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other area that we focused on was public services. If we look at the economy now, our expenditure has gone up over 7% as a result of the Estimates in the budget this year. That is significant. Why? Because we are investing in disability services, and we need

over budget again this year. In 2024, over €100 million was spent and estimates are that it could be up to €130 million. We all know that, yet when we ask the Department of public expenditure and reform - our office put in a question to it - about

Issues and concerns that have been raised with me by constituents about our eye care model in Ireland. We know, for example, that public eye care services are under significant pressure. National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, data shows that over 42,000 people are waiting for eye care … loss compared with normal vision. This has significant public health implications. Individuals with high myopia face the greatest risk. The overall burden on services is likely driven by the growing number of people with moderate myopia as well. We estimate that 50% of the global population could

will enable more housing. We also want to bring on board significant activity from the private sector to complement the work of the public sector. All of those strands are required to deal with the housing crisis. An eviction ban will not deal with the housing crisis. Measures … private sector investment. It is estimated by the Department of Finance that we need about €20 billion per year to meet the required number of houses. The State on its own cannot provide that €20 billion. We need additionality to the public sector spend from the private sector

sustainability needed to expand and improve public transport services. The NTA has identified approximately 140 new service initiatives and capacity enhancements as part of its 2027 budget submission to the Department of Transport. Subject to the outcome of the annual Estimates process, this represents the biggest in-year … published in 2023. The Government and the Department of Transport, in partnership with the NTA and operators, remain fully committed to delivering a public transport system that is reliable, accessible, affordable, and capable of meeting the growing needs of communities across the country. It is, therefore, essential that

actually €103.2 million, so Re-Turn deducted €36 million as an estimate of how much deposits would be returned after the year end. These are substantial sums we are talking about, and the public is entitled to know how it will be used because the taxpayer, in effect

substantial completion of the scheme in quarter 4 of 2027. The Office of Public Works has carried out a map review of Carlow town and is discussing with the council commencing topographical survey, re-estimation of flood flows and computer modelling to produce flood mapping, to inform

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if his Department is considering natural flood management and other mitigations in relation to estimated rising sea levels and protecting property that is prone to this risk; and if he will make

Tyrone and Derry. It is a transport link for private and public transport between Dublin and the north west. The Deputy has used it at many key times. The Department for Infrastructure in the North estimates the total scheme will cost €1.6 billion and in this capital project

wider media sector. Public support for public service broadcasting and public service content will be €324 million in 2025. In this context, the television licence remains an important source of revenue which, it is estimated, will contribute more than €204 million in 2025, with more than €120 million

money is not wasted, as it is invested in other local authority services, the proposals of the commission around greater ring-fencing of public housing money could improve the sustainability of the system. The viability and possible impacts of these proposals are being actively scoped by my Department … ahead is critical to dealing with the challenge. To this end, the Government welcomes the work of the commission in this area, which estimates unmet demand to be at up to 256,000 homes. However, it is important to understand that it is inherently difficult to estimate

cost of €105 million over three years. For every €1 of public money invested in the pilot, society received €1.39 in return. The cost-benefit analysis shows that audience engagement with the arts generated an estimated €16.9 million in social value over the three pilot years and improvements

government; between the public and private sectors; and between planners, developers, infrastructure providers, financers and communities themselves so we can deliver the homes we need right across this country. Achieving the delivery of 300,000 new homes under Delivering Homes, Building Communities requires an estimated €20 billion … every home. We have to deliver schools, hospitals and roads. We have to create that investment as well in other parts of the public sector that need that support for our local communities. One of the key challenges identified is apartment viability. As part of Delivering Homes, Building

targets for employment for disabled people in the public sector are below the current employment rate. That is an incredible indictment of the Government's record in respect of this matter, which came to light during the Estimates process in the documentation that the Government produced … these short-term crises. Sinéad O'Sullivan has written extensively about the need to build up the State's ability to invest in public services, capacity and renewable energy in order that we are not just having to put more money into emergency measures time and again, which

face of what other countries in Europe are doing at the moment. Every other country is going back to having a public service rather than privatising their service. If the Minister of State is from the country, like I am, she will see illegal dumping right around … roads again. The most recent estimate I saw suggested that local authorities spend in the region of €100 million in cleaning up illegal dumping in this country. I ask the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien to bring public refuse collection back into the programme

base is, therefore, critical to sustaining service levels and ensuring public transport continues to meet passenger needs over the long term. Regarding budget 2027, the PSO funding allocation will be subject to the annual budgetary and Estimates process. As is standard in all budgetary deliberations between Departments

sufficient public service content and, in particular, public interest journalism. The Bill further takes into account the committee's recommendations by requiring that both triennial reviews are submitted to Government no latter than six weeks after the annual budget and Estimates. One of the key objectives … fund existing activities undertaken by commercial media. This requirement stems from state aid rules and domestic guidance on the appraisal and implementation of public expenditure set out in the public spending code. The European Commission typically describes the additionality principle as requiring any state aid to change

return of a proper bus service. The area in question has the lowest level of car ownership in the city, with an estimated 57% of householders not having access to cars. In addition, the population in the area is ageing. Having their bus service end before nightfall … need to revitalise the city, it seems extraordinary that the residents of St. Mary's Park and Garryowen cannot avail of public transport to visit the city centre. We are also trying to promote a more sustainable future. The use of public transport is crucial in this regard

warning - the bogey man for other countries - in international publications of what not to do. We hear that €400 more a year is being paid for electricity. A total of €360 of that, on average, is estimated to be down to high data centre energy demand. Lower-income

nothing to advance multi-annual funding. Last year, during the Estimates process, the Minister told me that it was her ambition to progress multi-annual funding this year, subject to an agreement with the Department of public expenditure. We need to know if this is still progressing

broad range of services in the public realm which benefit all members of society. Accordingly, it is equitable that the cost of providing the services should be shared by as broad a spectrum of owners as possible. Revenue estimates that there are approximately 356,000 non-principal private … accept that a number of property owners will move in band but, from the modelling that my Department and Revenue have done, we estimate that 94% of people will remain within their existing band. We did a broad model. It is clear that the vast majority of people

school days and fewer families dealing with preventable illness. Despite all of this, air pollution is often overlooked and there is very little public awareness of the true health impacts of polluted air. Many people in Ireland assume that air pollution is not a problem here because … significant contributing factor. The EPA has estimated that approximately 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland are caused or are attributable to air pollution. That is a shocking figure. As we all know, enforcement is limited without public awareness and education. I do not think people idle their cars

this is allocated to targeted social protection interventions. The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation issues an annual publication on budget day entitled The Use of Carbon Tax Funds. This contains further detail on these allocations and includes information on the programmes funded from … using SWITCH, the ESRI's tax and benefit model, to simulate the impact of the carbon tax increase and the compensatory welfare package, estimates that the net impact of the combined measures is progressive. Half of households are better off due to the measures part-funded by additional

costs. An independent quantity surveyor's report estimates a cost of €8 million for the demolition and remediation, yet the council has continually refused to release full costs to my office via freedom of information requests. The public and elected representatives are being asked to accept a multimillion

implication, the 3,000 people the Department estimates will benefit from the measure are people who are already in receipt of carer’s allowance. Am I right on that? Presumably, the 53,000 people the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation says could potentially

cigarette and tobacco seizures recorded by the Revenue Commissioners to date in 2026; the estimated potential loss to the Exchequer arising from these seized products; whether he will consider the automatic publication of seizure data at the end of each quarter; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide a full update on the Ballinhassig flood relief scheme; the estimated timeline for the commencement of the planning process; and the estimated cost of the project. [9881/26

balance-sheet credit lines within the Irish financial system; the assumptions underpinning that estimate; to state when it was last reviewed; and to confirm whether he will commit to regular publication and parliamentary scrutiny of such figures. [64775/25

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the meaningful progress expected in 2026 at 14-17 Moore Street; the estimated timeframe for completing the application for Ministerial consent; and the length of time the process usually takes. [55338/25

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated costs of building 66,910 homes on the 83 parcels of disused and underused land in public ownership identified by the Land Development Agency; and to provide an update on the status

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing and staffing 100 additional level 3 ICU beds in a public hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35668/25

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department are still committed to ending the process of using Supplementary Estimates to cover Government overspends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55527/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all post-primary school pupils in public schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51282/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated savings achieved to date arising from the conversion of agency staff to direct employment contracts within the public health service. [24741/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all post-primary school pupils in public schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35646/25

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year cost of increasing wages for all childcare workers by €2 an hour via a public subsidy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35660/25

Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the final cost of public procurement tenders, by the number of tenders where the final cost was under, on or over the estimated cost at the time of tendering, by each category and by each year, in tabular

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the estimated full year costs to recruit three additional WTE epidemiologists, and three additional principal epidemiologists to work in the public health services. [5747/26

discussions between his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure on the cost of administering the auto enrolment pensions system have taken place; if they have, the estimated cost to the exchequer of administering the scheme in 2025; the expected progression of that cost in 2026, in subsequent

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 89 of 13 February 2025, the estimated market value of the 67 vacant properties owned by the OPW. [7805/25

asked the Minister for Health the total number of locum staff employed in public hospitals through private healthcare agencies in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the total estimated cost in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Tralee flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Kenmare flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Clieveragh flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Abbeydorney flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme

Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Government's retrofitting targets across public housing, have been set for 2026; when the 2026 targets will be set for local authorities' stock retrofitting; the estimated budget for retrofitting of social housing stock in 2026; and if he will make

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year costs to recruit two additional WTE clinical specialist podiatrists and two additional WTE senior podiatrists for public health services. [26944/25

Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such time could be used more efficiently

Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of vacancies, by grade, currently within his Department; and the estimated timeframe for filling each of the vacancies, in tabular form. [46390/24

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide details of the rate of expenditure control levy applied across all Government departments; the estimated value of the levy in each case, in tabular form; and if he will make