Written Answers Nos. 831-850
831. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners with serious mental illnesses held in the general population, who require psychiatric hospital care waiting for a bed, by prison, from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63821/25]
View answerThe Irish prison population is currently made up of over 5,700 people.
Everyone committed to prison is subject to a comprehensive medical assessment by the Prison Healthcare Team and a key component of this is a mental health assessment. The information provided as part of this process is recorded on the person’s individual medical record on the Prison Healthcare Management System (PHMS) and this record allows for the development of an individual healthcare plan for the prisoner while in custody. Where necessary, the person is referred to an in-reach Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist or Irish Prison Service Psychologist, or both and medical and/or psychological treatment is provided as clinically indicated.
The Irish Prison Psychology Services (IPPS) play a lead role in relation to group or individual talking therapy interventions and are part of the prison-based multidisciplinary team (MDT).
The MDT working directly to meet the mental health needs of people in custody is made up of the General Practitioners, Nurses and Healthcare Assistants within the Primary Healthcare team at the particular prison, the IPPS, and in-reach mental health services, provided by the HSE’s National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS). NFMHS is made up of Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists, supported by Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors, Community Psychiatric Nurses, and Social Workers. This team provides weekly forensic mental health sessions in prisons.
The IPPS also provide offence-related (criminogenic) assessment and intervention which frequently includes mental health and trauma-related factors. At any one time there are typically 2,100 people in custody awaiting assessment and/or treatment with a Psychologist. 600 prisoners are actively engaged with the service.
The mental health conditions of those being treated include serious mental illnesses, primarily schizophrenia spectrum disorders and other mental disorders including neurodevelopmental and intellectual disabilities and organic brain disorders.
The Irish Prison Service does not hold the specific data requested by the Deputy. The Irish Prison Service requests and receives some data relating to waiting lists for Mental Health Service referrals from the NFMHS. However, it is important to note that the NFMHS remains the data controller on this information.
As of 23rd September 2025, the case load of the psychiatric in-reach teams across the prison estate was 341 with 51 awaiting new assessment. There are currently 31 people on that caseload awaiting transfer to the Central Mental Hospital. The table below shows the breakdown by prison.
|
Location |
No of prisoners on waiting list for CMH @10/11/2025 |
|
Castlerea |
7 |
|
Cloverhill |
11 |
|
Cork |
3 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
|
Midlands |
3 |
|
Mountjoy |
4 |
|
Portlaoise |
1 |
|
Wheatfield |
1 |
|
|
31 |
832. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department carried out any cost–benefit analysis before awarding €3.6 million under the 2025 Integration Fund; and if so to publish the findings, including the projected benefits, estimated costs and the methodology used to determine that the funded projects represented value-for-money for the taxpayer. [63847/25]
View answer833. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his officials applied any metrics such as unit cost per participant, cost-per-outcome, or similar indicators when assessing applications under the 2025 Integration Fund; and to explain how these metrics influenced the final grant allocations. [63848/25]
View answer834. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department examined the extent of duplication or overlap between the 117 funded organisations and existing State-funded integration supports; and whether any organisations were funded despite providing services similar to programmes already financed by the Exchequer. [63849/25]
View answer835. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department assessed the proportion of each organisation’s budget that will be spent on administration, staffing or consultancy rather than direct service delivery; and whether maximum thresholds for overhead costs were applied during the evaluation process. [63850/25]
View answer836. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department reviewed the past performance of any previous Integration Fund recipients, including whether organisations had met their stated outcomes, complied with reporting obligations or required financial correction or follow-up by the Department. [63851/25]
View answer837. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the monitoring and audit framework being applied to the 2025 Integration Fund, including how his Department will measure effectiveness, confirm delivery of outcomes and ensure that public funds are not used for activities outside the approved scope. [63852/25]
View answer838. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications deemed unsuccessful for the 2025 Integration Fund; the reasons for rejection; and whether any applications offering higher projected value-for-money were not selected. [63853/25]
View answer839. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any of the organisations receiving funding under the 2025 Integration Fund have previously been identified by his Department or other State agencies for governance, compliance or financial management concerns; and if enhanced oversight has been applied in such cases. [63854/25]
View answer840. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has evaluated the impact of repeated annual grant allocations on creating organisational dependency on Exchequer funding rather than promoting sustainable, cost-efficient outcomes. [63855/25]
View answer841. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a breakdown of the €3.6 million allocation, by county, including Cork; to set out the expected measurable outcomes associated with these allocations; and how they will be evaluated for value-for-money. [63856/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840 and 841 together.
The Integration Fund supports communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants, with a specific focus on people seeking international protection.
Funding is made available to organisations to carry out integration projects at a national, regional or local level. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, charities, faith-based groups, formal and informal schools and cultural organisations. Applicant organisations must operate on a not-for-profit basis.
2025 is the first year of the Fund, which combines the two funds previously known as the International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF) and the Communities Integration Fund (CIF).
Scheme A was open to large-scale projects that specifically promote the integration of people seeking international protection. The grants available under this funding call are from €10,000 to €100,000 for Scheme A projects.
Scheme B was open to smaller scale projects that promote the integration of all migrants. The grants available under this funding call are from €1,000 to €10,000 for Scheme B projects.
Scheme A applications were assessed under four main headings:
• Capacity of Applicant
• Strength of Proposal
• Ability to Engage with International Protection Applicants
• Financial Management & Value for Money
Scheme B applications were assessed under three main headings:
• Strength of Proposal
• Fit with the Goals of the Integration Fund
• Financial Management & Value for Money
All applications were assessed and scored in adherence with the assessment criteria set out within the published guidelines for applicants. Projects needed to score highly under all of the main headings outlined in the assessment criteria.
A list of successful projects broken down by county is available on the Department’s website.
https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/51921811/2025_Integration_Fund_Successful_Projects.pdf
Under Scheme A of the fund, 148 applications were received, of which 48 were successful and 100 were unsuccessful. Under Scheme B of the fund, 231 applications were received, of which 69 were successful and 162 were unsuccessful. Applications were ranked in accordance with the published assessment criteria.
Capacity of applicants was one of the scoring criteria, and previous experience in running projects was assessed under this heading.
As part of the application process, all applicants were required to declare any grant funding they are in receipt of. Scheme A applicants were also required to submit their most recent set of audited accounts for review. A duplication of funding check was carried out by the assessment team using this information. Where required, organisations in receipt of other forms of State funding must outline how their application is distinct from other projects covered by those funding streams.
Value for Money was one of the main headings under which all applications were assessed, where the benefits of the project were assessed against the costs.
The budget proposals of each applicant organisation were also reviewed by the assessment team. Although there was no maximum threshold applied to overhead costs, these costs were a key consideration in the scoring under the ‘Financial Management & Value for Money’ section of the appraisal.
Applicant organisations for Integration funds are made aware that grant funding is made available on an annual basis, and that there is no guarantee that any organisation will be funded in any given year. The level of funding made available in the 2025 Integration Fund may not be available in future iterations of the fund.
Integration Fund projects will be subject to the same audit framework that was applied to the funds previously known as the International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF) and the Communities Integration Fund (CIF).
Expected project outcomes are described in each application for funding and are assessed on their merits. Final project reports will be reviewed to assess the performance of the project, whether it met the stated outcomes, and whether the funds were spent as outlined in the funding application. Any underspent project funds will be recouped by the Department.
The Department is not aware of any governance, compliance or financial management concerns relating to organisations funded under the 2025 Integration Fund.
842. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when a contract (details supplied) will terminate; if his department plans to renew the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63999/25]
View answerThe Department has had a contract in place with a provider to provide international protection accommodation at this location since early 2024. It is functioning as a dispersal centre for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), with families in residence for a short period of time before transfer to an alternative centre. The end date of the current contract is during the first quarter of 2026.
The Department conducts all contractual negotiations on the basis of there being no guarantee of the continuity of a contract beyond its end date.
With respect to potential for contract renewals, the provision of accommodation for international protection applicants is demand-led, and each premises is considered on a case-by-case basis to decide if the contract will be renewed as it approaches its end date.
At potential renewal stage, consideration will be given to the current and projected demand for accommodation, the provider's performance under contract, and compliance with standards and legal obligations.
Ireland has adopted and is now working to implement the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in mid-2026. Reforming and speeding up processing of applications should also serve over time to reduce the scale of the demand for international protection accommodation.
The Department is working to increase the amount of State-owned international protection accommodation and creating a more stable and sustainable accommodation system.
As developing these more sustainable state-owned accommodation system options under this strategy will take time, the commissioning of emergency commercial accommodation will continue to be a feature in the short to medium term.
843. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports which are currently available to farmers seeking to diversify into agritourism; his plans to introduce new measures in view of the potential economic impact of the loss of the nitrates derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62734/25]
View answerAgri-food tourism is a form of rural tourism that combines agriculture, food production and tourism. It allows visitors to experience rural life, local food systems and traditional farming or food-making practices.
My Department, through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund (RIDF), provides funding for Agri-food tourism projects.
Funding of almost €300,000 has been allocated in 2025 through the RIDF. 22 successful projects are being funded, with a maximum of €25,000 per application available. Similar funding levels are provided in respect of 2026.
Each year, in January, a call for proposals is published by RIDF section. Department staff and an external expert from Failte Ireland review and evaluate each project independently and collectively to reach agreement on the projects to be funded.
The projects selected include a wide variety of activities that involve the links between agriculture and the food produced at the local or regional level and allow for diversification on farms to make use of the opportunities that exist in the agri-tourism sphere.
In relation to the nitrates derogation, I fully understand its value to Ireland, to the 7,000 farmers who avail of it annually, and the wider agricultural community.
Approximately half of dairy farms in Ireland and two thirds of national milk production is produced on farms that have an organic nitrogen stocking rate of greater than 170 kg per hectare.
Not only does the Nitrates Derogation have significant economic value for Ireland’s rural economy; it also has significant environmental value as farmers who avail of it must meet higher environmental standards. The derogation also contributes to engagement and buy-in regarding improving water quality across the entire agri-food sector.
These environmental and economic reasons have made securing an extension to our Nitrates Derogation a key Government priority.
Across Government, and at official level, we are working constructively to ensure Ireland makes the best case possible to secure Ireland's next Nitrates Derogation, as committed to in the Programme for Government.
844. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department is working with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to ensure that the regulatory framework for short-term letting does not inadvertently undermine farm-based tourism enterprises particularly in view of the Policy Framework 2025–2030 and the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62735/25]
View answerMy Department has not had any engagement with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment on this matter.
845. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider establishing a cross-departmental working group to address the regulatory and developmental needs of the agritourism sector, particularly in the context of generational renewal and rural viability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62736/25]
View answerMy colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has primary responsibility for tourism policy, while Fáilte Ireland, as the National Tourism Development Authority, leads on tourism development supports, including the development of food and experience-based tourism initiatives.
Fáilte Ireland estimates that food and beverage consumption accounts for 35% of all international tourism revenues.
We recognise the strong and growing connections between agriculture, food and tourism. Food Vision 2030, our strategy for the agri-food sector, commits stakeholders to continue to develop links between local food and tourism offerings, including support for business development and marketing initiatives to support and promote food and drink visitor attractions, including the distillery, brewery and food sector.
Food Vision also recognises agri-tourism as an important diversification opportunity for farm families, contributing to generational renewal, wider rural viability and the creation of off-farm income streams. My Department supports this work through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund (RIDF). In 2025, almost €300,000 in funding has been allocated to 22 agri-food tourism projects nationwide. These projects range from food festivals and farmers markets to food trails, farm-based visitor experiences and local craft and food events. Proposals are invited annually, and projects are evaluated by my Department, with external expertise from Fáilte Ireland.
In addition, there is ongoing collaboration between the agri-food and tourism sectors. Fáilte Ireland continues to enhance the visitor food experience through its Destination and Experience Development Plans, “Taste the Atlantic” in partnership with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), and other programmes including “Digital That Delivers”, designed to power digital transformation for the visitor experiences sector. Tourism Ireland showcases Ireland’s world-class food and drink offering internationally, working closely with Bord Bia on promotional activity. Initiatives such as Good Food Ireland also help connect local producers with visitor experiences across the island.
My Department is open to exploring further opportunities for cooperation to strengthen the agri-tourism sector. We will continue to engage with Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the two State Bodies under my remit, Bord Bia and BIM, to ensure that agri-tourism is supported.
846. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown, by local authority, of the number of dogs euthanised in dog kennels and pounds in the past five years. [62754/25]
View answerEach year my Department collects and collates statistics from local authorities in relation to dog control services, with 2024 representing the most recent full year for which statistics are available. These statistics include the number of dogs that are euthanised.
The report notes that there was a 10% year-on-year increase in the number of dogs euthanised in local authority pounds/shelters in 2024, following a 75% year-on-year increase from 2022 to 2023. However, it should be noted that the overall number of dogs euthanised in local authority pounds/shelter remains significantly below where it was a decade ago, and the overall trend of euthanisations over that period is a downward one.
The numbers of dogs euthanised by local authority for the years 2020 to 2024 inclusive are provided in tabular form in the attached table. Statistics relating to dog control since 2010 are published and available on: www.gov.ie/en/collection/879d4c-dog-control-statistics/.
Number of Dogs Euthanised
|
Local Authority |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
|
Carlow |
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
9 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Clare |
46 |
47 |
24 |
15 |
13 |
|
Cork City |
34 |
20 |
16 |
3 |
5 |
|
Cork County |
36 |
92 |
66 |
25 |
27 |
|
Donegal |
13 |
11 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
|
Dublin City |
76 |
45 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
|
Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown |
9 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Fingal |
26 |
18 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
|
Galway City |
9 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
|
Galway County |
24 |
22 |
28 |
8 |
10 |
|
Kerry |
12 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
23 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Laois |
32 |
16 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Leitrim |
9 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
|
Limerick City & County |
46 |
69 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
|
Longford |
10 |
21 |
13 |
4 |
0 |
|
Louth |
12 |
10 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
|
Mayo |
17 |
15 |
19 |
7 |
5 |
|
Meath |
22 |
4 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
2 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
6 |
19 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
25 |
22 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
South Dublin |
22 |
17 |
13 |
10 |
20 |
|
Tipperary |
50 |
43 |
23 |
12 |
3 |
|
Waterford City & County |
5 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
|
Westmeath |
26 |
15 |
14 |
7 |
5 |
|
Wexford |
31 |
38 |
51 |
29 |
32 |
|
Wicklow |
18 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
TOTALS |
655 |
596 |
340 |
167 |
171 |
847. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm that registered foresters are no longer allowed individual webcam access at his Department's webinars (details supplied); if he will ensure webcams can be used in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62758/25]
View answerMy Department holds a variety of in-person indoor, in-person outdoor and online training sessions for registered foresters and ecologists. Since August 2023, there have been over 20 such forestry related training sessions for private registered foresters and ecologists, delivered by my Department.
These optional training events are free to attend and have been welcomed by the vast majority of participants. These training events have been very useful to aid in the delivery of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027.
My Department has established an Afforestation Technical Working Group, comprised of registered foresters and my officials, and amongst their tasks is to identify and prioritise any such training requirements.
To date six training webinars for Registered Foresters and Ecologists on the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 have been published on line, in addition to the presentation slides from all training events. Topics covered by these webinars include Afforestation scheme applications, the Native Tree Area scheme, the Reconstitution Ash Dieback scheme, the Woodland Improvement scheme, the Climate Resilient Reforestation scheme, Native Woodland Establishment, and the Forest Road scheme.
Due to the large volume of attendees, my Department has moved from a standard Video Conferencing format to a Webinar format for online training sessions, as recommended by my Departments IMT specialists.
This format allows for my Department’s IMT specialists to provide dedicated support at every session for any technical issues as they may arise. In addition, it allows for the possibility of the training sessions to be securely recorded for subsequent publication on my Department’s website as needed.
I fully recognise and appreciate the critical role played by registered foresters in implementing the Forestry Programme.
848. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he last met the CEO of Greyhound Racing Ireland; and to provide details of the issues discussed. [62817/25]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
I last met with the CEO of RCÉ on 22nd July 2025. The issues discussed were financial performance and budgetary matters, integrity, welfare and corporate governance.
849. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to put in place a scheme to assist farmers whose lands are severely impacted upon by coastal erosion and flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63005/25]
View answerThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage chairs the Interdepartmental Group on Coastal Change and is the policy lead, in particular coordinating the work across Government in responding to the challenge of coastal change.
850. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacancies which arose at principal officer level for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department; the number of these vacancies filled between internal and external methods; the number of vacancies each year at principal officer level filled by mobility; the number of internal competitions for principal officer grade run by his Department since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63017/25]
View answerMy Department is committed to ensuring that a skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet its priority business needs. To achieve this, workforce planning is utilised in identifying and addressing the needs for all our locations. My Department continues to fill posts through a number of mechanisms, namely the Civil Service Mobility Scheme in addition to advertisements by either Public Jobs or by my Department’s Human Resources Division. To support this, all critical staffing vacancies are filled as soon as possible when suitable candidates become available, taking into account the balance of needs across the Department.
The table below identifies the number of Principal Officer vacancies which arose in each of the years 2022 to date in 2025. There were a total number of 25 Principal Officer vacancies within the period identified.
|
Principal Officer |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Number of Vacancies Identified |
5 |
9 |
6 |
5 |
The table below provides details of the mechanism used to address Principal Officer vacancies filled from 2022 to date. A total of 26 Principal Officer vacancies were filled during this timeframe, which includes one vacancy which arose in 2021 and was addressed in 2022.
|
Principal Officer |
CS Mobility |
Internal |
External |
|
Method used to fill vacancies 2022 - 2025 |
1 |
12 |
13 |
My Department has undertaken 10 internal promotion competitions to the grade of Principal Officer since 2010.
The information requested by the Deputy regarding agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the public bodies themselves. I have referred this query to the bodies under the aegis of my Department for direct reply.
