Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Thursday, 20 Nov 2025

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

School Costs

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I am glad of the opportunity to bring up this issue. It is a very worrying one. It was brought up earlier by Deputy Doherty. It relates to the ongoing school funding crisis in Darver National School. The easiest way to put this on the record is to read out an email a number of parents got the other day:

Dear parents,

I am writing to share an important update regarding the financial situation currently affecting our school.

Over the past several years, government grants have not increased sufficiently in line with rising costs. Despite making every effort to manage resources and reduce spending in ways that do not impact pupils, we have now reached a point where we can no longer cover the costs of certain essential hygiene items. We have worked hard to protect classrooms, teaching and learning from the impact of these financial pressures.

However, we have now reached a point where we are unable to continue covering the cost of certain basic consumable items used daily by pupils. As a result, beginning tomorrow, we kindly ask that each child bring:

- small personal hand towel

- a roll of toilet tissue

This is not a request we ever wished to make and it reflects the very real challenges that ongoing funding shortfalls have created for schools like ours. Please know that we would not be asking for your support unless it was absolutely necessary.

We hope this will be a temporary measure as we continue to advocate for improved financial support and explore all possible avenues to ease the financial burden on the school.

Thank you for your understanding, patient and continued support as we navigate these challenging circumstances.

Kind regards,

The Principal of Darver National School

We are talking about a small rural school in County Louth with 71 pupils and six teachers. We are also talking about an old building. It dates back to around 1940. Obviously, that creates its own maintenance issues. The heating system is outdated - this is a big issue - and does not provide sufficient heat and needs to be replaced. There has been an application for the summer works scheme, which could probably deal with a significant amount of the costs. Government grants have consistently not covered the cost of this school for the past three years. That is my understanding. Obviously, bills have steadily increased during that period. Electricity costs increased by 200% last year. The school is with the Office of Government Procurement, OGP, so it cannot get a cheaper deal than that. It has other facilities, such as a large outside area, which costs money to maintain with grass cutting, and the school does not get any additional funding to do that. All the printing and photocopying costs are covered by parent contributions. The school had to replace the door intercom system. Again, that was paid for by parents' association fundraising. They are dealing with and engaging with the financial services support unit and all they have to, but it is a poor reflection when parents have to receive such a letter. I have no doubt that the principal did this as an absolute last resort. It is something we need to address as soon as possible.

I will also put on the record what a parent wrote to me. I have received multiple such emails. I do not think that would be any shock to anybody. The email states:

I am contacting you and your office in relation to an email sent by one of our local schools.

The parents are being advised that the school will no longer support the funding of basic hygiene products for pupils and, from tomorrow, we must send our children into school with a roll of toilet paper and a hand towel each.

As a parent, I am appalled that these are the conditions that children are being asked to deal with in a school day. For the government to not be able to provide funding for basic hygiene to pupils shows an absolute lack of duty of care.

Questions must be asked. What is happening to funding for smaller schools in our county and in the State?

An Ceann Comhairle

You will have to come back in, Deputy. I call the Minister of State.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan)

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this on behalf of the students and parents of Scoil Dairbhre. That is a very unusual circumstance. It is one that certainly I have not heard of. Obviously, I am not in the Department of education. Perhaps the Minister has heard of such a case, but it is extraordinary. I certainly would have said it is not the norm around Ireland for parents to be asked by the school to bring in toilet rolls and other essential supplies.

In this instance, officials from the Department have made contact with the school, and the school has been referred to the financial support services unit, FSSU, which is a dedicated support service for schools funded by the Department of Education and Youth. This is the usual practice where any school presents as being in difficulty. The FSSU will now work with the school directly to assist it in resolving the financial difficulty.

Schools in financial difficulty are encouraged to contact the Department of Education and Youth for advice and support. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to schools, which may include an advance in capitation grant funding or other measures.

Any school with financial concerns is then encouraged to engage directly with the FSSU and the school’s patron in order to work to address the financial challenges at the school.

The Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff.

The Department has secured €39 million in budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs. This will see an increase in the standard capitation rates paid to schools of €50 per pupil for primary schools from €224 to €274 and of €20 per student for post-primary schools from €386 to €406. This will also allow for an increase of €20 in capitation rates for urban band 1 DEIS primary schools, increasing the mainstream pupil rate in these schools to €294. The increased capitation rates will also see special schools now receive the same rates of capitation for young people aged 12 and over, as their peers in mainstream post-primary schools.

The financial support services unit funded by the Department is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cash flow management. The contact details for the FSSU can be found on www.fssu.ie There was an acknowledgment in this budget that many schools needed an increase in the capitation grant for day-to-day running. Many schools were reaching out and highlighting that it was a struggle. The instance the Deputy has referenced is highly unusual where parents have been asked to bring in those types of essential materials. I would have thought students' personal hygiene would have been a basic provision that schools would be making. I understand the FSSU in the Department has been in touch. The capitation rates have been increased in this budget and I hope that will relieve some of the pressure on many primary schools in particular. I again thank the Deputy for raising the matter.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I appreciate that we have a new Minister for education who is only just in position. I appreciate that the Minister of State is here to answer this but I will also be asking him to go back to the Department, as I will myself, to make the Minister aware of this so that we can just take it off the agenda. I agree this is not normal and it should not be normal in any way. In this case the next thing the school had to pay for were these hygiene items and money was not there. We have heard other principals say, "We are out of money. This school will close. We cannot keep the wolf from the door." The principal is in no way happy that she had to do this but she has done it and it was probably in an attempt not to go absolutely nuclear in relation to this.

We need to ensure that the engagement with the FSSU comes up with something that is actually sustainable. Beyond that, a major part of this is energy costs. The increase in capitation was acceptance that in recent years capitation did not wash its own face and did not cover the costs that were necessary. This school is not only dealing with increased electrical and energy costs but also with an old heating system, which is a legacy issue. If that one thing were dealt with, it would remove a huge portion of the cost. This is a really good school that people say very good things about. I have been contacted by the school and brought it up with the Taoiseach previously. The issue was about getting sanction for two ASD classes. We really need to ensure that issues like this do not happen, that there is a sufficient amount and that we deal with the issues at Darver National School now and ensure there is sustainable funding into the future. We need to do that across the board in our educational system.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

The Minister, Deputy Naughton, is new in the role. I wish her the best of luck in that role and I am sure she will do a wonderful job. I will ensure she is aware of the situation in Darver National School. Many improvements have been made right across the country. In my constituency I have seen some great work done in older schools that may have been built in the fifties or sixties, which were deteriorating and becoming dilapidated. They have brand new extensions. Children are in most cases attending school in much more comfortable, warmer and dryer conditions compared with when I was in primary school. Significant improvements have been made in that regard.

I agree that the increase in capitation has been too long coming, but it is here now. I am sure that what is happening in the school the Deputy referenced may be a legacy of being underfunded from a capitation point of view and I hope this increase will help that. I know the school has been in touch with the FSSU. The Department has been in touch with the school. We need to get through this to ensure that we can avoid situations where parents are having to get their children to bring these essential hygiene products into school with them. I again thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I am sure it is a fantastic school as he has just highlighted. The important thing now is to ensure that its finances are in order so that it can provide the absolute basics.

Special Educational Needs

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

I want to raise the issue of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, portal. The council has a new process in place to identify and ensure there is capacity for children who need special classes as part of their education. In moving to this new system, there has been a major gap in the process, which I am really worried about. Essentially parents were to upload the information and medical reports about their child's diagnosis into the Parents Notify portal on the NCSE website. Once that was assessed by the council, a letter of eligibility was given to the parents and the parents could use that to apply for a special class in the school. The NCSE closed that portal on 1 October. Many parents were not aware that this portal existed and what they needed to do to get the letter of eligibility. They did not have the final paperwork required because of how long it takes for assessments in this country. Unfortunately, the portal is now closed and those parents are absolutely unable to apply for a special class for their child.

I have repeatedly raised this with the Department and with the Minister. I keep being told not to worry and that the NCSE is going to manage this. The council is aware that for some children the parents did not have the information up in time and support will be given to them. However, that has not actually happened yet. The NCSE provided the following update:

Details of the process to be followed by parents and guardians who have not used Parents Notify to make contact with the NCSE when seeking a special class/school placement will be published on the NCSE website and social media accounts in the coming weeks.

That was seven weeks ago and there has been no update. I have been contacted by a number of parents in my constituency. This is a nationwide issue, and not just a Wicklow issue. It would appear that there is large-scale confusion over how those parents can be catered for. They are not hearing from their special educational needs organisers, SENOs, and there has not been any contact with the Department. Unfortunately, the guidance the NCSE sent out to all the schools states that a child who does not get into the first enrolments will go onto the waiting list. A child on a waiting list in any area where there are capacity issues is not getting a place.

Parents are really worried about this. Two things need to happen. There has to be immediate communication from the NCSE to parents in this regard. The SENOs need guidance. There seems to be a lot of confusion among the SENOs as to what is happening and that communication absolutely must happen. The Department or the NCSE must reopen that portal so that those parents who have received additional information can submit it. This issue has to be addressed. It cannot be the case that children who have additional needs are not being catered for or accounted for. This is not even for education this year; this is for September 2026. There seems to be a major gap in that process. I hope the Minister of State has an update from the Department for me on this. It is a huge worry for parents.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

I thank the Deputy. What I have in the reply is more of a rationale for the change and for the earlier date in terms of trying to have everything in place so places can be allocated in a timely manner and be in position. In terms of reopening the portal, according to the response I have it sounds unlikely. To be fair, the Deputy's suggestion about immediate communication with the parents and guidance for the SENOs does not seem like a big ask, and it is something I will certainly go back to the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, with. This is an area he is passionate about and he really has grabbed the bull by the horns in a sector that needs more support and more resources. I will certainly bring that back, but what I am going to outline here is the rationale for the change.

For children and young people with more complex needs, a special class can be provided and for children and young people with the most complex needs a special school place can be provided. Over 2,700 new special education places were provided for the 2025-26 school year, meaning there are now 3,741 special classes nationwide. The Department of Education and Youth will build on this figure next year by providing at least 3,000 new places, placing provision in locations where it is best placed to meet existing and future demand. In addition, 16 new special schools have been established in recent years. Special school capacity has also been expanded across a number of special schools nationwide. These schools are supported by the Department and the NCSE.

The NCSE will have a clear picture of local demand for special classes and special school places for the 2026-27 school year after staff review and assess all the information that has been provided through the parents’ notification process, which was closed on 1 October, as the Deputy referenced. The new timeline was published widely and communicated with schools, special education advocacy groups and parent representative bodies. The NCSE also undertook a lot of work at local level to ensure that families were aware of the timeline and process. There was an undertaking in terms of public awareness, but with any of these new systems there are always gaps. It is inevitable and it always happens in the first year. The earlier notification deadline was introduced this year to support forward planning and to earlier equip the NCSE with local information as to what students would be leaving school, transitioning to post-primary specialist places or those seeking specialist placement and entering the education system for the first time. This information is critical when examining where provision needs to be placed to meet demand. This earlier date in October coincides with when schools begin enrolment processes so affords parents the opportunity to enrol in existing classes.

Many mainstream schools, particularly at post-primary level, commence admissions processes for the following school year on 1 October annually. The NCSE is also working on sanctioning the majority of new special classes for the 2026-27 school year by 31 December 2025. This is four months earlier than last year and will bring clarity and certainty for both parents and schools as to where classes will be located. It will also afford greater lead-in times for schools that require repurposing or major building works to get works complete and allow schools to recruit staff and undertake the training needed so that children are fully supported in these placements. Once the NCSE has fully collated and assessed the information received from the Parents Notify process, it will engage with schools across the country to open new special classes. The council will also have due regard to any vacant places in existing special classes in any area and any places that will become available through the normal movement of children leaving a primary or post-primary school. The council advises that the majority of children and young people coming to it through the Parents Notify process are already enrolled in school and are being supported by existing special education teachers and special needs assistants. With any date for applications for supports, it is important that those who come forward after that date are assured that they are not forgotten or excluded from the system. I would like to stress that NCSE staff will continue to support all children made known to them after 1 October.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

I absolutely understand the need to forward plan and it is welcome. I have spoken to school principals who say that when this process is up and running properly, it will be a huge help to them, but as the Minister of State said, in the first year of this process, there are clear flaws and gaps in it and, unfortunately, children with additional needs or special needs are falling through those gaps and their parents are absolutely stressed to the eyeballs trying to figure out how they can get their children into a special class or get them the supports they need in education. I am finding the language used in the Minister's replies to parliamentary questions and, indeed, the language in this reply so frustrating. The NCSE say it is important for people who come forward after 1 October to be assured they are not forgotten or excluded from the system and that it will continue to support them. That has not happened. Parents who did not make the 1 October deadline have had no contact from the NCSE or SENOs. The NCSE portal stated guidance would be provided but seven weeks later, there is no update on that website. It is not fair on parents. Many children in my constituency of Wicklow have not been able to apply for a special class in the school in this enrolment period because they did not have that letter of eligibility and they are not going to get the support they need. This is a big problem that has been ignored for far too long. I ask that Deputy O'Sullivan brings that back to the Minister of State. I am seeking a meeting with the Minister of State to go through this with him. It is really important that he understands how this is impacting parents on the ground. This is not just a Wicklow issue. I was raising it on social media, and I had parents coming back to me from counties Kilkenny, Kildare and all over the country saying their children are in a similar situation. It is important that the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, understands the impact this is having.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

If the Deputy is seeking a meeting with the Minister of State, I will certainly mention that to him. We have seen this before with other changes in systems or structures; when something is intended to make something more efficient and help with forward planning, people are left behind in the initial phases. That should not be the case. It needs to be addressed if that is the case. Put simply, I will mention it to the Minister of State and make sure he knows the Deputy is seeking a meeting. At the very least, parents who for whatever reason did not see the notifications or the social media campaign that was undertaken to improve knowledge of this new system and did not get the messages or the communications - I have seen it happen before and school transport is an obvious example - should be communicated with and given some type of reassurance that they will be catered for and that efforts will be made. That is a very fair and straightforward ask. I will ensure that is communicated back to the Minister of State.

Public Transport

Deputy Dessie Ellis

I welcome the fact that the Luas Finglas extension railway order was granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála in October 2025. This marks a major milestone in the progress of a project long in the making and long overdue. The project involves extending the existing Broombridge Luas green line to Charlestown, which will add four new stops at St. Helena's, Finglas south, Finglas village, St. Margaret's Road and Charlestown Shopping Centre. All these areas, which the Luas extension is either going through or bordering on, are areas of high population. The extension will also carer for a 350 space car park-and-ride facility near the M50. The addition of this extra 4 km of Luas line will be of enormous benefit to the people and business community of Finglas who had good reason to believe that areas like Finglas were being neglected, marginalised and left behind when it came to such large-scale projects.

It is long past the time that Finglas had a project of such stature, which would vastly improve the quality of life for many residents of Finglas. The new BusConnects routes have given rise to concern among Finglas residents who have complained about the loss of direct bus connections, reduced bus frequencies and longer travel times. If the Luas extension was in place now, it might have mitigated many of these concerns. It will nevertheless improve connectivity and have enormous environmental benefits by taking approximately 440,000 private car journeys off the road along the route annually and extend the transport service to an additional 60,000 or more people. The project could also have been more ambitious and allowed the extension to cross the M50 to continue to the airport. We are past the first hurdle in attaining the railway order. There now follows the procurement process and, finally, the construction phase. We have seen time and again how major projects like this have begun with great fanfare and a proposed timeline for completion only for the timeline to slip significantly and costs escalate.

The current proposed timeline of 2031 for the completion of the construction of the extension is a problem. I am concerned that even this date is too far into the future and the project will slip further. The people of Finglas need this service and there should be no delay in progressing and completing it as soon as possible. Charlestown in Finglas has a growing population and people are already frustrated with regard to the public transport options or lack thereof.

The proposed date of construction is dependent on receiving the proper funding for the project. At present, the proposed cost of the project is €600 million. Apart from construction costs, there will be a significant cost in terms of land acquisition. A lot of money has already been spent before a sod has even been turned. I am concerned about the money being made available for the project and that it stays within budget.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the quality and design of the planned cycle paths which have been described as substandard and disjointed. There also needs to be a community gain to offset the clear impact the project will have on local communities. This is something that needs to be included in the delivery of the project.

The route of the Luas to Finglas extension was changed in order to go round pitches at Farnham Drive and those used by Erin's Isle GAA Club and Rivermount Football Club. These clubs have to be facilitated and an all-weather pitch must be constructed to cater for the needs of the clubs and community.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

I thank Deputy Ellis for raising this issue. The extension of the Luas line to Finglas is something everyone can get behind. It is great to hear it has support right across the board. In fairness, the decision was made in October 2025, when the sanction was given for the project. It is a bit early to say that we are delaying anything. I genuinely feel that there is an urgency about delivering this.

Improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving citizens' quality of life and achieving our decarbonisation goals. Achieving these goals has been set out in the programme for Government. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for transport planning in the greater Dublin area. The Luas Finglas project is one of four proposed Luas tram network extensions identified in the NTA transport strategy for the greater Dublin area 2022-2042, approved by the Minister for Transport and published in January 2023. The most advanced of the Luas schemes in this transport strategy is the Luas Finglas extension.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, submitted a planning application to An Coimisiún Pleanála in November 2024 for this project. Thankfully, An Coimisiún Pleanála granted the Luas Finglas railway order in October 2025. The project involves a 3.9 km extension to the Dublin Luas tram network from Broombridge to Finglas. The route will serve an estimated population of 56,000 by 2035, at four new tram stops for communities in the Finglas area: St. Helena’s; Finglas village; St. Margaret’s Road; and Charlestown. The Luas Finglas project will facilitate a number of medium to longer-term opportunities for transport orientated development, TOD, identified at sites in Broombridge, Dunsink, Jamestown and Charlestown, with an estimated capacity for over 10,000 new residential dwellings.

The project will also serve people beyond those communities through interchanges with the bus network and rail services at Broombridge train station, which is on the planned DART+ West line. In addition, the project provides for a 350 vehicle park-and-ride facility at St. Margaret’s Road stop, close to the M50 and M2 interchange. In the transport strategy, Luas Finglas is identified as a medium-term proposal in the strategy, scheduled for delivery within the 2031-2036 timeframe.

The Government fully understands the merits of the project. As a result, it is one of a number of projects that have been highlighted by the Minister for Transport for possible acceleration as part of the review of the national development plan, NDP, which was completed by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in July this year. The review of the NDP has confirmed the Department of Transport’s annual capital allocations from 2026 to 2030. The Department is currently reviewing key programmes and projects in the transport sector, including Luas, in the context of that capital funding envelope and a decision on a programme of delivery within the available funding will be made shortly. A related sectoral plan for transport is expected to be published in the coming weeks and this will include a clear indication on plans for Luas Finglas, which I look forward to.

The Deputy can see the NDP identifies accelerating the extension of the Luas to Finglas. That is very much welcome. As I said, An Coimisiún Pleanála made a decision last month. It is a project we can start getting excited about. I understand the concerns because we have been here before with many transport projects which have been delayed for various reasons. If the community wants it and the political will is there, I do not see why it cannot be delivered at pace.

Deputy Dessie Ellis

I thank the Minister of State. There is an urgency in moving ahead. There are major plans to develop the area. Finglas village will be redeveloped. Charlestown will be affected. A large number of apartments are being built across the area and the population is growing. I have dealt with metro north and in terms of the number of meetings I went to and the commitments that were made and broken, one after another, I must have attended 100 meetings over the years. I have attended a number of meetings in regard to the Luas. It bugged me when I saw a reference to potential completion by 2031. It does not sound like the project will be completed by 2031. I wish it was done earlier. I am afraid things will slip and the project will be dragged out.

The community gain is important. People have conceded a lot of space. The football pitches in Farnham will be affected, namely Erin's Isle and Rivermount. We need some community gain as a result. I spoke to the NTA about providing an all-weather pitch. If it is taking some pitches and part of the park it needs to reciprocate. That is important. The Government said this is a priority and it is in the NDP, which is fine, but it needs to move fast. We cannot sit back, which has happened before, while timeline after timeline disappears. I urge the Minister of State to push for the project because it is badly needed.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

In the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, we have a Minister who has highlighted the project as being one he considers as meriting acceleration. My reply states that it is one of the projects highlighted by the Minister for Transport for possible acceleration as part of the review of the NDP which was completed recently. It has clearly been identified as something that can be brought forward, possibly ahead of the usual timelines for the delivery of projects such as this.

As I said, something like a Luas extension is far less controversial and easier for communities to buy into than other forms of transport. We have seen issues with BusConnects. Metrolink has not been smooth sailing. The extension of a Luas has many benefits and is something everyone can get behind.

I take the point of the Deputy on various playing pitches and the opportunity to see benefits. In the grand scheme of the cost of a project like this, an all-weather pitch is probably a small price to pay. I am not sure how that would work out in the long term. It is something the Minister will have to consider. It is all good.

Deputy Byrne has tabled a Topical Issue which seeks something similar to this. What the Deputy is looking for is probably far more realistic and can be delivered within a short period of time. Many areas would love to have the type of timelines we are talking about. We talk about large projects and how quickly they can be delivered. I think we will all be alive to see this project delivered.

Antisocial Behaviour

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí

Darndale Park playground was vandalised in May and closed, needing repair, by Dublin City Council. Eco toilets were installed recently in St. Anne's Park and a week later, on 26 October, they were set on fire. Kilmore playground was lobbied and campaigned for by the local community for years. The city council went through a big process to put the facility in, and rightly so. Last Sunday, there was an arson attack on the playground. I went there the day after the attack. The Minister of State can see how it looks now from the picture I have in my hand. The city council had to close it because it is not safe for use. That is a playground gone.

The next picture shows Howth community garden, off Tuckett's Lane at the back of Scoil Mhuire. Three days ago, an eating area was torched and vandalised and is now unusable for the community. A playground at Diamond Park in the north inner city, just off Gardiner Street, was vandalised in July and again on Hallowe'en night. There was a big fire in Sean Moore Park, near Poolbeg, in September. Bridgefoot Street Park in The Liberties was vandalised in October.

There is too much of this going on. Communities cannot wear this as a strategy. It has been raised at local level and I am raising it here because I want to know whether there is a pattern to it. There have been an awful lot of incidents across the city. The Lord Mayor, Ray McAdam, has raised this with An Garda Síochána. I raise the issue here today because I want to hear that the courts and the Department of justice are taking it seriously and dealing with it. There is a lot of this happening. If there is a pattern here, if this activity is organised, we need to get to the bottom of it, take it on and deal with it.

All communities should be able to have nice things. These communities have lobbied for these nice things. The Minister of State has a very good sense of the importance to communities, including in his own area, of playgrounds and green facilities. I raise this issue with him with a view to the Department of justice taking it seriously and working with the relevant authorities to get to the bottom of it.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, desperately wanted to be here to take it because he feels so strongly about it. Unfortunately, at the last minute, he had to step away and I stepped into his place. I wanted to relay that message.

My heart goes out to the communities the Deputy mentioned. I have sat in this Chamber and in council chambers many times listening to people crying out for amenities such as public toilets and playgrounds. The amount of community effort that goes into delivering a playground in a community is extraordinary. Sometimes, fundraising is done within the community and, other times, community groups come together, working with the local authority and with LEADER funding, to deliver playgrounds. To see the pointless destruction of these incredible community facilities is really disappointing. Fair play to the Deputy for raising it. I hope my reply will be useful in highlighting possible solutions.

Damage to community facilities is not only unacceptable; it is reprehensible. Every playground, park and public space represents considerable investment not only in financial terms but also in terms of time and effort from the community, the local authorities and their staff and the contractors who build these wonderful facilities. Setting playgrounds or parks alight is not harmless fun. It is a sign of disrespect to one's neighbours and one's community. It prevents the wider community, including children, from using amenities that are often the heart of the local area.

At the end of September 2025, the Garda workforce was at its highest in history, standing at over 18,000 people. This comprises 14,325 members, 3,483 staff and 293 reserves. As of the same date, 3,836 Garda members were assigned to the Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, with 471 Garda staff also working across the region. Of these, 766 Garda members and 70 Garda staff are assigned to DMR north.

The greatest demand from the public to the Minister for justice is for more gardaí on our streets and in our villages and towns. People want to see more gardaí throughout their communities, as does the Minister and every Member of this House. Nearly 200 new gardaí attested last Friday. On Monday, more than 220 Garda recruits entered Templemore to commence their training. This is the largest intake of Garda trainees in over ten years. Gardaí work tirelessly to keep our city safe for residents and visitors alike. When incidents occur, they respond quickly, effectively and with a graduated response.

The Minister is conscious of the damaging impact on quality of life that crime can have in our communities. The Government is committed to tackling crime and building safer streets and stronger communities through a number of ongoing measures, including: the introduction of local community safety partnerships around the country to develop tailored community safety plans for every area; continued expansion of youth justice and youth diversion measures; new laws to criminalise the grooming of children into a life of crime; and the deployment of body-worn cameras by gardaí in Dublin city centre, Waterford and Limerick in 2024, with nationwide roll-out to follow. Other actions are contained in the programme for Government to reduce instances of antisocial behaviour and help people to be safe and feel safe in their local communities. These include a commitment to enact legislation to combat antisocial behaviour through enhanced use of antisocial behaviour warnings and antisocial behaviour orders. Work to progress these commitments has commenced.

That covers the general approach in terms of tackling antisocial behaviour. However, there seems to be a specific issue in the Dublin area. There is almost a type of copycat activity happening where it is becoming the done thing to target community facilities. The Deputy gave a large number of examples. It is saddening to see. I am sure the Minister will work with the Dublin local authorities and An Garda Síochána to ensure the issue is tackled in some way. I commend the fire crews who had to respond to these incidents very quickly.

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I call for anybody who has any information on any of these incidents, particularly in my area of Dublin Bay North, to report them to Coolock Garda station. We must get to the bottom of this.

By way of more background on Darndale Park, I received an email from a teacher in Our Lady Immaculate school in Darndale. She states: "The playground located behind the school has been closed on over 600 children between the two schools and the Jigsaw crèche. [They] have missed out on the chance to play there since May." They continue to miss out on that chance. Darndale is a long-standing area and one with deprivation. It is beyond belief that people would do that to their own communities.

The eco toilets in St. Anne's Park were put in mainly for the use of under-age girls' teams. There are no changing facilities on that edge of the park. It meant teams coming from afar to play on the pitches in St. Anne's Park would have toilets to use. Those toilets were wrecked.

In the case of Kilmore, all my council colleagues, and I was on the council until last year, campaigned for that playground for a long time. They badgered the city council into delivering a playground in Kilmore Park. Within weeks of it opening, the city council had to lock it because it had been damaged.

It is kind of depressing. I am a fairly reasonable and rational person but this stuff makes me angry. Communities deserve to have decent facilities. People deserve to be able to play and enjoy the outdoors in facilities like these. They are used by many different people and groups in so many different ways. The one thing they all share is that they use them for enjoyment. Now they have been wrecked. I appreciate the Minister of State's comments on the number of incidents. It looks like something else is going on here. I reinforce that point and ask again that, as he suggested, the Minister take it up in the Department to try to get to the bottom of it.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

The local community safety partnerships build on and replace the existing joint policing committees, bringing together gardaí, local representatives, community organisations and representatives of local authorities and other State bodies to draft a community safety plan tailored to community needs. No one knows better what is needed by a community than those who live in it. The Minister signed the regulations to establish the safety partnerships and they came into operation on Monday, 30 June. This paves the way for a total of 36 partnerships to be established across the country, with partnerships in each local authority administrative area. There will be one in each of the Dublin City Council administrative areas, with five in total.

I am not sure on the ground if that has come to realisation yet. That could be an opportunity to try to crack down on this. The Deputy eloquently highlighted the importance of these amenities. I imagine the Dublin city councillors, parents and community activists involved in getting toilet facilities or playgrounds up and running must be disheartened and gutted to see this happen. It is easier said than done to stop it. I question the mindset of anybody who goes out with the intention of targeting an amenity like this. In the towns in my constituency, if a playground were closed for whatever reason, the community would feel such a loss especially families. We are getting bigger towns and bigger urban areas. They need these types of amenities. I will reflect and report back the Deputy's comments to the Minister for justice.

Road Network

Deputy Malcolm Byrne

I appreciate the Minister of State coming to take this Topical Issue. I am not sure if in his earlier answer he was committing to bringing the Luas to the Wicklow-Wexford constituency but if he can, I will welcome it. We will welcome any improvement to rail services. I deeply love where I come from. We have some of the best beaches in the country and wonderful community life in all our towns and rural areas but many people have to commute to work or college. Part of that is due to the continued failure of the IDA to arrange for visits to the Wicklow-Wexford constituency. A lot of people are commuting out of our communities. Primarily, they travel to Dublin. Based on CSO statistics, 2,170 people commute from Gorey daily for work purposes, from Arklow, 2,723, from Courtown, 1,050 and from Rathdrum, 544. That is 6,500 people commuting primarily along the M11 to Dublin every day for work purposes. For those who have to commute an hour or more to get to either their place of work or study every day - significant numbers go to Dublin for study - as a proportion of the overall numbers moving, in Gorey, it is 19.2%, in Arklow, it is 17.6%, in Rathdrum, it is 23.8% and in Courtown-Riverchapel, it is 25.1%. We have a significant commuting population. What is the State's response to that?

There is an increasingly clogged M11. If I wanted to ensure I was here for 9 a.m. on most mornings, I would have to leave Gorey at 6 a.m. Having been a commuter even during the height of the Celtic tiger, it never had to be as early. If the weather is bad - the Ceann Comhairle knows this - or there is an incident along the M11, it is impossible. Part of this is due to varying speed limits along the M11. I am a great believer in public transport. There is a good service provided by Wexford Bus and most of the time by Bus Éireann Expressway, although I am concerned at reports it is considering the service. We do not have a realistic rail alternative. From Gorey, Arklow and Rathdrum, there are only six daily rail services. For towns equidistant from the capital such as Carlow, there are 11 services, from Drogheda or Dundalk, there are 16 and from Portlaoise there are 32. When I posed a question to Irish Rail, even though there are plans to extend the DART to Wicklow, on what plans it had for the rail service south of Wicklow town, which would service Rathdrum, Arklow and Gorey, it only answered what it is doing in terms of the DART extension. When it comes to rolling stock, the last bits of rolling stock are provided to the Rosslare rail line. There is no realistic alternative. We have 6,500 or more people every day travelling for the most on the M11 and yet there seems to be no plan from the Government or the Department of Transport to alleviate the challenges they face.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

I have known Deputy Byrne for a while and what a proponent he is of public transport and improving it, reducing congestion and emissions. It has always been something he has believed in. It is hard to dispute what he presented. Even if half of those 6,500 could be gotten into train carriages, the difference it would make on the M11 would be significant. I will outline some of the infrastructure and plans for expansion of rail services. In Wexford, the N11 or N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour project, which has received an allocation of €4 million for 2025 is currently in the design and environmental evaluation phase. This would deliver safety improvements to the N11 and N25 corridors in addition to improving regional connectivity and ensuring that the increased volume of freight traffic using Rosslare Europort can be accommodated. Some €2 million has also been allocated for the Rosslare Europort access road - Rosslare Port adds to the M11 traffic issues. In Wicklow, €1.45 million has been allocated to the N11 bus priority interim scheme which would deliver improved safety and bus priority measures on a section of the N11 in the Bray-Kilmacanogue area. Work is continuing on the DART+ programme which will double the peak-hour capacity and triple the length of the existing DART network. As part of this programme, DART+ Coastal South involves an improvement to DART services on the existing DART line south of Dublin city with the current focus on enhancing services between Bray and Greystones. Stage 1 of the project will increase train frequency from two to three trains per hour from Bray to Greystones, while stage 2 will boost train frequency from six to 12 trains per hour between Dublin Connolly and Bray. Last month, Iarnród Éireann commenced a non-statutory public consultation on the emerging preferred option for stage 1 of DART+ Coastal South which will run until December.

The NTA greater Dublin area transport strategy 2022-2042 adopted in 2023 included a recommendation to extend the DART service to Wicklow town. Extending the DART to Wicklow is also supported in the all-island strategic rail review published in July last year. I understand this extension can be facilitated through utilising the new battery-electric DART carriages which arrived in Ireland in late 2024 and are currently undergoing testing. The new battery-electric DART carriages will first be deployed on the busy northern commuter line from Dublin Connolly to Drogheda from 2027. As more carriages arrive, they can be deployed to extend DART services to and from Wicklow from around 2029 onwards. This should provide an improvement in capacity to the people of Wicklow.

In relation to overcrowding currently being experienced on the Rosslare line, Iarnród Éireann is operating all available fleet at the busiest times to meet record demand it is experiencing on all routes. As a result, there is currently no additional fleet available to further increase capacity on the Gorey-Wicklow to Dublin commuter services. There is potential to examine the deployment of new rail fleet as it becomes available, including fleet released as a result of the entry into service of the new DART+ fleet. Iarnród Éireann will keep options for future fleet deployment under review subject to NTA approval. It is not the answer the Deputy is looking for. It is easy for me to say this; I am not the Minister for Transport. I am here representing him today. It sounds like the addition of a few carriages, if that could be accommodated, would make a whole lot of difference to commuters from that area and also for those who continue to use the M11. It is certainly something I will go back to the Minister with and I know the Deputy has talked to him about it as well.

Deputy Malcolm Byrne

I appreciate that the Minister of State is only providing the answer on the part of the Department of Transport but it shows why I have very little confidence in that Department or the NTA on delivery. I am a huge supporter of completing the M11 from Oilgate to Rosslare. That will not assist in any way the 6,500 daily commuters who for the most part are moving north but let us move on with it as quickly as possible. There is no real significant improvement in what will happen on the N11-M11. I had to laugh because it is very similar to the answer I got from Irish Rail. The Minister of State is just confirming that as far as Irish Rail is concerned, south of Wicklow town, it does not really care.

In the context of the reference to new rail carriages on the route to Drogheda, I despair about the level of interest that is there. I support talk about doubling the track from Dublin to Belfast and moving from two to four lines. In that context, I have a simple request. Can we double the Rosslare rail line from a single line to two? When it comes to challenges we will face in the future, Irish Rail is spending huge sums of money on dealing with coastal erosion. Why not invest that money in ensuring that we have a proper rail line, even if we have to move it further inland?

I am disappointed with the response. I appreciate that the Minister of State is answering on behalf of the Minister. I will seek an urgent meeting with the Minister on this matter because the clear message coming back to people in Wicklow and Wexford who commute by rail is that there is no plan whatsoever to try to alleviate the continuing problems.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

I fully understand the Deputy's frustration in terms of the answer. I also appreciate the frustration of the people he represents in Wicklow-Wexford who have to make this journey in the context of the time of the morning they have to get up in order to make it to work on time. The reply did not give them the comfort that the Deputy would like to give them.

The Deputy referred to Carlow having a service 11 times per day. I do not know the engineering restrictions or the restrictions that apply in respect of the track from Rosslare. I also do not know what is constraining Iarnród Éireann from increasing the frequency of services on the Rosslare line to 11 per day. If that was a target or was something that could be worked on or teased out, it would provide a lot of relief in terms of capacity on the line. Perhaps there is some type of engineering or capacity issue that I am not aware of. It is something worth exploring further. I do not see why it can be done in respect of Carlow but not Rosslare. I will ensure that the Minister for Transport is made aware of the details of this matter. I know the Deputy will not be shy and will not retreat from trying to obtain a meeting with him. However, I will ensure that he knows how important a project this is for the Deputy.

Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 20 Nov 2025