Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Tuesday, 4 Nov 2025

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Naval Service

Deputy Barry Ward

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, for coming to the House to deal with this important issue, which relates to the progression of a naval base at Dún Laoghaire. The Minister of State will be aware that in recent years Ireland has procured two coastal patrol vessels from the New Zealand navy. These are in the possession of the Irish Naval Service. One of them, the LÉ Aoibhinn, is currently docked in Dún Laoghaire Harbour. I understand that the plan is that they will be used as coastal patrol vessels in the Irish Sea and along the east coast. It seems that the perfect place to base them in those circumstances is Dún Laoghaire Harbour, which is accessible at all points of the tide. This means there is 24-hour access for ships like that in and out of Dún Laoghaire Harbour. It is not a busy commercial harbour, so it is not going to interfere with operations in the way it might in larger, busier harbours like Dublin Port, for example, or some of the other large commercial ports along the east coast. Dún Laoghaire is also close to Dublin, midway along the east coast, so it will be an easy point from which to service the whole of the Irish Sea.

Equally, it is a very important opportunity to take what is a valuable heritage asset for the State and make it useful in serving the State. Dún Laoghaire Harbour is over 200 years old. It is an enormous Victorian harbour with lots of space. Over the past number of years, it has ceased its commercial function in many respects. The Stena Line had served as a link between Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead, but it ceased operations in 2015. Since then, there has been a need for great investment in the harbour. It is primarily a leisure port, but this does not mean it does not have capacity to do that. The old ferry terminal building is vacant. More importantly, there is a pier there which is unused at the moment. It would require a bit of infrastructural investment to make the pier usable by the Naval Service. There is a real opportunity to make Dún Laoghaire Harbour that base.

I do not know if plans have been finalised in this regard. I am asking the Minister of State for an update. I have been in touch with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which owns and operates Dún Laoghaire Harbour as one of its subsidiaries. I know there has been some discussion, but I am not sure what stage this is at.

From the point of view of the Naval Service in the first instance, this is the perfect match in view of the fact that the harbour is equipped to deal with such vessels such as those in question, particularly in light of its geographic location and the fact that it can facilitate easy access to the Irish Sea for the one or two patrol vessels to do the job they need to do. We know that the Naval Service needs to build up capacity in this regard.

In tandem with this, there is also a real opportunity for Dún Laoghaire, which has in some respects lost its greater function, to be more than just a leisure harbour. It is wonderful at that, as I can attest, but it can do so much more for the Irish State and the community adjacent to it by facilitating the LÉ Aoibhinn and perhaps other vessels in berthing there and in patrolling the Irish Sea.

I absolutely support at least getting to level of ambition 2, referred to in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, and going further. This has to be part of that. I know the Minister of State will agree that there are massive deficits in our lines of defence. One does not have to be gung ho on militarisation to understand that as a militarily non-aligned country, we have to have the capacity to defend ourselves. The function these ships can perform is a defensive one, but it also involves patrolling and carrying out customs, fisheries and drug trafficking enforcement. There is so much work to be done in that regard by the Irish Naval Service. Those in the service have enormous skill sets. We need to work to bulk these up in order to make sure that the service can do the job to which I refer. We also need to provide the service with a base from which its vessels can operate. Dún Laoghaire Harbour seems to be the perfect place to do that. Will the Minister of State provide an update on where the negotiations stand or on whether a decision has been made in respect of this matter?

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Robert Troy)

I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, who, unfortunately, cannot be present. He asked me to pass on his apologies to the House. On his behalf, I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter and thank Deputy Ward for his question.

At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the long association between the Naval Service and Dún Laoghaire. There is a long-standing tradition of Naval Service ships using harbours and piers on the east coast for shelter and shore leave. The Report of the Commission on Defence Forces calls for the development of an east-coast base for the Naval Service. Reflecting this, the programme for Government has also recognised the need for an east-coast base. In that regard, the Naval Service has been asked to submit a fully worked-up business case setting out full infrastructure requirements for marine and support-related elements.

As the Deputy will be aware, the issue of an east-coast base has been discussed in the context of the inshore patrol vessels, IPVs, LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait. These IPVs were acquired with a particular focus on east-coast operations, where they are well suited to key missions like the protection of critical infrastructure. With the LÉ Aoibhinn becoming operational in 2024, the then Tánaiste gave approval to lease berthage in Dún Laoghaire Harbour to support east-coast operations in the short term, likely for a period of five years. With that in mind, the Department has been in discussions with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the owner of Dún Laoghaire Harbour, regarding the possibility of leasing berthage for exclusive use by the Naval Service. I am advised that discussions are well advanced and agreement in principle has been reached.

A Naval Service regeneration plan is due to be submitted for the Tánaiste's consideration. This plan has been devised on foot of a detailed workshop held between senior military officers, led by the Chief of Staff, and senior officials in the Department. The issue of additional naval bases, on the east coast or elsewhere, will be considered in the context of that awaited plan and recommendations arising from same.

Deputy Barry Ward

I am glad to hear that work is continuing apace. I am glad to hear there is an agreement in principle. We have an opportunity here and one of the things we are lucky to have as a State is a team of committed people, not just in Óglaigh na hÉireann but specifically in the Naval Service. We do need to make it into a navy. We need to give it the equipment and the personnel necessary to operate as a navy, thereby allowing it to serve the people of this country and patrol our waters. More than most countries in the European Union, Ireland has an enormous exclusive economic zone relative to our territorial space. There is a real job to be done here. We have spent quite a lot of time discussing the level of ambition that was set out in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. It is now time to put that into action.

I appreciate that we have increased spending on the military and on defence. We have increased the level of expenditure by 50% in the past six years. I recognise the new ambition set out in the budget. If we seriously expect people not to leave Óglaigh na hÉireann and go into other careers that might be more lucrative or, more importantly, if we expect people to join Óglaigh na hÉireann and commit themselves to serving this country, then we have to make it worth their while. We have to ensure that the facilities are there for them, that the terms and conditions are there for them, that the equipment is there for them and that we have enough people to serve on the vessels we have in order to ensure that those vessels can do the job they have to do.

The vessels to which I refer do not come cheap.

Buying two inshore patrol vessels from the New Zealand navy and then not operating them is madness in the extreme. Let us make sure we address this and that we deliver for the Defence Forces and the people who serve in them. As I said, one of the ways we can do that, and I hope this is something that will come to fruition sooner rather than later, is to guarantee that Dún Laoghaire Harbour will be the base for the two inshore patrol vessels, namely, LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait. It makes sense to do so and I hope the Department will commit to doing it with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Deputy Robert Troy

As previously outlined, the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces called for the development of an east coast base for the Naval Service. While IPVs can currently operate from Haulbowline, it is a strategic goal of the Defence Forces to develop a forward-operating base on the east coast. I agree with Deputy Ward on the need for the Government to start implementing some of the recommendations outlined by the commission.

In the short term, the Department has engaged with the county council to agree terms for the use of Carlisle Pier, with agreement in principle reached. The securing of berthage facilities in Dún Laoghaire will support the operational activity of the inshore patrol vessels, particularly in patrolling the east coast. The Naval Service regeneration plan is awaited to provide further insight. The potential location of any future east coast base will be considered in the context of that plan and recommendations arising from it. I will be sure to relay Deputy Ward's very positive contribution this evening to the Tánaiste. I am sure he has made the same points to him both publicly and privately in recent times.

Closed-Circuit Television Systems

Deputy Conor Sheehan

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. There is a comprehensive network of CCTV cameras in Limerick. It was established as a direct response to a number of public order challenges in the city. The CCTV is a key pillar in the Limerick regeneration framework implementation plan, LRFIP, which followed on from the Fitzgerald report. This was the flagship Government programme to deal with the significant issues that existed, and still exist, in Limerick's regeneration communities. In essence, it was devised as a consequence of the Fitzgerald report, which was commissioned after some depraved individual burnt out a car with two children in the back of it in Moyross in 2006.

Limerick city's CCTV system is one of the very good and positive outcomes we have had from regeneration. It is one of the best in the country. The framework and governance are widely acknowledged to be quite good. It was funded by the Department of housing, which gave €880,000 in 2024 for regeneration area CCTV. We acknowledge and accept that regeneration is being wound up. In 2024, Limerick City and County Council made a formal approach to the Department of justice to seek replacement funding, but no allocation was secured. In 2025, Limerick City and County Council and An Garda Síochána submitted a joint business case via the Garda Commissioner for inclusion in budget 2026. To date, no replacement funding has been approved.

Due to the ongoing uncertainty, the company that runs the CCTV has now issued its staff with protective notice. The implications of this are really grave for us in Limerick. I cannot overstate how revolutionary the network of CCTV cameras has been in policing terms. We have a 70% prosecution rate for a couple of thousand serious incidents and a very high rate of guilty pleas and convictions. I am very worried that we have had several serious incidents in Limerick in the past year alone. I am really afraid that we are going backwards. There have been 17 shootings in the past year and 11 very serious violent incidents on the south side.

We had a welcome allocation of 20 extra gardaí in the August-September allocation. However, if this scheme is wound down, it will, in effect, nullify that allocation in one fell swoop. I am not the one saying this; it is coming from senior gardaí. The Minister for justice said earlier that he hopes a solution can be found after meeting with the Mayor of Limerick. My colleague Senator Dee Ryan has raised this issue in the Seanad as well. We need a permanent solution because the safety and well-being of the people of Limerick are at risk if the scheme is wound down or the cameras have to be turned off. We also have CCTV approved for the Castletroy greenway, for Garryowen and for Rathkeale in the county. Garryowen is one of the biggest policing blackspots in the city.

These schemes are in jeopardy if the Department of justice does not put a permanent funding solution in place. We are talking about €600,000 or €700,000. We are not talking about millions or billions of euro. The Government put billions of euro into regeneration. If this funding is refused, we will be put back years. Limerick is a special case. If a fund does not exist , the Minister needs to find or create one. Without Department-led funding, the council will be forced to reduce the monitoring and maintenance and eventually will be forced to turn off some or all of the cameras. This is a big policing and public safety issue.

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I understand the Ministers, Deputies O'Callaghan and Browne, met with Mayor Moran today to discuss this matter. The fact that meeting took place indicates how serious the matter is being taken by all who attended it. I commend Mayor Moran on coming to meet directly with the two Ministers. I am hopeful a solution can be found in the short term to the funding issues that arise to keep the CCTV scheme running. In fairness to both Ministers, they are anxious to see a solution and identified to Mayor Moran what they believe is the short-term solution.

I recognise Deputy Sheehan's interest in continuing to invest in CCTV to build safer, more secure communities. I thank him for his very positive contribution. Community safety is a top priority for the Government and the Department of justice. Everyone has a right to be safe and to feel safe in their communities. Community CCTV plays an important role in achieving that goal. It is important to note that there are a number of CCTV systems operating in Limerick. I understand the particular system referred to by the Deputy, and, as he alluded to, by Senator Dee Ryan, was established under the regeneration programme in Limerick approximately ten years ago as part of a much broader initiative to improve the quality of life of local communities in Limerick. I understand that, to date, the majority of funding for this CCTV scheme has come from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage as part of the regeneration projects in Limerick, with a significant contribution also being made by Limerick City and County Council. I also understand the CCTV system concerned consists of approximately 240 cameras, with an operating cost for 2024 of more than €800,000. As such, the infrastructure in place in Limerick is well outside the scope of the grant aid scheme administered by the Department of justice which supports community groups wishing to establish community-based CCTV systems in their local area. Grants up to a maximum of €40,000 are available for capital expenditure and up to €5,000 for maintenance under the scheme.

CCTV is very much part of community safety and it is intended that as the new local community safety partnerships are established, they will take a view on the need for additional CCTV in their areas. In addition, under the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023, the Garda Commissioner will have a significant role to play in the approval of CCTV schemes into the future. It goes without saying that the Government is very much aware of the value of CCTV generally in keeping people safe and ensuring they feel safe. Insofar as this particular scheme is concerned, I hope it will be possible for it to continue to operate as it has done over the past decade.

Deputy Conor Sheehan

I thank the Minister of State. It might seem like it takes a lot of money to run the Limerick scheme compared with community CCTV schemes, particularly in more compact areas. However, Limerick is a unique place and not just because I am saying it is. It is unique because, unfortunately, we have eight of the top ten most deprived areas in the State. We have some of the best but poorest communities in the entire country. Those communities need extra support. They got that extra support through regeneration, which is now being wound down. There must be a mechanism devised by which the funding that was in the Department of housing, and it is not within that Department's competence to be funding CCTV, can be transferred to the Department of justice because this is a policing and public safety issue.

Ultimately, it also a cost-saving issue because it reduces the cost of investigation, it reduces the cost to the Courts Service because we have a higher than average guilty plea rate and it takes bad faith actors off the street. I always think of a woman in her late 70s called Rose Hanrahan who was murdered in December 2017 in Thomondgate in Limerick. If it was not for these cameras, Rose's murderer would not have been apprehended, charged and convicted. It was done because the vile individual who set upon Rose that night was caught on this system of cameras.

At the moment, I am very worried there are the seeds of a feud in Limerick again. We really need these cameras to deal with that properly. We need a proper, long-term funding solution from Government.

Deputy Robert Troy

I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter. As I said, the Government recognises the important role that CCTV plays in building stronger, safer communities across the country. The importance of this matter is demonstrated by the meeting held today between the Mayor and the two relevant Ministers. Since 2017, the Department of justice has administered a grant aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. To date, grants totalling over €950,000 have been approved for 36 community schemes across the country. This includes 14 schemes across County Limerick, which have received funding of over €330,000. Under this grant aid scheme, funding is only provided for the cost of equipment. Staffing costs are not covered and the maximum grant under the scheme is €45,000.

As has been indicated, the operation of infrastructure that has been developed in Limerick and has to date been funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Limerick City and County Council is unfortunately outside the scope of the grant aid scheme administered by the Department of justice. However, it is my understanding that there are local authority CCTV schemes operating in both Dublin and Cork, and possibly elsewhere, that are funded by local authorities. As such, it seems appropriate that the funding requirements for the continued operation of the CCTV system in Limerick need to be again considered by Limerick City and County Council and the Department of housing to ensure the funding arrangements for the CCTV system in Limerick city are placed on a sustainable footing.

The Deputy has made some valid points here this evening and I assure him they will be relayed back to the two relevant Ministers who met Mayor Moran earlier today.

Bus Services

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

It is with huge regret that I raise the issue of the organisation of bus routes in my area here in the Dáil Chamber with the Minister of State. It is something that, between the NTA and the operators of those buses, should not come to the floor of the Dáil. We know BusConnects has been controversial in many places where it has rolled out. It has proven so in the latest phase, phase 7, in the areas of Finglas and Glasnevin that it has impacted. From 19 October, the 9, 83, 140, 40 and 40b were replaced with the new bus routes 23, 24, F1, F2 and F3. While the consultation was done over an extended period, there was dissatisfaction with the routes.

As in any change process, some people will be happy and others will be unhappy, but there are a number of very simple changes that could have been made to address the issues. However, in the three weeks since the implementation occurred on 19 October, the routes alone are no longer the issue. There has been an absolutely calamitous roll-out of the service over the past three weeks - one of those weeks being the midterm week, when many children were away from school and not using the service. Whatever about people getting used to new routes or trying to find new ways of getting to work or arranging their school runs and so on, the reduced frequency on these routes is now the biggest issue. When you put the failure of certain buses to turn up on top of that, people are waiting, on average, between 30 and 40 minutes, according to the emails I have received. I have received nearly 100 emails in the past three weeks on this issue.

For example, the new 23 and 24 routes have a reduced frequency. Instead of the bus service being much more frequent, at 10 or 15 minutes, we are now down to 20 minutes. If one of those buses does not turn up, in the morning times children go out for a 8.10 a.m. bus and are not getting that bus until nearly 8.40 a.m. or 8.45 a.m.. They are late for school despite having been at the bus stop for an hour. I am talking about a 15-minute journey here. This is something that should not occur because there is demand for that service and the frequency should be there to meet it. I am getting reports of bus stops with 15 to 20 people waiting on buses. When the bus arrives, there is no room for people to get on. This is happening very early in the route. It might happen at the second or third stop on the route.

The NTA should be able to resolve these issues with the provider, in this case Dublin Bus, but I am really disappointed with the response of the NTA. It has not reacted to what is clearly an issue around service delivery. It has not reacted to the bedding-in problems and tried to address them. From the feedback of the constituents who have been in touch with me, they are very dissatisfied. This is basic stuff. People plan their day around the bus service. This bus service worked for many years but now, as a result of the changes, there are people being late to work and missing connections and there is the core problem of the routes not servicing the areas that were previously serviced. I will cover that in a moment. At the very least, if Dublin Bus and the NTA are going to implement new services, the frequency should be appropriate to the demand. There should not be extensive numbers of people at bus stops. There should not be limited space on a bus early in the route and there should not be missing buses. A very basic provision of services is needed.

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of our colleague the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. From the outset, I clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, neither the Minister nor his officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally rests with the National Transport Authority. The NTA works with the public transport operators, which deliver the services and have responsibility for day-to-day operational matters.

That said, I reassure the Deputy that the Government is strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable and realistic sustainable mobility options and public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this goal. To support this objective, in budget 2026 the Department of Transport secured €940 million of funding for public service obligation, PSO, and TFI Local Link services. That was a significant 43% uplift, an increase from €658.4 million in 2025. BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, providing better bus services across our cities. It is the largest investment in the bus system in the history of the state and is managed by the NTA. The aim of the network is to improve the existing Transport for Ireland system through enhanced services with high frequency spines and new local, orbital and radial routes.

The recently launched F spine, providing routes F1, F2, and F3 as part of phase 7 of the BusConnects network redesign, introduces high-frequency 24-hour bus services - routes F1, F2 and 80 - on key corridors, enhancing connectivity between areas such as Tallaght, Finglas, Charlestown and the city centre. This redesign under phase 7 of BusConnects also introduced new radial services - routes 23, 24, 73 and 82 - and the new local route - route L89 - to streamline the network and make services more efficient. The NTA has advised that in advance of these new routes being implemented it distributed over 200,000 booklets to households across all the areas covered by the routes. It also advertised the new services in local media outlets and online, and it provided detailed briefings to local public representatives.

Separately, the NTA reported a technical fault in the Dublin Bus priority system, which adjusts traffic light signals to ease bus movement. The system malfunctioned for three consecutive days, causing unforeseen delays and significant frustration for customers. The issue was resolved last Wednesday and performance is expected to steadily improve. This issue was separate from the BusConnects new service roll-out, but it impacted all affected Dublin bus routes.

The performance of all public transport operators is monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the operators. Importantly, these contractual arrangements allow not only for the monitoring of performance by the NTA and the publication of its annual performance reports, but also for the imposition of financial penalties where performance does not meet the required standards. Improvements are also being introduced to the vehicle location system and real-time passenger information, all of which will improve the reliability of the system. The NTA informed the Minister that it is carefully monitoring capacity and reliability during these early days of the new services and will continue to monitor situations, adjusting where appropriate. I am conscious that is not the experience the Deputy had, though.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

I thank the Minister of State. I am reassured that the NTA has said it will monitor frequency because anybody who has seen any of the bus stops or any of the buses being used will see that an increase in frequency is required. I am certain it is going to have to respond because of the level of demand. The difficulty is how long will it take the NTA to take that action.

I know BusConnects is controversial in different areas. I have encountered that in some areas and it involves some compromises at times. There are positive elements to the service, such as two new 24-hour bus routes, additional new services, connections to the Luas and so on. However, it is the basic design of the service that many people were very disappointed with. There is no longer a local connection between west Finglas and south Finglas, with many people living in one area but their children in school in the other. Routes Nos. 23 and 24 no longer serve the north city centre - the O'Connell Street area - so people from the area are now dropped off at George's Street or Merrion Square, which are miles away from the traditional shopping areas that they would have gone to in Henry Street or Mary Street. There is now no bus service operating in the Beneavin Road area, particularly where it interacts with Glasnevin Avenue. The diversion of the former No. 9 bus from a road that has a bus lane onto Ballygall Road East which does not have a bus lane, makes absolutely no sense. Finally, the east Finglas and Glasnevin area now no longer have a connection to places like Na Fianna, Scoil Mobhí and the Glasnevin-Drumcondra area. They are the structural route issues and I can work with the NTA on those, but what we cannot do is roll out a new service and fail to deliver the proposed service or roll out a new service and provide a less frequent or lower capacity service. This is a matter that the NTA will have to address. In asking the Minister of State this question, the NTA will have had to have prepared a response to input into the Department. I hope doing so was a call for action.

Deputy Robert Troy

The Deputy is right. Transport connectivity and reliability are critical for the people who live, work and study in Ireland. They are essential to encourage people out of cars and onto public transport. In the latest progress report published in March this year, the BusConnects Dublin programme has shown significant improvements in key performance indicators. There has been an annualised increase of 9.35 million, or 75%, in scheduled service kilometres in the NRD phase 1 F1 to 5B compared to equivalent routes operating prior to the NRD project. Passenger boardings on routes in the NRD phase 1 to 5B increased by 40% when compared with Dublin metropolitan bus routes that have not yet been altered in the redesign network. Overall, the redesign routes saw a 48% increase in passenger boardings while other routes experienced an increase of 8%. Additionally, the interim analysis indicates that 12% more places of employment are now reachable within 30 minutes with the redesign network compared with the pre-BusConnects network. This is moving the network towards the 18% place of employment reachability target.

It should be noted that the F spine, which is part of the BusConnects Dublin area NRD, was finalised following three rounds of public consultation that culminated in more than 72,000 submissions being received. The overall network represents a major investment in enhanced bus services, delivering a 35% increase in annual in-service kilometres, a significant increase in overall capacity and frequency for customers, as well as more evening and weekend services. The NTA will continue collaborating with operators and customers to enhance the punctuality and reliability of services throughout the NRD. Further, through initiatives such as the capacity improvement programme and implementation of ticketing techniques, the NTA is taking steps to enhance capacity and improve the overall travel experience for passengers.

I want to assure the Deputy that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will relay the concerns raised on the floor of the Dáil tonight to the NTA to ensure a timely intervention and take on board the early teething problems, which we hope is all they are, to the new bus route.

Hospital Staff

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I thank everyone who facilitated me to do this. I have just made my way up from the civic reception in Dundalk to celebrate the Louth Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the Louth senior team and the under-20 team after a spectacular year. Hopefully, there will be more of that to come. I had to leave Jarlath Burns and Marty Morrissey, but this is obviously an incredibly important issue.

This Topical Issue arises from the retirement of the clinical specialist sonographer in ultrasound at Louth County Hospital in Dundalk. The position was advertised in the summer and there were a number of applications, but there has been no progress in filling the position. There is now serious concern among the staff and public that the position will not be filled at the hospital and that the service, which has been incredibly well used over the years and is growing in demand year on year, will be run without on-site management. This situation is not recommended by the Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy, IIRRT, which recommends that there be a clinical specialist sonographer working on site, especially in a hospital the size of Louth County Hospital. This is because such staff play a vital role in managing and supervising the unit.

The previous clinical specialist sonographer in ultrasound at the Louth hospital was the only full-time radiographer who worked in ultrasound at the hospital. Her retirement leaves vacant three-and-a-half posts, two of which also look after all other scanning such as general X-ray, CT and DXA. A fourth person is due to start at the Louth hospital in January but it will still mean that two of the four at the Louth hospital will be basic-grade radiographers.

To put it in perspective, the HSE's own numbers are stark. The recently retired clinical specialist sonographer completed 2,000 ultrasounds herself at the Louth hospital in 2024. In the first ten months of this year until her retirement, she had completed 1,465. At the same time, the waiting list for ultrasounds in the hospital's group is the largest it has ever been, with 5,000 outpatient appointments needed at the moment and 35 referrals a day coming into the Louth hospital. The total number of ultrasounds done in Louth County Hospital in 2024 was 7,825, up from 7,608 in 2023.

The real scandal is that there has been considerable outsourcing of ultrasound scans happening in the north east of the State for many years, with 5,348 ultrasounds done in one private clinic in 2024 alone. Many of these scans are being recorded by HSE radiologists, which they are allowed to do under their HSE contracts. The public waiting list continues to grow and the outsourcing of ultrasounds to private clinics where the HSE is paying a huge amount of money grows also. Instead of putting in jeopardy the ultrasound service at Louth County Hospital, the HSE should be developing it. The best equipment is there but there are two rooms that are not being used to their full capacity due to lack of staff at the hospital.

Four years ago, a radiologist was on site at Louth County Hospital. Now, there is none. Instead, they are on the phone. It cannot be the case that a clinical specialist position at Louth County Hospital remains unfilled. The clinical specialist sonographer not only does the bulk of the ultrasound scanning but also does the organisation of the list, the management of the service to the public and the oversight and training of other scanning staff. As per guidance from the IIRRT, it is not best practice to run an ultrasound scanning service for Louth County Hospital without a clinical specialist sonographer being on site.

There are real fears that the whole ultrasound service will be downgraded and frittered away until there is no service. Everything that is needed in order to continue the great service that was being done before the retirement of the clinical specialist sonographer is there, except for the replacement sonographer. Ironically, Louth County Hospital was the first hospital in the State to get a clinical specialist in ultrasound when the service was established all those years ago. It cannot be the case that it does not get one now when it needs it more than ever.

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this issue and giving me an opportunity to speak to it. I am advised by the HSE that a clinical specialist radiographer vacancy has arisen in Louth County Hospital, Dundalk.

A recruitment process to fill this vacancy has commenced, a number of applications have been received and interviews for this position are due to take place later this month.

I am assured by the HSE that while this recruitment process is ongoing there will be no disruption to patient care or service delivery. All clinical services continue to operate as normal, ensuring that patients and service users experience no change in access, quality, or continuity of care. I also understand that enhanced governance arrangements are being implemented for this position. These are designed to strengthen oversight, improve co-ordination and ensure clearer lines of accountability across LCH and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.

As the Deputy will be aware, LCH is part of the HSE Dublin and North East Health Region. In conjunction with Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda these hospitals operate with an integrated managerial and clinical governance system, care pathways and support functions. These hospitals are planning for the future to safeguard against increasing demand including anticipated population growth, particularly among those aged over 75.

To meet this challenge, projects have been developed in LCH which include theatre access for ear, nose and throat procedures and a Uroflow clinic for urology services. Additionally, a new procedure room will open in 2026 to enhance day services. These developments complement the already significant investments in Drogheda. There has also been an introduction of additional consultant coverage during weekends, extended consultant presence on weekdays and public holidays and expanded specialist availability to support inpatient care and consultations. Likewise, enhanced access to key diagnostics, including imaging at weekends will accelerate treatment pathways.

More broadly, I would like to outline the positive developments in LCH and Drogheda. This Government is committed to building on the significant investment and improvements made at both hospital sites. This significant investment is demonstrated by the 39% increase in the budget for LCH since 2020. In 2025, the budget was over €31 million, an increase from €23 million in 2020. In the same period, there was a 48% increase in the budget for Drogheda. In 2025, the budget was over €303 million, an increase from €204 million in 2020.

The Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024 - 2031 aims to deliver an additional 4,367 acute inpatient beds nationally including an additional 141 beds for Drogheda. LCH has 93 inpatient beds, encompassing both adult and paediatric. Since 2020, eight beds were delivered for LCH. Drogheda has 500 beds an increase of 15.7% since 2020. We have also invested in staffing at both hospitals which has increased by 2% in LCH and by 13.5% in Drogheda since 2020.

I hope all this positive news will be welcome for the Deputy, who so ably represents the constituency.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

Go raibh maith agat, a Aire. I welcome some of what the Minister of State says but I am not sure it is going to give the answer we need. As I said, there is serious concern among the staff and the public that the position that I am talking about - the clinical specialist radiographer - will not be filled. We need to make sure this happens and I would like to think the Minister of State will come back to me. I welcome that he says the recruitment process is ongoing, that there will be disruption to patient care or service delivery and all clinical services continue to operate as normal. That is all fine.

He also said that a recruitment process to fill this vacancy has commenced, a number of applications have been received and interviews for this position are due to take place later this month. However, that does not necessarily answer where this position is going to be. I want and hope that surety can be provided that this specialist position will make its way to the Louth County Hospital where it is necessary from the point of view of the work that has to be done. It is also necessary from the point of view of ensuring that we have the correct level of supervision that is dictated by the Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy.

I am not sure that the Minister of State will be in the position to give that answer, but I will be chasing up the Minister of Health. I also ask that the Minister of State engages with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. We need to ensure that this is not a further downgrading of Louth County Hospital or the downgrading of the very important works that need to be done whether we are talking about the necessity of everything from ultrasounds through to X-rays, CT scanning and Dexa scanning. We need to make sure that this necessary facility is maintained. As much as we went to see Our Lady of Lourdes operating at full capacity, we do not need to lose this service in the Louth County Hospital.

If the Minister of State can give me the answer - brilliant stuff. If he cannot, he needs to chase it up with the Minister. I will be doing the same because it is not good enough that we let down the people of Dundalk.

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú again for raising this issue so forcefully and giving me an opportunity to speak on this matter. It is important to recognise that significant investment has been allocated to LCH and Drogheda in recent years which has uplifted capacity, staffing and bed numbers at each of the hospital sites. Projects that have been delivered in LCH include theatre access for ear, nose and throat procedures and a Uroflow clinic for urology services. Additionally, a new procedure room will open in 2026 to enhance day services. These developments complement the already significant investments in Drogheda. These two hospitals operate co-jointly and provide a comprehensive suite of services for the people of Louth.

I want to emphasise that the ongoing assessment of the needs of this region is a priority for this Government as evidenced by the major capital investments in both LCH and Drogheda. The Government is committed on building on the already significant improvements made in these hospitals. In relation to the post of clinical specialist radiographer at LCH, it is good to hear that there has been a number of applications received and interviews will take place later this month. We all know recruitment processes can take time, but I wish to assure the Deputy that progress is being made in this process. I reiterate that the HSE has confirmed that there will be no disruption to patient care or service delivery. All clinical services will continue to operate as normal ensuring that patients and services users experience no change in access, quality, or continuity of care.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

Will the Minister of State go back to the senior Minister to find out if this position will be in Dundalk?

Deputy Robert Troy

I will most definitely, and will relay the Deputy's points to the Minister.

Turf Cutting

Deputy Louis O'Hara

I raise the situation in Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Clonmoylan bogs in south-east Galway. The local turf cutting contractor was served with a High Court injunction to cease cutting turf earlier this year. As a result, local people have been left without a supply of fuel this winter. There are over 40 families affected. It is important to say that these are bogs where local people have cut turf for many years. This is causing significant distress to the people affected. Many are elderly, have dwindling supplies or do not have an alternative supply of turf. They now face into the cold winter months without fuel.

The bogs have been designated as special areas of conservation, SACs. People have been offered a once-off payment from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, to walk away from the bog and to allow rewetting. Many have declined it - as is their right - because many want to continue to heat their homes with turf. It is the only realistic option for them. Other forms of heating are far too expensive to install.

This injunction was taken out and it seems that these families are being coerced and forced into this scheme. They do not want to take part in it because they will be left worse off if they do and will not be able to cut turf again. I understand that under the legislation the families could be allowed to harvest turf if the Minister, Deputy Browne, signs an activity requiring consent, ARC, order. Their main ask is that the Minister signs this order to allow them to return to their bogs. I ask the Minister of State to outline if this will be facilitated.

I also raise the fact that the NPWS is beginning works to wet the bogs of those who have signed up to the scheme. This includes the installation of dam blocks to block drains with the aim of raising the water table in the bog. There are significant concerns surrounding the risk of flooding on neighbouring land, the risk posed by holes left behind and who would be held libel in the case of any injuries caused by these holes. There has been a complete lack of consultation. The NPWS is not responsive at all and does not seem to be accountable to anybody. I also want to raise concerns with the process around the SACs designations. These three bogs were designated to be sites of community importance, SCIs, by 2002. Under the habitats directive, if SCIs are intended to be made special areas of conservation this must be done within six years of them being designated SCIs.

In this case, the three bogs were not officially designated as SACs until the years between 2021 and 2023. This is in direct conflict with the timelines mandated under the habitats directive but we have had no real explanation yet for this. I ask the Minister of State to provide that this evening. There are questions around the process but the big question the local people want answered is whether the Minister will sign an ARC order to allow turf to be cut in these bogs again.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy John Cummins)

I thank Deputy O’Hara for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and the Minister, Deputy Browne. The bogs at Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Cloonmoylan are special areas of conservation in the Deputy's county of Galway. I reaffirm the Government's commitment to protecting Ireland’s valuable peatlands and to working with all stakeholders. As the Deputy will be aware, peatlands are of cultural, economic and ecological importance to Ireland and are profoundly significant for our communities and our history. They are a cornerstone of many communities; a source of heating, as the Deputy pointed out; a way of passing on knowledge; and a deeply held right for many families.

The EU habitats directive requires member states to select sites for the protection of habitats that are considered threatened, including active raised bog, which is considered to be in danger of disappearing within the EU territory. Ireland has selected 63 sites for the protection of active raised bog habitats, including Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Cloonmoylan bogs, and has designated these bogs as special areas of conservation. This protects approximately 9% of our original raised bog resource.

The Government adopted a clear long-term strategy to protect these sites. In 1999 the Government announced arrangements for the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation, and a compensation package, including for the three bogs the Deputy referenced, was outlined. It also announced that commercial turf cutting would cease on certain SACs and that a ten-year derogation was given for domestic turf cutting. At the end of this derogation, following extensive stakeholder consultation, the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme was launched in 2011. The scheme was advertised again in 2024, closing to new applicants in 2025.

These raised bog SACs are included in European sites as identified by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. Statutory instruments for each site further affirm their protected status. The cutting of turf may not be carried out or caused to be carried out or continued to be carried out on these plots by any person save in accordance with the provisions of regulation 30 of the 2011 regulations or with the consent of the relevant authority or both. I understand that since 2011, no planning application for turf extraction has been made on Ardgraigue, Barroughter or Cloonmoylan and no formal request for ministerial consent has been received. It is a criminal offence subject to prosecution to extract turf without the required ministerial consent or relevant statutory consent or both.

Extensive supports have been put in place to assist turf cutters on these sites. The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme compensates households affected by restrictions on turf cutting for domestic use on raised bog special areas of conservation. To date, the Department has paid out over €7.3 million to 329 families who had been cutting turf on the three bogs in question and is processing a further 118 applications.

The protected raised bog restoration incentive scheme is also available to landowners who wish to have their lands included as part of that scheme.

Deputy Louis O'Hara

From the response, I do not think the Minister of State appreciates the distress and tension this situation is causing in the local community. He outlined the compensation schemes available but the reality is there are 40 families in the area who are well aware of the schemes but have not entered the schemes and will not enter them. They have been allowed to cut turf on these bogs for many years. Now they are being left without the fuel they rely on to heat their homes. I have outlined that many of the people affected are elderly. It is a deeply unfair situation. They have been kept in the dark about the process of designating the bogs as SACs and the ongoing works by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS. They feel they are being bullied and coerced into signing up to a scheme they do not wish to sign up to. It is regrettable to see how divisive it becomes in the local community when people are pressured into signing up to something like this.

The Minister of State said no formal request for ministerial consent has been received. Can he clarify whether a formal request must be made? Were a request to be received, would it be considered and, in the Minister of State's view, granted? If clarity cannot be provided on these issues, I ask that at the very least, the Minister of State or the Minister, Deputy Browne, or the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, from the Department would meet the families affected and hear first-hand about the impact it is having on them. They are very reasonable people who work hard and want to get on with their lives in peace and quiet. Will the Minister of State or the Minister, Deputy Browne, or the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, from the Department commit to meeting them before the end of the year? I would be more than happy to facilitate it.

Deputy John Cummins

All I can do is take back what the Deputy has said to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and the Minister, Deputy Browne. I cannot give an indication of whether an application, if made, would be accepted. That would have to go through, I assume, an assessment process. It is not within my remit so I am not fully au fait with the process that would be involved.

I re-emphasise that we are trying to progress the 118 applications still in the system and that €7.3 million has been paid out to 329 families under the scheme. I appreciate the comments the Deputy has made. I understand the importance of this from the cultural, economic and ecological points of view. The strategy to protect raised bogs dates back to 1999, long before either of us was involved in politics. I will take the Deputy's comments back to both Ministers. I assure him we are prioritising the applications in front of us under the compensation scheme. I suggest that if the Deputy formally writes to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and the Minister, Deputy Browne, we can get an official response to the comments he has raised.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 10.18 p.m. go dtí 9 a.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 5 Samhain 2025.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.18 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 November 2025.

Dáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 4 Nov 2025