Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Wednesday, 6 May 2026

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Tax Code

Deputy Eamon Scanlon

I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak on this issue. I know I am not the only TD who has been contacted by parents who want to pass a property from one generation to the next. At its heart, this is not about tax breaks for the wealthy; it is about fairness, stability and the ability of ordinary families to plan their futures without being overwhelmed by financial pressures that are, in many cases, disproportionate and unnecessary.

One family contacted me recently and their case illustrates the problem clearly. They own a second property and they want to gift it to their adult child, so that it will become their home. Before they can make the transfer, they face a capital gains tax bill which in their case is somewhere between €70,000 and €75,000. They simply do not have that kind of money. On top of that, they remain liable for tax on the property even when no rent is being collected. This is not an isolated case. This is a hardworking family who have never asked for anything from the State. They work, they pay their taxes, they cover college fees and they contribute to their community. They are not opposed to capital gains tax in principle but a 33% rate on a property they are not selling is excessive by any measure. The reality is stark. Their child is now considering emigrating, leaving behind a good job, because they do not want their parents burdened with a massive tax bill. That is the human cost of the current system.

Across the country, families who have worked for decades to build security are finding that transferring a property to their children triggers a tax burden that simply does not reflect the reality of their circumstances. These are not investment properties or speculative assets. In many cases, the property is the only significant asset a family has and the intention is not for profit but for continuity, stability and giving the next generation a foothold in the housing market. We already have models that balance support with safeguards. The vacant property refurbishment grant, for example, requires owners to live or rent out the property for a minimum of five years. That protects the integrity of the scheme while still delivering meaningful help to families and communities. A similar safeguard can and should apply.

It is entirely reasonable to require that the property becomes the child's principal private residence for, say, ten years. Such a condition would ensure the measure supports genuine family transfers rather than speculative behaviour. This approach would strike the right balance. It would ease the financial pressure on families who simply want to keep a home in the family while ensuring the tax system remains fair, transparent and resistant to abuse. It would help younger generations put down roots at a time when housing affordability is one of the greatest challenges they face and, crucially, it would allow parents to pass on property without the fear of being hit with a large capital gains tax bill on a gain they never actually receive because the property is not being sold; it is being gifted.

Parents should not have to pay capital gains tax when transferring a second property to a son or daughter who will use it as their family home. That is the principle at stake and it is one we should be willing to stand over.

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Deputy Marian Harkin)

I thank Deputy Scanlon for raising this important issue. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Finance. The Deputy will be aware that capital gains tax, CGT, is a tax on the gain that arises on the disposal of an asset. The chargeable gain of an asset is the difference between the amount a person received for it - in other words, the sale price - the amount a person paid for it, the purchase price, and any allowable expenses in the meantime. Capital gains tax arises not just on the sale of an asset but also on the transfer or gift of an asset from one individual to another, and that is the issue the Deputy is raising here. Capital gains tax is payable by the disponer of the asset and the current rate is 33%. The first €1,270 of chargeable gains of an individual in any year are exempt from capital gains tax. The rate at which capital gains is charged has varied both upwards and downwards since its introduction back in 1975, and the present rate of 33% has been in place since 2012. It is understood that Deputy Scanlon is referencing a situation where a person is selling a second house, such as an investment property, for the purpose of providing funds to a child to buy their own house and, as such, no relief from capital gains tax applies.

While capital gains tax makes up only a small proportion of overall taxes, it is considered an integral part of the overall taxation system due to the need to ensure as broad a tax base as possible. The purpose of capital gains tax is to ensure fairness. It ensures taxation is not focused solely on income tax and that those who benefit from gains in the value of their assets are included within the tax net on an equitable basis. In doing so, we can limit the need for increases in income tax rates and secure the sustainability of the taxation system against future challenges.

While capital gains tax is a broad-based tax, which applies across the board to virtually all gains that a person can incur, appropriate reliefs are provided in particular circumstances. For instance, section 604 of the 1997 Act provides relief from capital gains tax on the disposal of a person’s principal private residence. A principal private residence is defined as any dwelling house, together with surrounding land, occupied as gardens or grounds up to an area of 1 acre. There is no requirement to pay capital gains tax on gains accrued if such a house is sold. An individual, married couple or civil partners cannot have more than one principal private residence at any one time. The Deputy should note that there may be difficulties with unintended consequences if the rate of capital gains tax were reduced for one category alone. If that were to happen, it would be difficult to distinguish in legislation such a property from other circumstances where second properties are sold, for example, paying off a loan or providing for a pension. There may also be a possible State aid dimension to such a proposal due to the targeting of the measure. In such circumstances, where a reduction to the overall rate of capital gains tax was necessitated, there would be a significant Exchequer cost. For instance, a 5% reduction would result in a cost to the Exchequer of €436 million.

Deputy Eamon Scanlon

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I am pointing out that where there is a gain somebody is definitely entitled to pay capital gains tax but, unfortunately, the parent who hands over that property has no gain, gets no money and has to pay out maybe €70,000 or €75,000. In this particular case I raised, they may have to pay out €70,000 or €75,000 in capital gains tax, despite the fact they do not get any funds whatsoever. They are gifting the house to one of their family members. In these times with such pressure on young people and young families to try to get a home for themselves, it is something that should be looked at in the coming budget.

Deputy Marian Harkin

I thank the Deputy for bringing this issue to the House. The rate that capital gains tax is charged at has varied upwards and downwards. The truth is that the existence of capital gains tax can help maintain a balance between the rate of taxation of capital assets and the higher rate of income tax. It can also prevent tax planning behaviour. There are a number of targeted reliefs from capital gains tax, including principal private residence relief as well as retirement relief and revised entrepreneur relief. It is often the case that significant exemptions often require a higher rate to generate an appropriate yield.

As the Deputy is aware, the programme for Government commits to maintaining a broad tax base to guard against the need for a countercyclical fiscal policy in the event of a downturn and to prepare for future budgetary challenges related to population ageing. Capital gains tax is part of a system to ensure a wide taxation base reducing the burden on income tax that is tax on labour. I assure the Deputy, as with all taxes, that capital gains tax is subject to ongoing review which involves the consideration and assessment of the rate of capital gains and the relevant reliefs and exemptions from capital gains tax. Capital gains tax policy and legislation are reviewed as part of the annual budget and Finance Bill process, and is part of wider tax policy considerations. That same consideration will take place this year. It will be kept under ongoing review most particularly in light of the upcoming budget. That is an opportunity for the Deputy to make his case.

Labour Court

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State for being here. A Labour Court recommendation on 22 October 2022 recommended that Stryker management in Carrigtohill should enter into negotiations with SIPTU, with a view to concluding a collective agreement that covers procedural arrangements within which normal industrial relations business can be conducted. It would have given members a voice at the negotiating table so that serious issues, such as improving health and safety standards, at both plants in Cork would be addressed. I raise this because it goes back to 2018. The said factory was subject to a Cork City Council health and safety motion. That was ignored. Around 2021, I was involved with Deputy Mairéad Farrell and former Minister, Michael McGrath, on the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 because I had possession of a protected disclosure on the failings of all the health and safety in this. I went to three separate taoisigh over a number of years on this. I have met with the HSE on this. There is a High Court case running at the moment. I will be careful not to mention any more about that, but it has been delayed continuously.

Multinationals are coming into this country and they can rickshaw over Government policy. They will not recognise unions. Unfortunately, between working on protected disclosures - in protected disclosure law the most important one is the reversal of burden of proof for whistleblowers today who have more powers - and in my experience of dealing with this specific protected disclosure, every one of those whistleblowers were got at, so they have disappeared. I do not know about that court case I mentioned. When you are given a protected disclosure specifically on health and safety issues, you are duty-bound to report it. I do not know whether the DPP has got that evidence. That is serious. I do not know how to find out, which is very serious. If we move onto 2023, after numerous articles in most of the national papers reporting the failures in health and safety on this, we had a fatality. It is three years on and that family are still in limbo because that company is ignoring them. The company has refused to engage with any union.

As recently as last week, I got another anonymous letter mentioning the said company and another pharmaceutical company in Cork, which I will not mention. I am here like anybody else as an elected representative and people put trust in us. These were red flags going back to 2018. We are now in 2026. If we go from 2018 to 2023, it had at least four to five major incidents where people were hospitalised. Health and safety were ignored. We are talking about titanium fires. I contacted Cork County Fire Service. It cannot put out a titanium fire. This individual died by burning. Titanium burns at around 2,000°F. To this day, I am stuck in limbo here. That is why I wanted to raise this tonight. The Labour Court recommendation is just to engage with unions that were concerned about health and safety. This is the decision in October 2022. We are now in May 2026. Nothing has moved forward. We have had a fatality. We have also had some major incidents that have been reported where people were left out in the car park - three in particular - with no health and safety officer. Nobody knew whether it was water, oil, gas or air before they were hospitalised. There is a breakdown in communications.

I am just trying to understand why these companies will not engage in respect of the Labour Court recommendations. In this country, we have unions, and people have a right to be represented.

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Deputy Marian Harkin)

I thank Deputy Buckley for raising this very important issue. I have been asked to respond on behalf of my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon.

Volunteerism has long been a defining feature of Irish industrial relations. It respects the autonomy of employers and workers, places a strong emphasis on dialogue and engagement and has served the State well over many decades. This model remains central to maintaining a stable and balanced industrial relations architecture. However, volunteerism also carries responsibilities with it for all parties. When disputes arise and engagement at workplace level breaks down, the State provides well-established institutions to support resolution. Chief among these is the Labour Court, which plays a vital role in offering independent, reasoned guidance aimed at restoring stability and constructive relations. Under Ireland's voluntary system, Labour Court recommendations in industrial relations disputes are generally non-binding. This is a long-standing and accepted feature of the framework. Nevertheless, such recommendations are intended to be treated with seriousness by both parties. They are the product of careful consideration of evidence and competing interests and are designed to support renewed engagement and resolution where voluntary processes have failed.

I should also draw a clear distinction between industrial relations recommendations and decisions of the Labour Court made under employment rights legislation. Decisions under the latter - such as those relating to unfair dismissal or payment of wages - are legally binding and enforceable. Industrial relations recommendations, by contrast, are not for the reasons I have outlined. In essence, this reflects the Labour Court's central role in upholding statutory employment protections and the confidence placed by the State in its expertise and independence.

At the heart of many disputes is the issue of voice - that is the ability of workers to raise concerns in a structured and orderly way and the ability of employers to have their perspectives heard. Labour Court recommendations frequently seek to establish or strengthen procedural frameworks that allow normal industrial relations business to be conducted between the respective parties without disputes escalating. This is particularly important in sensitive and high-impact areas such as health and safety, workplace change and terms and conditions. These matters are best addressed through engagement, dialogue and the confidence that both sides will be heard.

It is important to say that volunteerism does not mean the absence of structure, nor does it mean that guidance from the State's highest industrial relations body can be set aside without consequence. A voluntary system relies on mutual trust and a shared commitment to engage in good faith when difficulties arise. When recommendations designed to promote dialogue are disregarded, workers may reasonably ask where they are expected to turn to resolve disputes constructively.

I also acknowledge, as Deputy Buckley did, the tragic incident that occurred at Stryker in 2023. As investigations remain ongoing, however,it would not be appropriate to comment further on that workplace fatality at this time, but I did hear what he had to say. Any concerns regarding workplace health and safety can be raised directly with the Health and Safety Authority, which enjoys considerable legislative powers to inquire into and enforce occupational health and safety standards.

If it is any help to the Deputy, I heard both what he said and his sincerity. I will bring this issue to the attention of the Minister.

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State for her response. She stated, "When disputes arise and engagement at workplace level breaks down, the State provides well-established institutions to support resolution." I understand that the Labour Court recommendations are generally non-binding. She also stated, "Nevertheless, such recommendations are intended to be treated with seriousness by both parties." I understand that she cannot comment on the case, but I want to follow up on what she said about the recommendations being treated with seriousness by both parties.

In 2018, when Cork City Council had a health and safety motion before it, I engaged with the Health and Safety Authority, HSA. It took a lot of work and it was difficult, but the families involved are relatively happy with the HSA. I have brought this up many times; it is frustrating. We have to wait for Europe to change the law on protected disclosures before we can change anything. In fairness, it was done by mutual consent in this Parliament. An office was set up. I met with the HSA prior to these accidents. It is not being taken seriously. I ask the Minister of State to put herself in my position. I have gone through three taoisigh in the context of protected disclosures. I have tried to raise the matter. I spent 18 months working on protected disclosure legislation in order to strengthen it for whistleblowers. I discovered that there have been constant breaches of health and safety standards, accidents and leakages in the meantime. I could write a book on the subject.

How does the Minister of State think that makes me feel as a human being when I am sitting at home and hear that there has been a fatality? I feel that I have failed everybody in the factory who came to me. We are here again in 2026. I understand where the Minister of State is going, but I want to get on the record that the matter has not been sorted, that the union is not being recognised, that the company is ignoring everybody, that the family is being destroyed, that a person is dead and that nobody provides answers. All I am getting is that the matter is before the courts and that we cannot say anything. I am saying it now that this is not good enough. We have a separate protected disclosures office. It should have the power to investigate because that is what the protected disclosures legislation was for.

Deputy Marian Harkin

I go back to what I said initially, which is that our system of industrial relations is built on volunteerism, which is a model that values engagement, respect and good faith over compulsion. It has delivered stability and progress precisely because it prioritises dialogue rather than conflict. As I said, however, volunteerism only works when all parties participate responsibly.

The Labour Court plays a central and indispensable role within the system. While its recommendations in industrial relations disputes are generally non-binding, they are neither incidental nor optional. They represent the considered judgment of the State's highest industrial relations body and are intended to guide parties back towards constructive engagement, and they are expected to be taken seriously.

It is also important to recognise that the Labour Court's authority is firmly established in law. When recommendations designed to promote dialogue and provide workers with structured voice are set aside, confidence in the voluntary system is undermined and, as I said earlier, workers are left uncertain as to where they should turn. This debate is not about mandating outcomes or moving away from volunteerism; it is about reinforcing its foundations, namely engagement, good faith and respect for our industrial relations institutions. If volunteerism is to remain credible, Labour Court recommendations must be treated as more than advisory comment. They should be understood for what they are, a roadmap back to stability, fairness and mutual respect in the workplace. The Labour Court fulfils its role and it is incumbent on all parties to do the same.

The Government's action plan to promote collective bargaining demonstrates a clear commitment to further strengthening the industrial relations framework through structured engagement with the social partners, improved data and practical initiatives, including public procurement pilots. The focus remains on expanding effective collective bargaining coverage and improving pay, working conditions and overall quality of life. As I said, I will speak to the Minister.

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State.

Health Services

Deputy Mark Ward

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. I am disappointed that the Minister for Health - or a Minister of State with a health brief - is not here to respond to the debate.

I have been informed by some of my constituents about unacceptable waiting times for occupational therapy. Occupational therapy is important for people who may have suffered an injury that requires their home to be adapted. An occupational therapist will visit a person's home and compile a report in respect of the disabled person's grant The relevant form cannot be completed without an occupational therapy report. The form will not be accepted by South Dublin County Council without such a report, so it is vital.

I will speak about three of my constituents who received this news.

I have their permission to mention them tonight.

Larry is to turn 80 this year. He needs a stairlift installed in his home because he has a pacemaker due to a heart condition and is regularly out of breath. I contacted the HSE for Larry and the response I got was that he would be waiting 330 weeks for an appointment. That is over six years. The Minister of State has to agree that a six-year waiting list for an occupational therapist for anybody is unacceptable. I am lost for words that an 80-year-old man was told he must wait six years for occupational therapy. I was speaking to Larry myself and he told me that when you get to 80, you are lucky to think six months down the line, never mind six years.

Angela is a woman in my constituency. She is not 50 and broke her hips two years ago. She has not been able to go up the stairs in her home since. She has told me she has to travel to her daughter's home in a different county just to be able to wash herself. She has also been told she will be waiting 330 weeks for an appointment.

Sarah-Jane is a young woman in her 30s but she has mobility issues and needs the assistance of her 71-year-old mother to be able to shower. Her mother is finding this more difficult over time. Sarah-Jane was referred in March 2022 for an occupational therapy appointment so she could adapt her home. She was not told she would have one in 330 weeks like the other two constituents; rather, she was told there was no appointment date for her. She is not even getting an appointment in six years.

Such delays are having an abject impact on people's quality of life. These are just three cases. I could mention more from my constituency. I have written to the Minister for Health and have requested that she urgently examine these cases and introduce the necessary measures. I do not know what the Minister of State's response will be, but if it is a matter of a staffing issue, it must be addressed urgently. Six years is far too long to wait.

Furthermore, there is a postcode lottery for care in Dublin Mid-West. If the three people I mentioned were in a catchment area in the constituency with a different primary healthcare centre, I expect they would not have to wait so long. Care should be based on need, not on where you live. Also, it should not be based on the ability to pay.

In the response I received for Sarah-Jane, the HSE advised her to go private. A public health service that is in place to serve the public is telling patients they should go private. The HSE also told Sarah-Jane she needs to recoup the costs from South Dublin County Council. I have been a councillor and know how South Dublin County Council works. It is not possible for residents in council homes to recoup the cost of private occupational therapists from South Dublin County Council. However, if Sarah-Jane lived in a private home and paid for private healthcare, she could recoup the costs. This is a two-tier system that discriminates against those who rely on the public health service. There is nobody who is not on the same page. I do not think there is a person in this House who would agree a six-year wait for an occupational therapist, so people's quality of life can improve, is acceptable. I am looking forward to hearing the Minister of State's response.

Deputy Marian Harkin

The Minister for Health has asked me to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and for the opportunity to update the House on it. He has outlined it very clearly. On behalf of the Minister, I fully acknowledge that waiting lists for primary care therapies, including occupational therapy, are far too long. She recognises that people waiting years to access these services is simply unacceptable.

It is important to recognise that overall activity within the eight core primary care therapies is significant, with approximately 1.3 million appointments having been provided across occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, speech and language therapy, audiology, ophthalmology and podiatry services in 2025. However, the HSE has advised that the increased pressure and demands on primary care therapy services are related to an increase in referrals, the increasing complexity of presentations, which of course leads to longer interventions, and challenges related to the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals.

The recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, in particular therapy professionals, remain a challenge across the health, education and disability sectors and comprise one of the key causal factors impacting primary care therapy waiting lists.

The HSE has advised that, in integrated healthcare area, IHA, Dublin South West and IHA Dublin South City and West, waiting times are particularly long because demand exceeds the current service capacity. In response, referrals are being triaged and prioritised on the basis of assessed clinical need so those most in need are seen as soon as possible.

The HSE has confirmed that the IHAs in the Dublin Mid-West area continue to progress recruitment and service improvement measures aimed at reducing the current waiting times for primary care therapy services. However, the Minister acknowledges that a lot more needs to be done to reduce waiting times. To that end, the Department of Health is currently working with the HSE on a focused joint programmatic approach to primary care therapy waiting list management to put in place considerable standardised infrastructure to address both the long waiting times and long-term capacity planning.

As part of this programme of work, in September of last year the Minister approved proposals to address occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy waiting lists through a national initiative supported by the enhanced community care programme. The goal of this initiative is to reduce the waiting times for these three therapies to less than ten months. The initiative aims to remove over 60,000 people from the waiting lists across these three therapies by the end of this year, with efforts currently under way in a number of IHAs. The initiative has been rolled out on a phased basis to include all IHAs nationally over the coming months.

Initial results show a reduction of 12,700 patients from these waiting lists for physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy since the initiative commenced. It is very welcome news that both waiting list numbers and the waiting periods of those waiting longest are reducing. For the first time since 2021, waiting lists have decreased month on month over a three-year period. As the work continues throughout the year, we expect to see waiting lists nationally reduce and improved access times for all, including those in Dublin Mid-West.

Deputy Mark Ward

I thank the Minister of State. She mentioned priorities, triage and how people are assessed. Larry, who is 80 and whom I spoke about, is not priority 1. He is priority 2, and that is why he must wait for six years. Angela, who broke both her hips and has not been up her own stairs in two years, is not priority 1. She is priority 2. Sarah-Jane, who has to rely on her 71-year-old mother to get washed, is also not priority 1. She is priority 2. Whatever this triage system is, it is not working because Larry, Angela and Sarah-Jane are falling through the cracks.

To make a bad situation even worse, if Larry, whom I will use as an example, has to wait for six years for an occupational therapy appointment, he will probably have to wait a further three or four years to get the disabled persons grant from South Dublin County Council. Larry, who is 80 now, could be 90 before he gets the stairlift he badly needs to get up his stairs. That is simply not good enough in a modern society.

The Minister of State spoke about waiting list reductions and said there were 1.3 million appointments. That is absolutely fantastic but the reality in Dublin Mid-West as we speak is that if you live in Palmerstown and are waiting for an appointment for a physiotherapist, you will be left waiting because the service is suspended. A parent of a newborn child will not receive developmental checks for his or her baby if they have to go to Rowlagh health centre. This is because of staff shortages. The average waiting time to see a psychologist for a child in my area is four years. An adult living in Lucan who wants to see a psychologist will not get an appointment. That service is suspended as well.

There are currently over 7,000 children in my area alone who are overdue an appointment for an assessment of needs. If you live in Lucan, you can expect your child to wait over two years for a speech and language therapy appointment. There are also 800 children waiting for an appointment for child and adolescent mental health services. That is just in Dublin Mid-West.

Whatever work is going on behind the scenes really needs to happen quickly because patients, including children, are being left behind. The problems that they have now, because they are not being addressed, are just going to get worse.

Deputy Marian Harkin

Again, on behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Deputy Ward for raising this important issue and the cases of the various people he spoke about.

The Minister fully acknowledges that the increasing waiting times for primary care therapy services is a source of real concern for service users, their families and, indeed, the Minister herself. As outlined, a national initiative is under way to address long waiting times for primary care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy and to reduce the numbers awaiting access to services significantly by the end of the year. Furthermore, the Minister has committed to building capacity in primary care. To support efforts to reduce waiting times, an additional 200 whole-time equivalents were approved for recruitment in primary care therapy services in 2026. The Government has also committed to increasing the number of college training places for therapy professions. In June of last year, the Government announced a major expansion in health and social care professional training places, with 461 new places to be delivered across nine priority disciplines. Occupational therapy places have increased from 125 in 2020 to 198 in 2025, which is an increase of almost 60%. In 2025, additional occupational therapy places were also created on a new tertiary programme.

The Minister assures the Deputy that this Government is committed to ensuring that every person with therapy needs receives timely, high-quality care. The Minister continues to support efforts to address the waiting times for primary care therapy services, including occupational therapy.

School Funding

Deputy Michael Cahill

I welcome the opportunity to again raise this important issue and to request that the Minister for Education and Youth provide additional funding for significant improvement and refurbishment works in schools. What is happening in my county of Kerry is simply not acceptable in 2026. We have a systemic problem of underinvestment and as I outlined about two weeks ago in this Chamber, it is very obvious in Scoil Iognáid Rís in Daingean Uí Chúis-Dingle. Conditions there are "outdated and dangerous", yet the school is told to apply under the emergency works scheme or the summer works scheme. With respect, these schemes are completely inadequate for what is required here. One cannot fix a 60-year-old school with structural and design failures through patchwork funding.

It is not an isolated case. In Scoil Réalt na Mara in Cromane, the principal has confirmed to me that its minor works grant is just over €8,700 but a basic project like painting the school costs over €21,000 plus VAT. This is a funding model that is completely divorced from reality. Even more concerning, the school is being extended, increasing the building's size by over 50%, yet the funding to maintain it will not increase accordingly. How can that possibly make sense? We see similar problems in Presentation Monastery National School in Killarney. I call on the Minister to urgently progress the climate action summer works scheme application for St. Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School in Killarney, particularly regarding the upgrading of pupil toilet facilities. This is basic infrastructure and it cannot be delayed any longer.

In general, schools are waiting far too long for clarity on staffing and summer programmes. This should be provided as soon as possible to allow schools to plan accordingly and give certainty to staff. It is the least that they deserve.

Beyond infrastructure, the school is also dealing with significant demographic pressures and high levels of need yet has no access to DEIS supports in the Killarney area. This must be analysed and corrected. In Filemore National School, funding has been approved under the additional school accommodation scheme but is stuck in paperwork and bureaucracy. Will the Minister of State ask his officials to progress this with immediate effect? Aghatubrid National School is still waiting on progress for an autism unit, which is a vital service for families there. The tiles in Scoil Naomh Mhichíl Naofa in Dungeagan are almost 50 years old. The school has been asked to recost the works for a second time. Can that be looked into? Financing the day-to-day running costs of Caherdaniel National School is a major struggle. The list goes on. Castledrum National School is seeking a special class. The building is already there. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, might review this decision, as the school was already turned down. I do not see any sense or merit in that. It is the same in Killarney, which has major development plans - I will talk to the Minister of State in due course about that - as has Coláiste na Sceilge in Cahersiveen.

The common threads here are clear - delays, underfunding, a system built on outdated assumptions, bureaucracy and too much red tape. Schools are being forced to fight for basic and essential infrastructure, so I am calling for three actions. The first is a comprehensive assessment of all primary and secondary school buildings in County Kerry and a proper identification of the scale of the refurbishment and modernisation required. The second is a dedicated funding stream for older school buildings, separate from minor and emergency works, to deal with structural long-term deficiencies. The third is a review of the minor works grant model so that it reflects the actual size and maintenance needs of school buildings and not just enrolment numbers.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth (Deputy Michael Moynihan)

I thank the Deputy for his Topical Issue. It gives me the opportunity to update the Dáil about investment in schools in Kerry but, more importantly, it shows that the Deputy is in touch with all the school communities, which is hugely important. All Deputies from all sides of the House are engaging with school communities because they are a hugely important piece. They are educating our young people and are meeting many challenges head on both at leadership level in the schools and as teachers and special needs assistants, SNAs, for which I commend them.

The Deputy mentioned a number of schools in Kerry. I do not have the exact details of all the schools but I will endeavour to get them. I want to reassure the Deputy that we are aware of the challenges faced right across the country with regard to the schools estate, particularly in County Kerry. The Deputy will be aware that over €7.55 billion has been included in the sectoral investment plan for education and youth over the next four years. This plan has a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritising building projects to meet the most urgent needs. The plan includes 105 schools across the country, three of which are in Kerry.

Since 2020, the Department of Education and Youth has provided €148 million in capital funding for schools in Kerry. Over this period, a total of 66 schools have been upgraded either through the provision of new school buildings, large-scale extensions or modular accommodation. More than 160 small-scale improvement projects were also completed in Kerry during that time. Eleven school projects in Kerry are under construction while another three projects will go to tender or construction in the 2026-27 period.

The Deputy mentioned a number of schools awaiting special classes. A total of 70 special classes have been sanctioned in County Kerry over the past five years, of which 17 have been sanctioned for September 2026. The Deputy spoke about the minor works scheme. A number of grants are available to schools such as minor works grants, ICT grants, the summer works scheme and the emergency works scheme.

The Deputy gave a reasonably good tour of the kingdom of Kerry in respect of the schools he mentioned and asked me to do a number of things. We are constantly reviewing the funding mechanisms and the capital investment in our schools right across the country. Visits to some schools would have shown that minor works or emergency works would not be enough to deal with the scale of the work that needs to be done. We are acutely aware of the challenges. The Deputy put his point very well with regard to a school that increased its capacity and floor size and still remained at the same level of the minor works scheme. I will certainly go back to the Department and look at that.

On the Presentation school and the toilet facilities, these are urgent matters that need to be dealt with. The Deputy has made several representations across the school communities in Kerry and I endeavour to take up those issues with him. As for the schools he has mentioned, I will certainly look for an update on them to ensure there is an investment in the schools, starting with the most urgent. I will also meet the Deputy to go through the list of schools he is progressing. In the not-too-distant future, if the visas will be stamped, I hope to get across the border to the kingdom as well.

Deputy Michael Cahill

I thank the Minister of State for the response but I have to say it does not match the reality being experienced by many schools across County Kerry. This evening, I have raised consistent and repeated concerns from multiple school communities and I would like to return briefly to a few of them. Scoil Iognáid Rís, Dingle, has a building that is fundamentally unfit for purpose. This is not a minor works issue; it is a full redevelopment issue. In the case of Scoil Réalt na Mara, the funding model is clearly broken in that schools are expected to maintain expanding buildings with completely inadequate grants. In the case of Presentation Monastery National School, Killarney, I stress again that the climate action summer works scheme application, particularly for upgrading the pupil toilets there, must be progressed urgently. These are basic facilities and there is no justification for delay.

As schools cannot continue to operate in a system where essential projects are stuck in bureaucracy, approved funding is not translating into delivery on the ground and principals are left firefighting instead of planning, I will ask again very directly whether the Minister of State will commit to a full assessment of school infrastructure in Kerry. Will he introduce a dedicated refurbishment fund for older schools and will he ensure urgent applications like that of Presentation Monastery National School are fast-tracked without delay? At the heart of all this is a very simple question, namely, why should a child in Kerry be expected to learn in conditions and environments that would not be tolerated anywhere else in the country?

This is about safety, fairness and delivering a basic standard of education infrastructure that every child deserves. If we continue as we are, we are not improving our education system but are allowing it to fall behind. As the Minister of State knows well, the ones paying the price for this are the children sitting in those classrooms every day that are not sustainable.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

I thank Deputy Cahill for his closing remarks. I take the point very seriously. He has very eloquently put the challenges facing several schools he has listed on the Dáil record as regards funding and some basic infrastructure.

As a country, we have been very proud of our education system that has developed over many years but it is crucial because you have to have the right working environments for the teaching communities, leadership, teachers, SNAs and all the school communities together. More importantly, it is crucial to deliver a first-class education system. We have a huge amount of funding in place in terms of the capital funding over the next while, but we also have a huge amount of schools where there is competing demand to try to meet that.

The Deputy mentioned seven schools, and if I have missed any one of them the Deputy might correct me on it, but I will endeavour to find out exactly what the issues are with each of those and report back to him. On the minor works and all the other schemes, the summer works scheme was started many years ago and has allowed funding to go into schools. It was the intention at the time that the works would be done over the summer holidays to allow for the least disruption but it has moved on from that. I take the point regarding some of the schools the Deputy mentioned, particularly in Dingle and the structural deficit that is there. I will endeavour to get a full update for him on them. He can rest assured the Government is very committed to funding schools right across the country, particularly in County Kerry. We have seen the benefit of education and the Deputy mentioned several schools that have indicated they wish to have special classes. We are working meticulously through numbers at present and I will certainly come back to the Deputy on the schools he has raised with me as a matter of urgency.

I assure Deputy Cahill that I take seriously the issues he has raised regarding the school estates across Kerry. I will endeavour to make sure any bureaucracy or red tape that is holding up any the projects is cut through to deliver for him and for County Kerry.

Educational Disadvantage

Deputy Ged Nash

We were told time and again that the identification of DEIS plus schools would be done in a transparent, robust and evidence-based way but the fact that not a single school in Drogheda has found its way into this long-awaited scheme leads me to challenge that assertion.

As the Minister of State will know, Drogheda is the largest town in Ireland yet to be declared a city. It is a great place with a great spirit and yet like all urban areas, we have our problems. We have pockets of severe and deep social and economic intergenerational disadvantage. I deal with those challenges every day. This is recognised officially in the Geiran review, which I managed to have commissioned several years ago. What followed was ad hoc short-term additional teaching and support resources. When the Drogheda implementation board's mandate ended, the disadvantage and poverty did not. Schools like St. John's and St. Paul's, St. Patrick's and St. Brigid's would have expected to be included in DEIS plus. St. Joseph's, Sunday's Gate, for example, and others would have expected elevation to DEIS 1 status. Deputy Byrne and I brought all principals of local schools together when the original decision was made to review this appalling decision soon after it was made. To say we were collectively shocked at the outcome is the understatement of the year.

That these schools were left behind leads me to question whether the Pobal index and the new DEIS plus identification model were used at all. The Department of education has got this badly wrong. The evidence before my own eyes, based on the work I do every single day, the levels of need and the data and the qualitative and quantitative evidence we have available all say to me that a massive error was made in this regard by the Department. The Minister of State will have the chance to correct that error. We genuinely believe a mistake has been made. While we know there is an appeals process under way, there needs to be more meaningful engagement with these schools aside from a desktop appeals process and review.

Deputy Joanna Byrne

Right through last year and continuing up to this week, I met principals of DEIS schools in Drogheda on various issues. Even back then, before the announcement of the DEIS plus scheme, it was very disheartening for schools to tell me they were very worried about being forgotten once more and as it turns out, they were right.

DEIS schools in Drogheda provide an incredibly supportive environment for local children to thrive in. They are at the heart of communities that have been forgotten by successive governments. After the Government's DEIS plus announcement, Drogheda schools and community leaders collectively expressed absolute outrage and devastation at the fact that not one school in the largest town in this country was included in the new DEIS plus funding scheme despite several other schools at the other end of the county being included- fair play to them - but there is a blatant imbalance here.

Local principals at these schools went as far as to say there was a de facto demotion for existing DEIS schools. How can people in our area have confidence in the Department of education when they are once again being snubbed by the Government and this Department on the provision of desperately needed DEIS placement in an area that is suffering severe deprivation? The exclusion directly contradicts the 2022 Pobal HP deprivation data and recommendations from the 2021 Geiran scoping report, which have been outlined already. In a town that is used to being treated unfairly by successive governments, and I do not say that lightly, this latest snub has gone beyond the pale. Behind this wrong decision by the Government, thousands of children are being left without. It needs urgent reconsideration for all those who are being left behind.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

I thank both Deputies for raising the issue. On a serious note, I always admire when constituency colleagues come together on issues of education. It shows the depth of knowledge and commitment they have to education and I have seen that in several constituencies, so I compliment them on that.

Addressing the education disadvantage and ensuring every child and young person can reach their full potential is key for both me and my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Naughton. We look at this and the supports we give to children as leading to better outcomes for their lives individually, as well as for society. The DEIS plus scheme represents a significant expansion of the targeted education supports. It is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based support to 121 schools with the very highest concentration of children and young people experiencing persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.

Approximately 30,000 children and young people nationally will benefit from inclusion in the scheme.

The Deputies raised issues in relation to schools in disadvantaged areas of Drogheda not being included in the scheme. At the outset, I acknowledge the very real challenges faced by the school communities in Drogheda, as well as the commitment of the school leadership, teachers and the entire school community who work continuously to support children and families facing complex and entrenched difficulties. It is important to stress that a school not being included in DEIS does not imply that disadvantage does not exist within that school's community.

The DEIS plus schools were identified using a rules-based model built on nationally available pupil-level administrative data. This model draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage, including small-area disadvantage, lone parents, unemployment, Traveller or Roma identity and children living in State-funded emergency accommodation. These indicators are applied consistently across all schools using enrolment data from the past three years. In order to be included under the model, schools must demonstrate both a level of disadvantage significantly higher than the national average and a high concentration of pupils from very or extremely disadvantaged areas.

Schools can experience significant levels of challenge and need but still fall outside the thresholds required for inclusion in this very targeted scheme. A school-led application or self-reporting process would introduce inconsistencies and inequality, which is why a data-driven and national comparative approach is essential. The OECD review of the DEIS identification model highlighted the strengths of this approach, noting that it is multidimensional, general data protection regulation compliant and places no administrative burden on the schools.

The Department also recognises that some schools operate in particularly difficult local environments, where community pressures can impact well-being, engagement and learning. While such pressures are often well understood locally, they are not always captured in the datasets that can be fairly and consistently applied across the entire school system. A rules-based national model must consider all schools on the same basis; it cannot substitute locally known challenges for data that are not available or comparable nationwide.

When applied to schools in Drogheda, the model reflected disadvantage but not at the level of concentration required for inclusion in DEIS plus. However, DEIS schools in Drogheda continue to receive significant supports. DEIS grant allocations have been recalculated under the new model, with a number of schools receiving increased funding, and all continue to have access to a full home school community liaison co-ordinators. Additionally, three schools in Drogheda benefit from further staffing supports under the DEIS urban band 1 enhanced capitation rate, as recommended by the Geiran report, providing additional teaching capacity and stability. This measure has been recently extended and all schools have been notified. The appeals process for schools not included in DEIS plus is now open, with full details available on the Department of education's website.

Deputy Ged Nash

I would like to have more time available to discuss this, because I am confounded by that response. Effectively, what the Minister of State is saying is that we have disadvantage but that it is not at the level of concentration required for inclusion in DEIS plus. That is quite extraordinary in light of the data we have available.

I will give the Minister of State an example. At least three of the schools serve particular areas. I am going to read out the levels of disadvantage in the context of the HP deprivation index in 2022. One area on the north side had a HP deprivation index of minus 33. There was 27% unemployment among males there and 47% of people in the area were lone parents. On the south side, one area stood at minus 32 on the deprivation index. It had an unemployment rate of 27% and 25% of those in the area were lone parents. All the schools in that area are accommodating children who are in international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centres, many of them coming from the largest IPAS centre in the country, namely the Mosney centre. It is meeting all the thresholds laid down by the new DEIS identification model and the HP model. This is extraordinary. It needs to be reviewed in a meaningful way.

Deputy Joanna Byrne

The Minister of State is paying lip service to the dedication of the staff carrying the can for inadequate Government investment in areas ravaged on the basis of the criteria he listed, namely lone parenthood, unemployment and children living in State-funded emergency accommodation and international protection accommodation. We have Mosney seven minutes down the road and we have the D Hotel, the only large hotel in the town centre of Drogheda, which was ripped away by Government. It does not meet the Minister of State's criteria. It is an absolute insult to the schools and to the teachers who are carrying the can for this. Worse still, it is an insult to the children who need these State supports.

I will tell the Minister of State another thing: the silence in the south of Louth and Drogheda by Government representatives is absolutely astounding. I think that Government backbenchers will agree that this is the wrong decision and that it needs to be reversed.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

In the first instance, the appeal process is there. I am sure the school communities are engaging to ensure that appeals are submitted.

Going back to the challenges in relation to this matter, we have often seen that the criteria being used are very robust. The data collection is also very robust. The challenge here is that the Deputies have given me figures in relation to percentages of unemployment and lone parents and information in respect of IPAS centres. It is hugely important that we have a robust system that goes through all the schools and that the resources that are put in for DEIS plus, or even DEIS in the first instance, are robust enough that we can understand it and stand over it. What the Deputies have outlined is serious, particularly as they see flaws in the system. It is hugely important that this is demonstrated in any appeal that is put forward by the school communities in relation to DEIS plus. These are robust mechanisms that have been considered in the context of international best practice. To be fair, the review in that regard was very complimentary regarding the system.

We are trying to make sure that the scarce resources available to the State are targeted at and reaching the most vulnerable. What the Deputies have outlined would certainly give me food for thought in the context of the percentages they mentioned in a number of instances, such as the figures relating to lone parents and unemployment. I appeal to them to make sure that the school communities include that information in their appeals. I take this opportunity to reassure them that the system is robust enough to ensure that those data will be taken into consideration into the future. The wider points the Deputies made in relation to Drogheda and the large urban centre are not lost on me.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 7.57 p.m. go dtí 8.47 a.m., Déardaoin, an 7 Bealtaine 2026.

The Dáil adjourned at 7.57 p.m. until 8.47 a.m. on Thursday, 7 May 2026.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 6 May 2026