Written Answers Nos. 258-277
258. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the schemes available to assist small farmers in transitioning to sustainable practices, including low-emission slurry spreading and biodiversity projects; if additional funding will be provided to support these initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66466/25]
View answerOne of the four objectives of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is to contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, enhance ecosystem services and preserve habitats and landscapes.
Over 287,000 hectares of commonage has been included in the scheme, meaning farmers are incentivised to manage and restore this high value land. Over 54,000 farmers are participating in ACRES, our flagship agri-environmental scheme.
The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to all farmers including small farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. All investments must be linked to Climate, Environment or Animal Welfare so there is clear support for small farmers in transitioning to sustainable practices.
The practice of Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) is an important environmentally sustainable technology that will facilitate Ireland meeting its environmental commitments through reductions in ammonia and other reactive nitrogen emissions from soil. Within TAMS 3, there is also a specific LESS scheme that has a ring-fenced investment ceiling of €40k per holding with grant aid support at an enhanced rate of 60%, compared to the standard support of 40%.
TAMS 3 is open to all farmers who have a minimum of 5 hectares of eligible land which has been declared under the Basic Payment Scheme/Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS), or equivalent, in the year of application, or preceding year.
Many of the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP's) funded by my Department also support farmers in sustainability initiatives.
ACRES, TAMS and EIPs are all funded by my Department through the CAP Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026, with co-funding provided by the European Commission.
259. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has assessed the impact of commuter town expansion on the viability of small farms in north Kildare; if he will provide details of plans to protect agricultural land from rezoning pressures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66467/25]
View answerAccelerating housing supply is a priority for Government and we have just published the new housing plan, ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness’. The Government recognises that there must be a balance of economic, environmental and social considerations regarding land use.
However, while increased housing will require additional land, it is unlikely to have a significant effect on the amount of land available for agriculture. Despite the increased pressures on land use, the most recent Farm Structure Survey from the CSO showed that there were 4.620 million hectares of Utilised Agricultural Area, excluding commonage, in 2023. This is actually an increase of over 110,000 ha (+2.5%) since 2020 and represents 67% of the total area of the State, with a further 12% in forestry.
Additionally, while planning and zoning issues are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I have listened to the genuine concerns being expressed by farmers and farm bodies on lands that fall under the scope of Residential Zoned land Tax (RZLT). In consultation with the Minister for Finance, it was agreed in this year’s budget that the opportunity to avail of an exemption from RZLT in 2025 is being extended for a further year. This is provided for landowners and farmers who carry out genuine economic activity on their land if they seek to have their land rezoned
260. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the Howth Harbour dredging project; the timeline for the commencement of dredging works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66539/25]
View answerThe need to dredge Howth FHC to ensure its long-term viability as a commercial fishing port, leisure harbour and tourism destination is widely accepted by the industry and the community and has been long recognised as an urgent issue by my Department.
Unfortunately, the project experienced significant delays in obtaining the relevant planning and consents. Planning permission was granted by Fingal County Council in August 2022. A third party subsequently made an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP formerly An Board Pleanála ABP). Progress on this project was delayed by 20 months until a decision which was made in favour of the Department in August 2024.
My Department submitted an application for a waste licence to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December 2023 in anticipation of the ACP decision. Ideally the EPA assessment would have commenced immediately. However, the application was not scheduled on either the 2024 or 2025 application lists.
I am now pleased to inform the Deputy that I was recently informed by the EPA that they are now treating the application as a matter of urgency and importance, and the project will be a priority application on their 2026 scheduled application list. Following their decision, the potential timeline for the construction phase of the project is for construction over three budgetary years, subject to funding availability, and national priorities, with actual construction time being 24-34 months
261. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a balancing payment will issue to a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing this payment to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65586/25]
View answerThe person named submitted an application under the ACRES Co-operation stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. All ACRES payments in respect of their participation in 2023 scheme year have been finalised.
With regard to ACRES payments in respect of 2024 scheme year, my Department has identified an issue which prevented a commonage parcel from being included in the payment calculation in this case. A resolution has now been put in place and arrangements have been made to issue the outstanding 2024 payment.
I can confirm that the commonage parcel in question failed to be picked up for payment in the herd owner’s 2025 Advance payment which issued on 10 November 2025, in the sum of €3,112.71. Work is ongoing to reinstate the commonage parcel in order to reconcile payments
262. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if accessibility for those with limited mobility was assessed when developing the planning application Passenger Embarkation Area, Rossaveel Fishery Harbour Centre, Rossaveel, County Galway; if he will provide detail on any research or guidelines that were taken into consideration in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66540/25]
View answerIn March this year I announced details of €27.75 million allocated for capital projects in Ireland’s publicly owned harbours through the 2025 Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. Of this, I allocated €23.4 million investment to modernise and enhance the six state-owned Fishery Harbour Centres (FHCs) located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl which are owned, operated, developed and maintained by my Department under statute.
My Department submitted a planning application with Galway County Council on 31st October 2025 (Ref No 2561595) in connection with upgrading the current passenger shelter facility, at the ferry pontoon terminal at Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre. The current bus-shelter type structure is particularly in need of upgrade given its structural condition and exposed location.
The upgrade will provide adequate shelter and safer movement of passengers within the embarkation area, ensuring a smooth and safe flow of passenger traffic, harbour users and the general public realm area and will be a welcome enhancement to the harbour. The project scope includes the removal of the existing shelters and construction of new shelters, along with associated works such as paving, lighting, signage, seating etc.
In preparing the planning application, the design team ensured that the proposed works were developed in accordance with the relevant standards and guidance and that the needs of all users were taken into consideration. In particular, safety features will be included to accommodate and improve accessibility for users with reduced mobility.
The architect-designed project will also be further developed, at a detailed design stage, to ensure that the facility is delivered following best practice and universal design principles. An accessibility audit will be carried out prior to tendering of the construction works. The planning application can be viewed online [ePlan - Online Planning Details] (www.eplanning.ie/GalwayCC/AppFileRefDetails/2561595/0).
263. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to uphold animal welfare standards, in line with Programme for Government commitments; the number of inspections of puppy farms in the past three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66733/25]
View answerMy 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.
Earlier this year, responsibility for all policy and legislation in relation to the Control of Dogs Act, 1986 and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act, 2010 transferred to my Department.
In March 2024, the then Minister for Rural and Community Development established the Dog Control Stakeholder Group to review the Control of Dogs Act and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act.
The stakeholder group’s remit includes considering the need for legislative change. This requires in-depth analysis and consultation to ensure that amendments are not just robust, fit for purpose and implementable, but that they also deliver the best outcomes for communities. I am committed to reviewing all legislation relating to dogs, and in this regard will be guided by the recommendations of the Dog Control Stakeholder Group. I expect the group to revert to me with recommendations on the matter in due course.
Inspections of dog breeding establishments are carried out by my Department and by local authority dog wardens.
All registered dog breeding establishments must undergo an annual inspection. My Department does not hold information on the number of inspections carried out by the Dog Warden Service or the number of inspections carried out prior to January 2025. This information can be requested from the local authorities directly.
Provisional figures show that my Department has carried out over 120 inspections on dog breeding establishments on behalf of local authorities up to Q3 in 2025. Of these, 84 inspections were unannounced
264. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of child protection referrals in 2023 and 2024 that involved repeat referrals for the same child, and the number of these referrals that led to a change in priority level. [66373/25]
View answer266. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who are waiting for a safety plan to be completed, by Tusla area; and the longest waiting time recorded. [66375/25]
View answer267. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who are waiting for therapeutic support following a child protection referral, by service type and region; and the average waiting time. [66376/25]
View answer268. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of referrals made to each Barnahus centre in 2023 and 2024; and the number of cases where full interagency work began within the expected time frame. [66377/25]
View answer269. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number and percentage of Tusla front-line staff who have completed each mandatory and specialist training course on child sexual abuse; and the date of the most recent audit. [66378/25]
View answer270. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of high-priority child protection cases that remain unallocated in each Tusla area as of the most recent reporting date. [66379/25]
View answer272. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of funding allocated to child protection and welfare services in each of the past five years; and the proportion of this funding spent on front-line staffing, training, and ICT systems. [66381/25]
View answer274. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average and highest child protection caseload levels held by social workers in each Tusla area; and the measures in place to reduce caseload pressure. [66383/25]
View answer276. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of HIQA recommendations for Tusla that remain outstanding at national level; and the date of the most recent Departmental review of these outstanding items. [66385/25]
View answer277. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of child protection cases where delays have been caused by multi-agency actions involving education, health, or Garda services; and the steps she is taking to improve coordination. [66386/25]
View answer278. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of out-of-hours calls received by Tusla in 2023 and 2024; and the number of these calls that required emergency intervention. [66387/25]
View answer279. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of quality assurance checks carried out on child protection files in each Tusla area in 2023 and 2024, and the number of files found to require further action. [66388/25]
View answer280. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason Tusla does not collect national data on average waiting times for the allocation of child protection cases; the date on which her Department last reviewed this data-collection gap; and the steps she will take to ensure that waiting-time data is collected and published for every Tusla area. [66442/25]
View answer281. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of unallocated child protection and welfare cases in each Tusla area as of the most recent reporting date, including the number of cases categorised as high, medium, and low priority. [66443/25]
View answer282. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans to introduce mandatory reassessment triggers for child protection cases, including automatic reprioritisation following a second or subsequent referral, and to set out the Department’s current policy position on such triggers. [66444/25]
View answer283. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions taken by her Department in response to recent HIQA findings that children at risk of sexual abuse in Dublin south central were not receiving timely safety planning or therapeutic support; and the reforms she will prioritise nationally to ensure timely intervention in such cases. [66445/25]
View answer284. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current staffing levels assigned to Barnahus West, Barnahus South, and Barnahus East; the number of unfilled posts; the expected timeline for full staffing at each site; and the projected caseload capacity when fully operational. [66446/25]
View answer285. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the compliance timelines, milestones, and performance metrics agreed with Tusla following the HIQA inspections in February 2024 and April 2025; and the mechanism used by her Department to monitor delivery against these commitments at area, regional, and national level. [66447/25]
View answer286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the interim supports, therapeutic or otherwise, that are provided to children assessed as being at risk of sexual abuse while awaiting allocation to a Tusla worker; and the protocols in place to ensure no child remains without support during extended waiting periods. [66448/25]
View answer287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an assessment of the adequacy of current training and continuous professional development provided to Tusla front-line staff in identifying and responding to risks of child sexual abuse, and if further reforms are planned. [66449/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 264, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 272, 274, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286 and 287 together.
Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy
265. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures in place to ensure consistency in priority decisions across all Tusla areas; and if she will provide the most recent compliance checks for each area. [66374/25]
View answerAs this relates to Tusla operational matters and procedures around prioritisation and compliance, I have referred your question to Tusla to reply to you directly
271. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to improve Tusla ICT and record-keeping systems, including plans for real-time data on allocation, priority level, and service access for children. [66380/25]
View answerThank you Deputy for your question on improving Tusla ICT capability.
As you are aware, Tusla was established in 2014 with a challenging remit to bring many unique and separate services (primarily previously delivered by the HSE) and over 4,000 staff under one Agency. This diverse range of services included Child Protection and Welfare, Adoption and Tracing, Regulation of Early Years Services, Education and Welfare Services, Fostering, Aftercare and Residential Services.
Effectively, pre-2014, all services operated paper-based systems or, at best used limited legacy ICT systems that were not fit for purpose.
To enhance Tusla’s Data, Digital and ICT environment, the Agency established a dedicated ICT Directorate in 2018 that delivered the first ICT and Data Management Strategies from 2018 to 2023 and it’s successor strategy 2024 – 2026
The new strategy continues the aim to maximise the benefits of data management and digital innovation in supporting the work of Tusla. It is informed by the Irish Public Service Data Strategy; Connecting Government 2030: A Digital and ICT Strategy for Ireland’s Public Service; other related policy and legislation as well guidance published by relevant Irish authorities such as the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the Data Protection Commission, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OGCIO).
This strategy is anchored by Tusla’s Vision, Mission, Values and Behaviours. It will seek to maximise data management and digital innovation to support Tusla and their partners in the delivery of services to children, young people, families, and communities.
Tusla’s values underpin the strategy by progressing a culture that promotes a recognition amongst all staff of the benefits of good data management and their responsibility to ensure the quality, respect, and privacy of the data they process in the course of their duties.
Trust is established as one of the core values of Tusla and with it the privacy of data held is of utmost importance to Tusla. Data privacy is accordingly continued as a key focus of this strategy with all actions underpinned by a focus on ensuring that the data Tusla holds is managed with respect and in line with the best principles of data protection.
Tusla Case Management System (TCM), launched in 2021, provides a single, integrated case management system that, over time, will be implemented across all Tusla services. TCM provides a single view of each child, young person, family, care provider and others who are engaged with Tusla. The vision for this system is to support all Tusla functions to work in an efficient and joined-up way in the delivery of services. TCM is currently being used by the majority of services across Tusla, and will continue to be extended to become the single integrated case management system across all Agency services providing:
Joined-up digital systems and data for joined up services. TCM will provide a single integrated case management across all Tusla services.
• A single view of the child, family and their connections across all services and all engagements with Tusla.
• Excellence in record keeping. TCM will continue to be designed for comprehensive and ease of record-keeping supporting the full information life cycle of our case files.
• Data privacy by design. Data protection considerations will continue to permeate all aspects of TCM.
• Ease of use. TCM was designed by practitioners for practitioners as an intuitive system to use. It included capabilities like dashboards, wizards, templates and auto complete to support users in finding and entering data.
It is also planned that Tusla’s Finance and HR systems will also be integrated such that funding, payments and staff planning can all also be effectively operated.
In effect, Tusla is building an integrated data environment centred around TCM that will enable the Agency to deliver improved integrated reporting by the end of the Tusla Data Management and Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-2026. This strategy was reviewed by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, and is aligned with the overall public sector data strategy.
Tusla has conducted significant work since 2019 to improve compliance with Data Protection legislation. Increased training of staff and move to digitisation of records and notes as part of Tusla Case Management. Relationship has been developed with the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) and good view of Tusla currently held by DPC.
In July 2021, Tusla expedited and extended the ambition of the planned migration from the HSE ICT network. Between July 2021 and November 2022 Tusla successfully delivered an €8 million programme to build its own ICT Infrastructure (Tusla IRL) and to migrate all offices, staff, devices and data to the new network. Tusla now has its own dedicated modern ICT network connecting over 250 Tusla offices and 6,000 users.
Building on its existing data architecture Tusla has live information available to practitioners and are constantly expanding their data analytics capabilities.
DCDE supports Tusla through the Estimates process to secure significant financial resources to deliver and manage services. Next year Tusla’s budget will increase by €165m to over €1.3bn in Budget 2026. And more specific example is the digitisation and indexing of the State's historical adoption records, this major project delivered by Tusla over the last 2 years was funded and supported by the DCDE and has so far delivered the digitising and indexing of 3 million pages of records. These records are now available in the archive where they are available to support the work of Birth Information and Tracing.
273. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the vacancy rate for social workers in each Tusla area, and the number of posts that have remained unfilled for more than six months. [66382/25]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter
275. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the escalation procedures used when a high-priority case remains unallocated for more than one week; and the number of cases escalated under these procedures in 2023 and 2024. [66384/25]
View answerThank you Deputy, for your question on this matter. As this relates to Tusla operational matters and procedures around unallocated child protection cases, I have referred your question to Tusla to reply to you directly
