Written Answers Nos. 1863-1882
1863. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider banning the live export of livestock given issues around the practices that have been raised (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2141/26]
View answerThe trade in and the export of animals is a private commercial activity, but it is heavily regulated by European and national regulations which my Department enforces. My Department demands the highest standards of animal welfare at every stage of the animal’s life, including during transport and has continuously reinforced practical, administrative and legislative measures to protect the welfare of animals during transport, often going beyond the minimum requirements of the relevant EU regulation for example: in terms of extra space for calves, more frequent driver retraining, and controls on temperature stress.
In addition, Ireland has a national regulation to protect the welfare of livestock being transported on dedicated livestock vessels, which lay down controls that are more stringent than the relevant EU regulation.
Live exports are an important component of Ireland’s livestock industry. I am conscious of the vital role they play in stimulating price competition, and providing an alternative market outlet for farmers. I have no plans to introduce legislation to prohibit this trade.
1864. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress of the project to make former Land Commission records which are of historical interest available in digital format and online. [2173/26]
View answerMy Department with the guidance of National Archives, is putting in place arrangements to prepare, identify and catalogue the 8-11 million records of the former Irish Land Commission currently held in my Department for transfer to National Archives. Digitisation of these records is not currently feasible, having regard to the form and condition of the records held and the sheer scale of such an operation.
In 2025, my Department, ran a procurement process to secure archival services to undertake a pilot project to develop a plan for identifying and cataloguing the records. As no suitable tenders were identified, my Department, following consultation with the National Archives, is preparing to run a competition to employ a Senior Archivist to manage this project with a view to ultimately transferring the collection to the National Archives from where the records can eventually be made available to the public.
1865. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a breakdown, on a tranche-by-tranche basis, of the total costs incurred under each scheme operating within TAMS 3, from tranche one up to and including tranche nine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2194/26]
View answerThe Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) has proved to be extremely popular with payments of over €120 million issued to farmers since payments commenced in June 2024.
As outlined in the terms and conditions of the scheme, applicants have one year from their date of approval to complete their investment and submit a claim for payment, with the facility to apply for an extension to that timeline. For that reason, it is not possible to provide actual costs per tranche.
The estimated projected costs of each tranche, based on Department reference costs and including payments of €120 million already issued to farmers are outlined in the table below. This is taking into consideration that approximately 75% of approved applicants will proceed and complete their investments.
|
Tranche |
Applications |
75% Completion rate |
|
Tranche 1 |
8203 |
€52.3 million |
|
Tranche 2 |
9110 |
€58.0 million |
|
Tranche 3 |
3799 |
€24.2 million |
|
Tranche 4 |
5864 |
€37.4 million |
|
Tranche 5 |
5823 |
€37.1 million |
|
Tranche 6 |
4930 |
€31.4 million |
|
Tranche 7 |
2181 |
€13.9 million |
|
Tranche 8 |
5364 |
€34.2 million |
|
Tranche 9 |
6122 |
€23.5 million |
|
Total Estimated Projected Expenditure - Tranches 1-9 |
|
€312 million |
1866. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated additional cost if 100% of tranche nine TAMS applications were to be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2195/26]
View answerThe Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) has proved to be extremely popular with payments of over €120 million issued to farmers since payments commenced in June 2024.
Tranche 9 of TAMS 3 closed for applications on 5 September, with 6,122 applications submitted across all schemes. If all were approved, and assuming a completion rate of 75% (based on the previous scheme TAMS II), expenditure on this tranche would amount to circa €39 million.
All eligible applications submitted since the opening of TAMS 3 have received 100% approval with over 40,000 approvals issued to farmers allowing them to proceed with their investments. This is approximately three times the average number of applications received in the same period under TAMS 2 where 17,520 applications were received in that same period.
Due to the unprecedented success of each of the individual schemes within TAMS 3, it was necessary to apply ranking and selection (RASS) to tranche 9. The approach of applying different RASS rates across the schemes ensures a continued focus on core on-farm investments such as farm safety and nutrient storage facilities. This will reduce the overall cost of Tranche 9 to €23.5 million.
1867. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the Mercosur deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2222/26]
View answerIreland is a small, open economy, and we depend for our prosperity upon good two-way trading relations with the nations of the world. This is at the heart of Ireland’s traditional support for free, fair and open trade.
Nonetheless, we have always been clear that EU trade agreements must defend our most vulnerable sectors, and that our farmers’ livelihoods must not be undermined, for example through direct market impacts, or through weak or ineffective environmental standards in other countries.
The Government has been very clear about Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement and has expressed these consistently over a number of years, particularly in relation to the Agreement's potential impact on the beef sector, the strength of its climate and sustainability commitments, and the food safety and environmental standards enforced by Mercosur countries.
Since I took up the role as Minister, I have met with my like-minded EU counterparts to discuss these concerns. I have also raised them at every opportunity at Agri-Fish Council in Brussels. Last Wednesday, I was again able to do so at the extraordinary EU Agriculture Ministers’ meeting with Commissioners Hansen, Sefcovic and Varhelyi.
While improvements have been made to the overall Agreement, including through the proposed regulation on safeguards, we continue to have significant concerns relating to the standards under which imports would be produced, and the impact that this Agreement could have on farming incomes.
Ultimately, the Government has concluded that the recent additional commitments were not sufficient to satisfy these concerns. We have therefore followed through on our commitment under the Programme for Government and voted against the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
1868. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the contingency measures for farmers' livelihoods the State has in place that may be impacted by the Mercosur deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2223/26]
View answerI note the decision taken by EU Member States to approve the signature and conclusion of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the Interim Trade Agreement (iTA). The Agreement will now go to the European Parliament, which will vote on whether or not to provide its consent.
In the event that the Agreement is ultimately approved and progressed to implementation, the Government’s focus will turn to ensuring rigorous monitoring by the Commission of potential EU market impacts, and the rapid and robust enforcement by the Commission of the safeguard provisions in the Agreement, which will allow the EU to temporarily suspend tariff preferences on imports from Mercosur if they are considered to be causing significant disturbances on EU markets.
The Commission has also proposed a new Unity Safety Net for crisis measures under the 2028-2034 EU budget, or Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with a total capacity of €6.3 billion.
1869. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is using artificial intelligence tools for any graphic design or similar work in place of artists, designers or videographers; and if so, to outline which projects or units of the Department are affected. [2239/26]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy when it is available.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.
My Department uses a range of creative agency services in the creation of content to support the work of my Department. This work includes public information about the Department’s wide range of schemes, services, and policies, and public information campaigns in the areas of farm safety, forestry, and animal welfare.
My Department uses the Adobe Creative Cloud suite to support in-house graphic design work. This software includes embedded artificial intelligence (AI) features that assist staff in completing elements of the work.
All current and future AI use cases are subject to human review, data protection and governance measures. My Department is committed to ensuring that any use of AI is informed by an assessment of any potential human rights and equality implications, with a need for careful management in accordance with privacy and broader ethical and legal frameworks. For operational and security reasons, my Department has been advised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) not to disclose details which could, in any way, identify potential vulnerabilities in Departmental Cyber security arrangements.
1870. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any agencies or other bodies under his remit are using artificial intelligence tools for any graphic design or similar work in place of artists, designers or videographers; and if so, to outline which projects or units of the organisation are affected. [2257/26]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy regarding the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves.
I have referred the Deputy’s question to the State Bodies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.
1871. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an ownership/responsibility issue can be examined in regard to Kilkeaveragh Pier, Portmagee, County Kerry, given Trinity College records seem to be at odds with those of his Department (details supplied); if he will request his Department to liaise with the college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2295/26]
View answerKilkeaveragh Pier was constructed and owned by Trinity College Dublin (TCD), situated within what was referred to as the Iveragh Estate. Records from the Irish Land Commission concerning the TCD Estates reveal that Kilkeaveragh Pier was explicitly excluded from the transfer during the sale of the Barony of Iveragh to the Congested District Boards in 1913.
Therefore, it is my Department’s understanding that Trinity College Dublin retained ownership of the pier after the 1913 transfer.
Notwithstanding the information outlined, my Department will liaise with Trinity College Dublin in order to establish whether there is a basis for further engagement regarding the records held by both parties. Any such engagement would be for the purpose of clarifying the position insofar as possible in relation to the ownership and responsibility for Kilkeaveragh Pier. I will keep the matter under review.
1872. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a list of the top ten capital or programme projects delivered by his Department or its agencies over the past three years which were completed on time and within the originally approved budget; the project name, location, delivery timeframe, original approved budget, final outturn cost, and delivery body, for each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2421/26]
View answer1874. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a list, for each of the past three years of the top ten projects per annum delivered by his Department or its agencies which were completed late and over the originally approved budget; the project name, location, original approved completion date, actual completion date, original approved budget, final outturn cost, cost overrun expressed in euro and percentage terms, and the delivery body for each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2457/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1872 and 1874 together.
The information being sought by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy when it is available.
|
Year Delivered |
Project Name |
Location |
|
Original Approved Completion Date |
Actual Completion Date |
Original Approved Budget |
Final Outturn cost |
Cost Overrun expressed in Euro |
Cost Overrun expressed in Percentage |
Delivery body |
|
2023 |
Upgrade of CCTV |
Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
31/07/2022 |
13/12/2023 |
€283,750 |
€329,904 |
€46,154 |
16% |
DAFM |
|
2023 |
Upgrade of Harbour Master’s Office |
Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
31/01/2023 |
07/12/2023 |
€397,250 |
€525,177 |
€127,927 |
32% |
DAFM |
|
2023 |
Howth Fishing Pier - Middle Pier Upgrade |
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
31/12/2021 |
21/12/2023 |
€7,718,000 |
€10,213,013 |
€2,495,013 |
32% |
DAFM |
|
2024 |
Smooth Point Pier Extension |
Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
July 2018 (Project subsequently had a 3 phased delivery) |
10/12/2025 |
€26,450,000 |
€35,627,453 |
€9,177,453 |
35% |
DAFM |
|
2024 |
Harbour Support Facilities |
Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
21/08/2023 |
11/12/2024 |
€2,700,000 |
€3,096,485.34 |
€396,485.34 |
14.7% |
DAFM |
|
2024 |
Howth Harbour Workshop Facility |
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
31/12/2020 |
02/04/2024 |
€1,332,901 |
€1,534,606 |
€201,705 |
15% |
DAFM |
|
2025 |
Upgrade of Fire and Intruder Alarms |
Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
31/12/2024 |
29/7/2025 |
€500,000 |
€552,703 |
€52,703 |
10% |
DAFM |
|
2025 |
Safety and Maintenance |
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre |
|
31/12/2025 |
31/12/2025 |
€300,000 |
€457,000 |
€157,000 |
52% |
DAFM |
|
Year Delivered |
Project Name |
Location |
Delivery Timeframe |
Actual Completion Date |
Original Approved Budget |
Final Outturn cost |
Delivery body |
|
|
2023 |
Boatyard Surfacing Upgrade Programme |
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre |
4 years from 2021-2024 |
17/10/2023 |
€950,000 |
€731,071 |
DAFM |
|
|
2023 |
Blackrock and Landing Pier Piles |
Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre |
3 years from 2021-2023 |
22/12/2023 |
€1,310,000 |
€704,224 |
DAFM |
|
|
2023 |
East Pier Storage Sheds - Service Upgrade and Waterproofing |
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/ 2023 |
17/10/2023 |
€400,000 |
€349,998 |
DAFM |
|
|
2023 |
Safety and Maintenance |
Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2023 |
13/12/2023 |
€310,000 |
€309,529 |
DAFM |
|
|
2024 |
Safety and Maintenance |
Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2024 |
06/12/2024 |
€558,802 |
€558,705 |
DAFM |
|
|
2024 |
Safety and Maintenance |
Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2024 |
31/12/2024 |
€550,000 |
€537,125 |
DAFM |
|
|
2024 |
Middle Pier Upgrade Surfacing and Drainage Works |
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2025 |
20/12/2025 |
€500,000 |
€499,995 |
DAFM |
|
|
2024 |
Auction Hall Cladding |
Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2024 |
28/11/2024 |
€450,000 |
€449,917 |
DAFM |
|
|
2025 |
Safety and Maintenance |
Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2025 |
11/12/2025 |
€495,000 |
€494,676 |
DAFM |
|
|
2025 |
Underwater Quay Wall Repairs |
Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre |
31/12/2025 |
26/11/2025 |
€600,000 |
€282,886 |
DAFM |
|
1873. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail the annual spend on external consultants by his Department and its agencies in each of the past three years; the number of consultancy contracts, the largest individual consultancy engagements by value, and whether internal capacity-building or cost-benefit assessments were undertaken prior to engaging external consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2439/26]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that details of annual spend on external consultants by my Department over the past three years is set out in the table below:
|
Year |
Number of Consultancy Contracts |
Annual Spend € |
|
2023 |
59 |
4,657,772 |
|
2024 |
96 |
5,565,316 |
|
2025 |
81 |
4,775,656 |
The largest individual consultancy engagements in 2023, 2024 and 2025 were with Ernst & Young with a value of €1,255,000 in 2023, €1,525,000 in 2024, and €1,540,000 in 2025. These payments were in respect of European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Annual Accounts certification.
My Department seeks to minimise the use of consultants and only engages consultancy companies when particular additional expertise is required for delivery of the services which support the business processes of the Department. Such services are used in areas where the Department does not have the necessary expertise or internal capacity to deliver the services and where it would not make practical, operational or economic sense to build up this capability within the Department.
Some engagements are necessary to satisfy auditing and EU regulatory requirements as to independent review. All contracts are negotiated with a view to achieving best value for money and keeping expenditure to a minimum.
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.
1875. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will examine the current statutory framework governing redundancy protections for pregnant employees; if she will consider extending redundancy protection to cover the period from the point at which an employee notifies their employer of pregnancy, rather than only from the commencement of statutory maternity leave; and if she will report on any review being undertaken by her Department regarding international best practice in this area, including recent legislative developments in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands, which provide broader protections for pregnant workers. [1224/26]
View answerIreland has a robust legal framework in place to ensure women in the workplace who are pregnant have legal protection from unfair dismissal.
The Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 prohibit discrimination and harassment on specified grounds, including that of gender, in the field of employment and in the access to and supply of goods and services, respectively. The Acts place obligations on employers and service providers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of people regardless of their gender.
The Maternity Protection Acts 1994–2004 ensure legal protection for those who are pregnant including in matters of employment and unfair dismissal. I would encourage those who feel they have been unfairly treated in the workplace due to being pregnant to obtain advice from the relevant experts in the Workplace Relations Commission.
The Workplace Relations Commission is an independent, statutory body which was established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015 (No. 16 of 2015). The oversight of operations of the Workplace Relations Commission falls under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has also advised that where an employee has been made redundant, they may be entitled to a redundancy payment. Under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, it is the employer’s responsibility to pay statutory redundancy to eligible employees.
In order to qualify for a statutory redundancy payment, an employee must have 104 weeks' continuous employment, have been an employed contributor in employment which was insurable for all benefits under the Social Welfare Acts, and be over the age of 16.
In general, dismissal of an employee due to redundancy is not deemed to be an unfair dismissal for the purposes of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, as amended. In such cases, an employer must be able to demonstrate that the redundancy is genuine and the selection criteria and the redundancy process is substantively and procedurally fair.
The 1977 Act also provides for a number of grounds under which a dismissal is automatically considered unfair. This includes dismissals wholly or mainly related to pregnancy, attendance at anti-natal classes, giving birth or breastfeeding or any matters connected with pregnancy or birth. While normally employees require at least one year’s service with their employer to be covered under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, this does not apply if the dismissal wholly or mainly relates to the employee's pregnancy.
Where an employee believes their employer has breached their employment rights, they can make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). In most cases, complaints must be made within 6 months of the alleged breach. The WRC can extend this to 12 months if the employee demonstrates reasonable cause.
With regard to the payment of Maternity Benefit, this is a matter for the Department of Social Protection, and more information should be sought from them in relation to this issue. However, it should be noted that if the contract of employment ends within 16 weeks of the end of the week in which the baby is due then Maternity Benefit may be paid depending on the amount of PRSI contributions accumulated.
Regarding provision of leave, significant improvements have been made in the entitlements to both paid and unpaid leaves in recent years, including by extending paid parent's leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during their earliest years.
The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with 26 weeks of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave, alongside other entitlements such as breastfeeding breaks after the return to work, which have been extended to two years following the birth of the child through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Furthermore, since 20 November 2024, employees can postpone their maternity leave if they require ongoing treatment for a serious health condition as set out in the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024.
Legal protections and family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families.
1876. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the role her Department plays in public awareness campaigns for paternity leave and parent's leave, including targeted outreach to employers and employees; the plans in place to increase awareness and take-up by men; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1909/26]
View answer1877. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will commission a review of barriers to fathers and other parents taking up paternity and parent's leave, including workplace practices and cultural norms, and publish options to increase take-up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1910/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1876 and 1877 together.
There have been significant developments in entitlements for parents of working families in recent years. The Government is committed to supporting workers, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years.
The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides the relevant parent (other than the mother of the child) with 2 weeks paid paternity leave. S.6(5) of the Act limits this entitlement in the case of multiple births to a single period of leave.
Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are now entitled to nine weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Parent's Leave is an individual separate entitlement and is non-transferable between parents.
Under the Parental Leave Acts, 26 weeks unpaid leave can be taken by an employee who is a relevant parent to take care of a child. The upper age limit of the eligible child has been increased in 2019 to the age of 12 or of 16, where the child has a disability or long-term illness which allows a parent more time in which to avail of the extended leave entitlement.
The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 complements existing family leaves and other entitlements already in place and provides additional flexibility to ensure that parents and carers can be supported to balance their working and family lives. Under this legislation, parents and carers have a right to request flexible working. It transposes the Work-Life Balance Directive which specifically prevents the transfer of paid leave between parents in the interests of gender equality and of encouraging fathers as well as mothers to take such leave.
A key priority in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families (2019-2028) is to support parents to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year given the benefits of parental care in that first year for children’s outcomes. The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to examine the possible extension of parent's leave and benefit and additional flexibilities.
This Department is continuing work to understand the barriers to the uptake of family leaves and will bring forward policy proposals where major challenges are identified. The National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 was launched 18 November 2025. The first Action Plan which will oversee monitoring and implementation is currently in development and is due to be launched early 2026. Any further changes to supports and family leave entitlements will be considered within this context.
1878. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding an assessment of need appointment for a person (details supplied). [73922/25]
View answerAs this question refers to the service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1879. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on her engagement with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the review of the 2001 planning guidelines for childcare facilities; if she has met with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to this matter; the outcome of the meeting; her views on the length of time this review is taking; if she expects the review will be completed in the first half of 2026 or if she can indicate the timeframe for its completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73943/25]
View answerThe 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Guidelines are intended to ensure a consistent approach to the treatment of planning applications in respect to the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision.
The Programme for Government commits to reviewing the 2001 Childcare Facilities Guidelines for Planning Authorities to ensure early learning and childcare spaces are provided and put into use. The 2024 Planning and Development Act and the publication of the National Planning Framework now provide a strong basis from which to pursue this work.
An Early Learning and Childcare Planning Matters Working Group, with officials from this Department; the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage; and the Department of Education and Youth, was established in 2024 and has met on a number of occasions in 2024 and 2025.
Meetings have been held since summer 2025 with members of the working group with officials from different local authorities who were nominated by the City and County Managers Association Planning and Land Use Committee.
This engagement with nominated planners was effective in identifying a number of important considerations for the review and is now informing a wider engagement with local authorities. These issues include ensuring that buildings developed on foot of the guidelines meet the needs of the local population and are fit for purpose; and balancing the need to ensure sufficient provision for children and families, regardless of the size or housing type of the development, with ensuring that buildings are effectively operated as intended.
I have engaged with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss how best to support and inform the drafting of revised guidelines under the new Planning and Development Act and will continue to engage with him.
Shaping the Future, the Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 Report, which I published recently, commits to continuing to work with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage includes an action to continuing to work with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review the Planning Guidelines and prepare for a new National Planning Statement to be agreed by Cabinet, with a timeframe of 2026. Officials in this Department will continue to engage with colleagues to progress this work.
1880. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has identified suitable properties for purchase in order to progress the commitment to State-led childcare facilities; the engagement her Department has had with local authorities and the Land Development Agency in relation to this matter; her views on whether properties built under the 2001 planning guidelines for childcare facilities which remain vacant could be utilised to add capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73944/25]
View answerImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
A Forward Planning and Delivery Unit in the Department is progressing an important programme of work focused on identifying areas of need, forecasting demand, and planning for the delivery public supply within the early learning and childcare sector where required.
The Programme for Government commits for the first time to provide capital investment to build or purchase state-owned early learning and childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential for much greater scope to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand. This work will be supported through capital investment under the revised National Development Plan.
As announced in the context of Budget 2026, €197 million will be available between 2026 and 2030 for early learning and childcare capital programmes. This will include investment in new buildings through the State-led early learning and childcare programme, investment in expansion of existing early learning and childcare operators through the Building Blocks scheme and a number of quality initiatives including supports to childminders.
The analysis of the newly developed forward planning model will be one of a number of factors considered when selecting and prioritising projects. Other factors will reflect the policy goals of the Department to support a quality, inclusive and accessible early learning and childcare system and to ensure value for money.
Engagement with Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency, and Approved Housing bodies, among other sources, is ongoing to identify potential sites for State-led early learning and childcare which can be appraised to assess alignment with objectives.
In some instances, buildings delivered under the 2001 Planning Guidelines may be considered for investment under the capital programme, subject to their alignment with programme objectives. Key considerations will include levels of supply and demand in the local area, local demographic and spatial issues, cost-effectiveness and timeliness of delivery of potential projects as well as the design of the building and the fit-out requirements.
1881. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting for assessment of needs, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74021/25]
View answerThe delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government. There has been intensive work by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need.
Under the Disability Act, an Assessment of Need is an assessment process carried out by the HSE where a person is of the opinion that he/she may have a disability, for anyone born after 1st June 2002. It first establishes whether the person has a disability (as defined within the Act). It then identifies the health and education needs of the person with a disability and the services required to meet those needs.
It is important to note that children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services.
However, demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. The impact of this increased demand has contributed to there being over 18,000 applications overdue for completion nationwide at the end of September 2025 according to the most recently available HSE data.
More positively, there has been continued improvement in the number of completed assessment of need reports. Over 4,500 reports were completed in the first nine months of 2025 – a 57% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The HSE provides Assessment of Need data on a quarterly basis but has advised this data is not available on a county level. In 2025, the HSE moved from reporting on AON data at CHO level to Regional Health Area (RHA) level.
The following table sets out the requested data by RHA for the first nine months of 2025, which is the latest data available. The “number of applications overdue for completion” column includes all assessment reports that were not completed within 6 months of receipt of an application:
|
AON Data by RHA |
Number of applications overdue for completion at the end of Q3 2025 |
|
HSE Dublin & North East |
5577 |
|
HSE Dublin & Midlands |
6585 |
|
HSE Dublin & South East |
2752 |
|
HSE South West |
1569 |
|
HSE Mid West |
482 |
|
HSE West & North West |
1132 |
|
TOTAL |
18097 |
In December 2025, Government announced a series of reforms to the Assessment of Need process which will make the process more effective and efficient for children and families. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment.
This reform includes changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005, which provides for Assessments of Need. The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2025 which outlines these proposed changes was approved by Government on 9 December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly.
Any proposed legislative changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child, nor will they alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
Other aspects of the reform include:
• The development of statutory guidelines to ensure that Assessments of Need focus on identifying a child’s needs, engaging in more intensive assessments only where required to identify need. This should help reduce delays and allow therapists to spend more time delivering services.
• The establishment by the HSE of eleven new teams, initially, to support HSE assessment processes, including Assessments of Need. Each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and an administrator, providing clinical guidance throughout the process.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
1882. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress on the recommendations from reports or reviews into Tusla’s handling of child cases (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74023/25]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, these tragic cases are the subject of active and ongoing investigations by An Garda Síochána. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on any specific details that could, even inadvertently, prejudice that vital investigation.
As soon as Tusla became aware of these cases, this Department was notified immediately through the agreed protocols and procedures in place. There has been ongoing engagement with Tusla relating to Tusla’s own internal reviews of each specific case and on any recommendations that have arisen to date as a result of these internal reviews.
All of these cases have been referred to the National Review Panel who will make findings and recommendations, as deemed appropriate. The National Review Panel is independent and has remit to review serious incidents, in particular where there is suspected or confirmed abuse of a child in care.
The National Review Panel delivered its Report on the review of the Kyran Durnin case to the Department on the 29th October last. The Attorney General has determined that it would not be possible to publish the report at this time, given the potential to prejudice any potential prosecutions. It may be possible to publish the report in the future, depending on the advice of the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions. What has been agreed on foot of the advice of the Attorney General is that the recommendations in the report would be published in full, and they were published on 3rd December, 2025.
These recommendations fall to a number of Departments and Agencies to implement, and cover the areas of:
• Tracking pupil movement between primary schools (including cross border)
• Review of GDPR and Network Checking
• Guidance to social workers
• Development of procedures for wait list management
• Development of a framework for quality assurance monitoring and review, and outcome measurement for family support provider agencies
• Review of the Tusla/An Garda Síochána protocol.
The Department is engaging with the relevant Government Departments and Agencies, including Tusla, on the implementation of the recommendations which are relevant to them. Tusla has already commenced the process on the implementation of the recommendations which come under its remit. I am clear that the implementation of the recommendations should be completed as soon as possible.
National Review Panel Reports are awaited in the three other cases referred to by the Deputy.
Tusla and this Department are central to protecting vulnerable children. However, we must all strengthen the partnership across State agencies to ensure everyone is fully engaged and aware of the role they play is protecting children from harm.
