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provided for €157 million to support fisheries and the marine sector. We have to continue to implement the €258 million seafood development programme under the European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund. It has to be said that this funding is not just abstract. It supports vessel modernisation, safety … structured financial support framework for catching, aquaculture and processing. A final support plan needs to be delivered by the end of the summer. That work is critical, and I commend the Minister of State on it. The impact of quota reductions is not confined to vessels

Aire Stáit. The school has applied for emergency works funding. It is also in the process of applying for the climate action summer works scheme this year. However, getting multiple grants at various times and doing the required works piecemeal is time consuming for primary school teachers … resolve the issues in these very old school buildings. That is why the school is looking at the bigger picture of the pathfinder programme. My contribution today probably only touched the surface of the issues in this school and what the dedicated team of staff is trying

screening when they are called as the numbers are only at 70%. The last time I attended was two years ago in the summer. I remember arriving at about 11.05 a.m., five minutes late, and I apologised to the nurse on duty who told me not to worry … every three appointments. The question is what we do to improve that and to look for solutions. Enhancing Ireland's cancer screening programme is a priority for the Minister for Health and for all of us in the House. These programmes are a vital component of our health

everything we hear in the media today is true, this is going to continue beyond the month of April and possibly through the summer. If that is the case, it will require more interventions by the Government and State. It will also require more interventions by other European … European bloc that they fear the conflict in real terms. They have had huge budgetary shifts whereby they have moved spending programmes from certain fields to a military spend. It is alarming how militarised the eastern flank of the European Union has had to become. Last month, President

greater than the maximum available under the CSFF. Since 2015, approximately €192 million has been allocated to football projects under all sports capital programmes to support the development of grassroots soccer facilities nationwide. Just over €96 million of this was allocated under the LSSIF and almost €96 million … have asked my Department to prepare for a further round of the CSFF in 2026, which I expect to open early in the summer. I encourage all football clubs to prepare for this and to ensure applications are fully aligned with the goals and guidelines of the fund

school transport system, which is a huge increase on the 120,000 who previously availed of it. I also welcome that in the programme for Government we have committed to having another 100,000 avail of it by 2030. I understand the difficulty we have in recruiting … practical and a financial perspective. This affects rural families in particular. We need to start dealing with the system earlier in the summer in order that we avoid panic later in the summer and in order to help parents who are struggling to budget and who find

schemes, including Castlemartyr, Youghal and Rathcormac. The OPW is funding nine staff in Cork County Council to support its delivery of this programme of schemes, and other schemes across the county, including in Mogeely and Killeagh. The OPW is piloting a new delivery model in counties Donegal … these properties, is scheduled for submission as a Part 8 application later this year with construction planned to commence in late summer-early autumn 2026. Cork County Council has begun to engage with landowners on environmental surveys and assessments required to inform the environmental impact assessment report

takes time for a national competition of this scale. Once new recruits are employed, they also must undergo an intensive training programme to ensure they are equipped to carry out a very important role relating to the safety of our citizens. I will go into it in more … expect that we will see wait times begin to reduce this month, with the pace of that reduction then accelerating across the summer. Everyone in this House has heard from their constituents about the issues and challenges that extended driver test wait times are causing, the serious impact

commissioned by Swim Ireland on the back of the funding from the Government for that purpose. At the moment, two capital funding programmes support investment in sports infrastructure, namely the community sports facilities fund, CSFF, and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. LSSIF applications must be made … swimming equipment can be made under the CSFF, the next round of which we intend to open in the near future over the summer. We will continue to fully assess the report in terms of how we can support the issues and gaps raised and clarified

case of this project is Kerry County Council. The delivery of the south Kerry greenway is a key priority within the greenways programme. It is a significant project that will link Glenbeigh and Cahersiveen, with the 24 km route primarily following the old railway line. Over €9 million … understand that two sections of the greenway route have opened in recent months and that another section will be opened over the summer. This is a positive development and signals Kerry County Council’s commitment to progressing this project to delivery. It would be remiss

been put to use for its intended purpose and in some instances remains vacant or is being used for another purpose. The programme for Government commits to reviewing the 2001 childcare facilities guidelines for planning authorities to ensure early learning and childcare spaces are provided and put into … Youth was established in 2024 and has met on a number of occasions across 2024 and 2025. Meetings have been held since summer 2025 with members of the working group with officials from different local authorities who were nominated by the City and County Managers Association planning

strong election result. I wish him well in his term of office. I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 11 together. The programme for Government, in which the Deputy had a role in negotiations, commits to supporting the sporting ecosystem so that more people can participate … clubs and facilities. It is also visible in the achievements of our athletes at the highest levels, as we saw with the successful summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Government is committed to continuing to increase its investment during our time in office. In terms of the funding

process constructively and I welcome that. I would ask that we continue that engagement. When I publish the cost-of-education paper this summer, I would invite both of the Deputies and their parties to make submissions to it. Let us make them evidence based. Let us have … engage on that, honestly and robustly, and have the debate because it is important. Let me, again, reiterate my 100% commitment to the programme for Government in all its forms. It includes multiple commitments. It includes a commitment to continue to reduce the student contribution fee, of course

Minister, Deputy Browne, and I attended the unveiling of two new treated water storage reservoirs and associated works. At that time, the programme manager for Uisce Éireann promised continuous provision of water. Since last October, there have been at least 16 outages. The problem is the continuous difficulties … which was most welcome, is not wasted? As the Taoiseach can imagine, tourism in an area such as Curracloe will explode in the summer season. This is causing major difficulties and problems

yield from LPT would increase by one quarter. Approximately 70% of properties would move up at least one band. In light of the programme for Government commitment, and to avoid a significant increase in LPT liabilities for householders, this Bill proposes to the amend the charging structure … related issues after that point as part of the normal budget process. It is important for this Bill to be enacted before the summer recess. This is to ensure Revenue has enough time to implement the necessary IT changes to support the changes this Bill is making

propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 5 together. I thank both Deputies. The programme for Government commits to assessing the basic income for the arts, BIA, pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. I announced an extension of six months, to February 2026, to allow for further … City Management Association with officials from my Department who have been working on the pilot since the outset. The group met twice this summer. Many reports on the scheme have been published and circulated to members of this committee to keep them fully informed of developments

raising this matter. I join him in expressing my sympathies. This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth’s construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The Divine Mercy Junior National School … Department in January 2019 for review. Subsequent to this, the design team architect withdrew from the project, and was replaced in the summer of 2021 by a new consultant architect. Due to the passage of time since the original brief was agreed and on review of the schedule

There was a dispute between Enable Ireland and the school board on the question. That was a mistake. I did not see the programme last night, but the outcome of that mistake is the facilities the children now have in the School of the Divine Child. That … parents who apply. The parents notify system has now allowed us to have significantly better planning. Again, there were people against that last summer. People were giving out that we had opened it in July. Close to 7,860 children applied through that process seeking a special education

part of the national development plan review, which was conducted last summer, I secured for the Department a capital allocation of €4.55 billion over the next four years from 2026 to 2030. This is significant and it is almost double what it was previously. It is the largest … metro, transit, grid upgrades and water upgrades. The Department will train the tradesmen to do these jobs through the apprenticeship paths and programmes. There are also all of the skills that go with the digital agenda. We are entering an AI age. There is also the energy revolution

consistent approach to the treatment of planning applications in respect to the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision. The programme for Government commits to reviewing the 2001 childcare facilities guidelines for planning authorities to ensure early learning and childcare spaces are provided … established in 2024 and has met on a number of occasions in 2024 and 2025. In addition, meetings have been held over summer of this year with members of the working group and officials from different local authorities who were nominated by the County and City Management Association

senior national schools. They are not part of the initial tranche of 105, but this will ultimately inform the next tranches of the programme roll-out to tender. Officials will continue to engage with Dunboyne junior and senior national schools on their accommodation needs, including any interim arrangements … construction, seven school projects will go to tender or construction this year and next year, and ten schools have been approved for the summer works and climate action summer works schemes

Dáil Éireann on 10 June. It is very much my intention that the legislation will complete the parliamentary approval process by the summer recess. I thank Deputies for working with me to ensure that we achieve that outcome. I am very conscious of the strength of not just … week. We will debate the Bill further next week and the following week. The Bill fulfils our commitment as set out in the programme for Government. Most importantly, it will contribute positively to our compliance with our international legal obligations. This was identified in the ICJ's advisory

schools get an increased rate for various things and increased supports but I appreciate that is often not enough. The commitment in the programme for Government is very clear. We will continue to increase capitation. In this month alone, the level for primary school will increase … million will be spent on retrofitting, that will help reduce their overall energy costs. That is why it is really important. The summer works scheme is focusing solely on environment and climate because that helps bring down the bills. We need to support schools in looking at insurance

result. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan - To discuss a public awareness campaign on Lyme disease and the risks posed by ticks in the summer months. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan - To discuss the Minister's engagement with the Before We Die Group, and plans for ramping up residential placements nationwide … Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To discuss the humanitarian crisis in Cuba. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss establishing a national radiation therapy equipment replacement programme. Deputies Maurice Quinlivan, Conor Sheehan - To discuss the delay in funding BusConnects in Limerick. Deputy Brian Brennan - To discuss emergency roads funding to cover

people who are involved in the criminal justice system. As I have said before in this House, I worked in the school completion programme for almost two decades. Over that period, we lost children from education because they were groomed into criminal behaviour by adults. I recall, while … laws in place to stop that sort of thing going on. The Minister mentioned the special care places for children in the summer. Thousands of young people are not being supported. There are 26 special care places and only 15 of those beds are available in the springtime