Tom Brabazon
Question:1. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [16803/25]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Cabinet Committees
Ivana Bacik
Question:2. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [18693/25]
Brendan Smith
Question:3. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [18746/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:4. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [20899/25]
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:5. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [22208/25]
John Connolly
Question:6. Deputy John Connolly asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [22378/25]
Tony McCormack
Question:7. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [22404/25]
Paul Murphy
Question:8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [22477/25]
Emer Currie
Question:9. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [22485/25]
Malcolm Byrne
Question:10. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [25524/25]
Ruth Coppinger
Question:11. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [25530/25]
Paul Lawless
Question:12. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will meet next. [25743/25]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will oversee the implementation of programme for Government commitments that regard matters under these headings. It was established in February 2025 following the appointment of the new Government in January.
The Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs had its first meeting on 10 April and it is expected the next meeting will take place in July. The Cabinet committee will cover a range of policy areas, including domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, policing and justice reform, and initiatives tackling local area disadvantage. Among other items, it will also oversee the development and delivery of whole-of-government responses to migration and integration, including through a national migration and integration strategy.
In addition to meetings of the Cabinet committee, I have regular engagements with Ministers at Cabinet and individually to discuss issues relating to their Departments.
There are 12 questions from Deputies. We will take them in order. Question No. 1 is from Deputy Tom Brabazon.
Like Deputy Shane Moynihan who spoke earlier, I have serious concerns about e-bikes, e-scramblers, e-scooters and ordinary scramblers, which are the scourge of people's lives across the city. Aside from the dangers these modes of transport create on our roads and footpaths and across our open spaces and parks, we often see users not wearing any helmets being "ballied up" - for want of a better phrase - and not carrying or using lights in the dark evenings, having removed the speed governors from their vehicles. Many of them are unfortunately being used in criminal enterprises for, in particular, muling and carrying illicit produce for the drug trade.
These bikes, scramblers and scooters, when used as part of a criminal enterprise, are usually operated by minors. They are, despite being underage, acting in an adult way but are not facing the rigours of the criminal system. On top of that, notwithstanding anything the Garda Commissioner might say, these drug mules are not being pursued and prosecuted when they are on those vehicles.
We have a minute each. I call Deputy Ivana Bacik.
I wish to ask about Government policy on accommodation and international protection. On Friday, we saw the Government confirm it would not proceed with opening an international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centre in Coolock on the former Crown Paints site. We are all aware there has been a very violent and nasty campaign against the opening of an IPAS centre there. There were local public representatives who bravely stood in support of integration and with a welcome for those who come here fleeing persecution and war, and who seek refuge here. Many in my own constituency have established welcome groups but we have seen two recent instances in Dublin 4 and 8 where a decision has been made not to proceed with opening IPAS centres. The reason, we are told, is a move to State-owned and State-run facilities, and we very much welcome what we hope will be a more co-ordinated and concerted Government approach to accommodation. What we are not getting, however, are any clear answers from the Government about the approach that is going to be taken to accommodation and international protection and about whether backing down may embolden the far right. There is a real concern in some instances that the far right is claiming a win where a centre does not open, and Government needs to address that.
An issue I raised in the past was the reconfiguration of Garda divisions a number of years ago under the Commissioner, Mr. Drew Harris. I believe that the structures that were made and put in place were wrong. Traditionally, since the foundation of the State, Cavan-Monaghan was one Garda division. Now we are in with County Louth. You have a Garda division stretching from outside Dublin to the far end of west Cavan, which is quite near Sligo, Bundoran and Donegal. It has a very long land border with a neighbouring jurisdiction.
We are all well aware that borders do not deter criminality. Unfortunately, we have cross-Border criminality. The chief superintendent for the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan Garda division is based in Drogheda, which is outside Dublin. I do not believe that the further ends of that Garda division will get the attention, personnel or resources they deserve. Over the years, an issue I have kept putting on the agenda is the need to ensure that the unique policing demands of a Border area are always resourced adequately.
I agree. Louth-Cavan-Monaghan does not work as a sensible divisional decision, and I get that the Taoiseach's answer is going to be that that remains for the Commissioner. It is, however, an issue that needs to be looked at. The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, said here that the community safety partnerships are going to happen quickly. That needs to happen post-haste because we know there has been a failure to have joint policing committee meetings, and we need that engagement. There are questions to be asked.
While we all accept that migration is an absolute necessity and we have to look after those fleeing war and persecution, there is a question - and there has been for a long time - with regard to processing times. The time we were told for somebody on appeal was that it would take up to 15 months. That was coming from a safe country. Then we are talking about a time of something like two years and eight months for those coming from other places. There are also fast-processing lists. Obviously, a huge amount needs to be done on that, so what are the proposals for improving it?
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply, and I commend the Garda. I have noticed more gardaí on the streets in Offaly and across the country recently. That visibility has a real and positive impact. It helps people feel safer, builds community trust and serves as a strong deterrent to crime. With that in mind, I ask the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs to consider the specific needs of smaller rural towns like Banagher, Daingean, Clara and other towns across Offaly and the country.
While these towns are assigned gardaí, in practice officers are often drawn away to larger population centres, leaving little or no regular presence locally. More consistent Garda presence in these smaller towns would significantly improve community confidence and security.
Last week, South Dublin County Council passed a People Before Profit motion to allocate long-term housing to victims of gender-based violence leaving short-term refuges. Official figures show that 32 households fleeing domestic violence were forced into emergency accommodation from January to March. However, according to service providers this massively understates the problem. The housing crisis means women either cannot leave abusive relationships or are forced to return to them once their time in a refuge is up.
I spoke to a woman a few weeks ago whose time in the short-term refuge was over. She was in an absolute panic because moving into emergency accommodation meant moving outside of her support networks. Both Housing for All and the zero tolerance strategy on gender-based violence focus on short-term refuges but nothing is being done to provide long-term secure social housing for victims of domestic violence. Does the Taoiseach accept that additional long-term social housing needs to be provided?
The Minister for Justice has assured this House that his Department is finalising the regulations necessary for the local community safety partnerships to function. We really need to get them up and running as soon as possible.
Dublin West is a big place. Key to the effectiveness of the local community safety partnerships is that they are indeed local. The problems facing Clonsilla are very different from those facing Corduff. Local communities have to be able to identify and solve those problems. I urge the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice to ensure there is flexibility to set up subgroups for specific local villages like Ongar, Tyrellstown, Clonsilla, Carpenterstown and so on.
There is a budget behind this work. The community safety fund is a brilliant initiative putting the proceeds from crime back into communities. However, it is only €4 million. Not all solutions are going to fall neatly under existing funding streams. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that the new regulations will take that into account.
As the Taoiseach is aware, there is overcrowding in every prison in the State at present. That has consequences for the prisoners but also for the prison officers. While punishment has to be part of the prison experience, it is also essential that we address rehabilitation and deter recidivism. We have only two open prisons in the State. Shelton Abbey in Arklow is one of them. It works with Tosú on some excellent programmes in educating, training and rehabilitating a number of prisoners, working with local employers and often providing role models. Some of those prisoners go back into communities to talk about the dangers of going into a life of crime. I would like to see a commitment on the part of the Government toward the possibility of opening a female open prison because there is not one in the State, and of looking at more opportunities for schemes such as those run by Tosú about being able, after the punishment has been served, to rehabilitate those prisoners and prevent recidivism.
The Government's new policy on justice and migration is to increase the number of deportations, particularly by using chartered flights. The Minister goes on social media to announce that a charter flight has taken place. Is this not virtue signalling to the increased racism that there is in society and to the far right? We have already seen this week the backing down from a migration centre in Coolock. Is it any wonder when the Government is sending a message out to the public that refugees and asylum seekers are to be feared and are a drain? The Minister stated, "Stepping up enforcement and securing our borders is a central commitment". Our borders are not in danger from people who come here seeking refuge. Why is that language being used? How much are these flights costing for the virtue signalling that the Government is doing?
The cost of accommodating asylum seekers has ballooned in recent years. It is now ten times the figure in 2019. It cost the State €1.2 billion this year. This is an extortionate cost to the taxpayer. Essentially, the State is paying hotel or accommodation owners a hotel occupancy rate. It has cost the State €4 billion since 2019. The average cost of renting a three-bedroom house is €20,000, yet the average cost of housing an asylum seeker is €33,000 a year. Wealthy accommodation providers are earning huge sums of money. The Government is making millionaires out of accommodation providers. The Carnbeg Hotel, which is now an IPAS centre, has earned more than €23 million since 2023. When is the Government going to address this issue? There is a huge issue here of value for money for the taxpayer.
The Taoiseach mentioned the Cabinet committee's role in the area of local area disadvantage. Earlier this afternoon the Taoiseach spoke about the positive health statistics in the country. It is important to recognise that they are not universal. There are minority groups and some disadvantaged communities where those health figures are not as good. Yesterday we also saw that there is a greater impact on disadvantaged communities in regard to the challenge of school attendance.
The programme for Government commits us to launching an urban communities initiative to revitalise disadvantaged city areas. I believe there has been a deficiency in this area since the end of the revitalising areas by planning, investment and development, RAPID, programme which used to fund programmes and infrastructure in disadvantaged urban areas. It funded such programmes as childcare facilities, back-to-work employment schemes and also infrastructure such as libraries and sports facilities. I would like the Government to look at reinvesting in the RAPID programme.
I call the Taoiseach, who has five minutes to respond to approximately 12 Deputies.
I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Brabazon has consistently raised in the House the issue of how the regulations are currently operating in respect of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. He referenced how some of these new vehicles are being utilised as part of criminal enterprises, particularly the utilisation of young minors in the distribution of drugs. This is a very serious issue which demands a review of the entire regulatory framework governing scramblers and e-scooters. There are positives too, particularly for the elderly population in terms of people getting access and going up hills and so on. However, it merits a review because many negative aspects have happened as a result of their deployment. Deputy Bacik raised the issue of the IPAS site in Coolock. The Minister made a decision in that regard. In my view it made sense in the overall context. We need to move to State-owned and State-controlled facilities. That is the direction of travel from here onwards.
Yes.
I understand the issues the Deputy and her colleagues have raised in respect of it. It was a shocking situation overall.
Deputy Smith raised the issue of reconfiguration of Garda districts. I will talk to the Minister for Justice about the unique policing demands of Border areas requiring specific resourcing.
Deputy Ó Murchú supported that. As for community safety partnerships, these are important and the Minister is moving with regard to implementation. On migration processing times, the first phase is now being processed relatively quickly. The appeal stage needs significant attention and the Minister is working on that and has specific proposals to speed up the second phase.
I appreciate the comments Deputy McCormack made on the increased visibility of gardaí on our streets but also the need for greater Garda presence in smaller towns in the county of Offaly. He mentioned Banagher and a few other towns. I have asked the Minister, in the context of more and more people coming through Templemore, to look at proper deployment throughout the country, particularly in rural Ireland and the smaller towns because it has an impact.
On the matter raised by Deputy Paul Murphy, I have no issue at all with making sure we have long-term social housing provision for those fleeing domestic violence. We need more permanent structures as well and more secure units. They are all at varying degrees of progress but we need to accelerate that also.
Deputy Currie raised the issue of safety partnerships.
I will talk to the Minister. Obviously, the Deputy has specific ideas in respect of the area she represents. I am sure if she discusses it with the Minister he will respond with flexibility on how the groups and subgroups are set up and so on.
Deputy Malcolm Byrne is correct. There is overcrowding in our prison system. It is, again, a feature of a growing population. Rehabilitation is very important. Education provision is very important in our prisons and that opportunities are given to people, as well as follow-on services. We help to reintegrate them into society through work, placements and so on. We often do not hear of the success stories where it does work. That reintegration is to the benefit of the individual and society as a whole. I will check with the Minister about capacity on the female side, to which the Deputy referred.
Deputy Coppinger raised the issue of deportations. They are in respect of people whose asylum application has failed. They are not eligible for asylum, having gone through the process, and, therefore, they should not be in the country. We must always have security in our borders. What we mean by that is that not everybody can simply come into the country. We have work permits for people who wish to work legally in the country and we have various visas and legal frameworks that facilitate the flow and egress. That is not just Ireland; it is every country in the world. It is not virtue signalling to racism or the far right when we say that.
Chartered flights.
It is not, really. It is also sending a signal that we have asylum laws for people who genuinely need asylum, not for everyone who comes in. A lot of economic migrants come in who should be applying for work permits. That is the point.
Deputy Lawless followed up on the costs ballooning. We have obligations. There has been a significant inflationary cycle but we are reducing the numbers in hotels quite significantly and moving towards a State-owned model.
Sorry, Taoiseach. Deputy Connolly.
Apologies. Deputy Connolly raised the issue of local area disadvantage. I accept his point that health figures are not as good, by definition, in areas of disadvantage. It is extremely important, both on the education and health fronts. In education, we have a successful DEIS programme. We are now looking at DEIS plus. The Minister was at the Cabinet today signalling a move to DEIS plus for areas of profound socioeconomic disadvantage, with different types of supports being available to the small number of schools that would gain access to such a DEIS plus programme. Health probably needs to do better, or run in parallel with the pace that education has moved over the years, in respect of specific health initiatives in areas of economic disadvantage. In 2002 I established the Niche project on the northside of Cork, in Knocknaheeny, and it had a profound impact. It dealt with issues such as lifestyle, access to gyms and was pioneered by the local health board at the time. We need more of that from the health side. They are getting better at it and there is more of it happening but, compared with what is happening in education, we could be doing better in health.
Ukraine War
Ivana Bacik
Question:13. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Zelenskyy. [16742/25]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:14. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Zelenskyy. [16804/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:15. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. [20900/25]
Malcolm Byrne
Question:16. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Zelenskyy. [22405/25]
John Lahart
Question:17. Deputy John Lahart asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Zelenskyy. [22406/25]
Paul Murphy
Question:18. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Zelenskyy. [22478/25]
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:19. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussions with President Zelenskyy. [22661/25]
I propose to take questions Nos. 13 to 19, inclusive, together.
On Thursday, 27 February I met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Shannon Airport during a scheduled stopover on his way to Washington. We had a warm and substantial meeting. We discussed the most recent developments with regard to the situation in Ukraine.
I reiterated Ireland's steadfast support for Ukraine and its people as they continue to defend themselves against Russia's ongoing illegal and brutal aggression. I reaffirmed Ireland's readiness to offer practical humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine, both bilaterally and with our EU partners.
We discussed how, together with the EU, we can advance a just, sustainable and durable peace in Ukraine. This was a key focus of the discussions among EU leaders at both the special meeting of the European Council on 6 March and the European Council meeting on 20 and 21 March. I took the opportunity to offer my support for the acceleration of Ukraine's membership of the EU. This will be an important part of broader security guarantees for Ukraine.
I also had an opportunity to meet President Zelenskyy with other leaders at the conference in Paris on peace and security for Ukraine, hosted by President Macron on 27 March. There we agreed that this war, and the threat posed by Russia, is not only an existential issue for Ukraine, but also a major challenge to the security of Europe. European Union leaders agreed that a ceasefire can only take place as part of the process leading to a comprehensive peace agreement and that any such agreement needs to be accompanied by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine that contribute to deterring future Russian aggression. Ireland will continue to engage with partners on ongoing efforts towards a meaningful ceasefire, how we can support that ceasefire if and when it comes and how we can contribute to bringing about a just and lasting peace that respects Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It is more important than ever that we remain steadfast in our support so that Ukraine can negotiate from a position of strength. The EU has provided substantial military support to Ukraine to enable it to defend itself and, in doing so, to defend the values we all hold dear. Ireland is playing its part. Our support to date has focused on humanitarian and stabilisation assistance, alongside non-lethal military support, both through the European peace facility and bilaterally, and strong political support, including for Ukraine's European perspective.
In March, the Government approved a significant €100 million package of military support for Ukraine, including non-lethal elements of air defence, anti-drone devices and demining.
I thank the Taoiseach for the briefing. First, I wish to express my own deep solidarity and that of the Labour Party with the people of Ukraine as they face what the Taoiseach has rightly described as an existential threat to their country and, indeed, to European democracy as a result of Russia’s brutal war and bombardment. I want to ask about three specific ways that we can show solidarity in a practical sense from Ireland. The first is on pressing further for EU membership for Ukraine, which the Taoiseach said came up at the meeting of EU leaders. The second is on ensuring that we can continue to supply non-lethal supports to Ukraine. The Taoiseach said a new package has been agreed, and that is welcome. The third is supports for those who have come here seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine. It is very positive to see how well we have supported Ukrainian refugees over the last few years. However, I am concerned about the cuts the Government and some in opposition are proposing to accommodation recognition payments and the winding down of organisations such as Helping Irish Hosts which have been supplying important supports to Ukrainian refugees and families who have come here.
The European Parliament on 8 May passed a resolution noting Russia’s genocidal strategy in abducting and deporting Ukrainian children. We need to do more to highlight that appalling and barbaric practice.
We have all stood here many times before and spoken of the disgraceful attack by Russia on Ukraine and its continued policy which is just nouveau imperialism. It is no different from what has happened many times before in Russian history and the history of many other states beyond that, unfortunately, as we know too well.
We need to stand with Ukraine and against Russia but at some time there has to be peace. There has been some element of engagement. It is very difficult to talk about America’s engagements at this time in any positive way when we see what is happening in Gaza. We have seen the Overton window that Donald Trump has facilitated on some level around the riviera and the freedom zones, which has allowed a scenario where Israel has moved into something which is genocide hunger, with minimal aid, and beyond that. In the context of engagement and what President Zelenskyy has said, how can we engage in facilitating peace, both as a state and as part of the wider European Union?
I welcome the Taoiseach’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy, our continued strong support for the people of Ukraine and our condemnation of Russian aggression. I am sure the Taoiseach agrees with me that under no circumstances should Russia ever have a veto on Irish foreign security or defence policy.
On practical examples of action that could be taken, in 1990, when Charles Haughey was Taoiseach, Ireland led when it came to German reunification and a united Germany’s membership of the European Union. That was followed in 2004 by the accession of ten central and eastern European countries during our EU Presidency. I hope that during the 2026 Presidency priority will be given to aiding, as far as possible, Ukraine’s membership of the European Union.
With that in mind, I hope the Taoiseach will also give an assurance, in the context of the multi-annual funding framework and the agreement of the EU budget, that when we have a fully funded CAP, it would not just be to meet current needs but would also look at the needs of an expanded European Union, including Ukraine, especially with regard to Pillar 2 of CAP. Will the Taoiseach give indications with regard to the EU Presidency in that respect?
From the outset of Putin's criminal invasion of Ukraine, we pointed out that US involvement there was not driven by any concern for self-determination and the interests of ordinary Ukrainian people but was instead driven by its own strategic interests. That has become undeniably clear under Trump. It is clear the US is only interested in Ukraine insofar as the people of Ukraine can be used to weaken Russia, and Ukraine can then be carved up for its own aims. The blackmail deal done by Trump is to steal minerals from the Ukrainian people while agreeing to Russia taking much of the land. The term "ReArm Europe" is a joke because military expenditure has gone up year on year for the past decade and is being used to suspend fiscal rules, not to build homes, to tackle healthcare crises across Europe or to help people crippled by the cost-of-living crisis but to give more money to the arms companies fuelled by debt and destruction. It is why people came together two weeks ago, at a powerful meeting, to defend neutrality and the triple lock. They will be on the streets on Saturday, 14 June at 2 p.m. Will the Taoiseach outline the timing of the Government's plans to dismantle the triple lock?
I might begin by stating how proud I am of us as a nation and of the people of Ireland for what we have done over the past three years or so in providing jobs, employment and, most importantly, safe accommodation for people from Ukraine who have fled this unjust war. I will ask the Taoiseach some specific questions. Will he speak to us on where fast-tracking EU membership for Ukraine is at or provide some kind of roadmap or timeline for how we are likely to expedite that?
My second question is on the financial support promised by this country for the European Peace Facility. Initially, Hungary tried its best to frustrate that provision of funding. Will the Taoiseach give us an update on where the peace fund via the EU lies, in light of Hungary's deliberate attempts to disrupt it in the past, and where are we at with it?
I again thank all the Deputies who contributed. Deputy Bacik spoke about the European Union membership of Ukraine. We were one of the steadfast early supporters of Ukraine's membership of the European Union, believing it would end a vacuum geopolitically, create its own implicit security for Ukraine and also enable it to be a full participant in the economic benefits and basic liberties that go with being a member of the European Union. The European Union is probably one of the safest places in which to live in the world today. It is where we have the protection of basic fundamental rights of freedom of academic autonomy, freedom of speech, a free media and so on. It is interesting that the European Union gets attacked in the House a lot but actually, jurisdiction-wise, and if we look at different parts of the world, it is probably one of the better places in which to live for most citizens. That is why it is so attractive to so many people who want to come to live in Europe. They come from all over the world, migrating from autocracies and authoritarian regimes. The Deputy is correct in saying we need to highlight more clearly the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. That is a very shocking war crime. The repatriation of those children and reuniting them with their families has to be a core objective.
Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of the peace process. The US initiatives are welcome in respect of trying to engineer a peace pathway, faltering as it has been to date, between Ukraine and Russia. The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, have been particularly active in endeavouring to move the situation on while supporting and protecting Ukraine in this entire process. I appreciate the Deputy's condemnation of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised the issue of Russia having a veto over whether we join or participate in peace missions. I could not agree with him more. Russia should not have a veto over a sovereign decision that Ireland should be able to take to participate in peacekeeping missions around the world, or in civil protection mechanisms. That is something the Government will deal with legislatively, which makes absolute sense given the performance of the Security Council in recent times in respect of a whole range of appalling conflicts.
On 2026, the multifinancial framework and the Common Agricultural Policy, protecting the Common Agricultural Policy by having a separate line allocation and budget for it will be key. We are awaiting proposals from the Commission. We also want to accelerate, and Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan also raised this issue, the accession of Ukraine to the European Union. Hungary is holding that up. It has paralysed many issues, including the European Peace Facility. We have had to move bilaterally to provide financial support to Ukraine. That is financial support which would ordinarily have gone through the European Peace Facility but was not facilitated by Hungary because of its obstructionist tactics in respect of that facility and the beginning of the process of facilitating a pathway to European Union membership. There are real challenges within the European Union regarding Hungary's behaviour to date on quite a number of these issues. It is something that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible involving all member states.
Deputy Murphy raised the issue of Russia's criminal enterprise in its invasion of Ukraine and then moved quickly to the US. The US did not invade Ukraine and did not start this war. The US has supported Ukraine quite extensively - more than anybody else. Without US support, it is quite clear that Russia's criminal enterprise would, to all intents and purposes, have worked. Russia would be in control of the entirety of Ukraine by now if it was not for US intervention and the support of other European countries, such as France, the United Kingdom and Denmark, which have made very significant contributions to the Ukrainian military enterprise. The Deputy also made the point, and I think used the phrase, that Europe was deliberately using military expenditure to suspend fiscal rules. That is not a correct definition or characterisation of what has occurred. Many member states on the eastern flank, particularly the Baltics, feel an existential threat from Russia. Financially and fiscally, they are not as strong as others. They feel they need supports and cannot defend themselves, or strengthen their military and defensive capability, without having military expenditure by those countries taken out of the fiscal rule framework. That is the motivation. It is a realistic-----
I am just saying what is happening.
It is not.
It is not happening for housing. It is not happening for healthcare.
For people who live in Estonia, Poland, Lithuania or Latvia, the daily fear and number one overriding consideration is whether they continue to exist as a sovereign country, and how they protect their territorial integrity, because of what history has taught them, what they have experienced historically and what they fear. The Deputy cannot tell them what they should be afraid of, no more than I can, but I can tell him that is what they are afraid of above and beyond everything else. That is why they are spending far higher percentages of GDP on defence than we are or ever will.
Cabinet Committees
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Question:20. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will meet. [18744/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:21. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [20901/25]
Paul Murphy
Question:22. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will meet. [22479/25]
Emer Currie
Question:23. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will meet. [22486/25]
Martin Daly
Question:24. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [22656/25]
Tony McCormack
Question:25. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [22657/25]
Albert Dolan
Question:26. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Taoiseach Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [22658/25]
Michael Cahill
Question:27. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [22659/25]
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:28. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [22660/25]
Ivana Bacik
Question:29. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will meet. [25316/25]
Ruth Coppinger
Question:30. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with rural affairs and community development will next meet. [25531/25]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 30, inclusive, together.
The Government has established Cabinet committees across a range of policy areas: economy, trade and competitiveness; housing; infrastructure; climate action and energy; disability; health; EU and international affairs; justice, migration and social affairs; water quality; Northern Ireland; and children and education. Issues relating to rural affairs and community development can be discussed, as required, at any of these Cabinet committees, given their relevance to multiple policy areas. As with all policy areas, rural and community development issues are also regularly discussed at full Government meetings, and these are where all formal decisions are made.
The Government continues to invest heavily in rural communities, and support for rural Ireland is a priority across government. The Department of Rural and Community Development’s rural development investment programme is providing unprecedented funding for rural Ireland. In budget 2025, the Government committed a total of €472 million to the Department of Rural and Community Development, the largest allocation since its establishment. This is a clear demonstration of the Government’s continuing commitment to supporting and developing our rural towns, villages and communities right across the country. The range of schemes available support projects in communities all across rural Ireland in areas such as town regeneration, the development of community facilities and the enhancement of our outdoor recreation facilities.
The Government’s policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland is called Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021–2025. Our Rural Future has been in place for almost five years and has provided vital investment and supports, strengthened local economies and improved the lives of many people across rural Ireland. The scale of this investment ranges from projects with a value of up to €65,000 under schemes such as CLÁR to larger multimillion euro projects under the rural regeneration and development fund. The new programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new Our Rural Future policy from 2026.
It was a great weekend for my constituency. The Carlow intermediate and Kilkenny senior camogie teams won the Leinster finals, which was a massive achievement. I am very much involved with both counties and teams, so I wish all of them very well. Commiserations to the Taoiseach on Cork’s harrowing defeat, but I am sure they will bounce back.
Everyone has a right to feel safe in their own home, particularly in rural constituencies. I welcome the significant increase in gardaí on the beat on Dublin streets. I have noticed this myself. While it is very noticeable, we need to see this filter down to rural communities, towns and villages around the country, including in places like Callan, Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown and Bagenalstown. We need to see an increased Garda presence in rural towns and villages around the country.
After that, I should commend the Louth ladies and the under-20s, who are through to the all-Ireland final. It was unfortunate that our minors could not do it in a really great game against Offaly.
Rural housing is a major issue. Last summer, we were told that the draft guidelines on one-off rural housing were with the Attorney General for legal review. Given that we will be considering reviews of all the development plans at the end of the year, it would make sense for us to deal with the issue, publish the guidelines and have a proper conversation here on what constitutes sustainable living in rural areas. We have to facilitate those from rural areas to live in them so that we can sustain the GAA clubs we have just spoken about and, even beyond those, schools and all the other necessities related to living in Ireland today.
There is a chronic shortage of public health nurses in Tallaght and across the South Dublin County Council area. Babies are going without routine developmental checks, which are vital to spotting issues early and referral to appropriate services. Home-based catheterisation is another essential service that has been removed, forcing very ill patients to travel to clinics to access it. The HSE has said it is trying to recruit more public health nurses but there are not enough applicants to fill the vacancies. Once again, the housing crisis is at the root of the problem. Thousands of nurses emigrate every year because they cannot afford to rent and cannot access social or affordable housing. This is on top of the low pay and poor working conditions for nurses, also caused by understaffing and driving qualified nurses to leave the country. What action is the Taoiseach going to take to ensure we deal with the vacancies in public health nursing?
I fear Dublin’s urban and suburban villages are getting left behind. As I raised with the Taoiseach previously, out of 150 new gardaí in March, just four came to the K district. The vast majority went to the city centre. The K district is one of the busiest policing districts in the country. Our Dublin West villages are too small for the Town Centre First policy and too big for the town and village renewal scheme, which is funded by the rural regeneration and development fund, yet places like Castleknock and Blanchardstown have just as much of a sense of place as Balbriggan and Celbridge. They are just as deserving when it comes to tackling vacancy and dereliction and ensuring the vibrancy of our main streets, and just as worthy when it comes to promoting heritage assets. Can the Taoiseach advise me whether the programme for Government commitment to review these schemes will bring urban villages under the criteria for community-led regeneration and renewal?
I welcome the commendable year-on-year investment by the Government in rural towns and villages, both under the CLÁR scheme, as the Taoiseach pointed out, and via the the rural regeneration and development fund. One of the challenges that remains is that we need to retain our people in our villages. Some 30 or 40 years ago, people were emigrating because of a lack of employment. Now young people want to come back to our villages to live in them but there is a problem with the inconsistency regarding planning and infrastructure such as wastewater treatment plants to allow small towns and villages to grow. I welcome the investment by Uisce Éireann in a new wastewater treatment plant in Ballygar, my town, but there are many small towns and villages that cannot grow because they do not have serviced sites and because of an inconsistency among the authorities with regard to planning. In this regard, I specifically mention Roscommon–Galway.
Like my fellow Deputies, I congratulate the Offaly minor football team on its great performance last night. Commiserations to Louth. It has had a fantastic year and it is not over yet. Best wishes to the team in the all-Ireland. There was a fantastic finish to the game and it was a fantastic game of football.
I thank the Taoiseach for his response. As he knows, many rural communities, particularly in counties such as Offaly, are ageing rapidly. This is no longer a distant trend but a reality shaping local needs and priorities. We need to ensure that ageing in rural Ireland is matched with proper supports, accessible healthcare, rural transport, housing and community services that allow people to age with dignity and connection. I know we have made a lot of progress in these areas recently but I ask that the issue of rural ageing be placed firmly on the Cabinet committee agenda going forward.
I intend to raise the issue of development levies later tonight as a Topical Issue but wish to say now that, since the development levy waiver was taken away, many young people in my constituency, Galway East, feel like they are being scammed. I realise that sounds harsh, but what I mean is that a young person in east Galway today building a one-off home can pay the local council up to €5,000 or €10,000 between connection fees and development contributions. Understandably, people are happy to pay their electricity and water connections and they see the value in these, but when it comes to development contributions to the council, they are incredibly frustrated. The money goes into the abyss and in rural areas, we do not see lighting or footpaths. It is a major source of frustration. Maybe there is now time to restructure how the money is being spent or ensure it is ring-fenced within councils for allocation for local infrastructure. I would appreciate the Taoiseach’s thoughts on this.
Is iad na bóithre ceann de na deacrachtaí is mó do phobal na tuaithe, go háirithe an píosa bóthair ag deireadh an chórais. Is é sin an chéad phíosa den bhóthar a dtiomáineann siad air ar maidin agus an píosa ar deireadh. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go mbeadh an t-airgead cuí á chur ar fáil do na bóithre sin.
One of the greatest frustrations in rural communities is the local road network, particularly the first stretches of road on which people drive in the morning and the very last ones on which they drive in the evening. The local improvement scheme is a very useful tool for funding and making improvements but it needs an additional push and to be properly resourced.
Community development is also important in large suburbs and urban areas. As the Taoiseach knows, there has been massive development in Dublin West, in many cases without the necessary transport and schools.
We have large populations but now we have no transport links between many of the suburbs. Could the Taoiseach look into a situation? There are 11 families in Tyrrelstown who cannot get into their local school, Le Chéile Secondary School, so they all have to go to Ongar, which is 9 km away. They have been told they are not eligible for school transport because the school in Ongar is not their nearest school. Also, there is no bus route supplied at all in the area. I have written to Go-Ahead Ireland to see if it can extend a bus service it has and Bus Éireann has again rejected its application. What are these 11 parents meant to do? Fly to the school? Some of them are single-income households that do not have cars so they have been trying to organise carpooling for the last year. They are being pushed back by the State at every single turn. Many of them are extremely hard workers who came to this country 20 years ago. Surely they are entitled to school transport. I ask the Taoiseach to look into the situation.
We have gone past our time on these questions, so I ask Deputy Cahill to be as quick as possible and the Taoiseach then to respond.
There is a need to accelerate all of our regeneration schemes that have commenced and to expedite and accelerate town centre first schemes. They are a way of tackling dereliction. I would like to see the €100,000 over-the-shop grant introduced as soon as possible because it is another way of tackling dereliction and providing badly needed houses in rural towns and villages. There are two schemes ongoing in Kerry, the Killorglin and Cahersiveen regeneration schemes. I would like to see them accelerated. I refer also to the Kenmare and Castleisland town centre first schemes along with Dingle and others.
I thank all the Deputies who contributed.
I congratulate Deputy Cleere and join him in his comments on the camogie teams from Kilkenny and Carlow. I note his heartfelt concern about Cork's defeat on Sunday and the sincerity of how he expressed it. The season is young yet.
There is a theme all around the House of the need to deploy as many gardaí as possible in rural Ireland as well as the big cities. It would be fair to say the majority of redeployment of new gardaí went to Dublin initially over recent years. That has had a manifest impact. Now, as more and more gardaí come through Templemore, we need to see that they are redeployed and spread more evenly across the country. We have to be patient in terms of roll-out, but I take the point Deputy Cleere made about rural towns and villages.
Deputy Ó Murchú was not to be outdone in congratulating the Louth ladies. Louth and Offaly are doing exceptionally well these days. We often use "per capita" as a phrase. Per capita, the sporting prowess of both Louth and Offaly is fantastic.
The rural housing guidelines are important in terms of sustainable living and rural communities. I will ask the Minister for housing about where we are on that. I know he is working on it.
Deputy Paul Murphy raised the chronic shortage of public health nurses. He said our nurses are leaving the country and so on, but the bottom line is that 28,567 extra staff have been recruited into our health service since the beginning of 2020. That is a 24% increase over the last four and a half years. About 10,000 of them are nurses and midwives. According to the OECD, Ireland has the second highest number of practising nurses per capita of any country in the European Union. I acknowledge there is a specific issue as regards public health nursing. The HSE is working on recruitment of public health nurses, who provide a vital link in terms of identification of issues particularly among newborns and children in their earliest months and years. That is particularly important. We should not forget that we have recruited more nurses than anybody in Europe or within the OECD in recent times and continue to do so.
Deputy Currie raised the same issue Deputy Cleere raised in respect of garda numbers, but in her case she was referring to urban villages. Again, we need as even a spread as possible. I note Deputy Currie's reference to Castleknock and other locations. Perhaps she should talk to the Minister for public expenditure. He might be able to find something in his treasure trove to facilitate the local area. I have no doubt that with all of them working together, they can pull something out of the hat.
Deputy Martin Daly raised a very important point about development within rural towns and villages, particularly the planning issue. The planning commission will be established shortly, as per the new Act. Wastewater treatment plants are critical. I have discussed this with Irish Water. My understanding is that new protocols have been developed to facilitate agreements between Irish Water and local developers or builders such that if they are building a new housing scheme, they would have permission to build a wastewater treatment plant in accordance with specifications laid down by Irish Water while facilitating regular inspection of same. I think that would unlock the problem for many rural villages and towns. With the best will in the world, Irish Water will not get around to every rural village and town, but this could unlock a lot of housing potential cumulatively across the country. We will continue to focus on that. The Minister for housing is working on this with Irish Water.
In response to Deputy McCormack, well done to the Offaly minor team. As regards rural communities, he raised a very good point about the issue of ageing in rural Ireland. There are lots of vulnerabilities and insecurity around ageing in rural Ireland and we need specific policies on that. I will talk to the Minister for rural development, Dara Calleary, about that. In fairness to the outgoing Government and the former Minister, Eamon Ryan, and others, the rural transport link has been a very significant advance and has not got the recognition, perhaps, that it deserves. I hear very good feedback and reports in terms of its impact on rural Ireland. That helps our older people as well - housing adaptation, security issues, neighbourhood watches and all that - but we have to give greater supports for ageing. It is a theme the Deputy should continue to press on, as should we collectively as a House.
As regards Galway East, I hear Deputy Dolan. I think he is not the first Deputy to have raised the development levy waiver in respect of one-off housing, in particular. I will talk to the Minister for housing about that. I agree that there should be greater ring-fencing of some of the revenues from development levies to specific locations where, perhaps, a significant revenue generation occurs. It could be a housing estate or a new area at the edge of a town that does not have the footpaths or the lighting. There is merit in that proposal.
Aontaím le Deputy Ó Muineacháin go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach ar fad níos mó airgid, infheistíochta agus áiseanna a chur ar fáil do na bóithríní beaga ar fud na tíre, go háirithe i dtosach an turais agus i ndeireadh an tráthnóna. Admhaím - beidh mé ag caint leis an Aire - gur cóir níos mó airgid a chur ar fáil do na local improvement schemes. They need a push but they need consistent resourcing as well. There is a significant amount of work to be done in respect of this issue. The local improvement scheme is a valuable scheme.
Deputy Coppinger raised the issue of community development in Dublin West and the links between the suburbs. I do not understand fully why the 11 families could not get into the local school. Was it just capacity?
One often wonders whether local solutions in terms of accommodation could have been resolved. I do not know but I will talk to the Minister for education about the school and what the issue is there. Is it school transport we are primarily talking about here?
They have been hit twice in that respect, both in not getting a place in the first place and then not getting transport.
I hear Deputy Cahill loud and clear on the need to accelerate the regeneration schemes in a variety of villages in Kerry. I think he referred to Killorglin and Dingle, and there are many more. I want to say publicly that I note his recent correspondence to me as well. It was comprehensive and covered a range of initiatives in south Kerry in particular.
That concludes Taoiseach's Questions. I think we will make a recommendation to the Business Committee to meet early on Tuesday mornings for all those who want to pool the weekend results and compliment their local teams.
It might save a bit of time during the debates.
It does not work the same way.
We could appoint Deputy Cleere as chairperson.