Written Answers Nos. 409-434
409. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there has been a change to the school bus place application process for children with special educational needs; if she will outline the process for September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36147/25]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs remain the same for the 2025/26 school year. Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if they is attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Youth criteria.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the NCSE through its network of SENO.
Parents/Guardians should contact their school principal who will assist in making an application for school transport to the SENO that is affiliated with the school the child is attending.
Further details of this scheme can be found on the Departments website, gov.ie/schooltransport.
410. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the progress on school building projects and the projected completion dates for schools in Dublin mid-west (details supplied). [36168/25]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out below.
St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS
The joint school building project will deliver two new 24 classroom primary schools with accommodation for children with special educational needs, at the current site in Lucan.
The project is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning Stage 1 – Initial Sketch Scheme. A preferred design option has been agreed by all Stakeholders and my Department have requested the Design Team to further assess the proposed construction programme and methodology.
The stage 1 report was received by my Department in May 2025 and is currently under review. Upon completion of the review, my Department will advise both schools and their design team regarding project progression.
Divine Mercy JNS & SNS
This joint school building project will deliver a new extension and refurbishment of some existing accommodation to provide a 24 classroom primary school with classrooms for children with special educational needs, at both schools.
The schedule of accommodation was recently increased to include SEN accommodation and the design options submitted by the Design Team are being evaluated by my Department.
A meeting of all stakeholders is anticipated to be held in the near future, to discuss and agree a preferred option which can be further developed and prepared to be submitted for planning permission.
Scoil Chrónáin
The school building project will deliver a new 16 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms, for children with special educational needs on the permanent site at Rathcoole, Co. Dublin.
The tender reports for the project referred to by the deputy were received on the 2/5/2025. Tenders have now been evaluated by the Project Manager and a tender assessment report has been submitted for my department’s consideration.
Projects are subject to relevant due diligence at each stage in the process, within the context of overall programme and budgetary parameters. My department will continue to keep the school updated as the project progresses.
Lucan Community College
The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 - Tender Action and Award.
Department officials are working with the Design Team and the school authority to resolve the remaining issues in response to the Tender Report.
The large scale capital project remains a priority for delivery and my department officials will be in contact with the school authority on completion of the review.
Griffeen Community College
The school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including 6 classrooms, for children with special education needs on a site at Kishogue Cross, Griffeen Avenue, Lucan, Co Dublin.
The Letter of Acceptance (LOA) issued to the successful contractor on 18/11/2024 which allowed the contractor to commence on site. It is anticipated that the construction period will have a duration of some 16 months.
My department will continue to keep the school updated as the project progresses.
414. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a primary school (details supplied) has not had a whole school evaluation since 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36175/25]
View answerThe Inspectorate conducts an annual inspection programme that consists of a variety of inspection and advisory models. These range from short, one-day, unannounced inspections (incidental inspections) to longer announced inspections including curriculum evaluations (CE) and whole-school evaluations (WSE). Curriculum evaluations and whole-school evaluations, among others, lead to a published report, while advisory visits and incidental inspections do not. In scheduling its inspection programme, the Inspectorate adopts a risk-based approach to inspection planning, which is based on a range of criteria relating to early learning and care settings and schools.
Since 2016, St. Kieran’s School for the Travelling Community, Bray, Co. Wicklow has had three incidental inspections, two advisory sessions during the pandemic, and most recently in November 2024, a curriculum evaluation. While a whole-school evaluation has not taken place in the school since 2012, there has been regular and consistent engagement with the school during the intervening period. The table below documents the engagements with the school since 2016.
|
Curriculum Evaluation of Music |
November 2024 |
|
Incidental Inspection |
October 2022 |
|
Incidental Inspection |
September 2021 |
|
Resumption of Schooling (Advisory Session) |
October 2020 |
|
Continuity of Learning (Advisory Session) |
May 2020 |
|
Incidental Inspection |
October 2016 |
Reports arising from school inspections are published on www.gov.ie/DEInspectorate.
415. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth under what grounds a school is classified as a special school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36176/25]
View answerThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Special schools support children and young people aged between 4 and 18 years of age with the most complex special educational needs and ensure positive links are established and fostered between the home, school and other agencies for these children.
Many special schools originally established under a particular designation of student need, including those providing education for students with a mild general learning disability have, and continue to diversify. These schools now respond to a broader range of students’ needs from within their respective catchment areas. This is in keeping with my department’s policy on an inclusive education and facilitates students with more complex needs to be educated in their local special school. My department will continue to support special schools in this endeavour.
Each new special school is established after significant planning and analysis by my Department and the National Council for Special Education and a patron body is approved by the Minister. The Minister also sets the designation of the new special school.
As more special classes are provided, particularly at post-primary level, this provides more options for children with complex special educational needs to attend local schools. It is essential that special schools work to support children with the most complex needs and that children are not required to pass one or more special schools to access a special school place, because of the narrow designation of some special schools. It is essential that we work to ensure more children requiring a special school place can access their nearest special school.
My department and the National Council for Special Education are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation nationwide as to where new special schools are required.
416. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on an application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36219/25]
View answerThe school in question submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for external environment works. The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and, on this basis, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown.
Once this has been received the EWS team will review the revised application and will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
417. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether he engaged with the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation regarding the pension scheme of retired An Post workers (details supplied); and the outcomes of this discussion. [35153/25]
View answerUnder section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, approves any superannuation schemes submitted by An Post. The operation of the schemes, including the ‘pension accord’, is a matter between the management of An Post, staff representatives and the trustees of the schemes.
This question and the details supplied are seeking an interpretation of the law and I have no responsibility for this matter. Specifically, this is seeking interpretation of the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act 1983 (as amended).
418. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he has received the interim report of the Advisory Committee on Restitution and Repatriation of Cultural Heritage; if not, when he expects to receive this report; if he will publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36158/25]
View answerI have received the Interim Report of the Expert Advisory Committee on Restitution and Repatriation, and I am pleased with the progress made by this Committee to date. I am grateful to Sir Donnell Deeny in his role as Chair and also to the Heritage Council for their support for the Committee in their role as Secretariat.
I do not propose publishing the interim report at this point. This is a complex piece of work, and it will take time and further research for the Committee to complete all aspects of their work programme, and I wish to respect this process. I look forward to receiving their final report in due course.
419. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department will look into the issues around very poor broadband and phone services in rural parts of Laois, particularly in Errill and Rathdowney; the stage that the National Broadband Programme is at for this region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35201/25]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.
Errill and Rathdowney are predominantly within the BLUE area on the broadband map which is available on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/
The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload.
As per records online at www.openeir.ie/fibre/broadband-checker, Errill and Rathdowney have been included in open eir’s full fibre deployment programme and premises can now order a full fibre gigabit connection, with speeds up to 2Gbps.
If a person lives in the BLUE area and after contacting their Retail Service Provider are told they cannot get access to greater than 30Mbps, they should raise a query via the webform which can be accessed by clicking on “contact us” in the Contact section on www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/, and the department will escalate with the commercial operator to investigate this matter further.
The AMBER area on the map is to be served by the network deployed under the NBP State led intervention. National Broadband Ireland (NBI) have advised that in County Laois over 11,570 premises are now passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and over 11,750 premises are available to order/pre-order, with over 4,500 premises now connected. A further circa 1,420 premises in County Laois will be passed by NBI’s high speed fibre broadband by the end of the contract.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Laois can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries. It should be noted that NBI provide this information for County Laois based on NBI deployment areas rather than exact county boundaries.
Phone service is primarily a matter for mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis in a liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002.
To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs, ComReg continually updates and enhances its online national outdoor mobile coverage map (available at: coveragemap.comreg.ie), which provides information on mobile network operators’ outdoor coverage for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G mobile networks.
420. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if there is a strategic plan in place to support small to medium-sized post offices from December 2025 onwards, following the conclusion of the current three-year funding arrangement under which €10 million per annum is being provided to An Post (2023-2025) to stabilise the post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35290/25]
View answerThe Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The Programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. My Department is working to deliver on this and is engaging with relevant stakeholders in relation to the funding. Additionally, my Department is working with Government colleagues to secure future funding in line with the Programme for Government.
An amount of €10 million per annum is currently being provided over a three-year fixed term (2023-2025) to An Post. An Post then disperses this funding across the post office network, with all contractor post offices benefitting from the Government funding with the objective of securing the stability of the Network. The funding is being paid monthly for each 12-month period. There has been over €23 million claimed by An Post for the period 2023 to end of May 2025 for the network.
It should be noted that An Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially. An Post has statutory responsibility for the State's postal service and the post office network. Decisions relating to the network, including decisions relating to specific post offices are operational matters for the Board and management of the company and not one in which I, as Minister, have any function. The terms under which Postmasters contract with An Post is a matter between the Postmasters and An Post and any negotiations are a matter for both parties directly.
421. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to list all the public services contracts worth €10 million or more, which have been granted by himself or the forerunner for his Department, or other State bodies in the past five years; the value of each contract; the length of term of each; the expiration date of each contract; and whether any contract was discontinued during its term and for what reason. [35480/25]
View answerThe details sought by the Deputy for the functions under the remit of my Department in the period since September 2020 (when the former Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media was established) are set out in the table below.
It should be noted that my Department was re-configured as the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport at the beginning of June 2025.
|
Contract |
Date Entered |
Value |
Length of Term |
Expiration Date |
Was contract discontinued during its term |
|
National Digital Research Centre |
November 2020 |
€17.5m |
5 Years |
30 November 2025 |
No |
|
National Archives Repository Project – Construction Contract (See Note below) |
May 2024 |
€25m |
Delivery of Project across 2025/2026 |
Delivery of Project across 2025/2026 |
No |
Note: While the Department is the sponsoring agency for this project, the OPW is the contracting party for this contract.
Regarding the bodies under my Department’s remit, the information sought by the Deputy is an operational matter for those bodies.
422. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of people employed at management level in An Post, for each of the of the past 20 years. [35686/25]
View answerAn Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially. Matters relating to staffing in An Post are a direct operational matter for the company and I, as Minister, have no function.
However I would advise the Deputy that the Annual Reports of An Post contain details of the staffing levels in the company. The Annual Reports are available online at An Post website and have been laid in the library of the Houses of the Oireachtas. An Post has a dedicated email address for any queries arising from Members of the Oireachtas at oireachtasenquiries@anpost.ie, and information can be sought directly from An Post.
423. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps his Department is taking to move to a more permanent support system for members of the creative community who were in receipt of the basic income for the arts scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35732/25]
View answer425. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will ensure that any future basic income for artists scheme allows access for new working artists. [35774/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 425 together.
The Programme for Government commits to assessing the Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. I appreciate the importance of the Basic Income support for artists, which is why last week I announced that Cabinet had agreed to my proposal to an extension of six months to allow for further evaluation of the pilot data. This will also give sufficient time to engage in stakeholder consultation and to evaluate the data which will provide the evidence base for Government to make decisions on the next steps.
The primary objective of the scheme is to help artists deal with precarious incomes and to prevent talent from leaving the sector for economic reasons.
My Department has been undertaking a comprehensive research programme based on this data and is currently preparing a report examining the first 24 months of the scheme. I also recently published a paper which collects the experiences of BIA recipients, who were interviewed by a sociologist. A cost-benefit analysis paper is also being prepared. It will compare the benefits and costs arising from the BIA in order to determine its net value.
While the research phase of the pilot scheme is still ongoing, it is clear from evidence collected to date under the scheme that it is having a positive impact on participants. This data shows that the BIA payment is having a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators - affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being, and deprivation.
Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, produce more pieces of work, experience a boost to their wellbeing through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety, and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.
I know that the BIA support is hugely valued by artists in receipt of it, it has also been the subject of much positive commentary at home and in an international context and makes an important statement about the value placed on the arts in Ireland.
A Government decision will be required on a successor scheme to the pilot, and I intend to bring forward proposals for a permanent intervention in the context of Budget 2026 discussions, based on the evidence arising from the research programme and stakeholder engagement.
424. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the plans to improve artistic workspace and residency programme opportunities in Meath. [35773/25]
View answerAs outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government believes that culture and the arts are essential to a well-rounded society, providing opportunities for education, expression and community engagement. Ireland is world renowned for our rich, diverse and vibrant arts sector. However, I am conscious of the pressures that artists and creatives face in finding suitable workspaces and the difficulties in the provision of artistic venues.
My Department administers the pilot Artist Workspaces Scheme. This was launched in June 2024 with a total fund of €6 million to enable local authorities increase the provision of artist workspaces across Ireland on a sustainable basis. Under this scheme Local Authorities are invited to propose projects which can accommodate and address the demand for artist workspaces in their regions and produce workspaces that are fit for purpose, design focused and accessible. Capital grants up to a maximum of €300,000 may be made available to larger urban local authorities, with grants up to a maximum of €150,000 being made available to the remaining local authorities, including Meath. The maximum grant available will be 60% of the eligible costs. Full details are available on my Department’s website.
Additionally, a network of cultural infrastructure, such as the Solstice Arts Centre in Navan, exists throughout the country with the majority in the ownership of local authorities. Annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided to these arts centres by local authorities and the Arts Council.
My Department focuses on providing capital grant funding to assist development and to maintain these arts and cultural facilities. For example, Meath County Council were awarded €300,000 under the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme for an enhancement and refurbishment project at Solstice Arts Centre in 2017. The Centre was also allocated €250,000 through Meath County Council under the Outdoor Public Space Scheme in 2021. This later outdoor project consists of a moveable cover over the public space outside the Centre including large pagodas, civil works, lighting, and two high definition projectors. The project will allow multiple arts and cultural organisations to benefit from having a new weatherproof space to perform and can be used as an additional venue to the Arts Centre.
In terms of other schemes, under Stream E of the Cultural Capital Scheme, grants of up to €20,000 are available to not-for-profit dedicated arts and culture organisations at 85% grant funding rate . Local authority owned facilities are subject to a maximum 60% grant funding rate. Larger grants of up to €50,000 are provided under Stream E at a maximum grant funding rate of 70%, or 60% for local authority owned facilities. Full details are available on my Department’s website.
As part of the Programme for Government, the Government has also committed to examining the feasibility of a minor capital works grant scheme to support arts and cultural facilities that are not funded through The Arts Council. Work in relation to this proposal is underway in my Department at present.
There have also been significant increases in support for arts and culture across the country, including Meath, in recent years. Within my Department, there are a number of measures in place to support the arts at amateur and professional levels including:
• Creative Ireland Programme funding in 2025 is supporting the delivery of a number of creative projects nationwide.
• The pilot capital support scheme for the Night Time Economy will support the development of vibrant late night arts and culture scenes in Irish cities, towns and villages as well as additional capital to assist in the provision of building and equipment needs.
• A small-scale local festivals and summer schools scheme designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools that may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies.
• In 2025 €8m, which is the highest level of funding for Culture Ireland since its establishment, will support more Irish artists to launch and develop their careers on an international stage.
• The Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme which is €105m scheme involving 2,000 artists and creative arts workers nationwide.
• Annual funding provided to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture.
• The Music Capital Scheme, managed by Music Network on behalf of my Department, provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments to both non-professional performing groups/ensembles and professional musicians.
• Funding for the Safe to Create Programme, including Minding Creative Minds, that supports all artists and creatives across the country.
• Funding programmes within the Broadcasting and Media area also serve to promote many artists and creative talents from across the music sector.
More broadly, under the Arts Act 2003 the Arts Council has primary responsibility for the development of the arts in Ireland and Budget 2025 has provided record funding of €140 million for the Arts Council, an increase of 75% since 2020. The Arts Council is committed to increasing public engagement in the arts in Ireland, including County Meath, and it provides financial support to a number of initiatives aimed at increasing public access, participation and engagement in the arts.
426. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if sports capital grant approval to allow an organisation (details supplied) to award the tender and start works will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35933/25]
View answerThe organisation referred to by the Deputy was provisionally allocated grant funding of €245,204 in 2024, under the 2023 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund. My Department has been in contact with the organisation and it will be in a position to confirm formal approval of the grant, when the organisation uploads the required documentation requested.
427. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on an issue relating to a sports capital grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35934/25]
View answerThe club referred to by the Deputy were provisionally allocated grant funding of €405,026 in 2024 under the 2023 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund. My Department has been in contact with the club on the steps required to progress to formal approval and the club expects to upload the necessary documentation by mid July at which point the Department will be in a position to confirm formal approval of the grant.
428. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of available film and television studio space in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36227/25]
View answerIreland is home to several world-class film studios working to the highest quality and standards. The amount of studio space available at any time changes continuously week by week. Overall, I understand that there is 321,930 square feet of studio space in the State, of which 183,800 square feet is located in the Dublin / Wicklow Region.
433. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being considered to ensure that utility infrastructure capacity does not become a long-term barrier to rural housing development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36138/25]
View answerThe zoning of land is an exercise undertaken by planning authorities as part of the development plan process.
The making of a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of each planning authority who are required by legislation to be consistent with established statutory national and regional planning policy and legislation, including as identified in the National Planning Framework, Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and Ministerial and Ministerial planning guidelines.
Development plans must set out planning policies and objectives to provide for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area over the 6-year lifespan of the plan. They must also include mandatory objectives in relation to regeneration under section 10(2)(h) and provide for zoning for residential, commercial, Employment and Enterprise, industrial and other uses to such extent as the proper planning and sustainable development of the area requires. In this regard, it is for the planning authority to determine the quantum and location of lands zoned for particular purposes, having regard to the requirement to be consistent with relevant national and regional policy.
The ‘Development Plans Guidelines, for Planning Authorities’ issued under section 28 of the Act by my Department in July 2022 assist local authorities in preparing their development plan and ensuring that it is consistent with legislative and policy requirements. These guidelines emphasise that the zoning of land, including for both housing and employment uses, must have a clear rationale in identifying sites with capacity for development during the plan period, including infrastructural requirements.
434. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures taken to implement a State savings scheme such as the Social Democrats-proposed ‘Homes for Ireland’ State savings scheme, submitted to him and the Taoiseach on 19 May 2025, which would leverage the €160 billion in deposits to fund affordable housing delivery. [36247/25]
View answerThe Government committed in January 2025 to introduce an all of government national housing plan to follow Housing for All, underpinned by multi-annual funding. As part of this, all Departments have been examining all potential actions to further scale up the delivery of homes of all tenures.
A programme of targeted stakeholder engagement has also been undertaken. Written submissions have been received from a range of external stakeholders including state agencies, the community and voluntary sector, industry and academics. These submissions are being carefully considered and I have also met with many stakeholders to hear first-hand what actions they think should be reflected in the Plan.
There is a high rate of savings in the State and indeed the high savings deposit rate we see in Ireland today reflects the success of our economy in recent years. Some stakeholders have suggested that more could be done to harness those domestic savings to fund housing delivery, including introducing a state savings scheme similar to the Livret A model in France.
I would like thank to Deputy Hearne for providing the Social Democrats “Homes for Ireland’ State savings scheme proposal which puts forward a similar model to provide capital for the delivery of affordable homes.
As the area of savings comes under the remit of the Minister for Finance, I have asked my Department to engage with his Department to establish the potential benefits of the introduction of any further new savings scheme specific to housing over and above the products which are already available to the public.
