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educators, school-age childcare practitioners and providers. Some 105,250 children will be supported to access free pre-school education under the ECCE programme next year. Furthermore, 286,000 children will benefit from their statutory entitlement to the national childcare scheme subsidies to offset the cost of early … need will benefit from the highest level of support provided through the access and inclusion model, enabling their meaningful participation in the ECCE programme. This is an increase on this year's figure of 7,900 pre-school children. We will also see an increase in the number

thank the Minister. That is welcome news. Trim Family Resource Centre will not be found wanting in the type of projects it will allocate that money to. It is involved in projects such as zero tolerance, which tackles domestic violence, as well as low-cost rental for partyware … which is a relief to many families in my area. My question remains the same. I know the Minister is committed to the programme. I ask her to keep the pressure on in government and keep the funding for and allocation to family resource centres when

carried out a targeted capacity expansion exercise across priority healthcare areas. One key outcome was the establishment of new a dentistry programme, to which the Deputy referred, a new bachelor of dental surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, commencing in 2025. This new programme … oral healthcare workforce and supplying the graduates needed for a modern, accessible health system. As evidence of this, I understand the RCSI programme will expand next year with a further 15 potential places by 2027. I think there is a further eight next year and seven the following

will be very happy to update the Deputy, the House and the Oireachtas committee. All capital expenditure associated with the delivery of the programme will be met from within the capital allocations 2026 to 2030, which were recently agreed as part of the review of the national development … plan. We are at a critical stage now in terms of this project and, pending a final decision on the options of delivery, it would be premature for me to make any further comment on likely costs. Training needs will be determined and delivered as part

These are targeted support measures. The budget provided a record capital allocation of €558 million for the SEAI. That is for its retrofitting programme and energy upgrades including solar PV. It supports the delivery of our national retrofit programme, which has retrofitted nearly 260,000 homes already. That … SEAI indicates that a household can save between €750 and €1,120 per annum by making changes to their house through the retrofit programme. I recently met with the four largest energy suppliers and, following these constructive meetings, the suppliers committed to ensuring that hardship funds and focused

thank the Deputy. The programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, recommitted to the national land use review. The first phase, led by the EPA, was published in March 2023 and focused on evidence gathering. The final report for phase 2 - the report the Deputy referred … engagement working group proposed that there should be a focus on what can be learned from existing and emerging place-based pilots and programmes. The review highlights learning from multiple excellent examples of creative and inspiring community- and farm-level projects that are addressing and delivering on environmental

reduce reoffending. Many judges interviewed admitted they had little information about how community service works in practice - for instance, about completion rates, programme quality or supports for people with addiction or mental health issues. One judge who was interviewed for the research said plainly that they would love … custodial sanctions, better training on alternatives to custody and a major reinvestment in the Probation Service to provide pre-sanction reports and community projects in every part of the country. Those are not radical ideas; they are practical, evidence-based solutions to ensure we do not keep using

daytime and night-time economy, and adding to our economy by creating these nights that are very important to Irish society. The programme for Government, which I signed up to, believes that culture and art are essential for a well-rounded society. I do not understand how comedians … because some people are not doing enough. These comedians are dying to get that funding. Regarding the basic income for artists, in the programme for Government we said we were going to assess it and pilot it to the max. I ask the Minister to look at that

each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the wastewater infrastructure deficit in Kerry. Deputy Albert Dolan - To discuss delays in school extension projects getting approved. Deputy Catherine Ardagh - To discuss the introduction of a national lung cancer screening programme using low-dose CT scanning. Deputy Michael Murphy … discuss ongoing water outages and boil water notices in Clonmel town. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the delay in commencing a school building project in Craddockstown, County Kildare. Deputy Cathy Bennett - To discuss the lack of a HSE school-linked dental service in County Monaghan. Deputy Erin McGreehan

public-only contract, and make necessary reforms to the Dentists Act. A year ago, Sinn Féin said we needed to get dental screening programmes in schools back on track. In my county of Monaghan, the programme has come off the tracks entirely. Will the Government implement the necessary … measures that I have outlined? Will the Minister of State give a guarantee that the schools programme will be reinstated in County Monaghan this year

until it is sufficiently important that this issue is at Cabinet, nothing is going to change. We can all mention the really good projects we have in our constituencies such as The Red Door Project, Turas, FASN and MQI. Even homelessness services have to deal with a huge … those families who require them at an early stage. We need to make sure we invest in the likes of The Greentown Project and move people away from criminality in every way we possibly can. I have also said before that we need a real conversation

service-led review before deciding on the next steps. I fully accept the HSE must ensure value for money and that projects are deliverable. However, it is vital this review does not quietly become a vehicle to move the primary care centre out of Loughlinstown and into Cherrywood … contrast, is a new strategic development zone built from a new urban centre with plans for more than 10,000 homes and a projected population of roughly 26,000 people, orientated towards younger working households, well served by the Luas and the new town centre facilities. Cherrywood, rightly

Scotland, the RSV vaccination programme has resulted in a 62% reduction of people in the age group 75 to 79 being admitted to ICU. RSV is a respiratory virus that, despite being very common, can cause serious complications. We have a growing elderly population. The vaccination programme … help keep people out of hospital. Will the Government give serious consideration to introducing a similar programme to the one in Scotland, particularly for the group aged over 70? It is extremely important now. We will have 1 million people aged over 65 within the next four years

reject that analysis. Much work across government and in the public service is delivering a significant number of projects on time and on budget. Flippant remarks about particular projects undermine the core work of many people who work across our system. It is important to balance the Deputy … Demand of General Practice in Ireland report, which was published by the Department of Health; the Analytical Paper on the School Meals Programme, which was published in July; the Spending Review: Disability Residential Services report; and the Focused Policy Assessment: HSE Adult Disability Day Services report. I have

Deputy and I are in agreement in lots of areas. DART+ West is a project that is not caught in the paralysis, the delays and bureaucracy. It is one that we can try to commence quickly. Where we have opportunities on public transport, we should be using … increased capital allocation from a transport perspective to get projects moving. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is working on the sectoral investment plan for the Department of Transport, working with TII and the National Transport Authority. DART+ West is a really good example of a project we need

time when, for a particular type of person, a deportation order must be enforced more strictly. Is the Department satisfied the voluntary returns programme is making real progress and being properly resourced, both financially and in terms of staffing capacity? The voluntary returns programme depends on people coming … comply with this process. What actions is the Department taking to follow up with those who do not engage with the voluntary return programme? How do we track and enforce deportations for those who are not complying? I welcome the debate we are having. The current system

shall require prior approval by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas. (9) The Board may only use this payment to invest in projects that have been identified as part of a prioritisation framework which encompasses— (a) congestion softeners in areas of high congestion, (b) security encompassing hospitals … before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report detailing: (a) the purposes for which the payment was applied including a breakdown of project type; (b) the purposes for which the pay will be applied in the next year including a breakdown of project type; (c) the impact

delivery of grid infrastructure to ensure we are achieving housing targets and meeting our renewable energy ambition. These are the critical projects that we need immediately to ensure our future. Instead, however, the Government has prioritised the building of data centres, which are devouring our grid capacity … energy demand, according to the CSO. This is why Sinn Féin has demanded that any borrowing by Government to invest in projects must exclude grid infrastructure for connections to data centres. We have also highlighted the impact that any new investment will have on electricity prices for families

disadvantage and, in particular, supporting students to fulfil or achieve their full potential in life is a key priority for me. The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level and it is important to acknowledge the success … been over recent years. More than €180 million is provided annually to additional supports for almost 1,200 schools in the DEIS programme. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million this year on top of that which will translate into €48 million in additional money for the next

There is nothing unusual or different in this project. I cannot fully commit to the reasons other contractors pulled out. Perhaps there was other work they were doing and there was too heavy a load. Again, we cannot change the reasons for it. We can just make sure … offer the letter of acceptance, which then means we can start the building, get the builders on-site and move along with these projects, which is something the school community wants to see happen. I am absolutely committed to this. To be clear, the funding is there

want to ask the Minister about the criteria for prioritising school capital projects and about delays. It appears that a significant number of projects have been delayed. Can the Minister outline how many capital project delays there are across the country and the primary reasons therefor

This is a project that I am aware of from engagement with my colleagues in the area. It is not that there is no desire for a particular project to progress or that any desire within a community is being ignored. Rather, where there are greater demands around … places, albeit not necessarily in the context or setting that pupils or the school community want. That is not to say that a project cannot progress in the future, but we have to plan out what the next number of years look like. We will continue to engage

subsequent pressure on parents and the school community. That is why the Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools. The programme for Government very clearly commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated … running costs. They are not immune to the increasing costs we have seen across the board. The commitment in the programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years. This year specifically, my Department secured €39 million in budget 2026 towards increased capitation

encourage people out of cars and onto public transport. In the latest progress report published in March this year, the BusConnects Dublin programme has shown significant improvements in key performance indicators. There has been an annualised increase of 9.35 million, or 75%, in scheduled service kilometres … phase 1 F1 to 5B compared to equivalent routes operating prior to the NRD project. Passenger boardings on routes in the NRD phase 1 to 5B increased by 40% when compared with Dublin metropolitan bus routes that have not yet been altered in the redesign network. Overall

their community. They have provided a safe, welcoming space for all men to go, meet and share their skills, work on community projects and support one another. It is playing a crucial role in reducing social exclusion and isolation, improving mental health for the men and building … stronger sense of community across Dublin 12. They do a number of projects. They work on wood projects, from planters to Christmas decorations to pens and bird boxes. They showed us amazing stuff. That is when the magic happens, because when they are busy doing things, they

with regard to the OPW/SDCC Whitechurch flood alleviation scheme, when the promised post-flood investigation report will be published; and the stage the project is at. [71724/26

completed by summer 2026; the reason for the delay; the revised completion date; the expenditure on the scheme to date and the projected final cost; and the amount provided for the scheme in 2027. [71825/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the projected 2026 outturn for gross voted expenditure compared with the expenditure ceiling of €117.8 billion set in Budget 2026, by Ministerial Vote Group, in tabular form; and the Supplementary Estimates expected

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to list the projects that have been designated under s.20 of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Act 2024. [72052/26

official who approved site inspection funding of €3,024.99 for the 12th International Conference on Degrowth; the written delegated authority and business events programme criteria relied upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72326/26

Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to identify Cork stakeholders that selected a conference as a case study for the Impact and Legacy Training Programme; the staff time and resources Fáilte Ireland committed to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72333/26

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on a school's (details supplied) building project. [71394/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a school building project (details supplied). [71524/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a school capital project (details supplied). [71603/26

number of such students in County Galway; and whether this issue is being considered as part of the School Transport 2030 reform programme. [72114/26

Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport when further funding will be provided for round five of the safe routes to school programme. [72438/26

school (details supplied) to transition from an English-medium school to a Gaelscoil; the outcome of the meeting between Department officials; and the projected timeline for progressing the proposal. [71779/26

Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the building project for a school (details supplied). [72249/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Castleisland Housing Project (details supplied) will be expedited; the status of the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71636/26

including schools, childcare, public transport, water and wastewater infrastructure and primary healthcare; and whether a mechanism exists to assess such infrastructure requirements alongside projected housing delivery in rapidly growing areas. [71694/26

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to identify the housing projects or zoned residential lands in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk which have been identified to his Department or the Housing Activation Office as being constrained by deficits in water, wastewater, electricity

Heritage further to the Budget 2027 Expenditure Report published on 6 October 2026, which states that €1.01 billion allocated to the starter homes programme will contribute to the delivery of 8,500 new starter homes in 2027 and separately that 15,000 new starter homes will be delivered

National Planning Statement in relation to onshore wind energy development; if it will be delivered in 2026; and the year this is projected to be delivered. [72067/26

repeal any provision of legislation; or whether he will introduce legislation enabling him to review the scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects where it appears that there are or will be delays; and to issue directions on priorities and progression. [72109/26

Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update and timeline for each stage of the Regeneration Projects in Galway, in tabular form. [72138/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actual and projected number of residential dwellings and population for each local authority for 2020, 2025 and 2030 under the assumptions used for national and regional planning; and the resulting number of dwellings

Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for funding to be made available to local authorities through the Housing Activation Office for projects to unlock housing. [72451/26

Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will urgently review the payment rate for the secondary school meals programme; and his views on whether the secondary school meal rate should be brought in line with the primary school rate and increased

Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the mechanism to pay suppliers under the current school meals programme has been modified; and if the Minister is satisfied that all suppliers will be paid within 30 days of invoices having been submitted. [71565/26

Minister for Social Protection if his Department will consider an increase in the secondary dinner rate with a drink in the school meals programme to €3,20 from €2.50 to equalise it with the hot schools meal and backdate it to the beginning of this school year