Written Answers Nos. 643-662
643. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position in relation to the proposed State purchase of a hotel (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32696/25]
View answerThe Cabinet has today provided approval for the State purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre for international protection accommodation.
The purchase of the site is a key part of the Government’s strategy to develop a stable and sustainable accommodation system for people seeking international protection by moving away from commercial properties to State-owned centres.
State-owned centres are part of the Government’s long-term plan to reduce the reliance on private accommodation providers in communities resulting in better value for money of public funds and a more efficient international protection system.
The purchase of Citywest makes prudent financial sense for the State, compared to the current costs of leasing the site. The purchase represents a payback period to the State of approximately 4 years, and over 25 years, the purchase and operating cost model offer savings of more than €1billion, while delivering a permanent State asset.
The State has been leasing the site since 2020, first as part of the COVID-19 response and subsequently since 2022 as a transit hub and accommodation centre for Ukrainian citizens and people seeking international protection.
There are no immediate plans to increase capacity at the site as part of the purchase. The Department is also in ongoing discussions to ensure the leisure centre on the site remains open to the public following the purchase. The leisure centre has approximately 3,000 members and is a valuable amenity for the local community.
Following the purchase, the Department will initiate a transition plan with the current service provider for a period of 12 months to ensure there is no disruption to the accommodation services at the site.
The service provider will continue to oversee the management and provision of services including catering, cleaning, maintenance and security, resident check in, operational support, finance and other services.
The purchase of this site comes with a strong commitment to engagement with the local community and the Department's Community Engagement team will now begin working closely with local community leaders, community groups and stakeholders.
The Cabinet has today provided approval for the State purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre for international protection accommodation.
The purchase of the site is a key part of the Government’s strategy to develop a stable and sustainable accommodation system for people seeking international protection by moving away from commercial properties to State-owned centres.
State-owned centres are part of the Government’s long-term plan to reduce the reliance on private accommodation providers in communities resulting in better value for money of public funds and a more efficient international protection system.
The purchase of Citywest makes prudent financial sense for the State, compared to the current costs of leasing the site. The purchase represents a payback period to the State of approximately 4 years, and over 25 years, the purchase and operating cost model offer savings of more than €1billion, while delivering a permanent State asset.
The State has been leasing the site since 2020, first as part of the COVID-19 response and subsequently since 2022 as a transit hub and accommodation centre for Ukrainian citizens and people seeking international protection.
There are no immediate plans to increase capacity at the site as part of the purchase. The Department is also in ongoing discussions to ensure the leisure centre on the site remains open to the public following the purchase. The leisure centre has approximately 3,000 members and is a valuable amenity for the local community.
Following the purchase, the Department will initiate a transition plan with the current service provider for a period of 12 months to ensure there is no disruption to the accommodation services at the site.
The service provider will continue to oversee the management and provision of services including catering, cleaning, maintenance and security, resident check in, operational support, finance and other services.
The purchase of this site comes with a strong commitment to engagement with the local community and the Department's Community Engagement team will now begin working closely with local community leaders, community groups and stakeholders.
644. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide data on Garda staffing levels (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32755/25]
View answer645. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Garda personnel attached to each divisional drug unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32760/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 645 together.
An Garda Síochána have advised that this information cannot be shared on security grounds.
I am informed that it is the experience of the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), that such information is invaluable to local drug trafficking networks and can at times be taken into account when active in their respective criminal enterprises.
I am also informed by the Garda authorities that this information can facilitate the identification of all officers deployed full time on such duties, and in turn the work patterns of such officers.
I am however assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review, in the context of crime trends and policing priorities.
647. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has begun to issue shorter visas than it had previously; and whether this has any consequences for the capacity at visa offices, on account of repeat visitors being required to submit fresh applications more frequently. [32810/25]
View answerI can advise the Deputy there has been no change to my Department's policy regarding the validity period of Irish visas.
When a person applies for a visa they are required to provide their proposed dates of travel. Visas are normally granted for the duration for which they are required. If a visa is granted, the visa sticker will show the validity dates of the visa. This period is when a person can travel to Ireland and seek to enter the State.
A visa permits a person to travel to Ireland, an immigration officer at a port of entry can then grant a person permission to be in Ireland for up to 90 days.
I can advise the Deputy that it is open to people to apply for a multiple entry visa, which may be more appropriate for those who wish to travel to Ireland frequently.
If a person wishes to apply for a multiple entry visa, they must indicate this on their application and pay the visa fee for a multiple entry visa. The granting of a multiple entry visa is at the discretion of the Visa Officer. Multiple entry visas are usually only issued to people who can demonstrate compliant travel history.
Further information and guidance for people who wish to apply for single or multiple entry visas is available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.irishimmigration.ie/single-multiple-visas/.
648. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of judicial review cases his Department has defended in each of the past ten years; the number in relation to which proceedings are pending or continuing; the number of cases which were lost and won, respectively, in the same period; the number of cases that settled in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32846/25]
View answerMy Department has reviewed its records and the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the case of every judicial review defended by the State in each of the past ten years. Officials in my Department are engaging with the CSSO regarding this request and will follow-up with the Deputy when this information is received.
However, officials in my Department have been able to provide information on judicial reviews relating to immigration over the past five years, as follows:
|
Immigration Judicial Reviews: |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 YTD * |
|
Cases Won |
154 |
160 |
70 |
133 |
129 |
49 |
|
Cases Settled |
191 |
268 |
407 |
406 |
326 |
141 |
|
Cases Lost |
82 |
251 |
42 |
31 |
97 |
55 |
|
Total |
427 |
679 |
519 |
570 |
552 |
245 |
*The 2025 data relates to cases with a final order from the Courts.
The total number of these cases pending at 12 June 2025 was 974. It should be noted for context that my Department made over 250,000 immigration decisions in 2024.
649. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number po BISS applications made in County Louth from 2015 to 2025, in tabular format. [31849/25]
View answerThe Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) replaced the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in 2023. The BISS is designed to provide a direct income support to Irish farmers to underpin their continued sustainability and viability.
To claim payment under BISS, or its predecessor BPS, a farmer or their appointed agent must have submitted an area-based application via the online system. While BISS is currently the main scheme that farmers apply for a small number of farmers that submit an application are not be eligible for BISS or BPS as they did not hold payment entitlements.
The number of eligible land-based applications made in County Louth from 2015 to 2025, is set out below, in tabular format, as requested. On average 96% of these farmers would have held entitlements and hence would have been paid BISS and BPS as appropriate.
|
Louth Eligible Applications 2023 - 2025 |
|
|
Year |
Total |
|
2025 |
1,416 |
|
2024 |
1,458 |
|
2023 |
1,470 |
|
Louth Eligible Applications 2015 - 2022 |
|
|
2022 |
1,456 |
|
2021 |
1,460 |
|
2020 |
1,459 |
|
2019 |
1,463 |
|
2018 |
1,481 |
|
2017 |
1,496 |
|
2016 |
1,511 |
|
2015 |
1,542 |
650. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has any plans to appoint a national director of animal welfare. [31865/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government places a positive emphasis on animal welfare and specifically commits to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare.
My Department has lead policy responsibility within government for animal welfare and takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously. I am committed to the policy that animal welfare standards are vigorously applied in a fair and even-handed manner.
My Department and authorised officers appointed under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, including An Garda Síochána, Customs agents, local authorities, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), undertake appropriate enforcement action, where breaches or shortcomings are identified. My Department keeps the Act under review in light of key developments in the areas of animal welfare, the law and having regard to the practical lessons learnt from operating the Act.
In 2021, my Department launched the Animal Welfare Strategy (2021-2025), which created a framework for engagement and collaboration with stakeholders to improve animal welfare, as well as establishing a dedicated Animal Welfare Division. This strategy is due for renewal this year.
In December 2024, my Department announced record funding of €6 million to 101 animal welfare charities nationwide, through the animal welfare grant programme, these awards also support the provision of education and knowledge sharing to the public on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, helping to raise animal welfare standards.
My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline and e-mail address through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation.
I am satisfied that these measures provide a comprehensive framework and sufficient safeguards to ensure the welfare of animals and I have no plans to set up any other authority.
651. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports the are in place for small farmers transitioning to more sustainable and regenerative practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31885/25]
View answerI am committed to supporting the long-term viability of the Irish agricultural sector, including our farm families who are the bedrock of the sector, our agri-food industry and indeed the rural economy.
At the same time, Ireland’s national and EU ambitions on climate, land use and biodiversity are challenging and will require the application of the best scientific and technological advancements available coupled with engagement of all stakeholders if we are to meet both national and international commitments.
Pathways to enable the sector meet it’s 2030 climate ambitions in the agricultural and land use sectors are set out in the Climate Action Plan which is now reviewed and updated annually in accordance with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2021.
Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan is supporting all our farmers to transition to more sustainable practices while also supporting family farm incomes, with a budget of €9.8bn.
As part of Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan my department is providing €1.5bn for the agri-environment scheme ACRES, increased funding for Organic Farming which has increased the area farmed organically in Ireland to 248,000 ha and €260m to improve the carbon efficiency of the suckler herd. A budget of €1.3bn underpins the Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027 which is supporting farmers to carbon capture in a sustainable way.
My Department also supports a range of other sustainability measures, including improvement in animal welfare, investments in solar panels on farms, low-emission slurry spreading, nutrient storage, support for multi species swards and many other measures.
My aim is to future proof Ireland’s Agri-Food sector for the benefit of our industry, the environment, and our farm families. It is critical that we work together to keep the agricultural sector in Ireland on a positive trajectory including sustainable and regenerative practices.
652. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has given consideration to initiating a formal and nationwide farm safety awareness seminar in all primary schools, taking into account that a total of 17 children have died in farm-related incidents between 2014 and 2023, and accounting for the fact that 42% of all primary schools are based in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30865/25]
View answerFarm safety, health and wellbeing is a priority for this Government. Through dedicated funding of €2.5 million, my Department is continuing to implement existing and new initiatives to improve farm safety, health and wellbeing.
Over the past ten years, 17 children have died on Irish farms, accounting for almost a tenth of all fatalities on farms. Children and young people are particularly vulnerable on farms as the workplace surrounds the family home.
Building on the success of programmes delivered in Irish schools in recent years, the successful initiatives will promote a lifelong culture of farm safety. They will help address children’s and young people’s safety on Irish farms by assisting primary and secondary school teachers in educating their students about the potential dangers associated with farming and agriculture. The farm safety awareness initiatives will be available nationwide to all primary and secondary schools. The tender also invites proposals for initiatives which will promote awareness of children’s and young person’s safety on farms at shows and events.
The successful projects will make an important contribution to increasing farm safety awareness among children and young people, encourage conversations about farm safety among all generations in farming families and contribute to changing attitudes to safety on Irish farms.
Farm safety, health and wellbeing is a priority for me and for my colleague, Minister Healy-Rae. This Government will continue to invest in supporting the safety, health and wellbeing of farmers, and everyone working and living on farms.
653. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital works projects funded under the 2025 fishery harbour coastal infrastructure development programme in Dunmore East Fisheries Harbour Centre; and when each of those projects will be completed, in tabular form. [31921/25]
View answerMy Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. It also has responsibility for Cape Clear, Cleggan and some Piers, Lights and Beacons.
In March, Minister Dooley and I announced a capital investment package of €27.75 million for the 2025 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. The allocation included:
• capital commitments for ongoing projects and the planned commencement of some new projects;
• monies for safety and maintenance and disability access works; plant and machinery; Cape Clear and piers, lights and beacons; and
• an allocation of funding for a Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme.
As part of this package, Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre was allocated €2.195 million for maintenance and capital projects.
All capital projects are subject to rigorous project management processes including design, tender action and implementation stages, and ongoing monitoring, evaluation and review in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Capital Works Management Framework and the Infrastructural Guidelines. Additionally, all contractual projects are subject to the applicable conditions of contract and, as such, it is necessary to follow due process in accordance with such conditions.
Where consents such as planning permissions or waste licences are required, the timeline for processing of such consents is a matter for the permitting authority. Therefore, it is not possible to advise with certainty either the commencement or completion dates of all specific projects at this time. However, I expect that the more minor works projects not requiring statutory consents will be substantially completed by year end.
The attached table lists the capital projects proposed for Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre in 2025 with estimated commencement and completion dates.
654. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the various funding mechanisms which exist for local authorities through his Department which relate to fisheries and the marine, in tabular form; and the level of funding directed to each local authority in each year from 2015 to 2025. [32440/25]
View answer655. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital funding allocated to each local authority for public harbours and piers through the Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme and any other similar funding stream in each year from 2010 to 2025, in tabular form; and the total allocated to each local authority over the period. [32446/25]
View answerThe responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance. The primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. However, my Department has provided funding to assist coastal local authorities in carrying out projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership.
As part of my Department's annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, limited funding is provided for small scale shovel ready projects under a Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme. My Department also administered the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) Scheme 2022-2023, which provided unprecedented funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. In 2024, funding was allocated to 15 local authority marine infrastructure projects previously allocated funding under the BALAMI Scheme but which encountered delivery challenges including in relation to consenting, procurement, supply chain and weather windows for works. In this period (2022-2024), there was no separate local authority scheme funded by my Department.
Between the years 2010 and 2024, my Department reimbursed total funding of over €84.6 million on a matured liability basis to local authorities under both the Local Authority and BALAMI schemes. The focus of the funding is to support actual capital works and it is a matter for each local authority to manage and deliver the projects, and to submit a claim for reimbursement within the timeframe of the scheme.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on 21st May last, Minister Dooley and I announced an allocation of €4.33 million for 57 projects across 11 coastal local authorities under the 2025 Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme. My Department will co-fund up to 75% of the eligible project costs, with the local authorities providing the balance. The maximum funding to be provided by my Department per eligible project is €187,500 (75% of €250,000).
The attached table details the funding reimbursed by my Department to local authorities in the period 2010-2024. The 2025 funding allocation to local authorities is included in the table. Final expenditure for 2025 will not be available until after the scheme closes at the end of the year.
656. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department’s website employs analytics tools (details supplied) that track website traffic using UTM parameters (for example, utm_source); if so, whether any visits have been recorded with a specific parameter or similar identifiers indicating traffic from ChatGPT; and to provide the monthly number of such visits, if recorded, for each of the past 12 months, in tabular form. [32492/25]
View answerMy Department’s website is hosted on gov.ie, the official website of the Government of Ireland, which serves as a central hub for accessing public services and government information, and is managed by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO).
657. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of Department vets that are members of an organisation (details supplied). [32621/25]
View answerThe organisation named is an independent representative body and my Department does not hold any information on its membership.
658. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of prescriptions generated on the national veterinary prescription system since its establishment in January 2025; and to provide a breakdown of the number dispensed from merchant co-ops and from veterinary practices. [32622/25]
View answer659. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of prescriptions generated but not entered on the national veterinary prescription system since 1 January 2025. [32623/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 659 and 658 together.
The National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS) commenced on the 13th January 2025. To date, 92,959 prescriptions have been generated on the NVPS.
The number of prescriptions dispensed from merchants is 89. The number of prescriptions dispensed from veterinary practices is 90,176. The discrepancy between the total prescription figure and the ‘prescriptions dispensed’ figure has been reviewed and is due to vet errors in using the system. It has been confirmed that these prescriptions have been dispensed by veterinary practices.
The upregulation of antiparasitics to Prescription only Medicine, will occur on the 1st September 2025. These products do not currently require a prescription, and as such they are not currently prescribed or dispensed using the NVPS.
My Department does not have oversight or access to information regarding the number of prescriptions issued by veterinary practitioners in Ireland outside of the NVPS.
660. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the costs incurred by his Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in 2024; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32632/25]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department did not award a contract for Public Relations and Communications Consultancy in 2024.
As regards the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.
661. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of judicial review cases his Department has defended in each of the past ten years; the number in relation to which proceedings are pending or continuing; the number of cases which were lost and won, respectively, in the same period; the number of cases that settled in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32834/25]
View answerThe number of Judicial Reviews taken against my Department in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025, is provided in the attached table. These figures reflect the Department’s current file records as of 16 June 2025 and contain the most up to date information available to the Department.
662. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 523 and 724 of 27 May 2025, to identify the lead Department responsible for the National Child Death Review. [31854/25]
View answerI welcome the current Programme for Government commitment to establish a National Child Death Review Mechanism on a statutory basis. Additionally, as Minister I also welcome the Ombudsman for Children’s report titled Child Death Review: The Case for a National Statutory Review Mechanism for the Deaths of Children in Ireland.
I am conscious that the Ombudsman for Children’s report highlights the fact that the vast majority of child deaths occur in medical settings. The data outlined in the report also highlights that deaths of children in care are only a small subset of the overall number of child deaths occurring in the State.
As the Deputy may be aware, Tusla commissions the National Review Panel (NRP) to conduct independent reviews of child deaths and serious incidents, where the child is in care or is known to Tusla. Officials from my Department are currently engaging with both the NRP and Tusla in order to review the NRP’s Operational Guidance.
I can assure the Deputy that my officials and I will proactively engage with the nominated lead department responsible for the delivery of a National Child Death Review Mechanism.
