Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Feb 2026

Vol. 1081 No. 5

• Díospóireachtaí
• Aimsigh díospóireacht
  • Díospóireachtaí na Dála
  • Díospóireachtaí an tSeanaid
  • Díospóireachtaí Coiste
• Aimsigh vótáil
  • Vótálacha na Dála
  • Vótálacha an tSeanaid
  • Vótálacha Coiste
• Ceisteanna Parlaiminte
  • Ceisteanna scríofa
  • Ceisteanna ó bhéal
• Leideanna cuardaigh
• Nuair a bhíonn tionchar tromchúiseach ag aithrisí

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler)

I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Statements on Fishing Quotas (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Special Needs Assistants, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Statements on Special Needs Assistants (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)

- Apology related to childhood abuse (hunger strikers): Statements (to commence no earlier than 3.37 p.m. and not to exceed 1 hour and 44 minutes)

- International Protection Bill 2026 (Committee and remaining Stages) (Amendment No. 15, resumed) (to commence no earlier than 6.21 p.m. and to conclude at 11 p.m.)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Expanding Access to General Practitioner Care, selected by Social Democrats.

Thursday's business shall be:

- Statements on Homelessness (not to exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes)

Thursday evening business shall be the Motion re Report entitled "First Interim Report" of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, sponsored by the Committee on Artificial Intelligence.

Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a)the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.; and

(b)private members’ business shall be taken on the conclusion of the Statements on Fishing Quotas, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business; and

2. the Statements on Fishing Quotas shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a)the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across);

(b)following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c)members may share time.

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	25	15	10	10	3
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	10	10	3	9	10
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	3	9	10	3	5
				Total	135 mins

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a)Government business shall commence at the time when the SOS pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) would normally be taken, and the sitting shall stand suspended on conclusion of the Statements regarding an apology related to childhood abuse (hunger strikers) either for 1 hour or until 6.21 p.m. whichever is the later;

(b)in the event that the Statements on Special Needs Assistants conclude before 3.37 p.m., the sitting shall stand suspended until 3.37 p.m. when the order of business shall resume with the Statements regarding an apology related to childhood abuse (hunger strikers)

(c) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m.; and

(d)the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the International Protection Bill 2026;

2. the Statements on Special Needs Assistants shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a)the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across);

(b)following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c)members may share time

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	25	15	10	10	3
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	10	10	3	9	10
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	3	9	10	3	5
				Total	135 mins

3. the Statements regarding an apology related to childhood abuse (hunger strikers) shall not exceed 1 hours and 44 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(a)statements shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across); and

(b)members may share time; and

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	20	10	8	8	3
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	8	8	3	6	8
	SF	ITG	Gov	OM
Mins	3	6	8	5
				Total	104 mins

4. the resumed proceedings on Committee Stage of the International Protection Bill 2026 shall be taken no earlier than 6.21 p.m. and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 11 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. with consequential effect on the commencement time for the Motion re Report entitled “First Interim Report” of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, Committee on Artificial Intelligence, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and

2. the Statements on Homelessness shall not exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a)the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across);

(b)following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c)members may share time.

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	35	25	15	15	5
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	15	15	5	12	15
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	5	15	15	5	8
				Total	202 mins

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to?

Deputies

Not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

We will take Deputy Mitchell first.

Deputy Denise Mitchell

I thank the Ceann Comhairle.

We need a debate on the review into CAMHS in North Kerry. This is a deeply concerning issue that highlights serious failures relating to the care of children and young people. The lives of young people and their families have been turned upside down due to the failures of the service. We need a debate on this topic as a matter of urgency.

Deputy Duncan Smith

We are long overdue a debate on football in this country, not because of what happened in Oriel Park on Friday night, which, I trust, the league and the clubs will be able to handle, but because of the vengeful, over-the-top collective punishment response from the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan to that issue-----

Deputies

Hear, hear.

Deputy Duncan Smith

-----which portrayed an anti-football bias in the Minister that I hope is not reflected in the Government.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Duncan Smith

We need a debate on it.

Deputy Jen Cummins

Considering the level of upset, uncertainty and worry the SNA cuts have caused, and the screeching U-turn that was made very late last night when most education workers were asleep, this matter needs to be on the agenda in the form of a debate as opposed to just statements. It is important that the Ministers responsible give a clear outline of the plans relating to what happened in the past week in order to make sure that trust is replaced and that we can have plans going forward that do not make people uncertain.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

In the aftermath of 75,000 people have been slaughtered by Israel in a genocidal massacre and the so-called ceasefire, hundreds of people, including more than 100 children, have been killed and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian territories continues. The Government has reneged on its commitment to bring the occupied territories Bill before the House and pass it into law, and impose sanctions on the regime that is committing these crimes.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

When are we going to see the Bill?

Deputy Michael Collins

Over the past four weeks, I have been looking for a debate on short-term lets. I have also been asking the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, to come here for a question-and-answer session. People from that sector are meeting today in a packed room across the road in Buswells. They know that what is proposed is going to lead to the ruination of short-term tourism in this country. The Taoiseach keeps nodding and saying "No", but if the Government brings in planning into this, it is going to finish those involved. They know that. The Taoiseach should go across the road and talk to them. They are not going to eat him; they are going to talk to him.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank Deputy Collins.

Deputy Michael Collins

I would like a debate on this issue here today.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to?

Deputy Mary Butler

I will respond.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me. I call on the Chief Whip to respond.

Deputy Mary Butler

I have noted all the comments from the various Whips. I will facilitate an urgent debate in relation to CAMHS. I was in Kerry on Thursday and Friday of last week. I felt it was important to respond to the parents first. We will put that on the agenda for next week.

In relation to the other requests for debates, this week we are facilitating statements on fisheries and homelessness, which were sought two or three weeks ago. We can give consideration to all the requests that have been made at the Business Committee on Thursday, like we do every Thursday but, unfortunately, no matter what is put on the agenda, it is never agreed.

In relation to SNAs, there is a Private Members' motion this evening and the Minister will take statements in the Dáil tomorrow. There is also a Private Members' motion before the Seanad.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

What about the occupied territories Bill?

Deputy Mary Butler

I responded to that at the Business Committee last Thursday. The Order of Business stands.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to?

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

No.

Question put: "That the proposed arrangements for this week's business be agreed to."

The Dáil divided: Tá, 79; Níl, 65; Staon, 0.

Tá

• Aird, William.
• Ardagh, Catherine.
• Boland, Grace.
• Brennan, Brian.
• Brennan, Shay.
• Brophy, Colm.
• Browne, James.
• Burke, Colm.
• Burke, Peter.
• Butler, Mary.
• Butterly, Paula.
• Buttimer, Jerry.
• Byrne, Malcolm.
• Cahill, Michael.
• Callaghan, Catherine.
• Calleary, Dara.
• Canney, Seán.
• Carrigy, Micheál.
• Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
• Chambers, Jack.
• Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
• Clendennen, John.
• Collins, Niall.
• Connolly, John.
• Cooney, Joe.
• Crowe, Cathal.
• Cummins, John.
• Currie, Emer.
• Daly, Martin.
• Dillon, Alan.
• Dolan, Albert.
• Dooley, Timmy.
• Feighan, Frankie.
• Fleming, Sean.
• Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
• Geoghegan, James.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Harkin, Marian.
• Healy-Rae, Danny.
• Healy-Rae, Michael.
• Heneghan, Barry.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Higgins, Emer.
• Keogh, Keira.
• Lahart, John.
• Lawless, James.
• Lowry, Michael.
• Martin, Micheál.
• Maxwell, David.
• McAuliffe, Paul.
• McConalogue, Charlie.
• McCormack, Tony.
• McGrath, Séamus.
• McGreehan, Erin.
• McGuinness, John.
• Moynihan, Michael.
• Moynihan, Shane.
• Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
• Murphy, Michael.
• Naughton, Hildegarde.
• Neville, Joe.
• O'Brien, Darragh.
• O'Callaghan, Jim.
• O'Connell, Maeve.
• O'Connor, James.
• O'Dea, Willie.
• O'Donnell, Kieran.
• O'Donovan, Patrick.
• O'Meara, Ryan.
• O'Shea, John Paul.
• O'Sullivan, Christopher.
• O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
• Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
• Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
• Ó Muirí, Naoise.
• Scanlon, Eamon.
• Timmins, Edward.
• Toole, Gillian.
• Ward, Barry.

Níl

• Ahern, Ciarán.
• Bacik, Ivana.
• Bennett, Cathy.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Brady, John.
• Buckley, Pat.
• Byrne, Joanna.
• Cairns, Holly.
• Carthy, Matt.
• Clarke, Sorca.
• Collins, Michael.
• Coppinger, Ruth.
• Cronin, Réada.
• Crowe, Seán.
• Cullinane, David.
• Cummins, Jen.
• Daly, Pa.
• Doherty, Pearse.
• Donnelly, Paul.
• Ellis, Dessie.
• Farrelly, Aidan.
• Gannon, Gary.
• Gibney, Sinéad.
• Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.
• Graves, Ann.
• Guirke, Johnny.
• Hayes, Eoin.
• Healy, Seamus.
• Hearne, Rory.
• Kenny, Eoghan.
• Kenny, Martin.
• Kerrane, Claire.
• Lawless, Paul.
• Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
• McGettigan, Donna.
• McGuinness, Conor D.
• Mitchell, Denise.
• Murphy, Paul.
• Mythen, Johnny.
• Nash, Ged.
• Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
• Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
• O'Callaghan, Cian.
• O'Donoghue, Robert.
• O'Flynn, Ken.
• O'Gorman, Roderic.
• O'Hara, Louis.
• O'Reilly, Louise.
• O'Rourke, Darren.
• Ó Broin, Eoin.
• Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
• Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
• Quaide, Liam.
• Quinlivan, Maurice.
• Rice, Pádraig.
• Sheehan, Conor.
• Sherlock, Marie.
• Smith, Duncan.
• Stanley, Brian.
• Wall, Mark.
• Ward, Charles.
• Ward, Mark.
• Whitmore, Jennifer.

Staon

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Duncan Smith.

Question declared carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

Before we move on, I hope the Taoiseach will allow me to welcome a group of retired gentlemen from Killinick, County Wexford, who are here just for the history of politics.

The Taoiseach

The history of what?

An Ceann Comhairle

The history of politics.

The Taoiseach

How long have they got?

An Ceann Comhairle

They are here for the afternoon.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Rents across the State have risen above €2,000 per month for the first time ever according to the Daft.ie report published this morning. The biggest increases are in the four major cities outside Dublin. The cost of rent has risen by €168 per month in the Taoiseach's city of Cork. In Galway, rents are up €164 per month. In Waterford, they are up €163 per month. In Limerick, they are up €82 per month. Rip-off rents have almost doubled since Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael formed their partnership a decade ago. The availability of homes to rent has collapsed to its lowest level in 20 years. To make things even worse, the Government’s rent-hike legislation will kick in from Sunday next. This will open the floodgates and allow big property funds to hit renters with massive increases never seen before. That is obviously going to devastate the lives of renters right across the State. Can the Taoiseach answer a straight question? How on earth does the Government expect renters to afford these massive rent hikes, which mean, as stated, that rents have risen above €2,000 per month, not to mention what is about to come as a result of his policy decisions?

The Taoiseach

I accept that the price of rent puts a lot of pressure on people, particularly young people, and that is why we are working very hard to increase supply. There were 36,000 house completions last year. The most effective way to deal with rent prices and moderating them is by means of supply.

The Deputy knows that but what is Sinn Féin's response? It is to oppose housing applications and to oppose apartment construction. Its leader has now opposed the most recent development in her constituency, of hundreds of apartments. If you add it all up, she now has a fairly unenviable record-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

The Taoiseach should talk to his brother.

An Ceann Comhairle

No, it does not work like that, Deputy Doherty.

The Taoiseach

-----of opposing, opposing, opposing.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

How many has he opposed in Cork?

The Taoiseach

The only way we can deal with rent is supply.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Rents of €2,000 a month.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

Every day reveals more about the true horror of Jeffrey Epstein's global ring of paedophilia and blackmail. The fallout continues. Yesterday Peter Mandelson was arrested and last week the former Prince Andrew was arrested. On Friday night, on "The Late Late Show", we heard the incredible testimony of Lisa Phillips, a survivor of Epstein. Lisa spoke out with great courage to expose the extraordinary power wielded by this brutal abuser. I had the honour of meeting Lisa myself in Dublin last week. I heard directly from her about her appalling experiences of Epstein's corrupt and depraved network. Now is the time for Ireland to take a lead in support of brave victims and survivors like Lisa. We know Epstein visited here. We urgently need release of all files related to Epstein's interests and activities in Ireland. We need to put pressure on the British Government to release all its relevant files too. As the Taoiseach of a country which stands up for the rights of women and children, will the Taoiseach commit to acting proactively on this in the interests of the survivors of Epstein?

The Taoiseach

I salute the bravery and courage of Lisa Phillips in taking on what was a very corrupt and depraved network, as the Deputy has said. I am not clear on the files the Deputy is talking about. My understanding is that the Government does not hold any files in respect of Epstein, although I stand to be corrected on that, so we need to be more specific in terms-----

Deputy Ivana Bacik

We have parliamentary questions in.

The Taoiseach

I know there was an allegation in the Epstein files in respect of a young woman being brought to Ireland but I have no knowledge of that. I have asked the Department of justice if it has any. It does not but the Garda, which is ultimately responsible for the investigation of any allegations, says it will investigate all complaints received and all allegations of serious crime, particularly, of course, sexual offences, child abuse and human trafficking. They are treated with the utmost seriousness. I encourage anyone who has any information and anyone who has been a victim of sexual violence to reach out for help and to engage with An Garda Síochána.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

Successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments have been talking about reforming GP services for years but have failed to deliver. The Government's strategic review of GP services, first promised in 2019, still has not been completed. During that time GP fees have risen to as high as €90 in some areas, and that is just to get in the door. Price, however, is not the only barrier. An increasing number of GP practices are oversubscribed and understaffed. We know there are no quick fixes. That is why the Social Democrats are proposing a comprehensive 20-point plan, which will be debated in the Dáil tomorrow. The proposals include GPs directly employed by the HSE, because not every GP wants to be a small business owner; a new DEIS-for-GPs scheme, in recognition of the higher health needs of patients in deprived areas; implementing the programme for Government commitment to expand GP care to under-12s; and, crucially, setting out a clear timeline for delivering universal GP care to everybody by 2030. These proposals are not radical; they are the European norm. Will the Government do more than talk about reform of GP services? Will it deliver it, and will it start by supporting our 20-point plan to transform GP services?

The Taoiseach

I do not accept the premise of the Deputy's argument insofar as we have been expanding access to GP care year after year over the past number of years, particularly over the past five to six years, and before then, in terms of access for children, access for those on median incomes and so forth. There has been expansion.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

To under-eights.

The Taoiseach

Also, probably one of the biggest transformations in the past two decades has been the move to primary care centres, which did take some time in the late 2000s to get going. They had been earmarked in an earlier strategy in 2001 but we have now invested very significantly in those primary care centres. The strategic review will be published, I understand, before this summer. It will outline further the policy framework and the direction of travel in respect of GP care, as regards both recruitment and directly publicly recruited GPs, as well as an expansion of access to GPs.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

School communities and the organisers of the protest outside the Dáil tomorrow over the Government's threatened SNA cuts want the Taoiseach to know, and for it to be known, that those protests will be going ahead in many places across the country. Although it is clear that protests and the threatened escalation of those protests have forced the Government to do a U-turn on the planned cuts to SNAs, the principal of my former primary school, Johnstown national school where some of the most severe cuts were proposed, told me this morning that although the school is delighted the Government has backed off on these cuts, she has no real assurance that they will not be back there again next year. That is the feeling out there. Nothing the Taoiseach has said to date gives people the assurance that he has understood the problem that led to these threatened protests in the first place, and that he is going to make sure they will not be there again next year. What does he have to say to reassure them?

The Taoiseach

I said already during Leaders' Questions there will not be any reductions in special needs assistants in our schools in the school year beginning in September 2026. There will be increases, but there will not be any reductions in our schools. There will be well over 25,000 special needs assistants, which will be an increase of 8,700 since 2020. That is expansion. We will then have the redeployment scheme.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

It is still well short of need.

The Taoiseach

Workforce planning will be published and a new circular in response to that, which will give the template. No one has ever suggested to me that you have the same number forever in any given school. It depends on the need of the school at a given time in terms of the number of children it has who require supports and care. That has always been the case. The Deputy and everyone in the Opposition seems to be now suggesting there should never be any evolution.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Need is going up, not down.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Boyd Barrett, this debate does not work back and forth. Deputies get a minute each to speak. I respectfully ask them not to interrupt one another.

Deputy Michael Collins

I welcome members of Kinsale Men's Shed who are with us today. I also welcome those in the Gallery involved in short-term lets who are fighting for their very survival and were in Buswells Hotel earlier today. The people of Ireland, mainly in coastal communities, are genuinely worried about what the Government is about to do with these short-term letting proposals. In places like west Cork, from Kinsale to Castletownbere, Airbnb and short-term let hosts are ordinary families, mainly small farmers and women trying to keep the lights on. They are terrified that these new rules will wipe out Airbnb and short-term lets altogether and, with it, the tourism that keeps our small towns alive. The legislation proposes to ask people to get planning permission. For many of them, that could cost tens of thousands of euro, which they simply cannot afford. I also sat in the committee meeting with officials from the Departments of tourism and planning on the short-term letting and tourism Bill. I say it straight. They are all over the place. There is no joined-up thinking with regard to the planning aspect of this Bill. These short-term lets, whether tree houses, pods, sheds, granny flat or tents, were built for tourism and tourism only-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I ask the Taoiseach to respond.

Deputy Michael Collins

They are what keeps rural Ireland going. Rural Ireland has taken enough hits. Will the Government step back from this?

The Taoiseach

I welcome the Kinsale Men's Shed. The Men's Sheds are wonderful organisations across the country generally. I also welcome the history of politics group from Wexford. It is a discipline close to my own heart, as both a student and a practitioner.

On the short-term lets situation, I have watched the odd Facebook presentation from Deputy Collins. He is having meetings up and down and is enjoying himself to a certain extent. The legislation is not requesting anyone to have planning permission. The Deputy knows this.

Deputy Michael Collins

The Minister said different today.

The Taoiseach

He has a duty to tell the truth about these matters. I am willing to engage. The Attorney General is clear that from the get-go, from the beginning, if you move from residential to commercial activity, that de facto requires planning permission. There are certain rules that if you are at it a long time, you do not. That is the existing planning status. That is nothing new. No one is creating something new. That is the position. You can register and the idea will be-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Taoiseach. I call Deputy Malcolm Byrne.

The Taoiseach

-----that when the Government brings its proposals you can register without planning permission-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Time is up, Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach

-----but there will be an expectation that, over time, you would regularise your planning.

Deputy Michael Collins

In two years, it will be game over.

Deputy Malcolm Byrne

I welcome the publication last week of the Government's AI and digitalisation strategy, which balances supporting innovation with maintaining trust and having the necessary guardrails in place. The executive chair of Coimisiún na Meán was before the Oireachtas AI committee today and he said that tougher laws are needed on AI-generated sexual imagery and further laws are needed on the misuse of intimate and other imagery of real people without their consent.

I would ask that this would be a priority as part of our EU Presidency. The Taoiseach will also aware that I have a Bill before this House around the protection of voice and image. Our voice image likeness is vital. The Taoiseach will be aware of financial fraud where indeed his own image was misused to do that. We do need stronger legislation in this regard and I ask the Taoiseach to either fast track my Bill or introduce legislation in this regard.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for producing that Bill. I want to engage with him regarding how I can fast track it. It might matter for the House to be of assistance in that regard. In terms of tougher laws on the generation of images, the Attorney General and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration are examining that issue. We do have very strong laws preventing the sharing of intimate images and very strong laws in terms of child abuse online. There is no equivocation there. The generation of an image is a complex matter because an image can be generated online or offline in various contexts - what one might presume would be an intimate imagine. I am not going go into the particular fields where that can happen. It is the sharing of the image that is the crime at the moment but they are examining it. I know that on the generation side Britain has introduced it but has not commenced it.

Deputy James Geoghegan

I am sure the Taoiseach shares my condemnation of the violent assault that took place in Temple Bar, which I know is before the courts so I will not comment on it any further. What we do know is that safety continues to be an ongoing issue in Dublin city, particularly as it relates to retail workers. Obviously, it is not just an issue in Dublin but is nationwide. Over 300,000 people work in retail in Ireland. One of the big asks of the retail sector is that we would introduce specific offences dealing with retail workers who are harassed or face threats. I know this is an issue that has been debated in the Seanad and that my colleague, Deputy Butterly, intends to publish a Private Members' Bill on it but could the Taoiseach update the House on how this is being examined by the Government and whether the Government is considering progressing this as an issue because the time has come for us to have a specific offence dealing with retail workers and assaults and threats of assault against them in the same way that we introduced hate legislation and harm in respect of hate legislation?

The Taoiseach

I will raise the issue with the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, although there are offences and they are well provided for - any assault on any person. It gets a bit complicated if we start categorising. We have specifics for emergency care workers, bus workers and transport generally. The attack in Temple Bar was appalling. The issue is the behaviour of the individuals who do this sort of thing. We have to look at sentencing and we need to be very clear that the criminal justice system is in a position to apprehend those responsible for such violent acts and to put them away for a decent amount of time. Deterrence is required here because far too casually, people are using violence to carry out terrible deeds that kill people or create very severe impacts for and inflict very severe damage to people for the rest of their lives. These are life-altering injuries in some cases and it is reprehensible. I will talk to the Minister.

Deputy John Brady

Last week, the Government decided to cut the 2026 funding to Wicklow County Council for regional and local roads - a cut of over €300,000 when our roads are already deteriorating. It is unacceptable. Recent storms and bad weather have made a bad situation worse not just in Wicklow but right across the State. Potholes have multiplied and surfaces are crumbling. I have been contacted by many constituents facing costly repairs for blown-out tires, damaged suspension and cracked alloys. One motorist had his drive shaft broken because of the condition of Wicklow's roads. This is a road safety issue that is costing motorists and putting their safety at risk. Wicklow's population has grown and traffic volumes are rising. Wicklow County Council says it simply does not have sufficient funding to address the severity of the condition of the roads in Wicklow. The Government should be increasing the funding allocation not cutting it at this time. Will the Government commit to reversing the €300,000 cut and increase the funding to address the issue in Wicklow?

The Taoiseach

Wicklow got about €14.9 million, which is a very substantial amount. In terms of the storm damage, we have told the county councils to continue and work away at fixing those roads. Estimates are coming in from the councils separate from their normal road budget, although there are contingencies built into their normal allocation. Nonetheless we do accept that under Storm Éowyn there were particular impacts, so the Department of Transport is working with county councils, including the Deputy's county council, regarding the estimation of the damage done to the roads as a result of the recent flooding in particular.

Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere

Today, five brave young people - David McInerney and Emily Felix from Kilkenny, Eric Fitzgerald from Mayo, Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird from Kildare and Oisín Pollard from Carlow - and their families attended the AV room to raise awareness around the rare disease, Friedreich's Ataxia. These five young people all suffer from Friedreich's Ataxia and they need the Government's help with regard to approving funding for the drug Skyclarys, which will make a huge difference to their lives. Today, their parents said, "Our kids don't have the luxury of time." They said, "Don't let the cost of this drug be the price of the lives of our sons and daughters." Young inspirational Emily Felix from Kilkenny, who is studying to become a solicitor, said that she had to record her voice on to an app so when her voice is gone, her family will remember what it sounded like. I am asking the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to help these people and to urge the HSE to approve the funding for Skyclarys drug.

Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill)

I was very pleased to meet with Eric, Emily, Niamh, David and Oisín. I thank the Deputy for bringing them in. I have already followed up on the different physiotherapy and other supports that should be due to them and to get an assessment of what they should be getting and what they are getting. With regard to the drug, we have a series of different drugs that are coming on stream. The Taoiseach and I have discussed the increasing the drugs budget. We are very aware of how much we are already spending on that, how much we want to provide and where we need to go with that. Crucially, with regard to one of their asks, we are shortening the process for the assessment of the reimbursement process, which is going to be 180 days. We do recognise the very considerable the impact that many of these drugs - without speaking to any one of them in particular - would have on people's lives and the cost of that to the State. Reconciling that is something the Taoiseach and I are very aware of.

Deputy Micheál Carrigy

I raise the issue of Garda numbers in Longford. Of the past three attestations coming out of Templemore, we have been lucky to receive one probationary Garda in our county. Over the past number of months, we have actually lost nine members between retirement, resignation and those transferring to other units. While a number have transferred in, we are still down numbers. We are looking to make sure we are brought up to the same cohort and the same level of service and support as in any other part of the country. Could the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration contact the Garda Commissioner to highlight this imbalance in our area? We have had a number of issues in our local towns that have appeared in the national media, so we want to make sure we are able to support the very good work that is being done by the gardaí on the ground in Longford.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for his commentary. It is a sign of the high esteem in which An Garda Síochána is held in this country that every part of the country is looking for more gardaí but I know it is also to have greater security and safety. The new Commissioner is very clear on the importance of the visibility of An Garda Síochána on our streets. It will get there. The through-put in Templemore is very good, with increased numbers all the time. There is a clear commitment in the programme for Government of up to 5,000 additional gardaí over the lifetime of this Government. A total of 223 trainees entered in November, which was the largest intake since 2014, and it was similar in the last one, so about 617 have come through in 2025 alone. That is manifest in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. I take the Deputy's point. About 94 members of An Garda Síochána are assigned to stations in Longford, which is an increase of 8% since the end of 2016 when there were 87 members. We will focus and I will talk to the Minister and the Commissioner.

Deputy Brian Stanley

The programme for Government commits to the timely delivery of school projects. St. Fintan's National School in Mountrath, which is my former national school, has been waiting for a badly needed ASD classroom, sensory room and general purpose hall.

The school and the staff are doing everything possible to utilise the existing space, for example, sub-dividing rooms, etc. The 123 pupils and the two ASD classes do not have enough and are going to be under further pressure in September. The extension works that were to be delivered by the Department of Education and Youth - this was first committed to more than seven years ago - were then to be delivered by way of a modular one under the framework agreement the Taoiseach and I are familiar with. However, this was changed in more recent years to a devolved project and was given to the school to lead. It is long past time for this project to be moved on. The principal and staff are very concerned about it. The project - and I checked this again the other day - is only at stage 1A. Will the Taoiseach implore the Minister for Education and Youth to move on St. Fintan's school in Mountrath?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Obviously, I cannot deal with every school extension and so on. However, I will raise this with the Minister. There is, again, record funding for school buildings this year, with a particular focus on school extensions for special classes and special education. I will see what we can do in this case.

Deputy Duncan Smith

I raise primary care centres in my constituency. The Taoiseach is aware that Swords has waited for a primary care centre for many years. It is the third largest town in Ireland. After years of campaigning, we finally got news the HSE acquired the Hertz building, which is to be converted to a primary care centre. I ask for an update to be given on when a planning application will be going in for the change of use, and that a firm commitment be given that progress will be happening this year.

Furthermore, I ask the Government to make a U-turn when it comes to its abandoning of plans for a primary care centre in Donabate. Donabate has seen astronomical expansion due to huge house building with a population of approximately 20,000 is expected there in the next couple of years. It currently only has two GP practices. The Government previously acknowledged that there was a need for a primary care centre in Donabate and Portrane, and I ask it to revisit that.

Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

In relation to Swords, I am pleased to announce today €1.4 million in the HSE capital plan to take the premises the Deputy referenced to design feasibility stage, which is positive progress. In relation to a primary care centre in Donabate, we have had to look at other options for delivering it because the tender did not work; it was not value for money for the State to progress with the tender that came into us. We are trying to see what other options are possible to cater for that growing population.

Today, I am announcing a total of approximately €25 million investment for Beaumont Hospital, which is of course relevant to the people off the Deputy’s area. I will keep him up-to-date in relation to Donabate and what options are possible. That was not an appropriate price for the State for that project but we will do everything we can to progress it.

Deputy Jen Cummins

I want to speak with the Taoiseach about SNAs. I know he has been very involved with SNAs and everything to do with education, and I have praised his efforts in the past and will continue to do that because it is really important that we build bridges in this Chamber and work together. Earlier, the Taoiseach offered to work with Opposition. As he knows, tomorrow there are going to be protests throughout the country, and one thing the people from that campaign are asking for is that the Ministers facilitate a meeting with all stakeholders, that is, unions, SNAs, parents, and advocacy groups. Will the Taoiseach be able to facilitate that? Will he work with the Opposition to do that?

In 2019, SNAs launched a Respect for SNAs campaign because they did not feel valued. We have seen because of the outcry from the public that they are very valued. This side of the House also values them but we need to demonstrate that and work together to do that. Will the Taoiseach be able to facilitate that meeting?

The Taoiseach

To be fair, the Minister, Deputy Naughton, who was the Minister of State with responsibility for special education in the previous Government, would be more than willing to meet with the various groups. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, has been travelling the length and breadth of the country meeting with parents, schools and stakeholders in respect of these issues and continues to engage with both the NCSE and the schools. I will raise this issue with the Minister.

There has been extensive consultation with the unions in respect of the redeployment scheme. That was brought, more or less, to a conclusion. That should be issued fairly quickly. The workforce planning document is nearing completion. There is the new circular as well, which builds on the 2014 circular and has changes included. All of that will have to be published and discussed.

Deputy Charles Ward

The HSE health regions were established to improve hospital and community healthcare services, empower local decision-making and support population-based service planning. I support this completely but I am concerned about the centralisation this may cause within the regions themselves. The north-west region often has to compete and fight over the same limited resources as we did during the hospital hub situation. Letterkenny desperately needs a diabetes integrated practice unit. Donegal, under the criteria, warrants its own paediatric endocrinologist - a full team in Letterkenny. Sharing resources with Sligo is not sufficient. Both counties have service demands and their staffing shortages are demographically different.

The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, recognised this and the individual consideration for each county when establishing surgical hubs. Will the Taoiseach please ensure diabetes care in Donegal will be given the same separate and equal consideration?

Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

The Deputy is right. What we did in Letterkenny and Sligo was additional, and not instead of. It was not a regional spread but it was additional. That is very important.

In relation to diabetes, the Deputy is right that there is a very good hub, the Benbulbin hub in Sligo, dealing with diabetes, respiratory and cardiology. What we want to see is that replicated in other parts of the country, such as Letterkenny. That is what we are trying to do. The Deputy will be aware that Letterkenny has the very excellent virtual community care centre in the Errigal hub, which provides countrywide leading services for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, and other respiratory illnesses. There is a clear opportunity to build on that in the Errigal hub, which is an excellent facility across the road from Letterkenny University Hospital.

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