Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:22. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Children and Education and Disability will meet next. [36565/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraCabinet Committees
Ceisteanna (22)
Freagraí scríofa
The Cabinet Committee on Children and Education and Disability oversees Programme for Government commitments relating to Children, Education and Disability and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being, local area disadvantage and the reform of disability services.
Disability services are a key focus for me and this Government, and that is why I have established this Cabinet Committee.
The Committee has a particular focus on the forthcoming new National Disability Strategy which will set out the blueprint for further realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The membership of the Cabinet Committee comprises the:
· Taoiseach;
· Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence;
· Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and for Transport;
· Minister for Health;
· Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth;
· Minister for Education;
· Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform;
· Minister for Finance;
· Minister for Social Protection and for Rural and Community Development;
· Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and,
· Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
The Minister of State with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, and the Minister of State for Disability will be invited to participate in all of the Cabinet Committee meetings. Other Ministers or Ministers of State will be invited to participate as required.
To date, four meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Children and Education and Disability have taken place. It will meet again very soon.
Cabinet Committees
Ceisteanna (23)
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:23. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Environment and Climate Change will next meet. [36566/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Cabinet Committee on the Environment and Climate Action oversees implementation of the ambitious Programme for Government commitments in relation to the environment and climate change. It considers the wide range of issues that require action in Ireland’s transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and sustainable future.
The Committee has met on 22 occasions since July 2020, most recently on 10 June 2024. The next meeting of the Committee will be scheduled shortly.
Artificial Intelligence
Ceisteanna (24, 25)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:24. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach if his Department has a policy, or has issued guidance to staff on the use of artificial intelligence, large language model, natural language processing, generative or otherwise, or products based thereon in the course of their duties; if this has been communicated to staff; if he will publish same. [36149/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMatt Carthy
Ceist:25. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach if his Department, or any agency under his auspices, has ever used any artificial intelligence software in the preparation of response to parliamentary questions, or in responses to any correspondence from outside the organisation; and the details of same if applicable. [36168/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 25 together.
The National Cyber Security Centre and the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform have published guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in the public service which has been made available to all staff in the Department of the Taoiseach.
The Department of the Taoiseach and the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), which is the only agency under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach, do not use artificial intelligence software in the preparation of responses to parliamentary questions or in response to any correspondence from outside the organisation.
Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements
Ceisteanna (26, 27)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:26. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his engagements during his recent visit to Ukraine. [36233/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMatt Carthy
Ceist:27. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his engagements regarding the recent visit to Ukraine; the assistance levied by his Department in relation to the trip; if such assistance included any direction or advice in relation to members of media invited to join him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36234/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together.
At the invitation of President Zelenskyy, I visited Ukraine on 4 September.
I was pleased to take this valuable opportunity to see for myself the situation on the ground, and to hear directly how the war is impacting on the lives of ordinary Ukrainians and humanitarian organisations. I also had political meetings with President Zelenskyy and with Prime Minister Shymhal.
I visited the town of Borodyanka, north of Kyiv, where I viewed buildings and community amenities destroyed in the early stages of Russia’s invasion,
I visited the village of Hostomel where I visited the UNHCR Core Homes Project which is supported by Irish Aid and aims to build 300 modular homes for families whose previous homes were destroyed.
In Kyiv, I visited the Child Rights Protection Centre where I met with UNICEF Deputy Representative for Operations, John Marks, and Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Mr. Dmytro Lubinets.
We discussed the devastating impact of the war on families, especially on children, including those who have been abducted by Russia.
I visited the Trypilska Thermal Power Plant which was the largest supplier of electricity to Kyiv and surrounding regions before it was severely damaged by a Russian missile attack in April 2024. I was briefed on the impact of Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and what is needed to maintain a functioning energy system, especially ahead of the winter.
In my meetings with President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Shmyhal, I reiterated that Ireland will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
President Zelenskyy briefed me on progress on his Peace Plan, and what Ireland can do to help ensure high-level participation, especially from the global south, when the time comes for a second Peace Summit.
He also briefed me on the work Ukraine is doing to advance its application for EU membership, and I reiterated Ireland’s strong support for this work, welcoming the holding of the first Intergovernmental Conference in June.
President Zelenskyy and I signed a bilateral agreement on support and cooperation between Ireland and Ukraine.
This pledges us both to deepen our cooperation and partnership based on our common interest in defending global multilateral system and international law, based on the UN Charter, and protecting fundamental rights and freedoms.
My discussions with Prime Minister Shmyhal also covered humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, developing further economic ties between Ireland and Ukraine and the reconstruction of Ukraine.
I was also pleased to announce a further €36 million in humanitarian and stabilisation support to Ukraine for 2024. This brings Ireland’s support for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion to €380 million.
The Department of the Taoiseach worked closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland’s Embassy in Kyiv and with the Ukrainian authorities on all aspects of the arrangements for the visit to Ukraine.
Climate Action Plan
Ceisteanna (28, 29)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:28. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach to provide a breakdown of legacy actions from the CAP23 that are yet to be completed, by Department; how they are progressing; and the expected timeline for delivery. [36570/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraDarren O'Rourke
Ceist:29. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the progress report for Q3 of CAP24 is due to be published. [36571/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 29 together.
The Department of the Taoiseach prepares progress reports on the implementation of actions committed to under successive Climate Action Plans. The reports provide an overview of progress made on the actions set out in these Plans and give a detailed breakdown of both completed and delayed activity. Once approved by Government, the progress reports and any accompanying documents are published online.
Quarter three 2024 will end on 30 September. Soon after, the Department of the Taoiseach will prepare a progress report for that quarter for consideration by Government.
The most recently compiled progress report was published earlier this month and included detail on actions due for completion in both Q1 and Q2 of this year. The progress report also included updates on high impact legacy actions that were delayed from Climate Action Plan 2023.
The reported position in relation to all legacy actions can be reviewed in the spreadsheet that was published alongside the progress report and is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/55fde-climate-action-important-publications/
. This spreadsheet includes the breakdown of legacy actions by Department, the original timeline for their delivery, the status of these actions at the end of Q2 2024 and a text update. This includes expected timelines for completion, where these have been made available by Departments.
Child Poverty
Ceisteanna (30)
Patrick Costello
Ceist:30. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach to provide an update on the publication of the summary report on the child poverty and well-being summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36891/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I was delighted to host the Child Poverty and Well-being Summit on Thursday 23rd May in Dublin Castle.
I welcomed the former UK Prime Minister and Chancellor the Right Honourable Gordon Brown, who shared what he had learned from his experience of reducing child poverty rates in the UK in his keynote address. My colleague Roderic O’ Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth also provided a keynote address.
Children’s participation was an important feature of the day and included an art exhibition, a specially written musical performance from Music Generation, and engagement with our Youth Advisory Group on Child Poverty and Well-being.
It was a pleasure to see the artistic contributions from children and young people and it was a highlight of my day to meet many of the children and young people on the day of the Summit.
The Summit itself had three objectives: to increase the focus on child poverty across government, take stock of progress and learning to date, and to inform future considerations.
To further that end, policymakers from across the public service were in attendance, as well as representatives from the non-Government sector and research organisations.
A panel discussion took place in the morning and 17 innovative Case Clinics on realising the ambition of working together took place in the afternoon. Case Clinic topics were wide ranging and included preventing family homelessness, maximising the impact of social welfare payments, and improving educational outcomes for migrant children.
A summary report on the Summit will be published shortly.
Further details about the Summit and the Report will be available on: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/7c189-child-poverty-and-well-being-programme-office/ .