Thomas Gould
Question:40. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will next meet. [31071/26]
View answerCabinet Committees
Questions (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:41. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will meet next. [32083/26]
View answer
Jen Cummins
Question:42. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will meet next. [32604/26]
View answer
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:43. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will meet next. [32866/26]
View answer
Barry Heneghan
Question:44. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will meet next. [34338/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 to 44, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure works to drive infrastructure delivery, accountability and value-for-money, including the preparation and now the implementation of the revised National Development Plan.
Membership of the Cabinet Committee comprises the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and for Transport, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport.
As set out in the Programme for Government, Government is prioritising the delivery of critical, growth enhancing infrastructure. We have a responsibility to invest in the future, and delivery of modern, sustainable infrastructure is vital for our national competitiveness, fostering regional development, delivering housing and meeting social needs.
The revised National Development Plan committed over €275 billion to investment in infrastructure over the coming decade.
In Budget 2026 we announced €19.1 billion in exchequer capital investment, an increase of €2 billion on 2025. This represents the highest annual spend in the history of the state.
On 3rd December 2025 the Government published the “Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan”, setting out an ambitious, but achievable, agenda which will overcome the barriers to delivery. The plan is being implemented at pace and is seeing wide ranging impactful reforms, enabling us to bridge our infrastructure deficit and continue to build our resilience as a modern and thriving society.
There is robust oversight of the Government’s performance in achieving these actions – with regular reports on progress to the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure.
In the period ahead the Cabinet Committee will therefore oversee both the investments and the reforms required to ensure that infrastructure is delivered as efficiently and quickly as possible.
The last meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure took place on 18th May 2026 and it will meet again in the coming weeks.
Questions Nos. 45 to 57, inclusive, resubmitted.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (58, 59)
Thomas Gould
Question:58. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the Shared Island unit in his Department. [31072/26]
View answerJen Cummins
Question:59. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the Shared Island unit in his Department. [32605/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 59 together.
Our Programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for Building our Shared Island, backed by our €2 billion commitment to the Shared Island Fund out to 2035.
We are forging ahead with this investment and cooperation agenda across all sectors.
In November, the Government made a funding commitment of over €50 million through the Shared Island Fund to resource ten new island-wide programmes over the next five years, including on media, heritage, emergency management, greenways and air transport.
In December, I and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment announced six successful projects under the €20 million Shared Island Sustainability Capital Grant scheme supporting 6 firms across the island and leveraging over €60m in private sector funding for capital investment for decarbonisation.
Also in December, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade announced €2 million under the 2025 Shared Island Civic Society Fund for sixty-four community-based cross-border cooperation projects and a further call for applications opened in April.
In January, the Minister for Education and Youth and her Northern Ireland counterpart announced the Shared Island Teachers’ Research Exchange or ‘T-REX’ platform, providing educators with a digital community for professional learning and collaboration; and in April, the Education Ministers announced expansion of the Shared Island Creative Connections Programme to additional schools.
In February, I and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment announced over €2.5million for thirteen projects that enhance visitor experiences along the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route as part of the Shared Island Tourism Brand project.
Also in February, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine and his Northern counterpart launched the Shared Island cross-border cooperation programme on tackling bovine TB on a regional basis.
In March, the Minister for Justice convened a conference in Drogheda, with policing, education and social care representatives from North and South, in cooperation with Northern Ireland partners on tackling Domestic and Gender-Based Violence.
Also in March, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, announced capital funding of €6.2 million for Shared Island projects to support the Irish language and Ulster-Scots culture, heritage and language.
Additionally, the Shared Island research programme continues to provide high-quality evidence and analysis. In December, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance launched a new annual ESRI report series ‘Assessing Economic trends in Ireland and Northern Ireland’.
On 2 April, an ESRI Shared Island report was published on ‘Disability rates across the island of Ireland’, the first such analysis.
Through the Shared Island Initiative, the Government is investing in strategic all-island cooperation, developing our partnerships with the Executive and UK Government, and fostering deeper connections and mutual understanding across all communities and traditions of this island.
The Shared Island Initiative Report 2025 - Action on a Shared Future was published on 7 May and is available to download at: www.gov.ie/sharedisland.
Questions Nos. 60 to 75, inclusive, resubmitted.
Cabinet Committees
Questions (76)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:76. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Disability will next meet. [32070/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Cabinet Committee on Disability last met on Monday, 27 April and is due to meet again shortly.
Questions Nos. 77 to 88, inclusive, resubmitted.
Artificial Intelligence
Questions (89)
James Geoghegan
Question:89. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the revised National Digital and AI Strategy. [34350/26]
View answerWritten answers
As committed to in the Programme for Government, the Government published our updated National Digital & AI Strategy in February.
Digital Ireland – Connecting our People, Securing our Future sets out the Government’s ambition to 2030 to strengthen our position as a digital leader and a global hub for applied AI innovation.
Through Digital Ireland, we are building on our strengths - a well-established reputation as a digital hub, an exceptional talent base and a vibrant innovation ecosystem – to ensure our economy reaps the benefits of digital and AI for growth and competitiveness, to enhance public service delivery, and to empower our people to thrive in a digital society.
The Strategy sets out 20 high-level objectives and 90 specific deliverables, reflecting the breadth of ambition right across government on Public Service Delivery, Enterprise, Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Digital Regulation, Online Safety, and Skills and Talent.
It outlines five strategic, mutually reinforcing ambitions - Apply, Grow, Invest, Lead, and Empower – reflecting the agile approach needed to succeed in a fast-evolving digital world:
• Applying digital and AI technologies to enhance how we deliver our public services and driving responsible AI adoption across the public sector;
• Growing our digital economy and competitiveness, and strengthening our profile as a location for investment and a global hub for Applied AI;
• Investing in secure, resilient, future-proofed digital infrastructure, including building our cyber security capacity;
• Leading as a trusted, agile and forward-looking digital regulatory hub and centre of excellence;
• Empowering our people, workers and businesses to thrive in a digital economy and society, through responsive, inclusive digital and AI skills and literacy opportunities; and
• Enhancing our Online Safety Framework at both national and EU level to protect vulnerable cohorts, in particular children and young people.
Ireland will continue to be a strong voice in Europe for a digital economy which supports competitiveness and innovation, while protecting data privacy and fundamental rights; this includes continuing to advocate for an ambitious and dynamic approach to digital simplification.
Digital Ireland reiterates the Government’s commitment to strengthening Ireland’s position as an EU Centre of Excellence and digital regulatory hub and to ensuring a modern, cohesive and well-resourced regulatory framework that is responsive to the evolving digital age.
Implementation will be driven from the centre of Government, led by the Department of the Taoiseach, reporting to the Cabinet Committee on the Economy, Trade and Competitiveness, and will be informed by regular stakeholder engagement.
Questions Nos. 90 to 95, inclusive, resubmitted.
Cabinet Committees
Questions (96)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:96. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Water Quality will next meet. [32071/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Cabinet Committee on Water Quality oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments in relation to the range of issues affecting Ireland’s water, including from agriculture, forestry, land use change and wastewater treatment.
The last meeting of the Cabinet Committee took place on 30 October and the date of the next meeting is being finalised.
Questions Nos. 97 to 122, inclusive, resubmitted.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (123)
James Geoghegan
Question:123. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach for an update on the implementation of the Dublin City Taskforce report [34351/26]
View answerWritten answers
In May 2024, the Government appointed a Taskforce to take a holistic view of the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin City Centre, north and south to make Dublin City Centre a more thriving, attractive, and safe cityscape; and a desirable location to live, work, do business and visit.
Following the Taskforce’s report and recommendations, as agreed by Government, the Department of the Taoiseach convened an Interdepartmental Group (IDG) to examine the recommendations made by the Dublin City Taskforce.
The IDG, chaired by my Department, submitted a report to Government with a 10-year Roadmap for Delivery setting out a comprehensive implementation path for the Taskforce Report.
Through this Roadmap for Delivery, we will see implementation of the Taskforce Report across three phases, over 10 years, at the heart of Dublin City.
Central to this will be:
A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to drive delivery and to support the specific capital developments relevant to the project. Dublin City Council is progressing the establishment of this new legal entity, in line with the timelines laid out in the Roadmap;
A 10 Year Integrated Area Strategy for Dublin city centre to optimise funding and investment and tackle vacancy and dereliction;
• Accelerated delivery of landmark capital projects in the city centre through additional funding in the URDF under the NDP review;
• Redevelopment of the GPO Complex as an ambitious and historic flagship project, which will be managed by the OPW.
The Roadmap for Delivery of the Dublin City Taskforce also creates an enabling environment designed to build confidence with business, landholders and investors to get involved in achieving a new vision for Dublin City Centre and to drive private sector investment.
An Oversight Board, comprising all of the relevant Departments and Agencies, has been established to oversee and provide strategic direction for delivery of the Roadmap. It is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. The Board has been meeting regularly since its establishment in July.
The Government recently agreed to the assignment of Mr Robert Watt as CEO-Designate of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) being established by DCC to drive implementation of the Roadmap, in agreement with the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council.
In line with the Roadmap, Dublin City Council is currently recruiting staff for an interim Programme Management Unit which will drive delivery while work is advancing to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
Changes to the Living City Initiative announced as part of Budget 2026 will also support regeneration and efforts to tackle vacancy and dereliction in the city.
The Programme for Government commits to applying the Dublin City Taskforce model to other cities, towns and regions in need of revitalisation, starting with Cork City. At the beginning of April, Government approved establishment of The Cork City Futures Group to guide development of Cork City for the future.
A dedicated body, to be known as The Cork City Futures Group, will work to unlock the city’s full economic, cultural and academic potential, alongside further investment, innovation and infrastructure.
The following Terms of Reference were approved:
Review the Cork City Centre Development and Operations Action Plan 2025-2030 and report back to Government on progress, barriers to progress, and to identify what needs to be done at local or national level to ensure Action Plan delivery.
• Make recommendations to Government on how Cork City can fully realise its potential for sustained foreign direct investment, domestic business development and innovation, and serve as a regional hub aligning educational and intellectual property assets with local and international enterprise.
• To maximise Cork City’s potential as a University City given the strength of UCC and MTU.
• Assess how the city can bolster the wider economic and social development of the hinterland, the region and nationally.
• onsideration of how Cork City’s arts and culture offering could be strengthened as part of the national offering.
The Group is comprised of members representing Academia, Business, An Garda Síochána, the Arts and Culture sector, Tourism, Transport and the Community and Voluntary sector. Mr Brendan Tuohy, who is a former Secretary General, has been appointed as the Independent Chair.
There will be regular reports to Government on developments in both Dublin city and Cork city initiatives.
Questions Nos. 124 to 126, inclusive, resubmitted.
Official Engagements
Questions (127)
Liam Quaide
Question:127. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. [31758/26]
View answerWritten answers
I met with the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, on 16 April in Berlin as part of my programme of meetings with Leaders ahead of Ireland’s EU Presidency which begins in July.
This will be Ireland’s eighth Presidency and we look forward to advancing the common European interest and improving the lives of citizens across the Union.
Irish Ministers will chair many dozens of formal meetings of the Council in Brussels and in Luxembourg, and will lead work to advance a positive policy agenda for all Member States. I had very constructive engagement with the Chancellor and briefed him on our preparations for the EU Presidency, which will focus strongly on issues including competitiveness and the ‘One Europe, One Market’ roadmap, negotiating the Union’s future budget, and enlargement.
We also discussed the economic challenges currently facing all EU countries, including the impacts of rising energy prices on our citizens and enterprises, security, and global issues, including the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Ireland and Germany will continue to work constructively together on the full range of issues on the EU agenda.
Official Engagements
Questions (128)
Liam Quaide
Question:128. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. [31759/26]
View answerWritten answers
Following the postponement of my trade mission to Canada on 13 -14 April, I spoke to Prime Minister Carney by phone on Tuesday 14 April.
I conveyed my apologies to him that the planned trade mission was postponed. Prime Minister Carney expressed his understanding, and we both agreed that the opportunities developed in preparation for the mission should be followed up.
We discussed bilateral relations including the increasing strength of our economic ties, Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency, and global issues including the situation in the middle east.
Prime Minister Carney expressed his intention to visit Ireland in June of this year. I look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister to Ireland, which will be a valuable opportunity to further strengthen the close ties between our two countries.
Questions Nos. 129 to 138, inclusive, resubmitted.
Questions Nos. 139 to 145, inclusive, answered orally.
Housing Provision
Questions (146)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:146. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce regulations setting a minimum timeframe for local authorities to ensure that casual vacancies in social housing are re-let or occupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37529/26]
View answerWritten answers
The management, maintenance and allocation of social homes are matters entirely for local authorities, with a range of legislation setting out local authority responsibilities in this regard.
Under s.58 of the Housing Act, 1966 the management and maintenance of local authority social housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each local authority and homes must comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. In respect of allocations, s.22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires housing authorities to establish an allocation scheme that determines the order of priority for letting available dwellings. I believe further regulation in this area would overly restrict local authority flexibility to respond to local circumstances.
Instead therefore of imposing additional regulations on local authorities I am instead seeking to reward and incentivise better performance. I recently advised local authorities of revised arrangements under my Department's Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme, which will effectively link the funding available to improved stock management efficiency. These arrangements will incentivise lower vacancy levels in local authority housing, support quicker re-letting of homes, and encourage increased investment in maintenance and management of these homes. The new arrangements will apply initially to Planned Maintenance funding from 2027, followed by Voids funding from 2028. The new approach has been tailored to the help ensure that the current average national vacancy rate of 2.75% will fall below 2% and that the current average national turnaround time falls from 35.56 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks.
In parallel, my Department has been working with local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to identify ways to reduce the time taken to allocate and tenant social homes. Engagement and analysis with stakeholders has highlighted a range of factors that can affect vacancy durations. Standardising procedures based on established good practice offers the greatest opportunity to improve efficiency across the allocation process and minimise vacancies. To support this, my Department, in collaboration with local authorities and the Housing Agency, has recently issued updated guidance aimed at embedding best practice and strengthening data collection and reporting.
Housing Provision
Questions (147)
Catherine Ardagh
Question:147. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which his Department is supporting a holistic approach to a regeneration project (details supplied) to ensure it provides not only high-quality housing, but also the essential community infrastructure and public realm improvements required for the area; and if he will ensure that the funding mechanism remains flexible enough to deliver these vital community amenities alongside the residential refurbishment. [37546/26]
View answerWritten answers
I remain fully committed to the regeneration of Oliver Bond House and other regeneration projects being progressed through my Department’s regeneration programme.
Mine and Government’s commitment to regenerating social housing estates and flat complexes across Dublin City is demonstrated through the many successfully completed and ongoing regeneration projects by Dublin City Council. Indeed, since 2016, almost €1 billion has been committed by my Department to regeneration projects being advanced by Dublin City Council.
A range of funding mechanisms are available to local authorities through my Department to support the remediation and regeneration of local authority homes and to support related public realm and community facilities. Some €260 million will be provided to local authorities this year alone for these purposes.?
However, and I can’t stress this strongly enough, the ongoing management and maintenance of local authority homes is the statutory responsibility of local authorities. Local authority officials and elected members are obliged to ensure adequate funding is provided for this purpose as part of their annual budget process. That said, my Department continues to provide very significant funding to supplement local authority own resources in this regard. But this is not, and can never be, a replacement for a local authority’s own investment in the upkeep of its social homes.
I met with the residents of Oliver Bond House only a short while ago. I reaffirmed mine and my Department’s commitment to the regeneration of Blocks L, M and N of the Oliver Bond Flat complex. I assured them, contrary to what has been widely reported, my Department has not refused regeneration funding for Oliver Bond House. Funding of almost €25m remains in place for the regeneration project. In addition funding of €2.5m for Precinct Improvement Works and €1.37m for a community centre remain in place and my Department will continue to fund the Estate Regeneration Officer who is working to ensure there is a holistic approach taken to dealing with the issues affecting the estate and assist the local community throughout the regeneration process.
I am confident, on foot of ongoing engagement between all stakeholders that there is clear pathway to resolving this issue and that an agreed regeneration proposal, which is acceptable to all, can be agreed relatively quickly.