Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 17 Sep 2026

Vol. 1090 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

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Deputy Pearse Doherty

People are being hammered by the rising cost of fuel. The price of petrol and diesel has increased sharply in the last while. In some forecourts across the country this morning - I do not know if the Minister has seen it - people are being asked to pay €2.20 for a litre of diesel. People have seen these prices go up day after day. They also know that when these prices go up, the Government rakes it in with regard to additional VAT it charges on these high prices. It is not just petrol and diesel; home heating oil has skyrocketed. The price of 1,000 litres of home heating oil has gone up hundreds of euro in the last two weeks alone and households cannot take any more of this. I am asking the Minister serious questions here because people need action right now. They do not need commentary; they want to know what is going to happen.

Is the Government willing to further cut excise on petrol and diesel? That is exactly what needs to be done to help families and workers at this time. Will the Minister implement the legislation I am bringing before the House today, which removes carbon tax completely from home heating oil, a fuel that people need to keep their homes warm this winter? The Government has not removed a single cent of excise from it up until now.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Helen McEntee)

The Deputy is right; people need action, not words. That is exactly why, at this time and at this moment in the year, €1.4 billion has already been provided to people to try to assist with what is a very challenging time - I fully agree with the Deputy - much of which has been caused by the conflict in the Middle East, where we need to focus our efforts as well. While we are a small country, we still have a voice and we need to use it to ensure every effort is made to end the conflict because that is the first and quickest way in which we can see a reduction. However, we have expanded the fuel allowance, and the tax reductions on energy and fuel have been extended to October, which the Deputy voted against in the Chamber, so that we give people that bit of a break and make sure there is certainty in the time ahead.

On top of that €1.4 billion being provided in supports and reductions in tax, we have a budget coming up. On both a permanent and temporary basis, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, have all said they want to do something on home heating oil and will do something in the budget to assist people in both the short and long term. The Deputy can be assured of that.

Deputy Aidan Farrelly

Increasing the cost of using public transport by an average of 15% is a political decision. It is happening because this Government refuses to invest in the National Transport Authority, NTA, in the expansion of the network and ultimately in its passengers. We now know this is only the start of the fare increases. The Government intends to raise them again and again. While Government backbenchers love the photo-op of opening a new bus stop, what people who stand at those bus stops need the Government to do right now is to demand that these fare increases are reversed and that they do not happen. The Government is making this decision during a climate emergency, when we should be doing everything in our power to incentivise the use of public transport, not disincentivise it. It is making this decision amid an affordability crisis where 15% will become 30%, which will become 50%. I have a very simple question: Will the Minister, her Cabinet and their backbenchers reverse this decision?

Deputy Helen McEntee

As the Deputy said, the National Transport Authority made the decision to publish the new fares on 3 September of this year, with the revised fares taking effect from January 2027. This was a really important step in standardising the national fares structure. It is in line with a strategy that was published back in 2023. Since 2022, we have seen inflation of almost 21%, which has of course driven up the cost of operating our public transport. The public transport network is not immune to this inflation, in the same way that people getting into their car and driving to work are not.

At the same time, in that period, we have seen costs drop, specifically by 20% in the cost-of-living fares reduction, the young adult card discount of 50% and the extension of free travel to children under nine, so we have seen reductions in costs for all people outlined there. It is about getting the balance right and being able to invest in the network to expand it so that more people can access it while also taking into account the fact inflation is impacting that sector. At all times, and to reassure the Deputy because we are all impacted by this and have significant public transport in our constituencies, we want to make sure it is affordable for people. All of this has to be kept under review and we have to make sure we are doing everything possible to ensure any of the changes and the €1.4 billion I mentioned are passed on to our public and private transport operators.

Deputy Duncan Smith

The Labour Party and I want to raise with the Minister the compounding crisis year on year for school transport. It is impacting every constituency. I represent a largely urban constituency, yet I am dealing with ten families in Swords who are unable to get school transport up to Coláiste Ghlór na Mara in Balbriggan. This is happening every single year; kids are being left at the side of the road. My party colleague Deputy Wall is dealing with over 100 families across four routes in Kildare South and Deputy Eoghan Kenny, who is sitting behind me, is also dealing with over 100 families in his area of Cork. Leitrim County Council, Cavan County Council, Galway council and the Minister's own county council in Meath - everywhere - are saying school transport is not working and kids are being left at the side of the road. Can we have a solution, not only for this year but a proper plan for school transport so that we are not back here next year with more kids being left at the side of the road?

Deputy Eoghan Kenny

Hear, hear.

Deputy Helen McEntee

We do have a plan. Every year, more and more children are getting access to school transport. I appreciate not everybody is getting access and there is more work we need to do. I think the figure was 181,000 young people who had access to school transport this year. We have to acknowledge we only have so many buses and drivers, but we also need to make sure we have a system that works effectively.

One of the most important things we will work on in the time ahead is a new ticketing system. We know there are buses where not all of the tickets are being used. There are people who are taking up tickets and then not using the bus. We need to make sure that if that is the case, the seats can then be provided to somebody else who needs the bus more. We can only do that if we have an automatic ticketed system whereby people can monitor who is getting on the bus and who is not. That will be one of the most important things we do in addressing some of the issues and challenges. That work is under way and is happening through the Department.

I appreciate it is a challenging issue. We all deal with it in our constituencies, but importantly, it is extremely stressful for parents. Again, I stress that more money is being spent - significant amounts, hundreds of millions - every year on school transport. More children are accessing it, but we need to make sure we have the buses, the drivers and the appropriate system in place to monitor who is on it.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

With huge numbers of households struggling with the hikes in electricity and energy costs, how does the Government think it is okay for ordinary working people and householders to pay twice as much per unit of electricity as the billionaires who own the data centres in this country? Now that it is clear it is not going to do so, how can the Government honestly justify not supporting imposing a levy on those billionaire owners of the data centres so that we can give a serious break, €500, to every household to help them with their energy bills and to all those with disability, yet oppose that and defend the status quo? Is that not the reason people will be marching again this weekend on the Affordable Ireland demonstration in advance of the budget, because the Government is protecting the interests of the billionaire owners of data centres that are hoovering up our electricity while ordinary working families are being hammered with increased energy and electricity bills?

Deputy Helen McEntee

I am pretty sure no matter what we did in this House, the Deputy would be encouraging people to protest either way and that is people's right. That is something we must protect, but he cannot ignore the fact that as a Government, this year alone, we have introduced supports of €1.4 billion.

In other parts of Europe and the world, very few governments have been able to introduce that type of funding and support to assist people at what is a really difficult time. The debate will take place later this evening-----

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Not for the data centres, it is not.

Deputy Helen McEntee

-----and obviously the Deputy does not acknowledge that data centres represent critical infrastructure, that they are central to our modern economy and that significant work was being done through the large energy user action plan, LEAP, which is the new strategy looking at large energy users. A main focus of that is how we can introduce more renewable energy and how we can reduce the energy needs of those large data centres. We do not have any other large industries that are drawing on our grid but I fully agree with the Deputy that we need to make sure that individual homeowners are not paying for larger businesses and their energy costs and their needs.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

They are.

Deputy Helen McEntee

There is a clear plan in place, which is already happening because I have seen it in many businesses, to make sure that where possible, businesses put in place their own measures to make sure they are focused on a zero-sum approach and can produce their own electricity and their own grid through renewable sources. That is where we need to get to and I agree with the Deputy on that.

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty

As we come to the beginning of this term which will bring the Government to two years in office, are we finally going to see some joined-up thinking? The Government has asked councils to rezone additional lands for housing in unsustainable areas when we do not have the infrastructure in place already, in places like Clonburris and Adamstown. They are areas with no electric vehicle charging infrastructure for a domestic tariff and inadequate parking, where people are fighting in Kilcarbery, Seven Mills, Adamstown and Citywest for spaces. The Government is saying this is to encourage a greener society and get people to use public transport but the public transport does not exist. There is an inadequate train network and the buses keep being missed. The P29 express service, for example, was missed four times out of four two weeks ago and twice today and yesterday. There is No. 13 and the C-spine routes. All over my constituency, the buses are not turning up. The National Transport Authority is not accountable to anyone and is not fit for purpose. If the Government is also increasing the fares, it is giving a big middle finger to people in my constituency. Where is the joined-up thinking that says if more housing is going to be put in, it will have facilities and infrastructure alongside it and buses that actually exist?

Deputy Helen McEntee

Every local authority is probably conducting the review of their own county development plan at the moment. It is important in that review that we are all increasing our housing targets and the allocations that we have been given, and that we are making sure land is zoned on land that is appropriate, but also that land can be opened up where it needs to be. To support that, there is a significant fund that has already been provided. More will be provided at a later date but money has already been provided to local authorities to open up lands to provide infrastructure, whether roads, electricity or water, in the right place and where it is appropriate. Then our towns and our cities can grow and expand because that is where we have a lot of the infrastructure while at the same time making sure that in rural communities, people can build homes on their land, whether they live locally or are born locally. It is about getting that balance right. We have a national development plan of over €100 billion and much of that is to make sure we are delivering houses in the right places and the infrastructure is there so that people can access them and the local authorities can deliver them.

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan

The programme for Government commits to improving cancer care and access to treatment in the regions. Cork University Hospital stopped carrying out stem cell treatments in 2009. Since then, blood cancer patients from Cork and the south west have had to travel to St. James's or Galway at the most vulnerable time of their lives. I know a number of people who have had to travel to Galway and recuperate there after their treatment. A €27 million stem cell unit at CUH has had a project team in place since 2024. The HSE's own tender notice admits that CUH is not providing optimal treatment for stem cell and CAR-T therapies. Patients' advocates and clinicians will be in Leinster House on 7 October in a meeting organised by the Minister's own party's Senator, Eileen Lynch. To be fair to Eileen, she has advocated for this for a long time, as well as others in Cork and Kerry. I have written a number of letters to the HSE about this and I get the same old gibberish responses. We just want a definite answer. Can the Minister confirm the funding is there, the timeline for its delivery, since, as I said, the project team has been in place for a number of years, and if CAR-T therapies would be part of that as well? If the Minister does not have a response today, she might provide it in writing afterwards.

Deputy Helen McEntee

Unfortunately, I will not be able to give the Deputy a direct response today. I hope the Deputy would agree that this Government, the previous Government, and governments before that have placed a huge emphasis on investment in cancer care, prevention and on identifying it at the earliest stage possible, then providing the treatment, and also investing in new therapies. I know the CAR-T therapy that the Deputy referred to, which is a breakthrough, its significance, and making sure that every patient across the country has access to it, which is near their home, given the circumstances that they are going through. While I cannot give the Deputy the exact answer today on timelines, figures or funding, I will bring it directly back to the Minister and ask her to respond. I have no doubt that she will engage with the Deputy and Eileen.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I call Deputy Roche.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

The fifth-class-----

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Sorry, Deputy.

Deputy Peter Roche

Wrong one.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

Roche, not O'Rourke.

Deputy Peter Roche

Last weekend, I happened to be out doing some community events and on three occasions I met three different individuals who are representative of the men's sheds. They all came with the same story about the threat to the funding model that they had and the fear that maybe the funding has ceased for this year. I know that some works were done in the interim but what I want to do, given the outstanding commitment that they make to the men's sheds and the community effort that they are involved with in tackling loneliness and promoting well-being, I want us to be sure that the funding model that we put in place is fit for purpose and does not threaten those very schemes into the future.

Deputy Helen McEntee

I met a number of members of men's sheds at the National Ploughing Championships this week and they raised this matter with me directly. I have known and worked with men's sheds locally and at a national level for many years. As the Deputy said, I can only commend the position and role that they have in our communities in addressing the well-being of older men and health issues, and bringing people together in a way that simply did not exist before they were put in place. I commend the teams that operate, deliver, expand and manage them. I have no doubt about the commitment of the Department responsible. At this stage, it crosses over a number of different Departments naturally. That commitment to funding will remain but we need to ensure that where they are growing, which they are, and to open up in different counties that the funding can grow and expand with them. I will raise this directly with the relevant Ministers and bring back the Deputy's comments.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

The Minister is familiar with this issue, and I call on her to intervene personally and urgently. The fifth-class students in Gaelscoil na Ríthe in Dunshaughlin are currently being accommodated in a small library room in an old prefab. Support hours are being provided in the staff room. This is because a promised prefab that should be in place is not in place and they are being told that it will be the end of quarter one 2027 when it is delivered. This was a positive news story with an additional junior infants class and it was welcomed. The school has gone above and beyond to facilitate additional students. It is incredible to me, and to all of Ireland, that it would take the guts of 12 months to deliver a prefabricated modular unit to this school. The Minister knows well as I do, the factory is literally a couple of hundred yards up the road. I ask the Minister to please intervene personally with the Minister and the Department. Get this done. The problem is with the Department. Get it resolved. It is unacceptable that they have to wait that long. This should be delivered in the next handful of weeks, in my firm opinion.

Deputy Helen McEntee

As the Deputy outlined, this is actually a really positive story. We have all, the Deputy included, worked closely with parents over the past number of months to make sure that the additional classroom that was needed to ensure that children going from naíonraí were able to go into a Gaelscoil in their local community. That happened. I welcome the work by the Minister, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, to support us in making that happen. My objective now, the same as the Deputy, is to make sure that the classroom, is provided as quickly as possible. A commitment was given and I have been speaking directly with Rónán, the principal, but also with the Department, to make sure that we can provide that as quickly as possible. We do not want any child to be in a classroom or an environment that is too small or that is not necessarily as appropriate as it should be. We are doing everything that we can to make sure that the classroom is provided as quickly as possible.

Deputy Eamon Scanlon

Sligo University Hospital will shortly submit its options appraisal for formal capital approval for the replacements of its orthopaedic theatres. This project will provide two new replacement orthopaedic theatres, essential storage facilities and additional beds. I appeal to the Minister for Health and the Department to move swiftly in approving this critical development. The existing orthopaedic theatres are no longer fit for purpose.

Over the past 18 months, numerous operations have been cancelled due to leaks from roofs, radiators and humidifiers, resulting in breaches of theatre sterility. Six orthopaedic surgeons have been unable to perform scheduled procedures while patients face unacceptable delays and prolonged suffering. I urge the Minister and the Department to please prioritise this capital project as a matter of urgency.

Deputy Helen McEntee

I acknowledge the work that has been done to get to this point in trying to make progress on this capital investment. I will raise this directly with the Minister and highlight the Deputy's representations on behalf of the local community and those working in the hospital in ensuring that these type of services can be provided. Again, while I cannot give the Deputy a commitment today, I will raise it directly with the Minister.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

I will raise how badly newly qualified student nurses have been treated by the HSE in Cork. In June, these students interviewed for posts and were offered jobs in named clinical areas in CUH. In September, the HSE tried to row back on this decision in really shoddy terms. It organised two meetings with the students that were cancelled and then, at short notice of just five hours, it called the students before it and said that instead of getting jobs in named clinical areas, they would be placed on the bank. We accept and welcome the bank. It will reduce the cost spent on agency staff, but it is not appropriate for newly qualified student nurses who want to be part of a team, want to expand their skills and want to expand their practice.

Ultimately, these students were offered posts and accepted them. They had offers and accepted them. Does the Minister accept that the HSE is in breach of contract to these newly qualified student nurses by trying to row back on this? Why have student nurses in other parts of the country, including Galway, not been offered permanent posts? These are badly needed across the country, We need to hire these students and offer them permanent contracts and jobs in the health service. It is so badly needed. Staff morale is on the floor and is getting worse with the way the HSE is treating its staff.

Deputy Helen McEntee

Without knowing the details of the contract or what happened, I take what the Deputy is saying. I am not contradicting that, but without knowing the details of what has happened, the timelines and why it has happened, I do not want to comment on something I do not have information on. The Deputy is right. In any business, if somebody is offered a contract and they have signed it, an agreement is in place. It is important that this is followed through on. We also want to make sure for anybody entering into a workforce for the first time that their first experience is a positive one. It is the role of the HSE to work with and to support our newest staff, whether they are nurses, doctors or people working in specific fields. Again, while I do not know the details of what happened in this specific hospital with these specific nurses, I am happy to take it back to the Minister and highlight the fact the Deputy has raised it. If she is not aware of it, I will ask her to engage with the Deputy directly on it.

Deputy Seamus Healy

The decision made by the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to scrap the men's shed grant for 2025-26 has shocked the 500 men's sheds across the country and their local communities. The grant, small as it is, helps toward basic things like rent, insurance, ESB, heating and water. The withdrawal of the grant will have serious consequences for the sheds. Many will have to cut opening hours or reduce activities and some will face closure. As the Minister knows, men's sheds are at the heart of local communities. Of course, they are non-profit. They are places where men can gather to socialise, share skills, build friendships, combat isolation and loneliness and support each other in mental and physical health. The withdrawal of this small grant, which does so much good, beggars belief. It is not good enough. I am asking the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to restore this grant immediately. It is a vital grant. It is a small grant but it does exceptionally good work. It should be restored immediately.

Deputy Helen McEntee

Deputies Healy and Roche have referenced, and I reiterate, the importance of our men's sheds. I acknowledge the significant contribution they make within our communities, particularly for the men who avail of the services. I do not think they see it as services; it is a place for them to go to engage, address and talk about issues that are important to them, as well as engaging in activities. I will raise the Deputy's concerns directly with the Minister. I have no doubt, as there are various strands of funding that have been allocated over the years, particularly in the Department of Health as well as the Department of rural affairs, directly to the men's sheds, that we will continue to support and fund men's sheds and support their growth. How that is done and what funding stream will be decided in the upcoming budget, but I will raise the Deputy's concerns directly with the Minister, Deputy Calleary.

Deputy Ciarán Ahern

The Tánaiste recently echoed his predecessor as leader of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar, in saying that this Government will provide a budget for people who get up early and go to work. Was the Tánaiste thinking that this includes the tens of thousands of workers who stand at 7 o'clock every morning at bus stops and in train stations across the country five days a week, who are now facing an average increase of 15% in their costs to get to work? Many of them are facing increases of up to 33%. These planned fare hikes are an attack on workers and people who get up early in the morning. This is a political decision. This is a direct result of this Government changing the 2:1 ratio of investment in public transport to roads-----

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

That is not true. It is still 2:1.

Deputy Ciarán Ahern

----- which was trumpeted at the start of this Administration. The NTA does not have the money to do things right because it is not getting it from the Government. The Government is throwing commuters under the bus. The Government was able to find almost €1.2 billion behind the back of the couch to subsidise diesel and fuel. Why can we not look after commuters in the same way?

Deputy Marie Sherlock

Hear, hear.

Deputy Helen McEntee

That is simply not the case. I outlined in a response to a previous Deputy that we have seen costs reduce. We have a 20% cost discount in terms of a living discount. The young adult Leap card is a 50% discount and we have allowed children under nine to travel for free. We have tried to put in targeted measures over the years, while at the same time recognising that the cost of fuel is impacting our public transport sector in the same way it is impacting everybody else. We also want to ensure there is investment in our public transport, that more people can access it, that we are encouraging more people, whether it is through buses, trains or cycleways, and that we are able to provide that investment as well. There is significant investment, through the national development plan and the Department of Transport, but we have to get that balance right. It is about making sure we have those targeted measures for younger people and students and discounted measures for people who might need them most, while at the same time trying to get that balance right. I appreciate that nobody wants to see their fares going up, but in a review of some of the rail lines, what we have seen - even in my own constituency - is that fares have gone down. We will see fares go up and down depending on where they are and what type of investment is happening. It is always about getting the balance right and trying to make it as cheap as possible for people.

Deputy Seán Kyne

While solar energy has an important role to play in achieving Ireland's renewable energy targets, there is growing concern across Galway about the scale and location of proposed solar farm developments. Many constituents have raised concerns about solar proposals, including the projects being pursued on productive, top-tier agricultural farmland and in close proximity to rural homes and communities. The closest panels in the case of the Lackagh proposal in County Galway are within 50 m of some homes and within 100 m of other homes in a local estate. Councillor David Collins held a meeting last Tuesday regarding local concerns, including the impact of construction traffic on the local school, the proximity of the proposal and the future expansion of Lackagh village, which I attended. In line with the commitment contained in the programme for Government, will the Minister provide an update on when the solar energy guidelines will be published and commenced? Will we see guidelines this year, or will they be put on the long finger, as the wind guidelines were? Does she accept that clear planning guidance is required urgently? Will the Government consider a temporary moratorium for large-scale solar projects?

Deputy Helen McEntee

I agree with the Deputy on both fronts. I think we all agree that we need to invest more in renewable energies. We need to invest more in offshore wind and in solar of all types, not just on land but on roofs and on our public sector and service buildings. We also need to engage with communities and make sure that we get this right. What the Deputy has outlined in his county is a similar concern that I have in my own county where a huge number of solar farms have been approved and more applications are coming in. It is important that we get that balance right. We all support the expansion of renewable energy. We know we need more of it given all of the discussion we have had this morning on fuel prices, the increase in prices and how we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels but, at the same time, we need to make sure that there is guidance. I know the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is leading on this and he is working closely with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Department of housing. The intention from the Department of housing is to issue the national planning statement specifically on this, akin to guidance, and that work is under way. I do not have a direct timeline for the Deputy, but like him I would like to see it happen as quickly as possible. I would like to see it to continue to engage with communities so that any expansion can be done in a managed and appropriate way.

Deputy Tom Brabazon

I raise the issue of trees that have been planted by local authorities in roadside pits in the 1970s and 1980s. In many instances, they were very welcome at the time, but a lot of the trees planted at that time - over 50 years ago - were clearly the wrong species. Some of them have grown hugely and they have huge root systems. The root systems have uplifted footpaths and private boundary walls. They have invaded front gardens and done damage to driveways on private properties. When residents raise these issues with their local authority, they are given a claim form, told to fill it in and send it to the council.

It is then passed on to Irish public bodies. Irish public bodies routinely denies liability, saying "It has nothing to do with us and there is no negligence to see here". I have a letter from IPB to a constituent, saying that while it notes their allegation that the damage was caused by the roots of a nearby tree, the cause of the cracking was yet to be established definitively. What else could possibly have uplifted a wall? It is utterly ridiculous and dishonest.

Can the Government intervene in this? It is not fair that elderly residents are left to foot the bills for repairing private property damaged by the State.

Deputy Helen McEntee

While I cannot point to something specific to this at the moment, I do know a body of work is being done, looking at trees planted along our roadside. That is specifically following Storm Éowyn and some of the recent storms where the trees have become a danger during the storm, including taking down electricity wires and by causing danger on our roads. Unfortunately, we know a young man was killed in one of the recent storms because of a falling tree. A body of work is being done through the Minister, Deputy O’Brien’s Department, engaging with the ESB and local authorities to assess where trees need to be taken down and that they can be taken down and that that body of work can start as quickly as possible. Whether what the Deputy raised can be included in those discussions or conversations is something I will bring back to the Minister. I think we are all very conscious of the need for us to be clear about where we are planting our trees and the implications that may have, whether on our roads, for our electricity grid or for residents as the Deputy outlined.

Deputy Brian Brennan

My question is on dereliction and how we can get county councils to enforce current Government policies. Dereliction is a plague on most cities, towns and villages in Ireland. I commend the Government incentives to bring properties back into use such as the vacant property refurbishment grant, and the vacant above-the-shop initiative. Local authorities have the tools to deal with dereliction with the first step being simply to register derelict properties but I am simply astounded why some councils do not see fit to embrace these policies. If you look at the derelict site register today, there are 154 sites registered in Waterford and 367 sites registered in County Limerick and only four sites registered in the whole of County Wicklow. Why should hard-working businesses and communities in Carnew, Shillelagh and especially Arklow have to accept less dereliction enforcement than any other county in Ireland to the detriment of these town and villages?

Deputy Helen McEntee

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. It is really important that we do everything in our power to bring derelict properties back into use, that we use every lever available to us and where local authorities are not responding that we look at what other levers are available. It is a priority for this Government, and a priority in the Government’s housing plan. The Derelict Site Act contains a number of actions and powers that can be provided to the local authorities. There is a derelict site register, statutory notices requiring remedial works, annual levies and compulsory acquisition powers. However, as the Deputy said, we have seen that some local authorities are much better at this than others. He rightly said the number of properties in Wicklow on the derelict site register is far too low at four so much more needs to be done. I understand the Department of housing has recently met Wicklow County Council to highlight this and to be clear that more needs to be done on its part. The Minister, Deputy Browne, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and particularly the Minister for Finance are looking to bring in a new derelict property tax. That would be an incentive to make sure that all parties move on this matter.

Deputy David Cullinane

I recently met the parents of children with disabilities where the children are either on a list or attending the Waterford south city children’s disability network team. I find these meetings very difficult because the story is always the same, unfortunately, with parents battling for access to services and children missing out on developmental supports. What they told me in relation to this team is shocking. We know there are staff shortages across many CDNTs but this CDNT has no psychologist, has had no nurse – or at least the parents have not had access to a nurse for over a year – no dietician and the number of occupational therapists has reduced from two to one. Even the most basic supports like incontinence pads were not being made available to parents for those children. It is truly shocking that parents have to battle for the most basic services. I ask the Minister to look at what is going on in that particular CDNT. It is obviously a problem across all CDNTs. They are not fully staffed. We have children across Waterford city whose parents are battling. Those children are missing out on developmental supports because the staff are not there. It is not good enough and I ask the Minister to raise it with the relevant Minister.

Deputy Helen McEntee

I am happy to raise the specific cases and specific area. I know it has been a challenge over the years to fill all the teams across the country but there has been a huge focus and a huge investment specifically in disability funding to try to fill the particular places the Deputy mentioned. There has also been a look at restructuring and how the teams work so that you are not dependent on perhaps the senior clinical officer to be able to sign off on various different strands of support that might need to be provided. I will raise the Deputy’s concerns directly with the Minister.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

Yesterday the Cabinet approved going to tender with the Metro project. It is the largest investment in public transport the State will ever see. When I went to the pre-tender engagement in DCU I saw the global nature of this project with potential suppliers from right across the world. The reality is the global nature of the project will hit the ground from next year with enabling works and for the next ten years, at the very least, my community will face many of the challenges of Metro as well as its benefits. We absolutely welcome Metro - it is a really important project - but we need to get out now and start telling communities what this will mean for them in terms of construction, traffic disruption, engagement with genuine concerns and so on. I urge the NTA and TII to start that work now and engage with local residents' associations. They want to be part of the process and be part of the success of this project. Inevitably, they will have concerns and questions as with any project. I urge that we ensure that everyone is part of a project that will be with us for a long time to come.

Deputy Helen McEntee

The Deputy is right. One of the biggest barriers or things that slows down projects is a lack of engagement and at the earliest stage possible. I fully agree with the Deputy and support the need for the NTA and TII to engage directly. I know the Deputy will do so himself in his own capacity and to highlight what is happening and the benefits and the challenges that will arise as is the case with any development of this size or significance. This is a massive investment in the Deputy’s community and in our communities in Dublin, in particular. It is really important that we can move this project along as quickly as possible. It is really important that we bring people with us and that they are aware of everything that is happening.

Deputy Marie Sherlock

I must say to the Minister as Minister for foreign affairs it is an appalling situation that on the one hand, Ireland goes into the EU Council of Foreign Ministers to advocate for the cause of Palestinians and yet here at home adopts a mean spirited and hypocritical approach with regard to refusing so many Palestinian students visas. There is a 70% refusal rate this year. It was only 15% last year.

My specific question relates to the EU Digital Omnibus package, Ireland’s position and the Minister’s role in that. Effectively, the direction of travel is to loosen the protections in the AI Act. Last week, alarm bells were sounded by the developers of AI. AI has enormous potential for positive impact, particularly in the area of health, but we know for workers, consumers, for our security and democracy there are particularly terrifying prospects. What is the Minister doing to ensure that we have much better AI regulation in the European Union and that we are not going to diminish the existing standards and protections there already?

Deputy Helen McEntee

The Digital Omnibus package is one of perhaps 12 pieces of legislation we are bringing forward at the moment under the simplification objective we have during the Presidency. I want to dispel the myth that might be out there that changing legislation in some way weakens or loosens it a bit. The whole objective is to make it more straightforward and simplify it where we can while, at the same time, protecting people’s rights and making those responsible and accountable for protecting consumers too. Like the Deputy and everyone here, I am also concerned at the pace and speed at which AI is moving. We need to make sure that in the EU, the appropriate regulations and rules are in place but that we also do not stifle growth and innovation. We need to make sure we are embracing and enhancing our day-to-day lives with the technology as it is evolving. We also need to monitor and manage it. What you will see during the Presidency is Ireland taking a very central approach and making sure we get the balance right. We are not trying to have fewer rules; we are trying to make sure they are better and that we can apply them better as well.

• Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions
• Ar ais chuig clár ábhair
• Home Heating Oil (Emergency Mineral Oil Tax Reduction) Bill 2026: First Stage