Eoin Ó Broin
Question:240. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the interim fire safety remediation scheme for buildings with celtic tiger era defects. [27729/26]
View answerDepartmental Schemes
Questions (240, 241, 242)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:241. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the pilot scheme for retrospective payments for OMCs who have undertaken remediation of celtic tiger era building defects. [27730/26]
View answerEoin Ó Broin
Question:242. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the legislation for the remediation scheme for buildings with celtic tiger era defects will be published. [27731/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 240, 241 and 242 together.
Government approval was received on 18 September 2024 for the priority drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill. The purpose of this legislation is to place the defects remediation Scheme on a statutory footing, further to commitments contained in the Programme for Government and Housing for All.
The Scheme will provide supports for the remediation of relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. It is envisaged that 100% of eligible remediation costs will be funded under the Scheme.
The General Scheme of the Bill has undergone pre-legislative scrutiny and I received the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee in January. I expect the statutory scheme to be in place this year.
An Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme) has been in place since December 2023, to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings pending introduction of the Statutory Scheme and completion of the full remedial works. The Scheme is for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013. The Scheme is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis. Applications can be made via the Housing Agency’s website at www.housingagency.ie
As of the end of March 2026, 256 applications to the Interim Remediation Scheme have been validated, having met the required eligibility criteria. These applications represent 22,212 residential units, with circa 74% in the Dublin region.
Three of the four pathfinder projects have been approved for funding, in the amount of €21.3million and remediation works have commenced at one project location. Payments in the amount of €3 million have been made to date. Payments will continue to be made for remediation works, where commenced and certified.
In February 2026, the Government announced significant changes to the Scheme.
These changes will simplify procurement and cut through administrative hurdles, allowing works relating to fire detection and alarm systems to be completed more quickly while ensuring residents can remain safely in their homes until full building remediation is finished. The remediation process will prioritise the installation of fire detection and alarm systems ahead of full building remedial works which will follow under the upcoming statutory scheme.
The Government is committed to consideration of remediation costs already incurred as part of the drafting of the Bill. Remediation costs already incurred or levied prior to the introduction of the statutory scheme will be covered, once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of the Scheme.
On 22 October 2024 the Government agreed the establishment of a Retrospective Costs Pathfinder Exercise from a representative sample of eight multi-unit developments, in order to identify and develop a potential appropriate process to address retrospective issues, based on fire safety remedial works completed.
The Housing Agency received a large volume of documentation from the respective Owner Management Companies (OMCs) which is being used to help identify an appropriate process to address retrospective issues more broadly. In particular, the Pathfinder Exercise will support development of a robust process around:
• Alignment with the existing Interim Remediation Scheme processes;
• Supporting Documentation and Timeframes;
• Certification and Standardisation of Evidence;
• Verification and Payment processes.
The Retrospective Costs Pathfinder Exercise is now complete and I will soon return to Government to update on the outcomes of the exercise and seek approval on a number of policy decisions on Retrospective Grant Payments.
Question No. 241 answered with Question No. 240.
Question No. 242 answered with Question No. 240.
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Questions (243)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:243. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the NPWS is investigating the reported use of an acoustic deterrent device in a bay in County Clare inhabited by a resident dolphin; whether any licence has been sought or granted for its use; the protections and guidance in place regarding the deployment of such devices in Irish coastal waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27739/26]
View answerWritten answers
The EC (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, as amended provide strict protection for all Irish species listed on Annex IV of the EU’s Habitats Directive. The EC Regulations prohibit certain activities which could impact on the conservation status of these species. These activities may only be permitted by way of a derogation and a person can apply for a derogation if they cannot avoid works which would capture, kill or disturb them, damage or destroy their breeding sites or resting places.
While I cannot comment on any individual application under consideration, it should be noted that such derogations only issue in very limited circumstances and failure to obtain one or to comply with the conditions of the derogation could result in prosecution.
More information on derogations under Regulation 54 can be found here, including application details, www.npws.ie/licensesandconsents/disturbance/application-for-derogation.
Parking Provision
Questions (244)
John Connolly
Question:244. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration has been given to developing a single national platform or framework for parking rules, information and payment systems to improve clarity and ease of use for the public and visitors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27761/26]
View answerWritten answers
I have no function in relation to the regulation of local authority carparks, parking rules, information or parking payment systems implemented by local authorities.
Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. Procurement and tendering processes carried out by each local authority, and compliance with procurement rules in relation to same, are directly a matter for the relevant Chief Executive. As set out Under Section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive is responsible for the executive functions of the local authority. This includes general management, administration and day to day running of the local authority, subject to law. I do not have any direct involvement in executive functions, such as managing enforcement of parking rules or payment systems used by local authorities.
Emergency Accommodation
Questions (245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250)
Robert O'Donoghue
Question:245. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of emergency accommodation facilities currently in use nationwide; the proportion of these facilities that have been inspected in the past 12 months; the body or bodies responsible for carrying out such inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27835/26]
View answerRobert O'Donoghue
Question:246. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the standards and regulations governing emergency accommodation; the mechanisms in place to ensure compliance with these standards; the number of facilities found to be non-compliant in the past two years; the nature of such non-compliance; the actions taken in response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27836/26]
View answerRobert O'Donoghue
Question:247. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the frequency with which emergency accommodation facilities are inspected; whether inspections are announced or unannounced; the number of inspections carried out in each of the past three years; the outcomes of these inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27837/26]
View answerRobert O'Donoghue
Question:248. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the procedures in place for residents of emergency accommodation to make complaints; the bodies responsible for handling such complaints; the number of complaints received in each of the past three years; the average time taken to resolve such complaints. [27838/26]
View answerRobert O'Donoghue
Question:249. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the oversight mechanisms in place to monitor the quality of emergency accommodation; whether independent audits are conducted; the steps being taken to improve transparency and accountability in the provision of such accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27839/26]
View answerRobert O'Donoghue
Question:250. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the enforcement actions available where emergency accommodation providers fail to meet required standards; whether any providers have had contracts suspended or terminated due to non-compliance; the details of such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27840/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Question Nos 245,246,247,248,249 and 250 together.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to local authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Details on the type and operation of homeless services including details of emergency accommodation centres in use are a matter for individual local authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum. Financial reports from each of the regional fora, setting out total expenditure on homeless services and the type of services including emergency accommodation in each region are published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data
To assist in ensuring that homeless services provided are of a high standard, a National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) was developed by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) in partnership with the NGO Sector, the HSE, and other key stakeholders. The standards framework has been adopted nationally for all local authority and NGO services.
Given the increase in contracting private accommodation exclusively for the use of homeless households and to ensure standards in these facilities, the DRHE adapted the NQSF standards to apply their provisions to private emergency accommodation.
The standards contained in 'Quality Standards for Private Emergency Accommodation' have been developed with regard to the different service models in Private Emergency Accommodation i.e. different entities providing the facility and the supports. As was the case with the roll-out of the NQSF to NGO services, a developmental approach to the roll out of these standards is being taken. The ultimate aim is to ensure that standards are being applied and monitored across all facilities, irrespective of whether they are NGO or privately operated.
My Department does not hold the detailed information requested as it is a matter for local authorities to monitor standards.
In Dublin, an in-house standards team monitor compliance with the NQSF for NGO facilities under the service level agreements in place. These include checks on the physical standards, occupancy, supports and hygiene. The DRHE has also appointed an officer to monitor the standards in Private Emergency Accommodation (PEA) facilities. Information in relation to the application, monitoring and governance of standards, including published inspection reports, for Dublin based emergency accommodation is available from the DRHE at the following link: www.homelessdublin.ie/our-work/quality-standards.
Question No 246 answered with Question No 245.
Question No 247 answered with Question No 245.
Question No 248 answered with Question No 245.
Question No 249 answered with Question No 245.
Question No 250 answered with Question No 245.
Renewable Energy Generation
Questions (251)
John Paul O'Shea
Question:251. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authorities that have a dedicated ‘Local Authority Renewable Strategy or Wind Energy Strategy’ as part of their County Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27091/26]
View answerWritten answers
The local authority Development Plan is the principal planning strategy document which sets out the relevant policies and objectives to guide the physical development of each city and county over a six-year period. All existing development plans were prepared and adopted in accordance with the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000. Section 10 of that Act required that every development plan include objectives for the provision or facilitation of infrastructure including energy infrastructure, which encompasses wind energy. The implementation of this requirement at local level is a matter for individual planning authorities and is subject to oversight by the Office of the Planning Regulator. Individual development plans may be viewed on the websites of each planning authority.
The Planning and Development Act 2024 and the Revised NPF (2025) provide the legislative and policy basis for the review and updating of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and local authority development plans.
Section 44 of the Act of 2024 requires Local Authorities to prepare a strategy for sustainable development and regeneration while National Policy Objective 70 of the Revised NPF seeks to promote renewable energy use and generation at appropriate locations within the built and natural environment to meet national objectives towards achieving a climate neutral economy by 2050.
National Policy Objective 74 provides that each Regional Assembly must plan, through their Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, for the delivery of the regional renewable electricity capacity allocations indicated for onshore wind and solar, and identify allocations for each of the local authorities, based on the best available scientific evidence and in accordance with legislative requirements, in order to meet the overall national target. National Policy Objective 75 provides that local authorities shall plan for the delivery of Target Power Capacity (MW) allocations consistent with the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, through their City and County Development Plans.
Qualifications Recognition
Questions (252)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:252. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a qualification achieved in a university (details supplied) meets the requirements for the criteria outlined for senior executive engineers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27863/26]
View answerWritten answers
Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with the power to declare qualifications of such classes and descriptions as he or she thinks fit for a specified employment under a local authority or for such of the employments as belong to a specified class, description or grade.
In April 2024, my Department established a Working Group to review the existing suite of engineering qualifications for engineering roles in the local government sector and to propose changes to those qualifications where necessary. The Working Group carried out an in-depth analysis and review of the engineering qualifications through engagement with local authorities, key stakeholders, academic experts and other interested parties. Following the conclusion of the work undertaken by the Working Group which recommended a number of changes and a consultation process with the relevant public sector unions about the proposed changes, revised qualifications for engineering posts were declared on 25 July 2025 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/qualifications-for-local-authority-employees/
The declared qualifications in themselves are clear in what the minimum educational requirements are and provide improved clarity for candidates in this regard. For instance, the declared qualifications for Senior Executive Engineer state that criteria for evaluating the educational requirements to fulfil the educational criterion "hold an honours bachelors degree (level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) in Engineering accredited at CEng or CEng with FL level by Engineers Ireland" will be set out in the Information Booklet associated with the relevant competition. Providing further details in the information booklet for competitions for posts at these grades ensures that prospective applicants are clear in terms of what the declared qualifications require in respect of this particular educational criterion.
My Department has no role in assessing if a particular qualification meets the eligibility requirements set down in the declared qualifications for a particular post. It is a matter for the recruiter, which is either a local authority or public jobs depending on the grade and tenure of the post being applied for, to assess eligibility as part of the recruitment process.
Fire Stations
Questions (253, 254, 255)
Réada Cronin
Question:253. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a formal risk reassessment to be carried out in Naas Fire Station by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27866/26]
View answerRéada Cronin
Question:254. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration will be given to a full-time or day-manned service at Naas Fire Station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27867/26]
View answerRéada Cronin
Question:255. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration will be given to increased funding and resourcing for fire services in north Kildare, given the constituency’s rapid growth and increasing demand on such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27868/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 253, 254 and 255 together.
The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 & 2003. My Department, primarily through the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
Under the Fire Services Acts, there are 31 fire authorities which provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures.
The prioritisation of work and effective management of all resources is, in the first instance, a matter for management in each of the fire services, based on their assessment of local risk, needs and resources. In relation to the staffing requirements in each local authority, under the Local Government Act, 2001 it is the responsibility of each Chief Executive to employ such staff and to make such staffing, funding, recruitment and organisational arrangements as may be deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of their local authority.
The provision of fire services by local authorities is based on a risk management approach which involves an analysis of the nature of the fire hazards and the incidence and extent of fires which occur, as well as the fire protection measures in place.
Government policy as set out in Keeping Communities Safe provides guidance to fire authorities on the provision of fire services, in particular on the process of ‘Area Risk Categorisation’ to guide the planning of the optimum configuration of stations and staffing arrangements appropriate to the established risk profile. Any consideration of change to the staffing profile of a fire station would be a matter for the local authority based on their established need.
Through the Fire services capital programme 2021-2025, my Department invested approximately €4.4 million to fund the delivery of a state of the art, modern fire station at Maynooth. I recently announced a new fires services capital programme, the largest ever investment in fire and emergency services with €328.5 million allocated for the period 2026-2030. The programme, developed by my Department, in consultation with the Local Government sector, sets out a comprehensive plan to modernise Ireland’s fire service fleet, infrastructure, training capability and communications systems to meet the evolving risks facing communities nationwide. The details of that announcement are available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/press-releases/minister-browne-announces-record-3285-million-fire-services-capital-programme/
Under the Fire Services Capital programme 2026-2030 my Department has already committed in excess of €4.1 million to Kildare fire service including funding for a new fire station at Monasterevin, a further new Class B appliance, Water Tanker, support vehicle and other emergency equipment. My Department will continue to support projects such as these across all 27 fire authorities to ensure our firefighters have the necessary supports to carry out their roles safely and to the best of their ability and training.
Fire authorities cooperate with each other as and when required, and on a regular basis, on a number of matters. For example, they are enabled by the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003 to assist each other and provide support on a ‘mutual-assistance’ basis, and this is the expected norm for Fire Services. Fire Service resources are deployed based on Pre-Determined Attendance (PDA). Those are the instructions of a Chief Fire Officer to the relevant Regional Communications Centre (RCC) for an initial fire service response to an emergency call for assistance and the concept of the ”next nearest appliance” ensures operational resilience by mandating if a primary fire station or its resources are unavailable, likely through response to a concurrent incident, the system automatically defaults to mobilise the next nearest resource regardless of any administrative boundary.
It should be noted that included in fire services capital programme (2026 - 30) announcement was funding for a new full time fire station at Clonburris in west Dublin bordering north Kildare, providing an additional level of fire cover in the north Kildare/ west Dublin area.
Question No. 254 answered with Question No. 253.
Question No. 255 answered with Question No. 253.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (256)
George Lawlor
Question:256. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the disallowance of an illness benefit claim of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27725/26]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned made a claim for Illness Benefit on the 2nd of March 2026. Unfortunately, they did not qualify for payment of Illness Benefit as they do not satisfy the contribution conditions.
A letter was sent on the 23rd of March 2026 providing them the full details of this decision including the options to Review/Appeal this decision. My department has since received a request to review this decision which will be undertaken as soon as possible.
Illness Benefit is paid from the Social Insurance Fund and entitlement is based on contributions made via PRSI paid. While recognising the person concerned has some history of contributions, a tenet of the social insurance system is the requirement to maintain a balance between coverage for various contingencies, such as Illness Benefit, with the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund. This is to recognise a previous attachment to the labour market that is relatively recent and is achieved by requiring both a certain minimum of total contributions to have been made, and also by having a certain number of contributions in the relevant tax year, which in this case is 2024.
Qualifying for Illness Benefit
In order to qualify for Illness Benefit, you must meet conditions listed below:
You must have at least 104 class A, E, H or P social insurance (PRSI) contributions paid since first starting work. Only PRSI contributions paid at these classes are reckonable for Illness Benefit.
You must also meet either Condition 1 or Condition 2 below:
Condition 1
You must have 39 weeks of PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax year, of which 13 must be paid contributions.
If you do not have 13 paid contributions in the relevant tax year, then 13 paid contributions in one of the following tax years can be used instead:
• either of the two tax years before the relevant tax year
• the last complete tax year (before the year in which your claim for Illness Benefit begins)
• the current tax year
• OR
• Condition 2
• You must have 26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the relevant tax year, and 26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year.
• The relevant tax year is the second-last complete tax year before the year in which your claim for Illness Benefit begins.
• Example: If you make a claim in 2026, the relevant tax year is 2024.
• While the person concerned does have the minimum number of total contributions required, they only had 16 A contributions for the relevant year (2024) and as such does not qualify for payment of Illness Benefit.
• The person concerned should continue to submit medical certificates for as long as they are incapable of work in order to receive PRSI credited contributions and, if they are in urgent need of financial assistance, they can contact the Community Welfare Officer in her local Intreo office to enquire about assistance under the means-tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
• I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (257)
Natasha Newsome Drennan
Question:257. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the travel allowance at Turas Nua is only provided if the client uses public transport or the client drives themselves, and not if the client uses a third party such as a taxi or hackney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27753/26]
View answerWritten answers
A distinctive client journey has been embedded into the employment services process, whereby jobseekers on the Live Register, after engaging with Intreo in the first twelve months are referred firstly to the Intreo Partner National Employment Service (NES) and after 24 months to the Intreo Partner Local Area Employment Service (LAES) which is designed to engage with those with greater barriers to the labour market. In this way, the client is referred to the most appropriate service at each point in time on their client journey.
The Employability service is open to all people with disabilities including those recovering from injury or illness, who are eager to enter or return to the workplace and need the support of a Job Coach.
The NES, LAES and Employability services are externally contracted and provided in all 26 counties by a number of contracted providers.
The contracts which are in place between the Department and the contractors specify that the services are provided from locations that are accessible to the client by public transport or private motorised transport within a reasonable journey time. There is no obligation on the contractors to provide a travel allowance to clients of the Department who have been referred to any of the employment services.
The provision and manner of any travel allowance is at the discretion of each individual contractor. Should an individual have any issue with travel to their appointments they should discuss the matter with their designated employment advisor.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Personal Public Service Numbers
Questions (258)
Willie O'Dea
Question:258. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for contradictory accounts from his Department in relation to PPS numbers assigned to a person (details supplied) in view of the great distress and anxiety caused to this individual and their family as a result of Departmental errors; and if his Department will finalise their investigation into the matter and issue a report promptly. [27765/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department regrets the mix- up that occurred in respect of the PPSN of the individual referred to by the Deputy. The delay that occurred in rectifying same is acknowledged and very much regretted.
The mix up related to the PPSNs of two individuals of similar name.
On 18th May 2021, the customer concerned was assigned a new PPSN. Due to a human error, the customer was not notified of their new PPSN at that time.
On 1st September 2022, the person concerned was SAFE Registered at a Department Intreo Centre and a Public Services Card (PSC) was issued, bearing their correct PPSN.
Due to the lengthy overlap of the two social insurance contribution records involved it was necessary to implement a system solution to rectify the data. The record rectification process is now complete. and the person concerned will receive confirmation this week that their records are now rectified.
On 17th April 2025 a letter of explanation and apology issued to the person concerned, enclosing a PPSN notification letter. Regretfully, a default ‘test’ PPSN 1234567T was not removed and replaced with the correct PPSN.
My Department acknowledges that the rectification process in this instance falls below the quality of service it strives to provide, and it deeply regrets the errors and delays that occurred. I would like to reassure the Deputy that the customers PPSN and record is now correct. The person concerned will receive confirmation this week that their records are now rectified under the correct PPSN.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Animal Welfare
Questions (259)
Réada Cronin
Question:259. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of those arrested for illegal horse racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27870/26]
View answerWritten answers
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there is no structured crime / offence category or arrest reason specific to sulky racing on the PULSE system. As a result, An Garda Síochána cannot definitively state the number of arrests for such incidents.
With regard to any criminality related to sulky racing, including road traffic and safety violations, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the direction and control of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters, which incorporates road traffic enforcement. In this regard, all road users are subject to road traffic legislation and I would encourage anyone who has knowledge of a criminal act, or believes that a criminal act may have occurred, to contact their local/nearest Garda station to report this.
As the Deputy may be aware sulky racing and related issues also often involve animal welfare. Matters relating to legislation concerning animal welfare and its implementation fall within the remit of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
International Protection
Questions (260)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:260. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will ensure that the €1.1 billion allocated for international protection in 2026 will be subject to strict value-for-money audits rather than being used for un-tendered or non-compliant emergency contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28446/26]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has at all times endeavoured to provide accommodation and other basic supports to people seeking international protection as is required by law.
The State is currently accommodating over 33,000 people in approximately 305 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country.
The expenditure on IPAS accommodation and supports for 2025 was €1.2 billion and this has reduced to an allocation of over €1.1 billion for accommodation and supports in 2026 (the 2025 figure is provisional pending completion of the 2025 Appropriation Accounts).
The Department is taking action across all aspects of the international protection accommodation system to improve value for money, strengthen governance and compliance, and renegotiate contracts with providers.
This is happening in parallel to the increase in State-owned beds in the system, which over time will allow the Department to continue to reduce reliance on commercial provision.
The Department has put improved processes in place for appraisal, validation, contracting and payments. This reform within the accommodation system has laid the basis for continued process improvement and costs savings in 2026.
The introduction of a new rate card model in May 2025 is driving costs down for new and renewed contracts. To date 148 rates have been agreed with contractors, with projected savings in annual contract values of over €83 million. The rate card process is being applied to each contract as it comes up for renewal.
Developing more State-owned options will allow us to move away from the current degree of reliance on commercial provision. The purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre in 2025 was an important milestone in this strategy, and has increased the overall State-owned bed numbers from 900 spaces in 2024 to over 4,000 today.
While commissioning emergency commercial accommodation will continue to be necessary in the short to medium term, it is being contracted on a short-term basis, which will enable the State to decommission this capacity with agility as State-owned beds increase, contracts expire, or demand fluctuates.
Ireland has opted in to the EU Asylum and Migration Pact which is due to enter operation in mid 2026. Reforming and speeding up processing of applications should serve over time to reduce the scale of the demand for international protection accommodation seen in recent years.
Veterinary Services
Questions (261)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:261. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to examine the introduction of salary bands for veterinary nurses; if any consideration is being given to provide greater oversight of corporate veterinary employment practices to ensure fair competition and protect staff welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27717/26]
View answerWritten answers
Government Departments have no role in setting, prescribing or regulating salary scales for employees of private sector organisations, including those working in privately-operated veterinary practices.
Pay and conditions in the veterinary sector are matters for individual employers and employees, or their representative bodies, and are determined through normal contractual arrangements and labour-market negotiations.
The Veterinary Council of Ireland which regulates the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing has no statutory function in relation to remuneration and neither does my Department. Accordingly, any salary structures or pay scale considerations for Registered Veterinary Nurses or other staff within private veterinary practices remain entirely outside the remit of Government pay policy.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (262)
Carol Nolan
Question:262. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the reduction in the funding eligibility threshold for applications under the animal welfare nutrient storage scheme from 80% to 60% under targeted agriculture modernisation schemes 3 (TAMS 3), tranche 10; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27746/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) is a demand-led scheme with a defined budgetary allocation.
TAMS 3 has proved to be extremely popular, with payments of over €152 million issued to farmers since payments commenced in June 2024.
Tranche 10 of TAMS 3 closed for applications on 5 December, with 7,905 applications submitted across all schemes, of which 2,076 applications were submitted under AWNSS.
All eligible applications submitted in the first eight tranches of TAMS 3 have received 100% approval, with over 12,000 approvals issuing under AWNSS 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.
Due to the unprecedented success of each of the individual schemes within TAMS 3, in order to manage the defined budget, it was necessary to apply ranking and selection to tranche 10 to ensure adequate funding for the remainder of the CAP Strategic Plan.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (263)
Carol Nolan
Question:263. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the ranking and selection threshold for the animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme to ensure that 100% of eligible applications can access funding under TAMS 3, tranche 10; the additional funding that would be required to achieve this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27747/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.
The scheme operates in tranches, and more than 63,000 applications have been received across the first eleven tranches of TAMS 3. This is approximately three times the average number of applications received over the same period under TAMS 2.
Ranking and Selection is the process whereby the overall cost of applications received in a particular tranche is assessed taking into account the available budget. The ranking and selection criteria are predetermined for each of the eleven schemes and published on my Department's website. They include the age of the applicant, the size of the holding, land in areas of natural constraints (ANCs) and the level of nitrates produced on the holding.
It is a regulatory requirement that Ranking and Selection must take place on all eligible applications.
It was necessary to limit the number of approved applications in recent tranches due to the unprecedented success of the individual schemes within TAMS 3, and the need to continue to work within overall budgetary constraints.
I am satisfied that the current scoring system is the best mechanism for ensuring that funding is targeted at the most appropriate enterprises. I will also ensure that the system continues to be reviewed taking into consideration the available budget and number of applications received in each tranche period.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (264)
Carol Nolan
Question:264. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of applications received under the animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme in TAMS 3, tranche 10; the number and percentage of those applications that are now eligible for funding following the reduction to 60%; the total funding allocated to the scheme in this tranche; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27748/26]
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The Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) is one of eleven schemes under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) which provides grants to 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.
Tranche 10 of TAMS 3 closed for applications on 5 December, with 7,905 applications submitted across all schemes. Of these, 2,076 were submitted under AWNSS. A total of 2,246 eligible applications (tranche 10 applications plus rolled over applications from tranche 9) went forward for ranking and selection, with 1,481, or 66% of applications, being selected and moving forward to the local office for final technical checks before approvals issue.
A specific budget is not provided for each individual scheme within each tranche of TAMS. Instead, when there is a need to control expenditure, a budgetary allocation is shared over the eleven TAMS 3 schemes, and the number of approvals issued is decided in accordance with the need to adhere to the budgetary ceiling for that tranche.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (265, 266)
Carol Nolan
Question:265. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will increase overall TAMS funding to accommodate 100% of eligible animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme applications, given the urgent need for expanded nutrient storage to meet increasing regulatory requirements under the sixth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), to protect water quality, and to support a future nitrates derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27749/26]
View answerCarol Nolan
Question:266. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the impact of the reduction in the animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme funding threshold on farmers’ ability to comply with the sixth Nitrates Action Programme, particularly in view of the co-benefits of expanded nutrient storage such as improved nutrient efficiency, maintained grass production and reduced reliance on costly fertilisers amid ongoing geopolitical tensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27750/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together.
The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) is a demand-led scheme with a defined budgetary allocation. Given that we are now over halfway through the current CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), it is prudent that we are mindful of the budget available for the remaining TAMS tranches.
In order to ensure that the available budget is distributed fairly over the remainder of the CSP, it was necessary to limit the number of approved applications in recent tranches by applying ranking and selection criteria. This will be kept under ongoing review for the remainder of the CSP
TAMS 3 has proved to be extremely popular, with payments of over €152 million issued to farmers since payments commenced in June 2024.
The Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) is one of eleven schemes under TAMS 3. Under the latest tranche (tranche 10), a similar number of applications under AWNSS have been selected for approval as under the previous tranches.
My Department is focused on maximising the number of applications that may be approved under this scheme while maintaining support for other areas that need investment. Improving nutrient efficiency is not only about providing additional storage, but requires funding of equipment to apply the nutrients more effectively, as well as funding of investments to improve grassland management.
All eligible applications submitted in the first eight tranches of TAMS 3 have received 100% approval, with over 12,000 approvals issuing under AWNSS 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.