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capable of responding to what is an increasingly complex security environment that we live in. The infrastructure development plan, IDP, sets out a programme of project delivery to 2027, reflecting the complex environment in which the Defence Forces operate and the corresponding need for appropriate infrastructure. In order … progress the infrastructural projects more efficiently and deliver economies of scale, we are currently developing a series of infrastructural master plans. These plans will identify the infrastructure requirements for each installation along with an associated prioritisation schedule. These plans will dovetail with developments identified under the current plan

making our targets under the obligation to reduce our carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. It is committed to in the programme for Government, which specifically commits to increasing the use of HVO and carbon-reducing fuels. It also commits to better tracking to ensure HVO comes from … auto diesel is subject to the same non-carbon component of excise. That makes no sense at all. We have committed in the programme for Government to going down the road of finding alternative fuels that are going to reduce our emissions. Let us be honest, transport

national development plan review in 2025 and the subsequent publication of all national development plan sectoral plans. As committed to in the programme for Government and the accelerating infrastructure task force, a step-change in investment for the energy, water and transport sectors has been approved. The sectoral … plans detail over 200 specific projects that are being prioritised, with a particular focus on those projects going to tender or construction within 2026 and 2027. This is with the specific aim of providing certainty to the construction on the pipeline. With regard to the Government’s consultation

Dublin Zoo, along with Fota Wildlife Park, submitted proposals in 2021 seeking State support for ten-year capital development programmes. Following the Government's approval, the OPW provides capital grants to both organisations. These grants are funded through the OPW's annual Estimates. The funding is in recognition … their infrastructure. In 2025, the OPW provided a capital grant of €2.8 million to Dublin Zoo to support a range of priority capital projects, aligned with Dublin Zoo's master plan for 2021 to 2031. The projects which received funding in 2025 included: refurbishment of the 130-year

timeframe and the delays. As he is well aware, however, I am the contracting authority. I build the Garda station when a particular project is presented to me. As already stated, money has been provided for the station. My Department will work closely with the Department of justice … site to which the Deputy refers did not go ahead. However, I can tell the Deputy that the money for the project has been made available through the development plan. My job is to work with the Department of justice. When we find a site, we will

seven years ago, as the Deputy said. A site was identified, but I cannot tell the Deputy why the project did not go ahead. I have been out of government for five years. I am back. The Deputy raised this with me at committee level. I reached … asked every type of question in this House about the building of Garda stations. As stated, I am the contracting authority. Until a project comes before me, I cannot build. When a project does come before me, I will do it. I will speak to the Minister

same page here. What we are not seeing is any urgency from the OPW to steer this scheme and programme. It is one of the flood alleviation programmes that is just left on the sidelines. I ask the Minister of State today to commit to me that … will take a personal interest in the Camac flood alleviation programme. That is all I am asking. I want the Minister of State to take a personal interest and have his own meeting. I have asked Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council and senior representatives

preliminary business cases are far too excessive. We are trying to put much greater discipline on that in terms of the wider project design and how a preliminary business case is built up. Even though political direction may have been given after the preliminary business case, there … required in terms of the approval stop process. The Minister sets the direction post the preliminary business case which justifies why a project is needed following economic appraisal and assessment. The final decision of a Minister is post the tendering process where the tenders received align with

Under the DEIS programme, 306 primary schools with the highest concentration of children at risk of educational disadvantage are included in DEIS urban band 1. These schools receive the highest level of staffing and funding available under the DEIS programme. The Department recently introduced two additional measures … educational disadvantage. These roles will work with families, schools and communities to improve attendance, participation and achievement in education. Regarding the DEIS plus programme, it will be targeted towards schools at the highest level of educational disadvantage. They will not need to apply to become a DEIS plus

particular matter there. For a long time when we had no money in the country, we had multistage processes to show that projects were progressing but they were not actually getting anywhere. We are now in a situation where we have plenty of money and where the multistage … processes are delaying projects. That does not happen often. It is important to have public scrutiny of public money, but we need to see delivery. I do not doubt commitment of the Minister for Health on this. However, people at every level within the HSE need to know

advance of the previous election that our challenged is to put the resources our country has to work in terms of getting these projects moving. There are encouraging signs in that regard. I have seen a level of focus and an appetite for this reform … Finglas in terms of the primary care centre. We are all very committed to Beaumont Hospital. We will see a number of projects coming forward, but, in fairness to the HSE, I want to await the capital plan. I am always conscious that these projects being delivered

goes out and buys and purchases things, be those services or goods. We are all very familiar with the big projects and the scandals, essentially, that have hit this Government over the last number of terms. They include the national children's hospital, CervicalCheck, the hot school meals … programme recently, and in so many different areas. Having listened to previous Topical Issue debate, which was raised by Deputy Doherty, it sounds as if procurement is at the heart of another issue that has been raised on the Dáil floor. Procurement also reaches into many

have seen too many incidents where that has not happened, as others have alluded to today. While we all want to see public projects being delivered faster and more efficiently, focusing on quality rather than just cost at the tendering stage may force those who are preparing tenders … bills at a later stage of the process. This Bill has the potential to improve and speed up the delivery of public projects and critical infrastructure. It is fair to say that our public procurement system has not always served us particularly well. As has been noted

State is saying that the Government is happy for the model to continue that allowed the decision for the children's hospital project to go the way it did because the cost was considered at 75% within the procurement matrix. This Bill would bring quality … Minister of State's contribution. The Dutch figure has been misconstrued. The increase of 3% is in the procurement process, not in the projects. The figure of €10 billion is just wrong. The actual increase, which was shown in other research from Utrecht, which is perhaps where

thank the Deputy for the points he has made. Record investment is going into the Department of education's capital programme for developments right across the country. Over the past number of years, record investment has been made in the building stock across the system. We recently announced … relation to the immediate issues to see if there is a pathway forward to deal with them through the Department's emergency works programme. I pay tribute to all of those working on the capital programme within the Department of education to make sure we are targeting

Deputy said Kilkenny County Council is the lead council and we will engage with it on this. I do not have the full programme in front of me and I am not in a position to outline the specific details of the programme of funding the Minister will … stage, there is a clear map ahead. Often a lot of the delays are in the design and planning permitting stages of a project. I will talk to the Minister to see what we can do about this

busiest of hospitals. The HSE is reviewing the model of care this year with a view to further expanding services as per the programme for Government. The perinatal mental health service is available in all 19 maternity hospitals nationwide, supporting pregnant women and women with a baby … current national maternity strategy. The current one runs from 2016 to 2026. That is imminent and work is under way on that. The programme for Government commits to the mother-and-baby mental health unit, doubling the number of multidisciplinary teams for pregnant women, increasing the number

colleagues in the regional group but the facts are that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the regional independents gave a commitment in the programme for Government to reject the deal in its current form and to work with like-minded governments. To get back to Dublin, I want … speak about the Clontarf area and the north city arterial main, a major semi-State project. We all saw in The Irish Times last week that there is huge confusion because the Baldoyle Road is to be closed for nearly a year. In regard to major projects, what

propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 41, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children and education oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments in the area of children and education. It receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being … Minister for Health and others. I will not go through the full list; there are quite a number of Ministers on it. The programme for Government contains many important commitments intended to improve the lives of all children and especially those children who need our help most. These

raised it with me, despite my short time in this current role. I acknowledge the presence of this issue in the programme for Government. This question provides me with an opportunity to outline the significant investment that the Government has made in this area. The Government … well-being is enormous and it is probably not even possible to fully quantify all of those benefits. The allocation for the sports programme in the budget of 2026 is over €290 million, meaning an increase of just under €60 million, or 26%. This clearly exceeds the national

village. Since joining the Department, we prioritised investment in community infrastructure. As part of budget 2026, we secured increased funding for the programmes delivering on this priority, including an increase in the annual budget for the community centre investment fund, CCFI, of €3 million to €20 million … community centres. I expect to open this new round of funding to applicants in the coming months with a view to announcing successful projects before the end of the year. We also support community facilities with enhancement works through a range of other funding streams, including capitally through

working with organisations, local authorities, development agencies and local development companies in terms of doing that. I can assure the Deputy the LEADER programme is fully funded and will deliver. We do have a challenge and I think I have been very straight in discussing … working hard. The Minister of State and I are working with colleagues to ensure CAP will be funded in the next EU funding programme. That presents a major challenge but it is one we are up for and are seeking to deliver on right across the country

expecting volunteers who work with kids in the community to be planners, engineers, administrators or negotiators. If they are trying to get a project over the line, it all falls on the volunteers. We have another situation in St. Joseph's Community Centre in Mayfield. That … library and community centre to Mayfield but there is no funding there for it. It lost out on the library capital programme, so there is no funding and now the shovel-ready projects scheme is closed. Where does St. Joseph's Community Centre in Mayfield and its library

raising this important matter but also for his continued focus on infrastructure development in Cork. I agree that the N/M20 Cork-Limerick project does represent one of the most strategically important infrastructure investments we can make for the southern region. When completed, this project will really transform connectivity … preventing serious accidents on a road that currently poses significant risks. I am absolutely committed to working with the Deputy to deliver this project through the proper planning processes. I look forward to continuing to work with him and all public representatives to see it progress

raised by my colleagues in the House for many years. In my constituency, Galway East, many towns and villages have seen road safety projects delayed. This is having a significant impact on safety in those areas. In Dunmore, I recently attended a protest, as did the Minister … State, where hundreds of residents expressed their frustration at the failure to progress the Bridge Street regeneration and road widening project. Bridge Street is a bottleneck for users of the N83. The junction there is also a major safety risk. It is a scandal that a street anywhere

Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to address the urgent need for the building project at a school (details supplied); the reasons for the delay in progressing past stage 2A, apply for planning permission, and move to the tender and construction stages; the reason the interim … modular accommodation granted in September 2022 was subsequently reduced, resulting in inadequate facilities for the current and projected student population; the timeline for the approval of progressing past stage 2A, the envisaged timeframe for the tender stage; the timeframe for construction to ensure the school can meet

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the status of the project for the transfer of a special school (details supplied); when funding will be made available; when the project will commence and be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46315/24

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the status of a building project by a school (details supplied) under the ADAPT 3 Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46889/24

Minister for Education the name of the schools in counties Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow, Laois, Offaly, Kildare and Meath undertaking the transition year programme in the current academic year; the number of pupils undertaking the programme in each of the identified schools, in tabular form; and if she will

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice the number of projects with which her Department is currently engaged under the immigrant investor programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1349/25

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice when her Department will release the final tranche of funds under the immigrant investor programme to a group (details supplied) for its sports campus project; if her Department will meet with the group; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the measures taken to roll out the voluntary restorative justice programme; what additional measures, if any, will be taken as part of the new Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1936/25

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the new national maternity hospital project; and if the project has navigated the various decision gates in order to proceed. [1853/25

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health for waiting times for the school dental programme in Wicklow, including details of how frequently a child currently receives a dental check-up under the programme during their time in primary school; and if he will make a statement

Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of second level schools that have exchange programmes with other EU countries that are supported through the Erasmus programme; the number of students involved; the countries involved; and if he will make

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the empowering communities programme project is intended to continue and expand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46317/24

Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total funding made available to a project (details supplied); the amount of funding drawn down to date; the current status of the project; the works conducted to date; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding provided for the present Leader programme; the funding provided for the previous programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1946/25

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding provided for the present Cavan Leader programme; the funding provided for the previous programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1947/25

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding provided for the present Monaghan Leader programme; the funding provided for the previous programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1948/25

expertise across the civil service and wider public service, including in policy development and evaluation, economics, engineering, procurement, digital and data, and major project delivery; and the steps he will take to recruit, develop and retain those skills. [75026/26

Youth for an update on the proposed new school building for a school (details supplied); the current status and timeline for the project; and the extent to which the proposed relocation of the school to Dangan would facilitate the release of the existing Nun’s Island campus

each department, the expenditure levy amount applied from 2027; the specific measures submitted and approved to meet it; the posts to be supressed, programmes reduced and grants to State agencies reduced; the amount classified as efficiencies versus reductions in services; and if proposals by any department were rejected

Digitalisation the progress that has been made under the Government’s Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan in reducing delays to major public infrastructure projects, particularly in the areas of housing, water treatment and transport. [74922/26

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the progress to date with the Cavan town flood relief scheme; when this project will proceed to the next stage. [74522/26

expertise across the civil service and wider public service, including in policy development and evaluation, economics, engineering, procurement, digital and data, and major project delivery have been assessed; and the steps he will take to recruit, develop and retain those skills. [74071/26

outlined in August's Fiscal Monitor; and the implications this may have for the timely delivery of housing, transport, water and energy infrastructure projects. [68544/26

Timmins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if detailed cost scrutiny can be done in capital expenditure projects in advance of contracts being signed. [74930/26

Crookstown flood relief scheme; if the local authority has contacted the OPW in relation to securing the additional funding required for this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74882/26

Public Spending Efficiency Taskforce, when its terms of reference will be published; the way in which will its membership and work programme will be determined; and the way in which recommendations, expected savings and impact on public services will be reported to Dáil Éireann. [74072/26