Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Question:1. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [46873/25]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Cabinet Committees
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:2. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [48529/25]
Ivana Bacik
Question:3. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [56902/25]
Paul Murphy
Question:4. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [56996/25]
Ruth Coppinger
Question:5. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [57002/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:6. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [57037/25]
Conor D McGuinness
Question:7. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [58034/25]
Brendan Smith
Question:8. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [58231/25]
Barry Heneghan
Question:9. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will meet next. [59583/25]
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:10. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [59735/25]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:11. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [61677/25]
Liam Quaide
Question:12. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [63177/25]
Erin McGreehan
Question:13. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [63428/25]
Malcolm Byrne
Question:14. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [63480/25]
Peadar Tóibín
Question:15. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [63511/25]
Paul Lawless
Question:16. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [63527/25]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 16, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet Committee on water quality oversees implementation of the programme for Government commitments in relation to the range of issues affecting Ireland’s water system. The committee last met on 30 October and the date of its next meeting has not yet been scheduled. The committee is informed by the work of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, which monitors and reports on water quality in Ireland. The EPA recently published its report Water Quality in Ireland 2019-2024, which shows water quality improvements in some areas but also an overall decline in waterbodies in a satisfactory ecological condition. While the overall ecological status of Ireland’s waters is significantly better than the European Union average, the downward trend is a matter of concern. The report shows that targeted actions in the agricultural sector and improvements in wastewater treatment appear to be paying dividends, with lower reported levels of nutrients in water bodies where targeted actions have been taken.
The Cabinet committee has also examined the investment programme of Uisce Éireann to improve wastewater treatment capacity and meet best practice in managing its existing infrastructure. Last week, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a sectoral plan for water services and water quality. This includes record investment of €12.2 billion, largely allocated to Uisce Éireann to support the delivery of the additional water services capacity required to deliver the Government's housing plan and to improve water quality. This investment will help to deliver the Government water action plan, Ireland's roadmap to protect and restore our rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and ground waters.
Last year, the Government also published Water and Agriculture: A Collaborative Approach, and this report sets out measures to address the twin objectives of improving water quality and demonstrating that a robust case exists for the maintenance of a derogation for Ireland from certain aspects of the EU nitrates directive. In October, the Minister, Deputy Browne, published a draft nitrates action programme, which will form the basis of Ireland’s ongoing discussions with the European Commission on a new derogation. The Minister has invited submissions from the public on its contents. A public consultation process on the strategic environmental assessment and appropriate assessment of the plan is also live, with submissions invited by 1 December.
European Union environmental Commissioner Roswall visited Ireland last week and met with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as well as farmers and other stakeholders to discuss Ireland's application for a derogation and the importance of its continuation to Ireland's outdoor, grass-based livestock systems. The visit provided an opportunity for the Commissioner to visit a farm in County Kildare to see at first hand the efforts towards improving water quality and to engage with public representatives and stakeholders. Discussions with the Commission are ongoing to find an approach that facilitates the continuation of high-quality dairy and beef production by derogation farmers while ensuring sufficient protection for the quality and ecological status of our rivers, lakes and estuaries.
We have 16 speakers. They have a minute each and I ask them to be as concise as possible. I call on Deputy Cleere.
Last week, we saw serious disruption for towns and villages like Thomastown, Graiguenamanagh, Inistioge and Freshford, which are currently faced with significant backlogs for the implementation of effective flood relief schemes. I acknowledge there has been extensive consultations with local communities to achieve a solution that satisfies those communities and the needs of the local environment. However, the delivery has been delayed far too long. The conversation needs to move to action. It is all about implementation and delivering effective solutions for these communities at risk.
Let me give the Taoiseach a brief example. In Graiguenamanagh, my own town, there was a major flood issue in 2016. In 2018, funding was announced. In 2020, a design team was assigned. We are now in November 2025, and we have not even gone for planning permission yet. It is anticipated that the planning process will take two years. Construction will then start at the end of 2028, with a two-year timeframe for completion. That just gives an example of the length of time these projects are taking.
The Deputy has five seconds.
I understand that fish life is important, but what about the lives of Johnny and Mary, living in a house that has been flooded? The people in Freshford, Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown and Inistioge are going to bed at night from November to March wondering if their houses will be flooded come the morning.
I thank the Deputy.
The injustice to these communities has gone on far too long.
Farmers are very keen to improve water quality. The recent oversubscription of environmental schemes reflects that appetite. Our grass-based system differs very much from what would be found across Europe. Family farms right across Ireland need to be able to plan for the year ahead and the nitrates derogation is very much part of the planning for the day-to-day operation of the farms. Farmers are really keen to know where they stand and they are going to need to know that for the start of the year. Retaining this derogation is vital. I very much impressed this on Commissioner Roswall during her recent visit to Ireland. She did acknowledge that progress had been made but she was also keen to see that there would be ongoing progress and improvements. Will the Minister and the Government be able to win support across EU colleagues to ensure the derogation will be retained? Additionally, farmers are also being told they are not alone in respect of improving water quality. They are keen to pull their weight and they will, but they also need to know that municipal waste inputs and Irish Water will also pull their weight.
Two years ago, I raised with the Taoiseach a repeated problem of sewage overflowing in Dodder Valley Park beside Balrothery weir. When there is heavy rainfall, the sewage shoots out beside a residential area in a beautiful park. It is still happening. It happened again last weekend with the heavy rainfall. In March 2024, I got a reply from Uisce Éireann accepting that it was impacting the environment and posing a risk to public health through flooding. At that time, it said it was at stage 3 of a four-stage process and it would have options and costings in quarter 4 of 2024. In August 2024, I followed up on this matter. I got a response in February of this year, over six months after the promised commencement of stage 4. The company apologised for the delay and said it was concluding stage 3 and moving into stage 4. I have followed up again with the company. It is simply unacceptable that the health of residents and park users is put at risk and that the deadlines for action keep getting delayed. Does the Taoiseach agree that Irish Water, Uisce Éireann, must act?
I would like to use this time to remember Chloe McGee, Chloe Hipson, Dylan Commins, Shay Duffy and Alan McCluskey. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse. We think of their families and friends. It is going to be a very difficult time over the next couple of days for communities right across counties Louth, Monaghan and Meath. I have been in O'Fiaich College and DkIT and seen huge supports for students and staff. It was the same in the Sean McDermotts club last night also. This is the level of resilience we will see. My thoughts go out to those affected by what has been an absolutely desperate tragedy. I also think of those injured. We hope for a speedy recovery. Beyond that, we think of the emergency services, whose members saw things nobody should have to see.
Go raibh maith agat. I appreciate that yesterday's proceedings overtook us and we did not get to pay our due respects. What the Deputy said goes for us all. I thank him. I call on Deputy Conor D. McGuinness.
Go raibh maith agat. I want to raise with the Taoiseach the situation of two households living in Lyre, Mahon Bridge, County Waterford. They live in two adjoining council-built cottages constructed in 1949. At the time, the local authority installed a water supply from an open stream flowing off the Comeragh Mountains, and that is still their only source of water 75 years later. It is untreated and coming from a roadside stream. The water runs black and is full of silt, filth and worse. Each of the men has pulled dead rats and badgers from it on occasion. The supply is so unsafe that the health authorities have warned them not to even wash their hands with it.
I have raised this directly with the Minister for housing and with Uisce Éireann. A brand new public mains runs just 500 m from the townland of Fews across from these men's homes. Connecting these homes would require just a short bore under a regional road but Uisce Éireann has refused to fund it and instead told residents to apply for a private well grant. Unfortunately, the land in the area they live in is not suitable for a private well and they have that on good authority from several professional well drillers. Will the Taoiseach please act in the interests of these two households and instruct Uisce Éireann? I will show the Taoiseach, very briefly, a bottle with a sample of water they provided me with recently. It illustrates the depth of what their public water supply is.
Deputy, we do not allow displays of such nature but I understand it is your first time. I call Deputy Barry Heneghan.
I have raised the issue of water quality in Dublin Bay time and time again. I am not going to just single out the north side. This is a north and south Dublin problem. We saw the rain that fell at the weekend. We have all seen the drone footage of the bay being polluted. I have swimmers whose only way of socialising is getting into that water and having the chats but the E. coli levels are not acceptable at the moment. In Dublin Bay and with the way the plumes work with the tides, the north side is affected worse when there is a high level. Some of these constituents are here today with the visual artists from Palestine who raised money for Artists Without Borders in Clontarf Castle. They are going to be swimming in that water. These are the people who need this water protected. We see in Dún Laoghaire that oysters are being brought in to treat the water. Can we get that on the north side as well? I have a mandate for that. It was on my four-pager. Oysters are great natural filters of E. coli and other contaminants.
The EU drinking water regulations came into effect in Irish law in March 2023.
Sorry, the which?
The EU drinking water regulations. I raise it in the context of the ongoing intolerable situation where 500 households in Ballycroy and Inishbiggle, in County Mayo are left without water for days on end. The way to solve this is to allow some flexibility in the multi-annual water programme to enable moneys that have been returned to the Department, or are to be returned to the Department, from one scheme to be reallocated to another scheme that desperately needs it. There is a gravity-fed group scheme in Ballycroy and it is run by volunteers. What has happened is some of the volunteers have passed away so they are trying to reconfigure the volunteers in the parish to be able to apply for the necessary funding. There is a way to solve this. Mayo County Council applied for emergency funding earlier this year but was unsuccessful so we need emergency funding and some flexibility around the framework.
I also wish to raise the issue of water quality in Dublin Bay, for the umpteenth time. Every time there is a massive downpour like the ones we had very recently, rainfall water or stormwater mixes with sewage and pours into Dublin Bay. The pumping station at the west pier in Dún Laoghaire pumps stuff out to Ringsend but Ringsend does not have the capacity. It overflows, goes into Dublin Bay and then water quality is very seriously undermined.
I was looking at a question I asked back in 2019, and it was not the first time. Even then, the Government was promising it was going to upgrade Ringsend. That was 2019 and it still has not been done. It still happens every time it rains. It is unbelievable. When is the Government finally going to make sure that the upgrade at Ringsend and the rehabilitation of our decrepit water infrastructure, which is jeopardising water quality, swimmers and health and causing all sorts of bad, adverse problems, is going to be finally addressed by this Government?
I know the Taoiseach will reject the claim that rural Ireland is being left behind by his Government but many residents of the village of Ballyhooly in my constituency beg to differ. They have good reason to. The very basic need for a consistent supply of water to drink, bathe in or use in appliances such as dishwashers and showers has been denied to them for many years. Residents in Ballyhooly have to deal with extremely low water pressure alternating with a non-existent supply of water for prolonged periods. This has hit people with chronic illness, disability and age-related care needs the hardest. It has also severely impacted the local school and farming community. In recent months, there has been a reprieve from a full-scale outage but water pressure remains very low and there is no clear timeframe on the extent of works required to resolve the issue. Short-term fixes will no longer cut it for Ballyhooly. When are we going to see movement on this essential project that will allow the village to thrive?
Along with my constituency colleague, I want to pay respects to those poor five souls, the young people who lost their lives in the car accident at the weekend: Chloe McGee, Shay Duffy, Alan McCluskey, Dylan Commins and Chloe Hipson. It is a desperate loss for their families, friends, work colleagues and everybody. I only hope their families can find the strength to walk along the pain and agony that comes upon a family when they lose someone so tragically. It seems almost futile and frivolous to mention it during a discussion on water quality.
I have raised on several occasions the state of the water and rivers around Dundalk Bay. Research was published recently in a local newsletter spelling out clearly issues around repeated sewage discharge and wastewater plants operating beyond capacity, with visible waste near Blackrock and protected habitats being steadily damaged. People are seeing it, smelling it and living beside it. As the Taoiseach knows, I raise these concerns regularly and I get very dismissive responses from Irish Water. I often feel almost gaslit by them. I hope that when the Cabinet committee is working on water quality with the infrastructure Department that it will consider fast-tracking projects to make sure our water quality is up to standard.
Keeping the lights and on and water in the taps is surely one of the basic responsibilities of any administration but we live in a country where that is simply not happening. For a country where it seldom stops raining, it hardly goes a week before there is a water or hosepipe ban in this country. In my county of Meath, things are out of control currently. As we speak, a burst mains causing major disruption in Navan. There are multiple outages every week in the system in Enfield. People in Trim can hardly turn the water taps on because of discoloured water or bans on water being used at certain times of the day, etc. Councillor Dave Boyne and I have had to campaign to get water trucks to bring water to other towns in the county. The Taoiseach talks about massive investment, which is welcome, but it is not making a difference on the ground because there are major problems for Irish Water to deliver on infrastructure in terms of planning, permits and tendering etc. When will those be fixed so we can get the system fixed?
I have raised this many times previously but the water quality in Clew Bay, County Mayo is being massively damaged at the moment. Raw sewage from Newport town is collected and stored in containers. When the high tide comes in to Clew Bay, it washes raw sewage on to the shoreline. Everyone is in agreement that a water treatment plant is needed for the town and it has been in the planning process for decades. There are significant issues in relation to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, which is not meeting its statutory timelines, and indeed Uisce Éireann. It appears that what is happening is a letter-writing club between the two organisations, with no progress being made. I have raised this previously and I ask the Taoiseach to intervene. We cannot have critical infrastructure delayed for decades as a result. I have raised this with Uisce Éireann and MARA but it is time the Government intervened and injected some urgency into this.
I thank all of the Deputies. A comprehensive number spoke in respect of the responsibilities of Irish Water, particularly in terms of wastewater treatment plants and flood relief schemes.
Deputy 'Chap' Cleere raised the issue of a series of flood relief schemes in his constituency. I do not know why the planning process should take two years and that is something we need to analyse further but measures will come to Government in respect of critical infrastructure in the next number of weeks. Flood relief schemes are taking too long because the urgency is very real.
Given the worsening climate, we have more frequent storms and rainfall that is heavier and comes in short bursts and that is creating huge pressure on our systems. I have been to many flooding scenes where the devastation is appalling and negatively impacts on households and businesses. We then have consequential compensation schemes and everything we try to do to alleviate the pressure but there is nothing worse than being the victim of a flooding incident. I will take a look at those schemes and talk to the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy Moran, to see how we can accelerate this. We are also looking at a critical infrastructure Bill and will see whether we can include wastewater and flood relief schemes.
Deputy Aindrias Moynihan raised the derogation and I fully agree with him that retaining the derogation is vital for farm families and for the food production system and the dairy industry. We need a sustainable farming industry but farmers are working with us on various water improvement schemes under the European Union framework and have being doing a lot to measure and assess this work. I have had discussions with the President of the European Commission explaining the unique position in Ireland because we have a pasture-based system that is outdoors more than indoors. Most other European systems are indoors. The Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, has been working with Commissioner Roswall, who came to Ireland last week. She met farmers in Kildare and saw first-hand the measures we are taking to make farming and agriculture more sustainable. We know farmers do need to know. I take the Deputy's point in respect of other contributors to waste and I met representatives of Irish Water recently in the context of the Cabinet subcommittee meeting. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency were there as well. In my view, Irish Water has to get it right in respect of its own actions. It cannot contribute negatively to water quality, being a water body itself, nor can local authorities. They also certainly need to step up to the plate in protecting our waterways.
Deputy Murphy raised the issue of Balrothery estate in terms of sewerage overflow. Again, I will talk to Irish Water in respect of where that is at. We have allocated unprecedented resources to Irish Water as a result of the national development plan and we have given it multi-annual funding. Irish Water knows what its funding will be for the next five years, which should enable staff to get on, to plan and do things. There is a lot of work to be done. Our population is growing exponentially, and has grown during the past two decades. That is creating pressure on water services. What will be important as well, for those who correctly referenced wastewater treatment plants, is that we have to try to create a narrative and a consensus in society not to object to wastewater treatment plants, to their upgrade or to supply projects. An awful lot of these projects are getting snarled up in planning and being delayed for far too long. What is happening in the preparation of the schemes, stage III to stage IV, is that everybody is dotting the i's and crossing the t's because they are anticipating an objection or a judicial review so they want to make sure they can be resilient in the face of a court case being heard or a judicial review of a decision taken during the planning process. What we are getting is a very slow process in getting projects through. We will have to deal with that and the Government is determined to deal with that because we have to push ahead. Even on a small issue like apartment guidelines, and we had it earlier this afternoon during Leaders' Questions, we get public representatives judicially reviewing regulation. Then people complain about things not moving. We cannot have it our own way, every way, but that is a general comment on where we are and it is important.
Deputies Ó Murchú and McGreehan correctly articulated all of our shock and horror at the devastating accident in Louth. Five young lives were lost. They were going out for a nice evening. We are all parents and we are all afraid of something like that happening when our young people go out and so on and we all want them to come home. On this occasion, they did not come home and the impacts on the parents are beyond comprehension. It is very difficult for them. We hope the beautiful memories they had with their young children will sustain them in the time ahead. I thank the Deputies for raising this in the House.
In regard to Deputy McGuinness's contribution, I will talk to Irish Water. I cannot get involved in every single case. This relates to two houses. Surely the county council and Irish Water should knock heads together and get that issue sorted if the water mains are 500 m away.
Deputy Heneghan has left the Chamber. He has gone with the swimmers; I would say they are gone too. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of Dublin Bay as well. It is a very serious issue. E.coli levels are too high and when there is heavy rain, people cannot swim. That is not satisfactory. I am back to the issue that we need wastewater treatment plants. The whole Dublin water project is being judicially reviewed. The Arklow wastewater treatment plant was conceived at the same time as the Dublin scheme. It has opened - I opened it - and the Dublin scheme has not even gotten off the ground. There are other projects of that kind we need to get off the ground and to get going. The points were well made by Deputies Boyd Barrett and Heneghan in that regard.
In terms of the drinking water regulation and the 500 households, again it is a specific issue and I will talk to Irish Water in respect of that.
That is not Irish Water
Is it a group scheme?
It is a group scheme.
The Deputy wants flexibility in the multi-annual funding. I will talk to the Minister to see whether there is anything that can be done there or not.
Thank you.
There is a combination of issues in terms of the reconstitution of the group of volunteers. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue that Ringsend does not have capacity. We have been engaging and have appointed-----
It has been going on for years.
I know and we have allocated billions of euro now so hopefully we can get it done.
Deputy Quaide raised the issue of Balyhooly and the basic quality of water. I have spoken to Irish Water representatives about the Cork situation more generally in terms of water quality issues and they are working on that.
Deputy McGreehan again raised the issue of habitats and Dundalk Bay. Again, I asked Irish Water to engage with public representatives. All State agencies should engage with public representatives in a respectful and engaging way and should give proper responses. The State funds these agencies. In many ways they are created as agencies to get things done but that should not absolve the agencies then of their responsibilities to communicate to democratically elected Deputies and Senators or indeed councillors on the local authorities as well. I will have a look at what the story is in Dundalk Bay.
Deputy Tóibín raised the issue of Trim again in terms of keeping the taps on and water quality. Again, it relates to wider issues. They had the plan, we have now funded the plan, and the issue now is getting things done as quickly as we can.
Deputy Lawless raised Clew Bay and Newport. Again, it is about getting the infrastructure in place as quickly as we can. I will relay all of those to Irish Water for a response.
I thank the Taoiseach. We will move to the next questions, which is the grouping of Question Nos. 17 to 31, inclusive, to ask the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. We have 17 minutes and 14 seconds left.
Cross-Border Co-operation
Brendan Smith
Question:17. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [48516/25]
Erin McGreehan
Question:18. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [48519/25]
Cormac Devlin
Question:19. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [50000/25]
Darren O'Rourke
Question:20. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [56576/25]
Ivana Bacik
Question:21. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [56979/25]
Paul Murphy
Question:22. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [56997/25]
Ruth Coppinger
Question:23. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [57003/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:24. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [61452/25]
Michael Murphy
Question:25. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island unit in quantifying the economic and social dimensions of greater North-South integration (details supplied). [62809/25]
Liam Quaide
Question:26. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [63178/25]
Shane Moynihan
Question:27. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [63180/25]
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:28. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [63429/25]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:29. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach for a report on the work of the shared island unit. [63463/25]
Peadar Tóibín
Question:30. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island unit. [63512/25]
Paul Lawless
Question:31. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island unit. [63528/25]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 31, inclusive, together.
Our programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for building our shared island. Yesterday, the Government made a major funding commitment of over €50 million through our shared island fund to ten new programmes.
We are investing for the future to improve people’s lives and strengthen connections across the island of Ireland. We are moving forward with €14 million for a major new shared island media initiative by Coimisiún na Meán, delivering on our programme for Government commitment to resource schemes to encourage cross-Border journalism on an ongoing basis.
A sum of €5.9 million is being allocated to the fire and emergency services from North and South to deepen their co-operation to enhance capacity and training on management of flooding events and on search and rescue operations. There will be €6 million for the new shared home place programme, which will foster a sustained, broad engagement with all communities on this island and with our diaspora on the island of Ireland’s diverse heritage, and how this can shape our shared future. Funding of €14.5 million is being allocated for an expanded creative lreland shared island programme and arts projects. There will be a €1.8 million contribution to the next phase of the all-Ireland pollinator plan to protect the island’s unique biodiversity.
Ministers are also working with confirmed shared island fund resourcing to establish a new air link between Derry and Dublin next year; support development of new cross-Border and Border region greenway routes; deepen our co-operation with Northern Ireland Executive counterparts on tackling bovine TB, the information service for cross-Border workers and commercialising research. The Government also yesterday, as part of the national development plan review, published our shared island investment priorities across virtually all sectors out to 2035, backed by our shared island fund and other resourcing.
The iconic Narrow Water Bridge and Ulster Canal restoration projects are forging ahead. Next year, Government resourcing will enable commencement of construction of a new teaching building at Ulster University in Derry and continue the transformative hourly frequency Dublin to Belfast rail service. In April, I launched a new phase of my Department’s joint research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, with a focus on strategic policy and co-operation considerations for the island, and research projects for 2025-26 are under way. This includes a new annual report series by the ESRI assessing economic trends across the island of Ireland, which will be published next month.
Through our shared island initiative, the Government will continue to invest in strategic all-island co-operation and deepen our partnership with the Executive and UK Government as we work every day to build reconciliation between the different traditions of this island.
The shared island unit has real potential and has had real results and benefits for County Louth and the country, as the Taoiseach said, in terms of the arts, emergency services and biodiversity. Yesterday's announcement that Dundalk Institute of Technology, DKIT, will gain university status alongside Queen's University Belfast is incredibly exciting news. It will be transformative for the north east, and will be a really complementary match-up with Queen's University as well. This is a huge opportunity for the shared island unit to invest in the future, to invest in our young people and to invest in our economy and our industry.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the investment in people and about deeper health care co-operation with our neighbours in the North. There have to be synergies and opportunities there that we can look at with Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and even further afield in Dundalk. We can start looking at how we can look after the communities in the Cooley Peninsula, Carlingford and Omeath, and how we can reflect this in our usual daily life and health care. They do not match up at the minute and we can do more.
I thank the Taoiseach for the reply and in particular the announcement of €50 million for the new projects, which is very welcome. We need to see more of the practical people-focused projects like those. The Taoiseach mentioned the Dublin-Derry link among other initiatives. The Enterprise rail link between Dublin and Belfast has proven very popular. I ask that it be considered to extend that further to support the night-time economy of both cities. That would be a very important move.
In the same spirit, the announcement by Minister for higher education, Deputy Lawless, of a major new partnership between Dundalk IT and Queen's University, establishing DKIT as a University College of Queen's University is a landmark development for higher education and for the Dublin-Belfast corridor. Will the Taoiseach set out how these shared island allocations and DKIT-Queen's partnership will be aligned as part of a cohort plan for the Dublin-Belfast corridor? Will the Taoiseach confirm that the necessary policy and legislative frameworks will be brought to Government early in 2026 so that students, staff and local communities can see these benefits on the ground as quickly as possible?
I will quote the Taoiseach who told an international audience at COP30:
The science is undeniable. Temperatures are rising, and the clock is ticking. If we are not prepared to tell our citizens the truth about this, we are failing them, and this planet, in the most profound way.
Has the Taoiseach tried telling the truth to the big dairy farmers and the big dairy processors who are driving up carbon emissions and are polluting our waterways, North and South? I have raised the issue previously in terms of Lough Neagh. Lough Derg is the latest of our lakes to turn neon green, a 41st shade of green that the Taoiseach will not be plámásing world leaders about. The main cause is nutrient pollution from agriculture, accelerated by the nitrates derogation. When will the Taoiseach tell the truth that environmental protection and intensive for-profit animal agriculture are incompatible, that we need to reduce the number of dairy cattle, that we need to compensate farmers with a herd reduction scheme and that the nitrates derogation must go?
I will just pause the clock for a minute. We have only eight minutes left in this session and we cannot go over time, I am afraid. I do not have that discretion for Taoiseach's Questions. I will have to limit each Member's contribution to 30 seconds give the Taoiseach an opportunity to respond.
I would like to bring up the fabulous news about the partnership between DKIT and Queen's University. We are talking about a greater level of provision of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and an innovation and research hub to be based in Dundalk. We know that this can definitely develop the Dublin-Belfast corridor. There is a necessity to follow through with legislative support. Beyond that, this could be part of a vital shared island project. I would like to know what will happen in that regard.
The question of greater North-South integration and any future constitutional change carries profound economic implications. It is really important that we approach this debate with honesty and clarity. Further integration will require significant investment, aligning public services, connecting infrastructure, integrating health and education and ensuring social welfare compatibility. If we are to maintain public confidence, we need transparent, independent economic analysis. We need to be honest about the challenges and the opportunities.
In recent times we have seen an alarming escalation in racist violence against immigrants and minority communities both North and South of this island. According to An Garda Síochána statistics, race crimes and related incidents rose by 24% between 2021 and 2024. There were similar increases in such crimes in the North between July 2024 and June of this year. Amnesty International has described this period in the North as "a year of hate and fear". There is a striking similarity of experiences of minorities both North and South in respect of these increased threats. There is also clear potential to collaborate on an all-island basis. What initiatives are under way or planned to help support integration through communities North and South to help them learn from each other in terms of best practice?
Yesterday's announcement is very welcome in terms of the infrastructure foundations put in place to harness the economic potential of the shared island. Part of that, which we have discussed in this House, is the role of the all-island labour market and the need for focus and skills. I would love to hear from the Taoiseach about what engagement is happening with the Northern Ireland Executive with regard to building up the SME sector across both sides of the island. They will be the fabric that knit the economic fabric of this island together in creating the shared island and creating a shared and united future for all. What schemes are being put in place to incentivise and promote that?
I commend the work of Dublin City University, Aberdeen University and University College Dublin on the constitutional deliberations from grassroots that is being done by Dr. Shelley Deane, Professor Joanne McEvoy and Professor Jennifer Todd. I raise this because this work has been done with focus groups in Mayo, Bellaghy, Longford, Cookstown and Monaghan. The shared island unit, which is very much welcome, is doing work on women and the Constitution. I ask that the unit uses this academic work to underpin what the unit is going to do. The credibility of the work the academics are doing would really carry this forward. Why has it not got academic underpinning?
Across Britain and the North of Ireland people are being arrested, prosecuted and, in some cases, imprisoned because they support Palestine Action, on the basis that the British Government has designated Palestine Action, a group campaigning against British complicity with the genocide that Israel is committing, as a terrorist organisation. It is absolutely outrageous. There will be a protest this Saturday in Belfast as people stand in solidarity with it. Sally Rooney has written an article in The Guardian this week about prisoners being close enough to being tortured in British prisons who are in prison awaiting trial on this. Will the Taoiseach speak out against the British Government's outrageous decision to designate protesting against genocide as somehow terrorism?
BBC Northern Ireland runs a podcast called "Borderline". The podcast is part of the significant debate on Irish unity that is happening across the country. One of the themes of that podcast is the fact that the Irish Government is not participating in that discussion.
Many voices have stated there is a serious reluctance from the Government to even discuss the issue of Irish unity. The debate has moved on. People North and South are now talking about what planning and preparation is necessary for the referendum to be held. Brexit shows the danger of holding a referendum without doing the planning and preparation in the first place.
Thank you, Deputy. I call Deputy Lawless.
This morning the BBC mentioned that the Irish Government is the only place where this planning and preparation could happen.
Deputy Lawless.
When will the Taoiseach step up to the plate?
I want to raise concerns about the Supreme Court ruling in Britain on religious education and collective worship in the North of Ireland. Aontú is a pluralist republican party. I believe it is really important that all parents can choose the ethos of the school they wish to send their children to. Catholic schools played a significant role in the lives of nationalist families. They were a safe place for Catholics in the North and promoted the Irish language and games.
Thank you, Deputy.
Will the Taoiseach engage with his counterpart-----
Thank you.
-----in Britain to ensure we can retain our Catholic schools in the North? Schools can be an inclusive-----
Thank you, Deputy. Your time is up. If you want a response-----
-----place and a religious place.
I call the Taoiseach, who has limited time I am afraid.
I thank all of the Deputies for raising important issues. Deputy McGreehan in the first instance correctly identified that we are delivering results in respect of the shared island unit. It is practical and impactful. It is not about rhetoric. We have had rhetoric for 60 or 70 years and longer. It is about getting things done and delivering, and that is what we are doing. I take the point the Deputy made in respect of Dundalk IT and Queen's University. That is a very exciting development. It is a huge opportunity. Both institutions have to work now, as Deputy Ó Murchú said, to get the heads of agreement worked out and proper understanding for the benefit of students and staff. Deputy McGreehan has been a strong advocate of this. Deputy Ó Murchú has raised it as well. I have made it clear to the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, that I am supportive. I have no doubt that if the shared island unit gets a concrete proposal, it can respond positively. Obviously there is a lot more detailed work to be done. We need to do this properly, which is why the fund goes out to 2035. We do not need to rush things. We need to get them done properly and effectively so it is informed.
Deputy Devlin used the phrase "practical people-focused projects". This sums it up. No other Government since the foundation of the State has invested in Northern Ireland like this Government has. The shared island unit is a unique departure. It speaks far more than a lot of the rhetoric. I have been reading a lot about the 1940s, the 1950s and the 1960s. Some pretty good histories have been published recently on partition. Some good work has been done on all of this. Throughout the decades people spoke about four green fields, unity and all the rest of it but very little happened. We have come through 30 years of horrific violence, which was unnecessary in my view. We have an opportunity now. People are entitled to their constitutional positions. There is no issue there. There is nothing stopping any political party, by the way, from advancing a detailed blueprint. I have yet to see one. There is nothing stopping any political party doing this but we can come back to it on another day.
The Government is the best place to do it.
These questions are on the shared island unit so I will keep it there.
Deputy Devlin raised Dundalk IT and Queen's University and I have explained this. With regard to Dublin and Belfast and the night-time economies, we are very anxious to really develop the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor. The councils are good. I get the point on the night-time economies. I will look at it in terms of what we can do.
To respond to Deputy Paul Murphy, COP is a bit outside the shared island unit but he got it in. When he speaks about "the big dairy farmers" - he is classic at this - he is pretending that medium-sized and small dairy farmers would be okay under him. What he is saying would wipe out dairy farming entirely. This is what he is saying and he should be honest about it. The Government has made its position clear on this.
I agree 100% with Deputy Michael Murphy that we need evidence-based, informed and objective research and data. The shared island unit has a separate strand for big funding where we commission the ESRI to do major research. It did one on school completion North and South. The North was higher. We now have an initiative under the shared island unit on healthcare.
Thank you, Taoiseach.
It has done economic studies as well as studies on primary care and health. Very good studies are being done by the ESRI and there will be more. More data will be coming next month. Research is also being done by the National Economic and Social Council.
To respond to Deputy Quaide, we are doing work in the area he mentioned but there is potential for more work if we can get a viable project. He is correct that attacks have increased. People are living in fear and this is a big concern.
To respond to Deputy Shane Moynihan, work has been done under the shared island unit in terms of enterprise centres and on SMEs. Deputy Moynihan can look at InterTradeIreland's project under the shared island unit, which I launched recently. Tremendous work has been done joining companies North and South together using shared island unit funding.
To respond to Deputy Conway-Walsh, there is commissioned research from the ESRI on economics. The shared island unit is outside of the constitutional issue and will remain so to try to get buy-in from all communities without prejudice. This is one of the reasons it has buy-in across the board from all communities and traditions.
I am trying to avoid reinventing the wheel.
Yes, but we do not want to undermine and kill what is a good initiative.
It is not-----
We are out of time.
Deputy Boyd Barrett raised what is a separate issue really. I would disagree with Deputy-----
It is not a separate issue. People in the North are being arrested.
I cannot account for the British-----
Thank you, Taoiseach, we are out of time. That concludes Questions to the Taoiseach.
I will come back to Deputy Boyd Barrett another day on that.