Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Thursday, 3 Jul 2025

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Special Educational Needs

Deputy Albert Dolan

I refer to the issue of specific speech and language disorder, SSLD, classes and the eligibility criteria for same. The Circular 0038/2007 published by the Department of education set out the criteria for enrolment into specific speech and language disorder classes, which precluded access to this service for children who have an identified disability. Essentially, the children with speech sound disorders cannot be treated in mainstream classrooms due to the nature of the specialised support required. A parent representative group from the Galway branch of Down Syndrome Ireland initially highlighted this anomaly in the circular last May to the then Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Anne Rabbitte.

A working group was convened to undertake a review of this circular to remove any discriminatory elements. However, the revised circular, which was published in March 2025, Circular 0024/2025, also discriminates against children with a disability as it only permits access to children who have "a speech sound disorder (SSD) of unknown origin". Therefore, children with a disability are still excluded. These discriminatory eligibility criteria are the cause of blatant discrimination against, and the exclusion of, young children with a disability in primary schools in Ireland for decades. This policy in the Department of education has denied children with a speech and language disorder equal access to supports in education, for example, specific speech and language disorder class placement based on the grounds of disability, since the publication of the circular in 2007. While the specific reference to IQ range and physical disability in the amended circular have been removed, a new discriminatory clause has been inserted.

The DSI Galway education subgroup sought international expert advice on the interpretation of this discriminatory clause, as well as advice from local senior speech and language therapists. Their advice is that this is further discrimination and exclusion against children with disabilities. This is in contravention of inclusion and fails to agree with the principles of the Equal Status Act 2000, the Equality Act 2004, the Education Act 1998, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, the Disability Act 2005 and, more recently, the UNCRPD.

While it is the HSE's responsibility to operationalise and implement the therapy in specific speech and language disorder classes, the fundamental problem in accessing these classes is the criteria set out in the Department of education's circular letter, that is, the exclusion of a child who has a speech sound disorder and a co-occurring disability, for example, a physical disability such as cleft lip and-or palate, or a specific syndrome such as Down's syndrome.

It is important to note that speech sound disorders can occur in a child with a disability and, likewise, they can occur in a child without a disability. Thus, a child's disability is not always the cause of their speech sound disorder. This barrier is being used by the HSE to prevent access by children who have a disability. Unfortunately, it is SLT managers in the primary care section of the HSE who decide whether or not a child is enrolled in these classes, although it is a Department of education policy. In some instances it is a discretionary decision made at HSE level. These classes must be accessible to all children regardless of disability. For children with literacy, learning, social participation and well-being needs, their educational provision and their special educational needs will be best met by the integrated and short-term provision offered through the specific speech and language disorder, SSLD, classes.

There are multiple examples of children with a speech sound disorder and a disability who attended SSLD classes in the past and who made significant gains from attending these classes. As a result, the children are now able to verbally communicate. These children are capable and they are eager to learn. With the right support, they can thrive, and their voices, though not always heard, are just as important as any others in those circumstances.

While this issue has been highlighted by the Down Syndrome Galway education subgroup, this is a nationwide issue that has affected children all over the country for years. We have a Government that is advocating for inclusive education. In 2024 the NCSE published a paper, An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society. I am conscious of the time and I will comment further in due course.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Neale Richmond)

I sincerely thank Deputy Dolan for raising this important matter and allowing me the opportunity to outline the changes on behalf of the Government and his party colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, Deputy Michael Moynihan, that have been recently made to the enrolment criteria for specific speech and language disorder special classes.

There are 63 special classes for pupils with specific speech and language disorder attached to mainstream primary schools in dispersed geographical locations. These classes cater for pupils with a very specific set of language needs for a maximum of two years. The enrolment criteria for these classes originate from the recommendations of the special education review committee report, SERC, in 1993. As envisaged by SERC, the classes were designed to provide a time-limited, targeted intervention for children with severe impairments in their skills of understanding and expressing themselves through spoken language.

The inspectorate division of the Department published a composite report on the quality of provision for children attending these classes in 2021. While, overall, the inspectorate reported positively on this provision, significant issues were noted. These included: enrolment criteria for entry to the special SSLD classes used at the time did not align neatly with the current diagnostic definition of developmental language disorder, DLD, which has been used by speech and language therapists in Ireland and internationally since 2017. Some schools indicated that there were difficulties caused by the divergence between the DLD diagnostic criteria and the narrower SSLD definitions, as well as the requirement for psychological assessments to establish children's intellectual ability.

The inspectorate report noted that the disparity in definition between the DLD diagnostic and original SSLD enrolment criteria must be addressed as a matter of urgency to ensure that the pupils most in need of this specialised support will continue to be prioritised for enrolment. It will be equally important that pupils with lesser language needs, but who might fit into the broader DLD diagnostic category, are supported more appropriately throughout the educational system.

In September 2024, the Department undertook a review of Circular 0038/2007. This review has been completed and an updated circular, Circular 0024/2025, was published, as alluded to by the Deputy, on 20 March 2025. This circular, Criteria for Enrolment in Special Classes for Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or Speech Sound Disorder (SSD), is available online.

The term SSLD will no longer apply to entry to these classes and will be replaced instead with developmental language disorder-speech sound disorder, DLD-SSD. This amendment will apply, in some cases, for the 2026-2027 school year, as the admission process had already been completed for 2025-2026. Schools were notified to that effect on the publication of the revised circular. The revised criteria see, among other changes, the removal of reference to IQ as one of the entry criteria for these classes.

In terms of co-morbidity, it is important to clarify that the criteria for access to the DLD-SSD class do not exclude children with any co-morbid conditions, such as Down's syndrome. The circular acknowledges that both the DLD and SSD of unknown origin diagnoses may have co-morbidities. A co-morbid condition is one that exists alongside another and is not causative. The Department acknowledges that there may be children for whom their SSD is of unknown origin but there are co-morbid conditions and there are others where the SSD results from a particular medical or biomedical diagnosis. The circular will be subject to review, and will involve the full range of education and health stakeholders. I will make it my business to ensure that Deputies who raise the issue in this House will also have the opportunity to feed into it.

Deputy Albert Dolan

I appreciate the reply. It is also welcome that the IQ measure has been removed but, as I said, the Government has highlighted that bringing therapy back into special schools is a key priority. However, there is a cohort of children with disabilities and speech sound disorders in mainstream education who have a critical need for in-school speech therapy. In 2005, the Department's report noted that the eligibility criteria could not be widened at the time due to a shortage of supply of speech and language therapists. Here we are 20 years later and nothing has changed. The criteria have not been amended at Government level. It has taken the steadfastness, determination and advocacy of a small group of parents in east Galway to highlight this and to escalate it to Government level in order to enact it. The Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists highlighted this issue several times before in position statements in 2007 and 2017 and it stated that, regardless of such concerns, the adoption of evidence-based criteria is urgently required and deemed the eligibility criteria for placement in a specific speech and language disorder class to be narrow and restrictive. It also stated that the current position, where the only intensive model of support available is restricted to children with non-verbal IQ at or higher than 90 points and significantly discrepant language scores, denies appropriate support to many children with severe, pervasive and long-enduring needs.

Regarding the details in the revised circular that was issued in March of this year, I was informed that it was a senior speech and language therapist from the NCSE who mistakenly advised on the particulars that went into the new circular. We cannot stand over this discrimination any longer. I request the immediate removal of the discriminatory clause to ensure equality of access to these classes and that the NCSE reviews its recommendations to insert that clause. Furthermore, we must request the Department of education, the NCSE and the HSE to address the insufficient classes that are available throughout the country to meet demand and to cater for the significant number of children with speech and language disability.

I want to make an additional point before my time runs out. In one CDNT in my constituency, 20 children have been identified following assessment. There are in excess of 90 CDNTs nationwide. Therefore, if the law of averages applies, there could be at least 2,000 children who have a disability and a speech sound disorder who are being denied access to these therapeutic supports because of the idea that their speech and sound is of an unknown origin. I appreciate the Minister of State's support on the matter.

Deputy Neale Richmond

As I outlined previously, the Department has reviewed the enrolment criteria and updated the circular. The updates to the circular were informed by robust engagement with the speech and language therapy service in the National Council for Special Education, the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists, and speech and language therapists in the HSE. It was a multifaceted process. There has also been ongoing engagement with school principals on enrolment into these classes for the coming school year.

In the medium term, the circular will be subject to review, typically one year after publication. This will involve the full range of education and health stakeholders, as I outlined. Issues identified in the implementation of the circular that require amendment will be made as necessary at that stage. However, the Deputy asked for something to happen a lot sooner than that. I am more than happy to pass that request on to the Minister. It should be possible to facilitate a meeting between the Deputy and the Minister.

Deputy Albert Dolan

It is arranged.

Deputy Neale Richmond

If it is arranged, then that is the next step. I am more than happy to put on pressure to ensure that it delivers a welcome outcome.

School Enrolments

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

I want to raise with the Minister of State a really urgent and time-sensitive issue. As he is well aware, Wicklow town and Rathnew have seen a huge population increase in recent years. We have probably had 800 to 1,000 new homes built there. Very many of them are family homes for young families. We have seen people coming from other counties into the area.

I was made aware last week that there is a major issue in regard to primary school places. There are six primary schools in the area: St. Coen's, St. Patrick's, Holy Rosary School, Glebe National School, Educate Together and Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin. All six of those schools came together in January because they had identified a capacity issue. They raised concerns with the Department in January saying that they believed they would be absolutely oversubscribed for September.

Their fears have come to fruition. The Department was in contact with them and asked them to identify how many unique children who had no place were on the waiting list. They identified 119 primary school children who do not have a place in any of those six schools for September. Of the students, 36 are junior infants and the rest of them are spread across the other school years. That clearly demonstrates that these are existing families who moved into the area and might have a child in second class or fourth class. Those children need places in their hometowns. They will not be able to get to Dublin to attend school there. That is not feasible.

I ask the Minister of State and the Minister for education to send someone to sit down with the six school principals because they want to find a solution. I believe one of the schools has the capacity for an extra school class, which might suit junior infants. Obviously, someone needs to look at each of the years and work out a solution for each of those. There might be potential for some movement in other schools as well.

This also identifies a more ongoing issue. It is one we have seen in Wicklow for years. When I moved to Wicklow 15 or 16 years ago, I could not get my child into a school. The problem was starting then. There was a big population increase. What we are now seeing is that cohort and that increase in population moving from north Wicklow down and across the county. We need a new school in Newtownmountkennedy and there is certainly capacity for a new primary school in the Wicklow town and Rathnew area, but that is probably a longer discussion.

In the interim, and as an emergency need, we need a departmental official to go to Wicklow town to meet the six principals. All those schools have finished up for the summer. Those children do not know where they are going and they have to do things like getting uniforms. The children need to be prepared. They are simple things but they are so important for a good transition. Those children will not be prepared for school.

In addition, the staff will be expected to perhaps set up new classes but the schools are closed. It will be logistically difficult. I ask that a departmental official is sent immediately to sit down with those principals and come up with a solution.

Deputy Neale Richmond

As the Deputy will know, I am very aware of this issue and I have been lobbied intensely by the local councillors. I will lay out a few points for the interest of the Chamber before I get to the meat of the ask, as is appropriate in such a debate.

It is important to state for the record that the annual enrolment process for new junior infants at primary and new first-years at post-primary is a very large-scale operation. It is transacted at close to 4,000 schools across the country, involving some 140,000 pupils. I know because my daughter is one of them for next year.

While the Department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, including Wicklow town and Rathnew, and south County Dublin, there is generally provision across the country, which I think we all can accept, notwithstanding the demographic pressures and others that are driving these factors.

As part of the NDP review process, all Departments, including the Department of Education and Youth, are currently engaging with the Department of public expenditure and reform with respect to NDP allocations for the period 2026-2030. It is expected there will be clarity on these allocations over the course of the summer period and this will allow the Department of Education and Youth to plan its capital investment programme for the 2026-2030 period, in line with prioritised needs and reflecting, as appropriate, wider Government priorities.

Maximising existing capacity in schools to meet needs is very important, as the Deputy has alluded to in the case of at least one school in her area. The Department of Education and Youth is continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure every child in the State has access to a school place. With regard to the Wicklow school planning area, there are a number of active projects at primary level which increase that capacity. These include extension projects for Pádraig Naofa National School, Scoil na Coróine Mhuire and Wicklow Educate Together National School, which will provide both mainstream and special educational needs classes.

The Deputy has made a very clear request for a departmental official to be sent to meet with those principals. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to guarantee that as I am not a line Minister in the Department but I have no hesitation in passing on that request to the Minister. I am aware that two of the Deputy's constituency colleagues from my party have engaged with and have visited these schools in the past few weeks, including the one with my big brother. I do not need to name names in the House, but the Deputy knows where I am going. This is something we can all get behind in terms of simply looking after the primary school needs of Wicklow town and Rathnew.

In the previous Dáil, we debated school places for second level in north Wicklow at length, and also in Newtownmountkennedy. As the Deputy knows, our constituencies are very alike. This is an issue happening in Dublin Rathdown, just as it is in Wicklow and Wicklow-Wexford. Whatever I can do to assist that process beyond party political lines, I am more than happy to do it.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

I thank the Minister of State. That is very welcome and I think there is a solution here. Hopefully, if he talks to the Minister - I have mentioned it to her myself - we can get someone to visit.

In my remaining time, I want to put something else in the education area on the record. We are seeing major issues with the NCSE and a sort of stoppage of processes. I think it is moving to a new process or a new scheme or system. What seems to have happened is that anything that was under consideration has been stalled and principals are now being told it will come back to them in the next school year. That means those schools are not ready for September. They do not have the places and they do not have the SNA supports.

I refer in particular to two special schools - Marino Community Special School and New Court School, both of which have major difficulties with SNA supports. Indeed, Marino's review was cancelled two days before it was due to happen. There are also other schools in the area where there are difficulties. There were two SNAs in Scoil na Coróine Mhuire and one of them has been cancelled. That school is in dire straits. It was appealing that but the appeal process was stopped. Hopefully, it is moving again but it absolutely needs that SNA support. Dominican College in Wicklow had received permission to open an ASD classroom this year but that was cancelled. That is another issue. Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh in Bray does not have an SNA issue but it has a staffing one. It has lost a teaching post, which means that one of its classes will be 39 pupils in size, which is in no way acceptable for any school.

I wanted to put those points on the record but I have a long list of schools that have difficulties and problems. For whatever reason, the system and process are not reactive to their needs. It is not meeting them where they need to be met. It is like the whole process and everything has stopped or slowed down. Those schools need to be ready to go in September. They will have to have the staffing they need, whether it is teaching posts or SNA supports. It is something that has to be looked at and if the Minister of State could pass that on, I would be very grateful.

Deputy Neale Richmond

I thank the Deputy for using the time available to highlight a really important issue. Being married to a special education teacher, I hear about this quite regularly, as the Deputy can imagine. For anyone who thinks politicians are going on holidays in two weeks' time, I can assure them not only are we not but our school leaders and teachers certainly are not on holidays at the moment. This is perhaps the busiest and most stressful time, particularly for school principals, which Deputy Dolan alluded to in his intervention. Two weeks ago, I took a similar Topical Issue tabled by Deputy Malcolm Byrne.

The original part of this Topical Issue was on the need for national school places in Wicklow town and Rathnew. The point has been made that the Department uses data from a range of sources, including child benefit data, enrolments and information on new residential developments, to plan for school place needs. This is one of the key issues. It is one of the biggest opportunities we have as elected representatives. We are not a data sheet. We are on the ground. Every single one of us is either in the schools as a parent or guardian or just visiting to give talks. We engage with our school communities on so many different issues. It is our responsibility, as elected officials from all parties and none, to be those eyes and ears on the ground. When there are issues with delays of allocation of resources, particularly for pupils who need special education services, that gives us an even greater responsibility.

With regard to the issues the Deputy raised in her second intervention, I will bring them to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan. On the provision of school places in Wicklow town and Rathnew, I know there is ongoing consultation. It has started. It is easy to say there are adequate places for a wide geographic area and that it comes down to choice, based either on ethos or family. Crucially, there could be a critical mass of numbers that perhaps is not being captured. This is a really worthy debate that impacts every constituency but particularly commuter belt constituencies like ours and like those of most of the Members in the Chamber.

Flood Relief Schemes

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, for being here. It is much appreciated. I thank him and his Department for their engagement.

I am speaking today on behalf of the residents of Castlemartyr, Mogeely, Midleton, Whitegate, Killeagh and Rathcormac to urgently implore the Government and Minister of State to initiate tranche 2 of the flood relief programme for these communities. These towns and villages have been repeatedly and severely impacted by flooding events that have devastated homes, livelihoods and essential infrastructure. In Castlemartyr and Rathcormac, in particular, flooding has become distressingly regular. Families are being displaced, local businesses suffer long-term damage or have been closed, and community morale is at an all-time low. Each new flood exacerbates the already significant financial and emotional burden on the residents.

The situation in Mogeely is even more precarious. The village has at least 32 homes constructed with timber frames, which are particularly vulnerable to water damage. These homes will not withstand another flood without severe consequences for the residents. The inhabitants live in constant fear of destruction and many now feel abandoned by the system that is supposed to protect them. The houses have roughly 56 entry points so the flood protection gates are, as a fellow said, as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike. While I acknowledge the measures implemented through tranche 1, it is now imperative that tranche 2 be initiated without further delay, with Castlemartyr, Killeagh, Rathcormac and Mogeely placed high on a list.

Residents respectfully request the following engagement. They have asked me to ask for the defined scope and priorities aligned with the strategic outcomes, confirmation of ownership and resourcing across the impacted teams, the establishment of timelines, dependencies and measurable success criteria, and a commitment to reviewing the regulation on private house insurance, which is very high.

I live not too far from the main street in Midleton. I live beyond a place called Forest Hill, which gets flooded. We need an ark for the whole of County Cork, and that indicates the problem we have with insurance there.

The flood group that has been formed basically wants the Minister of State’s support. In fairness to him, he has been extremely engaging and has visited the region and spoken to residents there. I acknowledge that he said he will be back down again, but the residents are looking for points of contact. If there are any planning issues, they would like to be involved with them. This is not just to be nosey but to facilitate. They probably do the Minister of State’s job and mine at times because they are the experts on where they are living. They definitely want early input on priorities. They also want to know the Minister of State’s realistic availability to engage on this matter. He has engaged and I acknowledge he will be visiting the area. At a meeting I was at in Midleton last Friday night, the residents told me flooding is no longer an occasional national disaster but an ongoing crisis for affected communities. They are asking the Government to act before the next flood causes totally irreversible damage.

Never mind the financial stress and worry, the mental health of the affected people should be considered. They are really upset, hurt and frightened. The Minister of State knows that with mortgages so expensive in this day and age, they will be goosed if there is another flooding event in their area. The homes will not be homes anymore.

I will make a few more points in my two minutes after the Minister of State responds.

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue today. I am fully aware that flooding has a significant impact on people, families, businesses and communities. I refer in particular to the widespread flooding caused by Storm Babet in October 2023.

To date, the OPW has completed 55 flood relief schemes nationwide. These are providing protection to over 13,500 properties, and an economic benefit to the State in damages and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion.

The catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme, the largest study of flood risk, was completed by the OPW in 2018. The output from this study was the flood risk management plans that are providing the evidence for a proactive approach for designing and constructing 150 flood relief schemes for the most affected communities.

Since 2018, the Government has trebled the number of flood relief schemes at design and construction to some 100. This has been achieved through the partnership delivery model between the OPW and local authorities, and by the OPW increasing the capacity of the local authority sector. Today, the OPW funds some 50 project management and engineering staff across the local authority sector. They are leading the delivery of flood relief schemes within their administrative areas.

While funding under the national development plan, of €1.3 billion to 2030, is available for the flood relief measures identified in the flood risk management plans, it is not feasible to progress all the flood relief schemes identified by the plans concurrently due to limited capacity in the local authorities and the specialised consultancy market. The flood-relief delivery programme was subdivided into two tranches, focusing initially on tranche 1 schemes and those already in the delivery pipeline. Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of some 54 tranche 2 flood relief schemes.

Regarding challenges affecting scheme delivery and the impact of these on the timeline, senior officials in the OPW engaged with the directors of services of local authorities in spring 2023 to discuss and develop a planned national approach to future schemes that matches the return on investment from the available capacity between the local authorities and the OPW.

One of the important lessons learned from the current delivery model is the time taken to gather the necessary data on the causes of flooding and the landscape of a community at risk.

Any flood relief scheme needs to map and understand the location and the flooding sources and constraints. This is achieved by extensive and wide-ranging surveys. In consideration of the above, the OPW is piloting a new delivery model for flood relief schemes through four tranche 2 schemes in counties Kilkenny and Donegal. These are known as the tranche 2 pilot. There are two tranche 2 pilot schemes in County Kilkenny, in Freshford and Piltown, and two in County Donegal, in Donegal town and Letterkenny.

The tranche 2 pilot will transfer the management of data-gathering, as a first step in designing a scheme, from consultant engineers for a single scheme to the local authorities for all schemes in the pilot and, where feasible, within their areas of responsibility. The pilot means that data gathering may be scaled up from individual communities to all schemes in a county. The pilot will better inform the prioritisation of future schemes nationally and the scope of services required from consultants to design and construct flood relief schemes.

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State for his reply, in which he stated, “Any flood relief scheme needs to map and understand the location and the flooding sources and constraints.” This is spot on, but I just want a preventative measure very fast. Land at Gleann Fia, the land next door to the site at Mogeely, owned by a farmer, can hold water, and there is an agreement in this regard. We can divert the water away from the timber houses. If there is a constraint that we can lift very fast, it will be a win for everybody.

The majority of the flood protection gates people are getting are only about 3 ft high. Some people have had 5 ft of water. When I met the residents last Friday night, I was actually taken aback. I do not know whether it is a matter of who sourced the gates but to me it is a case of a car jack in a wetsuit if a gate 3 ft high is being used to stop 5 ft of water. It does not make sense and I want the Minister of State to know that. At the far side of the bridge where the Maghy family is, where the bend in the river was, there is a flood plain. It has not been dropped enough for the water to get in. The family were very close to being flooded again.

Could the Minister of State commit to meeting the residents’ group when in Cork again? They are very honest. It is a matter of urgency and fear. It is summer now and everything is grand, but if the crap hits the fan again and these people are flooded, they will be broken mentally, financially and every other way. We just need what I have requested and to have tranche 2 as soon as we can to start preventive work, no matter how minor. I congratulate the county council and OPW, which have been working well, but we just need to resource everybody better. If there is European money available, let us ask for it.

Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran

As the Deputy knows, I have visited Midleton and know too well the strain that is on the people there and the other groups, particularly in the other areas that have been flooded. No one knows that better than I do. Since my taking up this role, we have gone from five schemes to 13 schemes, with 11 at construction and two more to follow this year. That is a huge jump. The OPW is working with the local authorities. The whole-of-government approach is trying to help people and communities that are suffering greatly. They are the people the Deputy and I represent.

I have travelled most of the country and have been down in the Deputy's neck of the woods. I was in it again last week. My wife asked me last Sunday where I was going. I said I was going to Cork and she said to me, "They see more of you than I do." I am all too well aware of the issues. I feel for people greatly when it comes to flooding. I spoke to the local authorities. I am there to help the local authorities and I want to move on tranche 2 schemes. That is why I brought the issue to the fore and why we have teams meeting with the local authorities to see how fast we can move. We talk about what is available.

On the minor works scheme, I engaged with Kevin in Cork the other day and I said to him that when I go down and meet these groups up and down the country, not just in Cork, I want the local authorities to use the minor works scheme to do interim solutions to help the people in the communities. I am somewhat taken aback when the Deputy refers to floodgates. They are an interim solution, not the final solution. They give people comfort and they do work. I know what the Deputy is saying about a flood of 5 ft. I can understand that quite clearly. However, when that proposal is put to the people, they grasp it because they need support and help. That is what we are here to provide. The Government has backed it up with the money and now we just have to deliver the scheme. From having five schemes to having 11 schemes at construction stage in such a short few months shows we are delivering, working with the local authorities up and down the country.

Tourism Industry

Deputy Paula Butterly

It is no secret that the tourism industry is one of our most valuable indigenous sectors. Over the decades, it has reached every corner of Ireland, providing jobs and opening our communities to the world, not just other parts of Ireland. It is no secret, however, that over the last number of years the sector has been struggling and has had challenges. It has faced these challenges remarkably well considering what we have been through - Brexit, Covid and the cost of living. However, these challenges persist. The barometer indicates that things so far in 2025 have been quite flat. The sector, which is eternally optimistic, predicts that things may not be as bad as it thought and we might just finish where we were in 2024.

Initiatives like the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East have provided incredible marketing. On trips abroad to New York and in Italy, I have seen the remarkable work of Fáilte Ireland in promoting Ireland and bringing tourists here. I also have to compliment the agency on the funding it gives local authorities through the regional development initiatives to harness and increase the shoulder season, which is now proving to be a lifeline for many businesses.

Let me go back to where the challenges are. Now more than ever, it is important to bring together the roles of enterprise and tourism. We know there are challenges around VAT and I believe we are going to address them. There are challenges around the cost of living and hopefully we will be able to support the businesses in their endeavours. It is not just about hotel beds or hospitality. It is about the person who offers a service such as kayaking, a visit or a little bit of agri-tourism. It affects thousands of other spin-off industries. There are also gaps in where this tourism is working and where it is not. In County Louth, perhaps because we have in the past attracted business more so than tourism, the local authority might not have seen tourism as a significant sector in which to invest. County Louth really is a hidden beauty in Ireland and is only 35 minutes from Dublin Airport. Too often, we see people getting into their rental cars at Dublin Airport and heading south, west or into the midlands, the Minister's area. We do not see enough of them heading towards the north east. I would like to see that addressed. We have many beautiful areas. Carlingford is starting to show itself not just to Ireland but overseas. We have Ardee, Clogherhead, and importantly the most historic town of Drogheda, with hundreds of years of historical value.

There are areas in Ireland that need specific attention and a specific strategy backed by Government in co-ordination with the local authorities and also private enterprise. I never believe that one person can do things alone. It is always a united front. Can we see specific strategies for those who are not yet up to speed?

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Deputy Peter Burke)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. My role and that of my Department in relation to tourism includes the development of national policy and the securing of resources to assist the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, in the implementation of policy.

County Louth is included in Ireland's Ancient East Regional Tourism Development Strategy 2023-2027. Ireland's ancient east is not only internationally renowned for its rich heritage but also for the variety of tracks and trails by which the region can be explored and discovered. Its diverse landscape provides the visitor with a rich tapestry from which to unlock the living culture unique to the place and underpinned by 5,000 years of heritage and tradition evidenced by its many historical sites.

I had the pleasure of visiting County Louth at the invitation of Deputy Butterly earlier this year. We encountered so many good businesses like Greenore Port, and Sandra Byrne of EliteForm Manufacturing, another very exciting company. We also saw some of the many picturesque areas across the county.

Regional tourism development strategies are being activated across every region through a series of local area action plans, referred to as destination and experience development plans, DEDPs. The "Ancient" destination experience development plan, which was launched in May 2021, is a five-year plan designed to be a roadmap for enhancing the existing visitor proposition to achieve the objectives of addressing seasonality, increasing visitor numbers, and improving dwell time and visitor dispersion in the Boyne Valley and surrounding areas of Louth and Meath. Since the launch of the Ancient DEDP in May 2021, 26 projects have been completed, while a further 41 are in progress across its four strategic pillars. Key achievements to date include the completion of a plan to reimagine the Boyne Valley drive and the development of an outdoor destination orientation development plan for Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula. Fáilte Ireland is also presently conducting a mid-term review of the Ancient DEDP to ensure it is updated to reflect present day challenges.

In May, I announced the recipients of funding under Fáilte Ireland's new "Home of Halloween" pilot destination development scheme. A total of €1.5 million will be invested over the next three years, from 2025 to 2028, aiming to establish Ireland as an authentic global home of Hallowe'en. Each successful destination, which included a joint proposal by Meath County Council and Louth County Council, will receive up to €100,000 annually to develop Hallowe'en-themed festivals that celebrate Ireland’s heritage and attract visitors during the off-peak season.

The Government remains committed to supporting the tourism and hospitality sector in County Louth and the wider north-east region. Critically, there are a few things we are significantly working on. We are revising our tourism plan, which we will have finished by September. That is going to reflect that tourism is now in the heart of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. We will be focused on SMEs, how we absorb that capacity and a change in direction which will be key, namely that we will have key performance indicators right at the heart of it. This will be an accelerant for key areas like those the Deputy mentioned. We are also looking to expand the season from St. Brigid's Day out to Hallowe'en, which will be very important to attract more visitor numbers into our country.

My intention is to come forward with an all-island food strategy which would be very important to attract visitors. It is a significant advantage for our country. We are also looking at working with our agencies to ensure that we are capturing the massive amount of opportunity in our destination and experience development plans, really putting money right behind where the evidence suggests we can attract more visitors.

A lot of good is going to happen in our tourism sector. I would point out that over the first quarter of the year, which generally comprises a small proportion of tourism in the year, the airport cap was still in place. We had approximately 6% fewer seats. From May to December, we have approximately 11% more seats coming into Ireland - about 1.65 million people - which is very significant. Hopefully that will reflect positively and we will have a good year. The measures the Deputy has outlined in relation to VAT are also very important for the SME sector.

Deputy Paula Butterly

I thank the Minister for those updates. I look forward to welcoming those extra visits to County Louth now that the cap will be lifted. When it comes to County Louth, I will never shy away from broadcasting and promoting the county. Indeed, as people arrive in Dublin Airport and head to the north east, I have a vision of seeing Drogheda as the welcoming mat for County Louth. Without a shadow of a doubt it is the biggest town in Ireland, followed closely by Dundalk. With its coastal beauty, heritage and historical value, it is a place many tourists would love to come and stay in, and not just visit for the day.

I welcome the Minister’s announcement about the all-island food strategy because ten or 15 years ago, County Cork focused on food producers and people flocked there to try a bit of Clonakilty pudding and all the beautiful delights that county could offer. Indeed, many a weekend has been spent flying back from Italy to head to Cork because it was so deliciously delightful. The same can be said about Connemara. We have wonderful food producers there who have brought tourists to the area. Let us not forget that Louth is no less than any of these counties. We have the Boyne Valley and producers not just of food. We also have distilleries that make whiskey, beer and even gin. We will not be found wanting when it comes to offering hospitality to any visitors who arrive in the county.

I refer to places that do not have a hotel such as Ardee. It has had a town plan - Ardee 2040 - which is hobbling along. Tourism will play a huge role in raising Ardee to its rightful status as an important town in County Louth. I ask the Minister one last time for a specific strategy to help those towns reach their potential.

Deputy Peter Burke

I am happy to work closely with Deputy Butterly on that. Another area I am actively working on is expanding the remit of Fáilte Ireland. One of the first things I did was to take a deep dive of the legislation that underpins the State agency. I want to include a restaurant sector. It is key as regards developing its model. Fáilte Ireland has focused on hotels but if we look further afield, our restaurants are key to our value proposition for tourism and are keen to absorb that capacity. As I come forward with our tourism plan in September, there will be a key focus on: developing our SMEs with Fáilte Ireland taking a greater role in that; looking at how we expand the season from St. Brigid’s Day right out to Hallowe’en as there is a huge amount we can do in that regard; looking at slow tourism; and looking at trying to ensure our destination experience development plans attract the capital investment the State needs for towns like Ardee. I know the Deputy is a great advocate for Drogheda and Dundalk as well in the work she does. I look forward to working with her on those key areas.

The Deputy rightly pointed out that food is a very important niche for Ireland and it can sometimes be alarming when one is abroad, particularly from a European perspective, that people can have a very different idea of what our food is. That is why we need a joined-up approach in regard to our food. It was embarked upon a few years ago but was not followed through. This is something I will work closely on with State agencies.

I acknowledge also Tourism Ireland and the work it does in advocating to ensure we can increase capacity of tourists coming to our country and have better transport through aviation, which will be key to improve the statistics over the later part of the year.

I must reflect upon one thing. The year 2024 was a bumper year for tourism and it will be hard to repeat. Current levels show we are strongly up on 2023 but I am sure we will have a good second half of the year, which is where it counts. The middle part of the year is when the real business is done for tourist operators. We look forward to supporting them as well as supporting County Louth, Drogheda, Dundalk, Ardee and all the towns the Deputy brought me to recently.

An Ceann Comhairle

We will do our best in Wexford with the fleadh. I am sure the Minister will be there.

Deputy Peter Burke

Wexford will not beat Mullingar.

Road Safety

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue for debate. It is an important one and sits within road safety. This was a tragic day on our roads in Donegal and east Meath. I extend my deepest condolences to all those affected. Internationally, in the world of sport, there was a very high-profile death on the roads. Road safety is incredibly important and this is a really important case in respect of Carlanstown. I raise it here because avenues have been pursued in Meath. Carlanstown is a growing community but it contends every day with speed on the roads, heavy vehicles on the roads and lots of movements in an area that has been wanting for investment in connectivity, traffic-calming measures and safety measures for vulnerable road users, particularly preschool children, schoolchildren, elderly people, people with buggies and people with limited mobility.

There is very heavy traffic and people travelling at speed. If we were standing on the streets of Carlanstown village rather than here, the Minister would immediately recognise there is a need for physical intervention and engineering intervention to calm the traffic. We raised this with Meath County Council and the reason I raise it here is that I have been informed, as have the local community and the local public representatives from the Minister's party, my party and from across the political spectrum, that this is a TII issue and not a Meath County Council issue. When we raised it with the council it points toward the process. TII identifies high-collision hotspots. It has road safety inspections. Those inspections have not identified Carlanstown as an area for investment. From its end, Meath County Council has feasibility and options reports and if identifying Carlanstown as an area in need of investment, it applies to TII for funding to bring the project to design stage and then it goes back to TII for investment in the project itself.

In effect, the residents in the area and the local representatives have been pushed from Billy to Jack. For me that is incredibly frustrating because it is clear what needs to happen. What is needed is some layers of tar for ramps at various spots along the road, signage and some markings along the road. This is not a significant investment. I have had experience of this before. Public lighting is already in place and it is often an issue we have in rural areas, in that public lighting needs to be installed. It is already there. It is incredible that these small works have not been earmarked and working their way through the planning and implementation phases.

Sometimes TII states something cannot be done because of the nature of the road, but this is the N52. It is a national road. If one goes further along that road to Clonmellon or Delvin, which are in County Westmeath, the exact traffic-calming measures the people of Carlanstown are looking for have been installed. We say firmly that they need to be implemented in Carlanstown as well.

Deputy Neale Richmond

I thank the Deputy for expressing condolences in the House. I suppose when he submitted this Topical Issue, he did not think we would be thinking of tragedies on our roads and indeed more high-profile ones. It is a timely reminder. The Ceann Comhairle has such a strong track record on road safety, it is appropriate we take a moment before discussing this specific issue.

As the Deputy is aware, the Minister is responsible for overall policy and Exchequer funding with regard to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the NDP, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP.

The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects which are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others. In addition, €2.9 billion was allocated for the protection and renewal of the existing national road network.

As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of this decade, this has meant there has been a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2025. However, approximately €502 million in Exchequer capital funds was provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2025. It is worth noting that this year approximately €650,000 was allocated for the construction of new national roads in Meath, with an additional €5.2 million being allocated for the improvement of the existing network.

The allocation for protection and renewal of the existing national road network will fund a range of activities, including road safety improvements, pavement renewal, maintenance of bridges and structures, and measures to ensure the network can withstand the increased number of severe weather events.

The Minister for Transport understands from TII that Meath County Council is considering developing a scheme in Carlanstown. There are a number of potential road safety improvements, mainly relating to vulnerable road user facility provision and continuity through the village. I am open to correction, but it is my understanding, and this is where we need to get to the nub of the issue, and it is welcome that the Deputy has raised this in the House in order to do that, that no feasibility and options report has yet been drafted by the relevant local authority. Once a feasibility report is drafted, Meath County Council can engage with TII regarding the progression of the scheme.

That is what I have in the reply before me. I do not know if that is contrary to what the Deputy said. Perhaps we are trying to find out exactly what needs to happen here. I hope we can achieve something this afternoon to do just that.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

I thank the Minister of State for that response. I did not go directly to TII myself. I await a response from it, but this response from the Minister of State is helpful because it sets out the position.

Meath County Council has pointed to a pathway involving a TII-initiated process. That does not look like it is happening. In TII's inspection and its review Carlanstown has not come up. My question then was whether Meath County Council has the capacity or licence to initiate, through its own feasibility and options report, a proposal for Carlanstown. It is clear from the Minister of State's response that it can and that TII awaits that. I and the local public representatives need to take that back to Meath County Council and say it needs to initiate this. Then the question immediately becomes, and I hope this is one the Minister of State will take away, whether the funding will be there for this project, if it is a good project and if it is well designed, and how quickly we can make that happen. From our perspective, from the Meath end, we can contact the council and say it should get preparing its proposal for the feasibility and options report and get on to TII and we will pursue that. However, the question for the Department, TII and the Minister of State is whether there is scope to deliver this type of project, specifically whether there is scope to deliver it in Carlanstown.

Deputy Neale Richmond

I am glad to hear that the response was of some use. We look at the quantums available, as I alluded to at the outset of my initial response, in terms of the capital spending budget, not necessarily for new national road projects but the €2.9 billion allocated for the protection and renewal of the existing national road network, with a considerable amount, €502 million, made available this year. The Deputy will recall that we were both in the previous Dáil and we raised many issues in this Chamber as Topical Issues and I received issues under Commencement matters in the other Chamber. There has been a very distinctive step change in terms of the funding available in this half of the decade for national road projects. I know that is of little succour to the many Deputies and Senators, particularly those who are no longer here, who consistently raised issues and were told this would come in the second half of the decade. There is funding available. Again, it is down to the options and feasibility report by the local authority to make apparent the real necessity of these works. It is fitting that we conclude this debate in putting on the record our shared desire to make our roads safer on this fateful day.

Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 3 Jul 2025