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single cycleway and a single walkway, but the carbon tax is being used and abused as a tax to put forward fancy projects. It is the same as greenways, where people are saying their land is being stolen from them. These are hard-working farmers … miles of black tar put down through the middle of it. It is insane. It is time to stop these fancy silly projects and put the money back into the country. I am willing to sit down with the Green Party, and have no problem in doing

past 30 days has narrowed, suggesting that more children may be converting from experimentation to regular use. The 2024 European school survey project on alcohol and other drugs of 15- to 16-year-olds found that 16% were current vape users which is a decrease from … everyday life. It will also make it clear that these products are not the same as ordinary grocery goods. The European schools survey project found that nearly 4% of our 15- to 16- year-olds used nicotine pouches in the last 30 days. Evidence is not yet available

development of a respite and day service support for individuals with an intellectual disability and an autism centre in Dunmanway is a live project. It is a project that has been discussed for over ten years. While it moves at a snail's pace, sometimes it stops … frustrated at the way it has dragged on. They are all doing voluntary work dragging in funds as best they can so this project can go ahead. Will the Taoiseach look into it and find out where it is at and how we can we progress

with the terms of the Constitution and the principles and procedures of the agreement. To date, the Government has advanced the largest ever programme of all-island investment to build a more connected island through the shared island initiative, backed by a €2 billion shared island fund. Last … April, the Government launched a new phase of a joint research programme with the ESRI, which is really the nub of the Deputy's question, focusing on strategic policy and co-operation considerations for the island. Much of what the shared island unit has been doing, which

think the criticism was because there was frustration that developments can be glacial and it takes a long time for these projects to get over the line. There are other projects I want to talk about, which I will later. On this particular project, it is important

know the status of that plan at the moment. I have been tabling parliamentary questions seeking updates on all of these projects. We need the additional 96 beds, we need the underground car park and we need the two-storey extension to the lab, but we also need … vertical two-storey extension that the Minister of State talked about and all that additional space. The frustration is that these projects are listed in the capital plan, or maybe some of them are not now listed. People do not know if we are going to get them

different things we have said here. It was said that they cannot get theatre time for her. There is a theatre utilisation project. I would very much like to know the nature of her procedure and to test this case against theatre utilisation across the hospital. The Deputy … members of the Committee on Health who are here that they should invite the team that has done the theatre utilisation project and the OPD toolkit before the committee and interrogate them as to their findings and the use of theatres so that they can see this

public system, especially for children and adult medical card holders. My Department and the HSE are finalising a more focused two-year programme to attempt to do just that. The plan is going to be delivered by a dedicated governance group with progress monitored closely and aligned … constraints and long waiting lists. It will focus on a small number of very clear priorities: cut waiting lists in the school dental programme and orthodontics, strengthen and expand the special access programme, review and improve the dental treatment services scheme, support recruitment, education and training, and then

legislation in front of me right now but if the Deputy looks at the Bill itself, the infrastructure definition refers to State-funded projects, for example. The designation is clearly around State-funded or supported infrastructure. I hope that clarifies that point. I know it was raised … trying to do here is remove this ambiguity and broad statutory interpretation that could emerge from section 15 relating to critical infrastructure projects. I used the example of the ring road simply because in the aftermath of it receiving permission, we already had NGOs saying they were going

utilise specific indices published by the Central Statistics Office which address the main input cost categories that are common to most construction projects. Price movements in the specified indices above a predetermined threshold result in an adjustment to each interim payment to reflect inflation, taking into account … amended price variation provision represents a proportionate and balanced approach to the risk posed by inflation to the delivery of critical public works projects. Like the Deputy, I want to see that project move quickly. It has been going on for decades. It is hugely important for housing

defects, maintenance failures or operational issues. The Government has already taken action to address some of these risks. With respect to public works projects, SPVs are extensively used in the area of public private partnerships. They occasionally arise in conventional delivery models in the form of subsidiaries … years after completion of the asset. The choice will normally be predetermined by the level of complexity associated with the project. The terms of the contract also specify the levels of insurance that the successful tenderer is required to maintain for the duration of the contract. The standard

necessary for architects, engineers and small firms. They are still being caught by this. They are still not able to go in for projects, cannot get insurance and insurance costs are prohibitive. I recently met with representatives of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland who told … this is driving up costs and driving small firms away from public projects. As the Minister knows architects and engineers do not operate using special purpose vehicles to avoid accountability. They are usually small to medium-sized businesses and are being pushed to the brink because of crippling

pegged to payment, we are setting ourselves up for failure. We see it time and time again. We have a SUSI grant project with €6.4 million paid that is at pre-project phase. The national train control centre will see a €40 million overrun and more. We have … have the confidence and capability, and the Department has to assess budget versus delivery. We need to make sure with the projects for which we are awarding contracts that we award them on the basis that they have the competence to deliver them on time and on budget

energy, water and transport, all Departments have prepared sectoral plans for the five years out to 2030. They have set out detail around projects to be progressed. NSO 10, as the Deputy mentioned, refers to quality childcare, education and health services. The Government has allocated over €7.55 billion … education projects over the next number of years, with €795 million to the Department of children and €9.25 billion to the Department of Health over the next five years. This will be hugely important to build the social infrastructure the Deputy mentioned, which is so important to communities

road in Galway and we already have a particular NGO saying it is considering a case under section 15 for that particular infrastructure project. It has already gone through all of the statutory processes and has already gone to An Coimisiún Pleanála. The growth, the deference … risk of all of these projects ending up in the courts bring a risk to infrastructure delivery. There is a whole other extensive area of reforms that we are doing and we are trying to make it more efficient, but a lot of what we are trying

focus on accelerating the delivery of critical infrastructure. For too long, overlapping consenting, permitting and licensing processes have delayed progress on vital infrastructure projects. This is particularly evident in key sectors such as transport, energy and water services, all of which are essential to housing delivery, economic growth … balanced regional development. Communities across Offaly and regional Ireland want projects to move more quickly from approval to delivery. Will the Minister outline what specific reforms will be prioritised by the unit to remove duplication, improve co-ordination across Departments and agencies and shorten the time it takes

that concentration of power without information around the process. If we have information as to how the decisions will be made on each project, at least we will be able to understand the rationale as to why a certain project was prioritised and another was not. Without that … information provided to the Oireachtas, the Dáil and the public, it will lead to people questioning why a project in Cork, for example, was prioritised but one in Galway was not. It will create a problem. If people see how and why the decision was made, it provides

that space - we need to advance that reform - but there is also a lot of time wasted at the early phase of a project around concept design. That is why the National Development Finance Agency is being stood up. It is broadening its remit to reduce the time … elements of the project lifecycle. The Critical Infrastructure Bill will also help fast-track projects through the respective permitting, licensing and approval processes. The infrastructure task force is already bringing about reforms and changes to some of the regulatory functions that exist within regulators in respect

Being able to object to developments is a core part of our democracy, it absolutely is. The projects need to be able to withstand those objections. The projects need to get those balances right. Oftentimes, the objectors are highlighting key flaws in the plans. It cannot be that … have it in legislation if the Government is just going to decide to set it aside whenever there is a project it wants to get through? Look at liquefied natural gas, LNG. This is exactly what the Government tried to do in relation to the strategic LNG legislation

Dáil. It needs to happen. We are in no way setting aside the climate Act. What we are saying is, for critical infrastructure projects, what an acceptable length of time for objections to go on for is. I was the Minister responsible for planning in the last Government … clearly. I fully respect and will defend the right of people to make observations, be they objections or observations in support of a project. What we cannot allow as a country is the continued use of methods by a very small number of people to delay critical infrastructure

there a deadline on it? Let us be honest, the problem is that in Ireland there is only one community-owned renewable energy project above the 50 kW level, that is, in Templederry, and that was built more than a decade ago. Since then, there has been … demand out there and a huge hunger for sharing the benefits of renewable energy properly within communities. I see it is in the programme for Government, but 18 months later, there seems to be serious stagnation about it. Maybe with a new leader there might be more impetus

progress that has been made by our people and by successive Governments in this regard. That is why, looking at our retrofit programme, we have made some very significant changes to the grants to make them more accessible. People are responding to that already, just short … trade in the electricity market, which is a good thing, too. We need to increase our storage and our renewable capacity. The projections in that regard to the end of the decade are good, while not hitting 80%. In the CAP 2026, for example, on energy, we will

will endeavour, on Deputies Byrne and Ardagh's behalf, to ask EirGrid to communicate with both of them in relation to the projects and where they are at. I am very conscious that our interconnection projects and those that are envisaged will be an integral part … that all-island electricity market so, of course, that is important. I will have EirGrid communicate with the Deputies on that, on those projects

information I have. I am aware that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, meets with EirGrid monthly. He seeks to get an update on projects and he is very anxious that in all those instances he communicates to EirGrid the Government's priorities in this regard, and the Government … that. In fact, I am meeting with Errol Close and a number of other people from EirGrid today, albeit in relation to separate projects, but I will communicate again the discussion here, and rest assured, I will continue to drive that. It is a recognition, too, that

with climate, environment and biodiversity gives the impression that we have loads of carbon budget to spare for all these highly polluting new projects that it wants to pursue. New private wires laws are going to turbocharge data centre expansion and imported fracked gas through the new liquefied … Government deciding that it just does not want to bother with the climate Act at all when it comes to large critical infrastructure projects. This Government has consistently scapegoated environmental concerns arising via the planning process or judicial reviews as the root cause of its inability to deliver

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the projects funded to date through the urban regeneration and development fund, by county and location, the total amount allocated to each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice the timeline for the rollout of the children’s court advocate pilot programme; and if children in complex custody disputes, including those where concerns of parental alienation have been raised, will be prioritised within this programme. [11602/25

Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Justice the current status of plans to erect a new prison in Thornton Hall, as stated in the Programme for Government, acknowledging that overall the draft programme says providing adequate prison capacity is essential for ensuring public safety, facilitating rehabilitation, and addressing

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 367 of 27 February 2025, if she accepts that the Programme for Government commitment concerned childminders working in the child’s family home whom the national action plan for childminding describe as nannies, babysitters … pairs; if she accepts that the Programme for Government, albeit with no timescale, represents a departure from existing policy and does envisage the implementation of a policy that would extend the national childcare scheme to childminders working in the family home; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the progress made with respect to implementing 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

Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if there is a community engagement programme or outreach programme for people living with diabetes in the Dundalk area; if so, the form that engagement takes; the number of people it reaches; and if she will make a statement

Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of graduates from undergraduate- and graduate-medicine programmes from all higher education institutions in the State for each of the years 2020 to 2024; the projected number for each of the years

Community Development if he can provide an update on the future of the Dormant Accounts Fund; the plans in place to support those projects and programmes currently funded by the dormant accounts when the funding finishes; what discussions he has had on this; and if he will make

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on the programme of work to be undertaken by his officials to implement the Programme for Government’s commitment to ‘develop a long-term strategy to close

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on the programme of work to be undertaken by his officials to implement the Programme for Government’s commitment to ‘promoting equality of access to sporting facilities

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the current commenced or planned construction projects on the St. James's Hospital campus; the purpose of same; the start and expected completion dates; the estimated cost of each project; and if she will make a statement

James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 6 February 2025, for an update on a project (details supplied); where the interim facility might be placed; the timeline on this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to increase funding for international food and nutrition programmes given the United States administration’s recent spending cuts to its humanitarian programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10493/25

context of the National Development Plan 2021-2030 review conducted earlier in 2025; and if he will provide a breakdown of each project and its projected cost in each of the years 2025 to 2030. [10429/25

Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education what planning has taken place in her Department in relation to projected population growth in Portmarnock, County Dublin, and the projected impact on school places within the local area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10308/25

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media his views on the programme of work to be undertaken by his officials to implement the Programme for Government’s commitment to ‘promoting equality of access to sporting facilities. [5774/25

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media his views on the programme of work to be to implement the Programme for Government’s commitment to ‘Develop a long-term strategy to close the gap on gender inequality when it comes

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice with regard to the operation of the immigrant investor programme, what the status is of those applications which had been lodged with the Department in advance of the termination of the programme. [10314/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health for an update on ongoing projects at Beaumont Hospital, extension to radiation oncology, the 100-bed ward block, the 64-bed ICU block and the new emergency department; and if all these projects could be expedited for rapid construction. [4520/25

reasons for the long stoppage in works on the Round Tower, at Kells Monastic Site, Kells, County Meath; the current cost of the project; the costs incurred during the stoppage of works; the projected final timeline and cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to further roll out the school meals programme; if so, the way the programme will expand and develop in terms of school numbers; and if the roll out will be countrywide or regional. [10124/25

Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 126 of 26 February 2025, to account for his Department’s role on this project under the immigrant investor programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9913/25

Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the details of the multi-annual funding model to fund future national roads projects from 2026 onwards as per the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9326/25

Foreign Affairs to list any aid organisations, philanthropic organisations or governments that have liaised with the Department of Foreign Affairs Irish Aid programme and contributed financially to projects in Ireland, specifically regarding the provision of abortion and or advocacy for same in Ireland, for the years

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the pilot project for a mental health crisis de-escalation team in operation in Limerick; the length of time the pilot will be running for; the funding provided to the pilot project; and if he will