and if she will

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Education the status of the progress of the appointment of the integrated project teams under the ADAPT 4 Programme. [20818/25

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice the names of projects within Limerick Garda division that received funding under Community Safety Innovation Fund in 2024; and he amount received per project, in tabular form. [20251/25

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any of the capital investment measures or schemes available under the Seafood Development Programme 2021–2027 could be applied to support environmentally focused aquaculture projects, such as oyster farming aimed at improving water quality; and if he will

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the portion of the recently announced €27 million in disability capital funding for disability projects in 2025 that will be made available for projects in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19062/25

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when UBU projects announced in Budget 2025 will be allocated to counties; the way in which these projects are allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19063/25

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the status of each project for Cork included in the HSE Capital Plan 2025; whether the funding allocation has been spent; and when the project will be delivered. [19125/25

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health for an update on the projected costs relating to the construction of a proposed 50 bed residential mental health service on the grounds of St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire; and the way in which this project can continue

Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline the number of sign-ups to the QUIT programme in each of the years 2018 to 2024; to itemise funding assigned to the programme per year; if the current QUIT campaign covers nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes

related cancers in Ireland (details supplied); the reason the HPV vaccine is not offered for free outside the HSE School Vaccination Programme and the Laura Brennan HPV Catch-up Vaccination Programme for under-21s; her plans to expand access to the vaccine; and if she will make

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocated to County Westmeath projects as part of the walks scheme from 2020 to 2024; the projects approved; and if moneys for same have been drawn down by Westmeath County Council, in tabular form. [18834/25

Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under the town and village renewal scheme in County Meath in 2024, and the grant approved for each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the projects in Limerick that were funded under local enhancement programme in the years of 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [20249/25

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the projects in County Cork that were funded under the local enhancement programme in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [21034/25

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the school lunch programme for rural schools, especially in Kerry, as rural schools are faced with a lack of providers for the school lunch programme as the distance is prohibitive; if she will increase

Transport the amount provided by his Department to date to the NTA to fund the DART+ extension to Kilcock, given the current and projected growth of the town and its proximity to the proposed DART+ West project. [17985/25

Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to outline the monies claimed by Ireland under the Recovery and Resilience Fund; the programmes the funding was expended on; the extent of remaining monies due to be drawn down and by which programmes; and if he will make

Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) conducts follow-up assessments or monitoring of young people aged below 16 who are participating in the Youthreach programme in order to ensure their continued engagement and progression within the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17884/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an updated timeline for the progression of the permanent school building project for a school (details supplied), given that planning permission was regranted in December 2023 and the design team is currently finalising tender documents; when … project is expected to proceed to tender and construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18078/25

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under the town and village renewal scheme in County Donegal in 2024; the grant approved for each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement

details supplied); if there is a mechanism whereby the school can appeal the decision to exclude a school from the DEIS band 1 programme considering all other schools in the catchment area are within that programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17397/25

Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a full update on the Cork Events Centre project; the key next stages and estimated timelines; and the exact amount of public funding, from all sources, spent on the project to date. [16047/25

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of local authority homes that were retrofitted under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme in 2024, broken down by local authority and property type; how this compares to the programme's targets for the year; and if he will