Tony McCormack
Question:191. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken to improve access to sports facilities for women and girls. [4143/26]
View answerSports Facilities
Questions (191)
Written answers
Equality, diversity and inclusion are key areas for focus for me in my role as Minister of State for Sport.
The Programme for Government commits to supporting the sporting ecosystem so more people can participate, reap the benefits of sport, and fulfil their potential from grassroots right up to high performance level. This will be achieved through a range of measures including continuing to support the funding of sports capital projects and assessing the distribution of funding to maximise participation in all sports at community and national level, as well as continuing to work with sporting organisations to promote equality of access to sporting facilities and to drive increased participation in sport.
Female participation in sport is an important element of both the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the recently published Sports Action Plan 2024 - 2027 and is a core priority for my Department. Last year Sport Ireland announced an investment of €4 million under the Women in Sport programme for 2025. This is critical funding and my Department will continue to support programmes to increase women’s participation in all sports to eliminate the gender participation gap by 2027 as outlined in the National Sports Policy.
Furthermore, clubs and organisations applying to the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF) must be open to new members and must not have any restrictions on who may join or obtain full membership. All CSFF applicants must agree that, from the date of the grant, they will not deny anybody access to any facility. In addition, the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) requires that recipients of LSSIF funding must accommodate the needs of women and men, on a similar basis, with respect to accessing the facilities.
Sports Funding
Questions (192)
Barry Ward
Question:192. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on the need to develop a new, high-performance HQ for an organisation (details supplied); his views on whether this would be of benefit for sailors of all ages and abilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3344/26]
View answerWritten answers
The National Sports Policy was published on 25 July 2018 and provided for a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the fund is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects. These are projects where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF).
In 2024, the second round of the LSSIF attracted an unprecedented level of interest, resulting in grants totalling €173 million being awarded to 35 projects. No application was received from Irish Sailing.
I am fully aware of the concerted efforts to improve the main headquarter facilities for sailing and, while I am supportive of efforts to upgrade the organisation's current headquarters, my current focus is on ensuring the successful delivery of projects funded under the first two rounds of the LSSIF and this process will guide decisions on the timing of a future round.
I encourage all NGBs to make applications for projects where appropriate under the programmes referred to above.
Sports Facilities
Questions (193)
Peter Roche
Question:193. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding the Sports Action Plan in addressing anti-social behaviour, particularly in Galway; if he will outline any new or expanded initiatives planned to broaden sports access for at-risk youth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3652/26]
View answerWritten answers
The National Sports Policy and Sports Action Plan set out an ambitious future for sport in Ireland where equality of access and opportunity is a key theme.
Sport Ireland's network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) plays a crucial role in implementing the National Sports Policy and increasing participation levels in sport and physical activity particularly in underrepresented and at-risk groups. The LSPs deliver targeted programmes to a range of cohorts including young persons, the unemployed, and those living in disadvantaged communities.
In 2025, the LSP network, which includes the Galway Sports Partnership, received €11,945,000 in core funding and this was supplemented by additional investment from other funding streams, including Dormant Accounts Funding (DAF) and the European Social Fund (ESF+) Programme.
Through DAF, LSPs can connect national funding priorities with local community needs, ensuring funding reaches the groups, clubs and people that need it most. Funding totaling €1.32 million was allocated in 2025 to support 29 existing Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs along with the funding of four new Hubs. Led by LSPs, the Hubs will promote local engagement in sport and physical activity to assist disadvantaged areas. An additional €280,000 will go to the Urban Outdoor Adventure Initiatives, a fund that aims to provide outdoor adventure sports opportunities for disadvantaged communities and at-risk youth.
Sport Ireland has successfully applied to the European Social Fund (ESF+) Programme 2021-2027 and has been awarded €11 million for implementation of a social innovation and inclusion programme over the lifetime of the Programme. The ESF+ funding has enabled Sport Ireland to establish the Sport4Empowerment (S4E) Programme which aims to use sport and physical activity as a tool for social inclusion and empowerment. S4E targets four population cohorts, including youth at risk and persons from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The programme is delivered through Sport Ireland’s network of Local Sports Partnerships, with ESF+ Social Innovation in Sport Officers currently based in 24 LSPs, including Galway Sports Partnership, and expanding to 29 nationwide. The Officers will be responsible for the piloting and implementation of range of new targeted programmes which aim to enhance the wellbeing, education, and economic prospects of participants.
Social Media
Questions (194)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:194. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the interactions his Department has had with social media companies and other Government Departments following the release of the nudification feature by an organisation (detail supplied); whether legislation is being considered in order to deal with this feature; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4052/26]
View answerWritten answers
I want to reiterate to the House my disgust that this type of material is being created and shared on social media. It is abhorrent. My first concern is with those affected, in particular women and children and young people.
The sharing of non-consensual intimate images is illegal under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, 2020, also known as Coco's Law; and the generation or distribution of child sexual abuse material is illegal under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998.
If a member of the public is concerned about images shared online, they should report it to An Garda Síochána. Such reports and complaints are important for An Garda Síochána in their investigations of suspected criminality, and it is the responsibility of the Director of Public Prosecutions to direct prosecution of any individual or company for alleged offences.
People should also report this type of content to Hotline.ie, the Irish national reporting centre, which will also pursue the removal of that content.
Finally, under our Online Safety Framework, there is an obligation on platforms to act on reports of illegal content. That is why I would encourage users to report illegal content to the online platform where they saw it and to Coimisiún na Meán. An Coimisiún utilise complaints to help assess compliance by platforms with the online safety framework so reporting illegal content helps An Coimisiún in its work.
Under the Digital Services Act, the European Commission has lead responsibility for the oversight of very large online platforms including X. The European Commission has been very clear in warning X that it must remedy this matter and X has claimed it has taken certain steps to do so. However, the European Commission is taking investigative steps and an announcement on further action is expected imminently. This may include interim measures such as requiring changes to a service.
An Coimisiún is Ireland's Digital Services Coordinator under the DSA and in that role it is continuing to work with the European Commission on this serious matter. I support the European Commission, as the lead regulator, in taking all possible and necessary steps to ensure that X is brought into compliance with its regulatory obligations.
As Minister, it would be wrong to seek to interfere with the process of investigation but I am committed, along with my Cabinet colleagues, to doing all that is required to ensure that people, in particular women, children and young people, are protected online. Ireland has strong laws in place and the Attorney General is continuing to examine whether these can be further strengthened. I will bring a Memo to Government in the coming weeks to set out next steps.
Question No. 195 taken with Question No. 171.
Arts Council
Questions (196)
Brian Brennan
Question:196. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to discuss the recommendations of the Brennan report on the Arts Council; the next course of action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4114/26]
View answerWritten answers
On taking office last year, it was brought to my attention that the Arts Council’s 2023 Annual Report included a report by the C&AG of a failed €6.675 million IT project in that organisation.
I brought this matter to Government at the earliest opportunity and, with the agreement of my Government colleagues, I established an Expert Advisory Committee chaired by Professor Niamh Brennan to conduct an Independent Review of the Governance and Organisational Culture of the Arts Council of Ireland.
The Committee has concluded its work and today I brought their Review to Government, who approved its publication.
The Review is substantive and contains 149 recommendations. Of these, 3 are for all Government Departments regarding decision making and communication protocols. 17 are addressed to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concerning the regulatory framework governing State Bodies, risk management and the role of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.
31 relate to my Department and cover a number of issues including oversight of State Bodies, appointments to these bodies and, critically, changes to the Arts Act 2003.
The remaining 100 recommendations apply specifically to the Arts Council and relate to a wide range of issues including the operation of the Board and its subcommittees, the role of the Director and the Senior Management Team, internal audit, compliance with public policy directives and communication with this Department.
It is critical that steps are taken to prevent the recurrence of these failings and I intend to implement in full the recommendations which are addressed to my Department and the Arts Council.
The Department will now engage directly with the Interim Director and the Chair of the Arts Council to ensure that the organisation is supported during this interim period, ahead of what will be a period of significant change. This will be important for the wider arts sector.
The Arts Council will have six weeks from today to submit a plan to the Department that sets out the actions they will take to implement the recommendations in the Review, along with timelines for delivery. The Department will establish a monitoring group to ensure that the Council delivers on its plan.
The recommendations in the EAC report that are addressed to the Department have been accepted and will be implemented in full, with oversight by the Management Board.
National Broadband Plan
Questions (197)
Brian Stanley
Question:197. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the final expected cost of the national broadband scheme to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3422/26]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a Gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, over 443,370 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 161,680 premises are already connected to the National Broadband Plan high-speed broadband network.
The maximum cost to the State for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) programme is €2.7 billion over 25 years, including €480 million for additional conditional subsidy and contingency costs. The NBP remains on schedule and within budget.
Tourism Promotion
Questions (198)
Edward Timmins
Question:198. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the American Presidents trail which was proposed in 2025 by this Deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4091/26]
View answerWritten answers
The prospect of an American President's Trail is being examined as part of the America250 Programme which is a collaboration between my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. One of the aims of this programme is to acknowledge the significant role of Irish emigrants and those of Irish descendent in the formation of the United States of America.
The American President’s Trail could contribute to the programme by highlighting the numerous American Presidents, many of which have engaging and noteworthy stories, that have their ancestral roots in communities around the island of Ireland.
The Department has had positive engagement with the Department of Communities in Northern Ireland who are essential partners due to the all-island nature of the trail. Officials from both Departments are scheduled to meet again later this month to share updates with the hope of progressing plans for the development.
We have also had initial positive responses from our relevant local authorities. We look forward to continuing our positive working relationships with these key stakeholders which has been so successful in the delivery of meaningful commemorative programming to date.
Officials from my Department will contact the Deputy in the coming days to discuss this initiative and its development further.
Social Media
Questions (199)
Pa Daly
Question:199. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures he is taking to enhance online safety; his priorities for 2026; the way he plans to hold social media companies to account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4065/26]
View answerWritten answers
Online safety is a whole-of-society issue and a whole-of-Government priority. I am committed to working with all stakeholders, nationally and internationally, to ensure a robust online safety framework is in place, in particular, to protect children and young people from inappropriate, harmful and illegal online content.
Coimisiún na Meán, as Ireland’s online safety and media regulator, is at the heart of that framework. It was established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, which transposed the EU Audio Visual Media Services Directive, and provides that An Coimisiún is independent in the exercise of its functions. The OSMR Act, along with the EU Digital Services Act under which An Coimisiún is Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator, and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation for which An Coimisiún is a competent authority, are the main elements of Ireland's online safety framework.
2025 saw the full application of Ireland's first Online Safety Code, implemented by Coimisiún na Meán. The Code obliges designated video-sharing platform services to take measures to protect children online, including, under Part B, the obligation to implement robust age assurance measures to ensure children do not normally see adult-only content, like pornography. A failure to adequately fulfil obligations under the framework can lead to significant financial sanctions and continued non-compliance can lead to criminal sanctions for senior management under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act. Under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act (Section 10) Coimisiún na Meán is an independent regulator and is independent in the exercise of its functions and its enforcement of the Online Safety Code in relation to any possible sanctions of platforms set out in the OSMR Act.
European Union Member States are also examining the question of prohibiting access by children and young people to social media platforms – the so-called “digital age of majority”. Australia is implementing such a measure and other jurisdictions are considering similar measures. Ireland is also considering its approach on this matter. I believe that any decision would be better taken by the EU and EU Member States together and in that regard, it is important to note that the President of the European Commission Ursula van der Leyen announced that she would establish an expert panel to examine the issue. However, across the European Union there are differing views whether there should be an age of digital majority at all, and if there were such an age, what age it should be, and whether it should be an outright ban or a ban subject to parental consent. I am determined to make progress on this key issue and will work with other EU member states, including in the context of Ireland's Presidency of the EU next year, on effective and practical solutions.
I believe that age verification is a vital part of the picture in terms of providing real assurance that children are the age they claim to be and to ensure they are not exposed to harmful or illegal content. Without robust age verification, any other measures, including implementing a digital age of majority won’t work. I am working across Government to support robust age verification. In doing so, we must seek to ensure inter-operability and respect users’ rights, including data protection rights. To that end, my officials are working with the Government’s Chief Information Officer and his Office to look at practical technical solutions to age verification as part of the Government's Digital Wallet being developed using MyGovID. I am also seeking the inclusion of a commitment to this effect in the Government’s updated National Digital Strategy which will be published later this year.
While no platform will be obliged to use the digital wallet for age verification purposes, it will be incumbent on all video-sharing platform services to ensure that they are complying with their obligations under the Online Safety Code, and Coimisiún na Meán will continue to play an important role in this regard.
I plan to make online safety a key theme of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union next year. In this context, the EU Audio Visual Media Services Directive, which is the basis for Ireland's Online Safety Code, will be evaluated over the coming year. Further measures are likely to be proposed at European level during Ireland's Presidency, and Ireland will work with all stakeholders to ensure that additional legislative proposals are robust in addressing harms posed to children online.
Sports Funding
Questions (200)
John Paul O'Shea
Question:200. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the actions being taken to increase participation in sport and physical activity across Cork, particularly among young people, women and disadvantaged communities; and if he will outline the funding and programme supports available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4074/26]
View answerWritten answers
Increasing participation levels in sport among all cohorts is a key objective of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and is a priority for me in my role as Minister for Sport.
The results of the Irish Sports Monitor 2024 survey revealed that active sports participation has reached record levels, with 49% of the population now taking part in sport on a weekly basis. The increase means that Ireland is on track to achieve the target set out in the National Sports Policy that 50% of adults actively participate in sport by 2027.
Despite the significant progress made to date and the growth in participation rates among both men and women, the Sports Monitor results indicate that the gender participation gap remains at just under 3%. Last year Sport Ireland announced an investment of €4 million under the Women in Sport programme for 2025. This is critical funding and my Department will continue to support programmes to increase women’s participation in all sports to eliminate the gender participation gap by 2027 as outlined in the National Sports Policy.
Sport Ireland's network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) also plays a crucial role in increasing participation levels in sport and physical activity particularly in underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. The LSPs deliver targeted programmes to a range of cohorts including young persons, the unemployed, and those living in disadvantaged communities.
In 2025, the LSP network, which includes the Cork Sports Partnership, received €11,945,000 in core funding and this was supplemented by additional investment from other funding streams, including Dormant Accounts Funding (DAF) and the European Social Fund (ESF+) Programme.
Through DAF, LSPs can connect national funding priorities with local community needs, ensuring funding reaches the groups, clubs and people that need it most. Funding totalling €1.32 million was allocated in 2025 to support 29 existing Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs along with the funding of four new Hubs. Led by LSPs, the Hubs will promote local engagement in sport and physical activity to assist disadvantaged areas. An additional €280,000 will go to the Urban Outdoor Adventure Initiatives, a fund that aims to provide outdoor adventure sports opportunities for disadvantaged communities and at-risk youth.
Despite recent progress, there is an enduring participation gap in sport between persons with either a long-term illness or a disability and those without such illness or disability. Both the Government and Sport Ireland are committed to making this participation gap a thing of the past.
Increased funding of €1million was allocated in Budget 2025 to establish a new and dedicated Disability in Sport funding stream. The Disability in Sport Lead who was appointed in February 2025, is collaborating with National Government Bodies (NGBs), LSPs, and other funded organisations, developing programmes aimed at promoting accessibility and participation for individuals with disabilities.
As Minister for Sport, I will continue to promote sport to all cohorts and work to remove any barrier to participation.
Question No. 201 taken with Question No. 170.
Departmental Advertising
Questions (202)
Eoghan Kenny
Question:202. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Taoiseach the amount his Department, or agencies under its remit, spent on advertising on a social media platform (details supplied) in each of the years 2024 and 2025 respectively; to outline any expenditure on verification or premium accounts on the platform in those years. [3111/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of the Taoiseach did not have any expenditure on the social media platform referenced by the Deputy in either 2024 or 2025.
The National Economic and Social Development Office, the only body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach, also had no expenditure on the social media platform referenced by the Deputy in 2024 or 2025.
Programme for Government
Questions (203)
Rory Hearne
Question:203. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Taoiseach for an update on the Programme for Government. [3627/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, sets out a series of commitments across social, economic and environmental policy.
The Cabinet Committee structure plays a central role in overseeing the whole-of-government approach to implementing the Programme for Government.
In the twelve months since its publication, significant progress has been made across many of the areas set out in the Programme for Government. Some important examples include:
In the area of Housing:
• Government has published the new housing plan, “Delivering Homes, Building Communities”, which includes proposals for regulatory reforms, tax incentives, and the investment of €275 billion over ten years, the largest infrastructure investment in the history of the State.
• We have agreed reforms to rent pressure zones, strengthening the rights of tenants and stimulating increased investment and development activity.
• We are addressing challenges with the viability of apartment development, and have reduced the VAT rate on the sale of completed apartments from 13.5% to 9% to improve the scope for market delivery.
In the area of Infrastructure:
• We have updated the National Development Plan, providing unprecedented investment targeted at building more housing, upgrading water and energy infrastructure, delivering more roads and better public transport.
• We have established the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce and published its report, which will drive the efficient delivery of infrastructure across Ireland, streamlining development processes and significantly reducing delivery timelines.
• We have established a new Infrastructure Division within the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, which is driving wide-ranging reforms that will remove barriers to the delivery of strategic infrastructure.
We have published Ireland’s Sixth Nitrates Action Programme, underscoring Ireland’s success in retaining the Nitrates Derogation.
In the area of Economy, Trade and Competitiveness, the Government has published several key strategies and launched a number of important initiatives to support businesses. These include:
• The Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity.
• The Action Plan on Insurance Reform.
• The Action Plan on Market Diversification.
• The Cost of Business Advisory Forum.
• Ireland’s Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining 2026–2030.
• The Large Energy User Action Plan, which will enable Ireland to attract the next generation of investment in energy intensive sectors over the coming decades.
In the area of Disability:
• We have approved a record investment of €3.8 billion in disability services in Budget 2026, an increase of 20%.
• We have published a new National Disability Strategy, the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People (2025-2030).
• We have established the new Education Therapy Service, which will see therapists working in special schools.
In the area of migration:
• We have moved responsibility for International Protection back to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
• We have published the new International Protection Bill to provide a more streamlined, firm, fair and effective international protection system that aligns with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
• We have established the Strategic Migration Policy Group, which is working to develop the Migration and Integration Strategy.
In the area of Ireland-UK relations:
• We have established the new UK-Ireland 2030 programme of strategic co-operation, which puts in place new arrangements to support and strengthen interaction between Ireland and the UK.
• We had the first annual summit between Ireland and the UK Heads of Government last year in Liverpool. (Ireland will host the 2026 Summit.)
• We doubled the resources available to the Shared Island Fund, with a further €1 billion available out to 2035 to foster reconciliation, mutual respect and growth.
In the areas of Justice, Defence and National Security:
• We established a new Ministerial Council on National Security, which I chair.
• We approved an allocation of €1.49 billion in Defence funding in Budget 2026, an increase of €145 million (11%) compared to 2025.
• We approved an allocation of €6.17 billion for the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, which will fund additional recruitment of gardaí and garda staff, additional overtime, and increased funding for the Prison Service, the Probation Service and the Courts Service, as well as €11.5 million of additional funding for Domestic and Gender Based Violence initiatives.
Child Poverty
Questions (204)
Rory Hearne
Question:204. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the progress his Department is making to address child poverty. [3628/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office was established in the Department of the Taoiseach in 2023 to prioritise action across government in areas that will have the greatest impact for children and families experiencing poverty. The Programme Office was retained in the Programme for Government to continue the work to break down silos between departments and drive delivery.
Published in 2023, the Programme Office’s initial Programme Plan, From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Poverty and Well-being 2023-2025, builds on six focus areas which have the potential to bring about significant change for families and children.
These focus areas are:
• Income assistance and joblessness;
• Early learning and childcare;
• Reducing the cost of education;
• Family homelessness;
• Consolidating and integrating family and parental assistance, health and well-being;
• Enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.
The Programme Office’s first Progress Report, Child Poverty and Well-being in Transition: Learning and Adapting to Accelerate Change in Children’s Lives published in early 2025, provided updates for the focus areas, acknowledged challenges and highlighted emerging lessons and priorities. The report also highlighted that the Programme Office has strengthened the cross-government focus on addressing child poverty. A copy of the report can be found on gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/publications/progress-report/.
The next multi-annual Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Plan and the second Progress Report are currently under development and will be published in the coming months.
Annual Summit and Cross Government Network
Last September, I hosted the Programme Office’s second annual summit on child poverty and well-being in the Aviva Stadium. The Summit brought together leaders, policymakers, practitioners, and change-makers from across sectors to explore how we can drive systemic change that delivers results for children. It highlighted collaborative approaches, examined what is working, and surfaced bold ideas that are needed to address the structural barriers that keep children and families in poverty. Children’s participation was an integral part of the day and included an art exhibition, a specially written musical performance from Jimmy Maguire of Music Generation, and engagement with our Youth Advisory Group on Child Poverty and Well-being.
The discussions and outcomes from the Summit will feed directly into the development of the Office’s second Programme Plan. A report on the Second Annual Child Poverty and Well-being Summit was published in December and is available on gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/publications/summit-2025/#summit-report.
To deepen cross government coordination, the Office established a Cross-Government Network on Child Poverty and Well-being. To date, there have been six meetings of the Cross Government Network. At the sixth meeting of the Cross-Government Network (CGN), space was created for practical exploration of how a more creative, ambitious, and responsive public sector can better support children and families through Action Learning Sets. The results of this session will be explored at the next Cross-Government Network which will take place in Q1 2026.
Child Poverty Target
In September 2025, in line with commitments in the Programme for Government, the Government agreed a new Child Poverty Target - to reduce the child consistent poverty rate to 3% or less by the end of 2030. This Target is ambitious, representing a reduction of 5.5 percentage points, or nearly 60%, from the current rate of 8.5%.
While consistent poverty is a very important metric, it is not the only way we have of measuring how children are doing. Given the multi-faceted nature of child poverty, both targeted income measures, and non-income measures, such as housing, education, childcare and health services, are key in reducing child poverty, as well as high quality and sustainable employment.
To support a multi-dimensional view of child poverty, the Programme Office is compiling a Dashboard of Indicators that will be used alongside the new Child Poverty Target.
Budget 2026
An important strategic initiative of the Programme Office is the cross-government focus on child poverty and well-being in the annual Budget.
On 30 December, I published Breaking the Cycle: New Measures in Budget 2026 to Address Child Poverty and Promote Well-being. This is the third cross-government report on child poverty spending in the annual Budget – and the first Budget of this Government’s term.
Budget 2026 moves away from cost-of-living payments towards permanent targeted payments to support those most vulnerable. A €320 million social welfare package for children includes the largest increase ever in the Child Support Payment, increased income thresholds for the Working Family Payment, and the extension of Fuel Allowance to those on the Working Family Payment. Other new or enhanced allocations in Budget 2026 to address child poverty through provision of services include:
• An additional €5.14 million for Equal Start - a 30% increase from the 2025 allocation,
• An additional €16.5m (€48 million full year cost) to the Department of Education and Youth to implement a new DEIS Strategy and the new DEIS Plus scheme,
• A 22% increase of €7.3m for Youth Justice supports,
• €3.2m of additional funding to expand and strengthen the national network of Family Resource Centres, with the addition of ten new centres, bringing the national total to 136, and
• Expansion of the income thresholds for the National Childcare Scheme, which will reduce the costs of childcare for lower-income families.
Analysis from the Economic and Social Research Institute shows that the permanent measures taken in Budget 2026 are progressive and prioritise protecting the incomes of the poorest families. This targeted approach is a strategic decision by Government to close the gap for children and families most at risk in our society. The 2026 Budget report is available on gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/publications/annual-budget/#budget-2026-report.
Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan
The Government’s new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities recognises that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue that we face and introduces a number of key measures to address homelessness. One such measure relates to the development of a dedicated cross-Departmental and agency led Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan. Given the importance of this issue for child poverty and child well-being, the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are working together on this Plan, supported by relevant Government departments and State bodies.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (205)
Ciarán Ahern
Question:205. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Taoiseach to provide an up-to-date contact list for queries from Oireachtas Members to agencies under his Department, in tabular form. [3880/26]
View answerWritten answers
The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), incorporating the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), is the only body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach. Oireachtas members can contact NESDO by emailing Oireachtas@nesdo.ie or by phone at 01-8146300.
Trade Agreements
Questions (206, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220)
Michael Collins
Question:206. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to detail the EU member states the Government considers to be “like-minded” in opposing the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, as referenced in the Programme for Government; and to outline the basis on which each such state is deemed aligned with Ireland’s position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3779/26]
View answerMichael Collins
Question:216. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to detail any joint letters, non-papers, position papers, or coordinated actions undertaken by Ireland in conjunction with other EU member states opposing the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement; and to specify the countries involved and dates on which such actions occurred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3784/26]
View answerMichael Collins
Question:217. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions his Department has taken to support the Programme for Government commitment to work with like-minded EU countries to oppose the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement; to list any meetings or correspondence with EU counterparts in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3786/26]
View answerMichael Collins
Question:218. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline all engagements undertaken by him with other Heads of Government or senior EU officials in relation to opposition to the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement; and to provide the dates, countries involved, and nature of each engagement. [3787/26]
View answerMichael Collins
Question:219. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether he considers the Government to have fully complied with the Programme for Government commitment to work with like-minded EU countries to oppose the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement; and if so, to set out the evidence on which this assessment is based. [3788/26]
View answerMichael Collins
Question:220. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether the Government will commit to publishing a consolidated account of all Ministerial engagements, meetings, and coordinated actions undertaken with other EU member states in opposition to the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement; and if not, the reasons for same. [3789/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 206, 216, 217, 218, 219 and 220 together.
The Programme for Government, published in January 2025, stated that the Government would work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal.
On 9 January 2026, EU Member States voted on the EU-Mercosur Agreement. That vote was carried by a qualified majority. Ireland voted, clearly and unambiguously, against the approval of the Agreement.
Furthermore, I and other Government Ministers – including the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Minister for European Affairs and Defence, among others – along with officials have engaged extensively at EU level to voice our concerns with the Agreement. That engagement was sustained over time and took place across multiple forums and in both formal and informal settings. These included European Council meetings, sectoral Council meetings, bilateral engagements in EU Member State capitals, numerous phone calls at ministerial level, working party-level meetings, and direct dialogue with the European Commission, including during a focused visit by Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic to Ireland in October last year and a Commission senior officials visit to Ireland to meet with stakeholders in May last year.
That engagement included working with a number of like-minded Member States over an extended period and was handled seriously and discreetly, as is appropriate to the work of diplomacy at EU level where Member States’ positions and sensitivities evolve over time in line with their domestic and international priorities.
These sustained actions along with Ireland’s ‘no’ vote are entirely consistent with the Programme for Government and with the position articulated by the Government repeatedly and unambiguously over a lengthy period.
As a result of efforts made by Ireland and like-minded Member States, it is important to state that hard-won improvements have been made to the overall Agreement package, including a new legal act to operationalise bilateral safeguards to protect sensitive products, a financial safety net for farmers, strengthened sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls along with a 50% increase in audits and checks, and commitments on the alignment of production and SPS standards, notably on pesticides and animal welfare. The Commission also committed on 7 January to enhance the availability of CAP funding to farmers and rural communities under the proposed new MFF.
Despite these improvements, we continue to have significant concerns about the impact that the EU-Mercosur Agreement could have for our agricultural sector and for our rural economy. The Government will continue to voice its concerns with the Agreement ahead of the upcoming European Parliament vote. The Government will also continue our engagement with the European Commission and with counterparts in EU Member States to ensure the full implementation of the commitments obtained from the Commission to protect our farming sector and rural economy.
Defence Forces
Questions (207)
Cormac Devlin
Question:207. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Defence Forces will be reimbursed for equipment donations provided to Ukraine under the €100 million in bilateral funding for non-lethal military assistance; whether any such funding will be used to support National Development Plan 2026–2030 projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3807/26]
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Ireland continues to support the use of the European Peace Facility (EPF), the EU instrument that facilitates the provision of military support to Ukraine. All of Ireland’s EPF contributions are directed solely towards non-lethal assistance.
At EU level, Hungary’s continuing blockage of Ukraine related support under the EPF limited Ireland’s ability to channel non-lethal military support to Ukraine through the EPF in 2025.
For this reason, and recognising the severity of Ukraine’s needs for military support to exercise its legitimate right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, the Government took the decision to allocate €200 million to provide non-lethal military support to Ukraine bilaterally in 2025. This ensures that Ireland’s support can reach Ukraine quickly, at a critical moment for the country.
This decision enabled Ireland to provide non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine via two key channels.
The first was through procurement partnerships with European Union Member States already procuring military support for Ukraine through Ukrainian Industry. This supports the procurement of non-lethal elements of air defence which Ukraine has identified as a priority, in light of continuing and escalating Russian aerial bombardment and drone attack. The second was through the Ukraine Defence Contact Group De-mining and IT coalitions.
The €200 million was allocated as follows:
• Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) De-mining and IT coalitions - €20 million
• Procurement partnerships with EU Member States - €180 million
The €200 million was allocated to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This funding was provided in addition to support, including equipment donations, provided separately through the Department of Defence.
Human Rights
Questions (208)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:208. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of his engagements with the government of Saudi Arabia and its embassy in Dublin regarding the arbitrary detention and torture of human rights defenders (details supplied). [3363/26]
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The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy and we consistently discuss human rights with Saudi Arabia and other partners through the most appropriate and effective channels, including at a bilateral and European Union level, and through the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.
In bilateral engagements with Saudi Arabia, we regularly discuss human rights, including our long-standing opposition to the death penalty. Together with diplomats from EU Member States, Ireland’s Embassy in Riyadh has actively engaged on these issues, including through attendance at the trial of an individual referred to by the Deputy.
At EU level, we have supported the promotion of human rights through the EU-Saudi Arabia Human Rights Dialogue. The most recent dialogue was held in Brussels in November 2025 and covered a wide range of topics, including women’s rights, the protection of vulnerable groups, the rule of law, fair trial guarantees and capital punishment, economic, social and cultural rights, freedoms of expression, assembly and association, and digital rights and the human rights implications of new technologies.
At the United Nations, Ireland’s UPR statement on Saudi Arabia in 2024 called for an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty with a view to its eventual abolition, and to commute existing death sentences. Ireland also recommended adoption of legislation to guarantee the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly and association, including protections for journalists, human rights defenders and civil society, in accordance with international human rights law and relevant international human rights standards.
Ireland will continue to monitor developments in Saudi Arabia, and to engage with Saudi Arabia on these matters.
EU Presidency
Questions (209)
Barry Ward
Question:209. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will undertake to individually visit the member states of the European Union, and meet with counterparts and parliamentarians in each, before the start of the Irish presidency of the European Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3381/26]
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Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time from 1 July to 31 December 2026. This will be an important opportunity for Ireland to lead and shape the European agenda, and the Government has made a firm commitment to resource and deliver a successful Presidency in 2026.
Preparations for the Presidency are well underway, led by my Department, in close coordination with the Department of the Taoiseach, and with the active participation of all Departments across Government.
Upon taking up the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in November, one of my first engagements was with my European Union counterparts at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. At the December Foreign Affairs Council, I undertook a number of bilateral engagements with my counterparts from Spain, Lithuania and Finland. Along with welcoming President Zelenskyy to Ireland in December, in January I travelled to France to participate in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in support of Ukraine with fellow Foreign Ministers.
As preparations for our upcoming EU Presidency continue, I look forward to visiting and engaging with my counterparts from across the European Union, both in multilateral fora and in dedicated bilateral engagements.