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nation. Its rapid development and progression serve as a tangible demonstration of the Government’s commitment to meaningfully accelerate those strategically important projects that are essential to the State’s economic and social development. The events of recent days have reinforced and underscored the central importance of critical … next phase of work, and in December last year, I published the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan. This sets out a comprehensive programme of actions designed to speed up the delivery of critical infrastructure across the State. The plan sets out 30 targeted, time-bound actions grouped

welcome the opportunity to discuss nursing homes and the care of older people. To begin, I want to acknowledge the "RTÉ Investigates" programme that was broadcast on 4 June. This was a very hard-hitting and harrowing programme which highlighted a litany of poor care standards … Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin. The welfare of the residents and their families was obviously at the forefront of my concerns following the RTÉ programme. I am very conscious of the impact this programme will have had on the residents, their families and the staff in the nursing homes

review. Before I discuss the review I would like to provide an update on the progress we are already making on processing rail projects across the country. The last few years have seen significant progress on investment in our national rail network to create a more efficient, safe … opening of the new through platform at Kent Station represented a landmark day in the delivery of the Cork area commuter rail programme. I visited this project a couple of weeks ago. This platform will facilitate commuter trains to travel through Kent Station from Mallow to Midleton

Government must therefore remain on increasing the supply of new build social and affordable homes; — notwithstanding, a targeted second-hand social housing acquisition programme has been and will continue to be an important policy response to priority needs such as tenancy sustainment, exits from homelessness, support for elderly … sell the property, and this was down 20.7 per cent in 2023; further notes that: — the social housing Second Hand Acquisitions (SHA) programme or tenant in-situ acquisitions were not suspended, and the Programme for Government – Securing Ireland's Future commits to continuing Social Housing Tenant in-Situ

encouraging and creating more opportunities for young people to participate in football through coaching and games development supports. The youth field sports programme is based on an ethos of developing the grassroots of the game, growing participation numbers, embracing communities outside of the traditional base of the sport … system for governance, safeguarding, club administration, volunteer services and structures, and long-term player development. The FAI league mark is the complementary accreditation programme designed to raise governance and football operations standards at league level. The FAI has significantly expanded its governance support infrastructure across both programmes. Sport

delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is committed to the delivery of major public transport projects, as evidenced by last year's review of the National Development Plan (NDP) allocation of €24.3 billion to transport projects from … Plan for Transport 2026-2030 involves a funding ratio of at least 2:1 in favour of new public transport over new roads projects, and for the next five years there will be approximately €3.3 billion allocated towards new roads investment and, at a minimum, approximately €7 billion

infrastructure delivery. Delivering Critical Infrastructure On this day last year, I made a commitment to tackle the barriers that were delaying critical infrastructure projects across our country. Since then, we have embarked on an unprecedented programme of change, and it is working. This year alone, we have: fast … tracked nationally significant projects through the Critical Infrastructure Act; cut months from project timelines through reformed approval processes; backed decision makers across the public service with a clearer approach to risk; and taken steps to reduce the number of legal cases that can hold up critical projects

delighted to be here today to speak on this important policy, which was launched in 2024 and is in keeping with programme for Government commitments. Social enterprise has the objective of achieving a social or environmental impact rather than maximising profits for owners or shareholders … communities. The first national social enterprise policy was developed in partnership with the sector and was underpinned by a joint research project undertaken by the Social Finance Foundation and my Department in 2017 and 2018. It was informed at a key national level by a bilateral series

Bill places obligations on the Government. It requires us to take hard decisions about prioritisation and to identify a small number of those projects or programmes that are fundamental to everything else we wish to achieve. Others have said that and Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned it. Water, energy … housing or other areas. By doing this we send a clear and unambiguous signal to the entire system that the projects and programmes are of strategic importance and in the public interest. It allows public bodies to reallocate the resources necessary to prioritise the consideration of these projects

support the narrative surrounding rural areas as centres of opportunity, growth and potential. We have continued to prioritise rural investment in the new programme for Government, and in the specific pledge to build on the momentum achieved under Our Rural Future by publishing and implementing the next iteration … government continue to back up our policies with sustained and targeted investment. Within my own Department, for example, the rural development investment programme, which includes schemes such as the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, the outdoor recreation investment scheme, CLÁR, and LEADER

Government’s work to accelerate infrastructure delivery, and to discuss my Department’s role in the management and delivery of capital projects and programmes. In particular, I will outline some of the recent and ongoing developments in my Department, as we implement the actions contained in the accelerating … multifaceted and interconnected challenges the Government faces in infrastructure deficits and the need to prioritise investment in major housing, water, energy and transport projects. In the programme for Government, published one year ago, we made five key commitments for infrastructure delivery. They were: to create a Cabinet committee

does so will regret it. National Biodiversity Week is an opportunity to showcase actions being taken to engage with some of the brilliant projects that are being delivered by groups large and small to promote biodiversity. Each of them has a positive impact. The breadth and scope … have great hope for what can be achieved. I have had the opportunity to visit towns, villages and groups and see the projects and programmes being undertaken. I have been humbled and inspired by what I have seen, heard and learned from them. That work can only

Allowing the Government to designate certain projects or programmes as critical infrastructure is the core of the Critical Infrastructure Bill. In response to a designation, all public bodies involved at any stage in the authorisation process must prioritise and accelerate the authorisation process applied to the maximum extent … possible. By establishing a clear legal basis for prioritisation, the legislation will reduce ambiguity and ensure that critical projects and programmes receive focused and co-ordinated attention across Departments, regulators and agencies. It will address the unacceptable delays in our infrastructure-approval processes by mandating whole-of-State

physical recreation facilities and assists the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. The fund was previously known as the sports capital and equipment programme, which operated on an annual basis from 1998 to 2008. It resumed in 2012 with rounds … programme has evolved, increasing amounts have been made available to support new or improved facilities. Over 19,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.4 billion. These grants have directly improved sports facilities in every village

proposals on justice and home affairs financial instruments, namely, the asylum, migration and integration fund, the internal security fund and the justice programme fund. These funding streams are already in existence and the proposed regulations will extend them for the period 2028 to 2034. Protocol 21 applies … legal bases and an opt-in under Article 3 is recommended so Ireland can continue to utilise funding made available under the programmes. On the proposals themselves, the asylum, migration and integration fund proposal will establish a new asylum, migration and integration fund for 2028-2034. It provides

contribution to the State and wish him and his family a long and healthy retirement. I am particularly proud of the programme for Government because, for the first and only time in my political career, I was asked by our party leader, Simon Harris, to participate … very seriously and it was a great honour to do so. Over the course of the five or six weeks of negotiating the programme for Government, we set out and charted a course for the country that, we hope, will allow us over the next five years

Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 provides a statutory basis for the acceleration of decision-making regarding projects and programmes that are designated as critical infrastructure. The Act requires that all reasonable steps be taken by public bodies, individually and collectively, to progress any functions that they may have … regard to these projects and programmes as quickly as possible. Section 1 of the Act specifically highlights transport, energy and water infrastructure in the definition of infrastructure. However, it does not limit the potential to include other infrastructure, should it be considered necessary. Section

Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act was passed in 2006 and how that was a step forward in terms of bringing those strategic infrastructure projects into An Bord Pleanála, as it then was, rather than having them always going through local authorities and being delayed that way. In many ways … hand, I recognise the potential progress that comes from this Bill and its necessity in terms of moving these critical infrastructure projects along. On the other hand, I have listened to what people have said about their concerns regarding what the impact of this legislation might be, specifically

doing what he wishes. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan … individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local roads authorities concerned. This will ultimately deliver the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP. Funding allocated for new national roads projects under

support investment of €25 million in 2025 for fee adjustments and service establishment; €50 million in 2026 for full-year implementation, training optimisation programmes and new services; and €20 million in repurposed existing community pharmacy funding. This agreement marks a new chapter for community pharmacy in Ireland … will mean that we are better utilising our existing network and freeing up capacity in other pressured areas of our healthcare services. The programme for Government set out our commitments and ambitions for community pharmacy. It recognises the significant potential for the enhancement of the role of community

contact with the justice system. We are continuing vital work to implement our youth justice strategy. We have made a commitment in the programme for Government to develop a successor at the end of our current strategy’s lifespan. A key initiative in our current strategy … continued development and enhancement of our youth diversion projects. These community-based initiatives seek to direct young people who have become involved in crime and antisocial behaviour. They also support wider preventative work within their communities, particularly with at-risk families. We all know that there

atá á déanamh aige ar son na scoile. The important point that both Deputy Ellis and Deputy McAuliffe have raised is that the project is to provide a new replacement 16-classroom primary school and accommodation for pupils with special educational needs at the existing site … tonight on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Naughton. I know Deputy McAuliffe has been in contact with her. As has been said, the project is currently at stage 2a, architectural planning - developed design. At this stage, the preferred design option is developed to a point at which

this year, my Department published a comprehensive national development plan implementation plan for the education and youth sector. That included 105 school building projects to proceed to construction and tender in 2026 and 2027. That list included 80 large-scale and additional school accommodation projects along with … modular projects. The number of modular projects has now increased to 31. The first tranche of projects was selected with a view to facilitating projects already at stage 3, that is, at tender stage, to progress to construction as smoothly as possible. The prioritisation of projects at stage

future and that is the fundamental that we should all adhere to. The Department provides details of all live and completed projects. Information for ASA in schools in County Mayo is available on the Department’s website and further engagement is being made available. Since 2010, a total … million in capital funding has been provided for ASA projects in County Mayo. There are currently 27 ASA projects at preliminary design stage, 21 projects at detailed design, one project at tender stage and 11 projects on site at construction stage. In addition, 42 ASA projects have been

authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency, Inland Fisheries Ireland and directly by my Department. This will include the development of specific evidence-based targeted programmes to drive water quality improvement. First, the farming for water European investment partnership, EIP, was launched in March 2024. The aim of this partnership … implementation of supplementary measures on farmlands where agricultural activities are impacting water quality. Second, a scheme which will fund urban nature-based solution projects will be undertaken by local authorities to manage surface water, drainage and rainfall. Third, the national river barrier mitigation programme will fund the removal

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the projects located within the Galway West constituency that are being funded under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme, the Higher Education PPP (HEPPP) Programme, the Technological Sector Strategic Projects Programme (TSSPP … Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Programme (HESIP), and the Infrastructure Upgrade and Refurbishment Programme; to provide an overview each project with the progress made to date; the forthcoming stages in the project lifecycle; the expected timeline for completion; and the estimated cost range of the project or programme

Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if all school capital building projects in the Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering programmes, are funded through the Sectoral Investment Plan; the breakdown of each school project included in the ADAPT 4 – Programme 4 bundles indicating … already underway; if not if these are included in the priority list in the Sectoral Investment Plan; to provide a list of those projects in the ADAPT-4 programmes that have achieved at least Stage 1 approval to date; the breakdown of each school project included in those

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the progress made to date on the Dublin Road Project under the BusConnects Galway programme; the forthcoming stages of the project lifecycle; the expected timelines for those stages; whether he expects the project to be included in the forthcoming … Capital Plan; the estimated completion date for the project; the estimated cost range attributable to the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74221/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost, and delivery timelines … number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value of €100,000 or greater, excluding routine operational spend

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by her Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget … final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original … budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by her Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost … delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value of €100,000 or greater, excluding

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost … delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value of €100,000 or greater, excluding

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final … cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects … including original budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget … final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by her Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final … cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget … final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original … budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost … delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value of €100,000 or greater, excluding

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original … budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original … budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by her Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget … final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by her Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost … delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value of €100,000 or greater, excluding

Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects … including original budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and total cost of projects that were cancelled, abandoned, or failed to go live; the current status of all ongoing ICT projects with a value

Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide a list of the community renewable energy projects that have been energised and are exporting electricity to the grid; the volume of electricity these projects have exported; the number of community renewable … energy projects that have begun construction, by projects that are 100% community-owned versus those that are not 100% community-owned; the number of community renewable energy projects that have received funding from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; the breakdown of each project and the amount

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Education and Youth in respect of the ADAPT programme of school building project delivery for a school (details supplied), the number of third-party contracts issued to date under the programme; the number of contractors recruited as part of the programme … number of contractor vacancies exist under the programme; the breakdown of third-party contractors by role (architecture, design, fire safety, project management, etc.); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43775/25

Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the Ulster Canal project; the number of phases of the project that have been completed to date; the total spend on each phase of the project to date … total amount committed by Government for the next phase of the project; if negotiations with landowners have started in respect of future phases of the project; the expected completion date for the overall project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31383/25

Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for a breakdown of cost overruns stemming from capital projects under his Department's remit that were in excess of €100,000 at original cost projection and overran by 20% or from … across each county, detailing the name of the project, the original cost projection and the latest cost projection, to include projects that are planned, in train or completed for the years in question, in tabular form. [25711/25

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown of cost overruns stemming from HSE capital projects that were in excess of €100,000 at original cost projection and overran by 20% or more from 2020 to 2025, detailing the name of the project, the original … cost projection and the latest cost projection, to include projects that are planned, in train or completed for the years in question, in tabular form. [25710/25