Shane Moynihan
Ceist:1. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [7904/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCabinet Committees
Ceisteanna (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:2. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [7905/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Erin McGreehan
Ceist:3. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [7907/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Cormac Devlin
Ceist:4. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [7908/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:5. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [30024/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:6. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [31756/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:7. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [32082/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Jennifer Whitmore
Ceist:8. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [32449/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Ivana Bacik
Ceist:9. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [34718/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:10. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [34828/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:11. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will next meet. [34872/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Paul Murphy
Ceist:12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will next meet. [34877/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Liam Quaide
Ceist:13. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [36949/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:14. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [36986/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:15. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will meet next. [37160/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (21 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 15, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland oversees implementation of relevant programme for Government commitments and ongoing developments in relation to Northern Ireland, Irish-British relations, and the shared island initiative. It considers issues relevant to the Government’s position as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, including our role in Good Friday Agreement institutions such as the North-South Ministerial Council, the British-Irish Council and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. Topics for discussion also include the annual UK-Ireland summits and their agreed programme of work and the continued roll-out and development of the investment, research and dialogue strands of the shared island initiative.
On 12 and 13 March, the UK-Ireland summit took place in Cork. The summit plenary saw a wide-ranging discussion on achievements to date under the UK-Ireland 2030 programme of strategic co-operation and on shared ambitions to see co-operation deepen and deliver across a range of areas, including energy security and the transition to clean energy, security, the protection of subsea infrastructure, cybersecurity and competitiveness, as well as our people-to-people ties. We also discussed wider international issues, including the situation in the Middle East, the Gulf region and Ukraine. Prime Minister Starmer and I agreed a statement reflecting the overall theme of the summit, Shared Prosperity, Shared Seas, Shared Ties, which set out achievements over the past year and looked ahead to future work together of mutual benefit to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
On 7 May, I was pleased to return to Belfast. My visit included opportunities to hear directly from political, business and civic leaders and to discuss ongoing and evolving all-island priorities. While in Belfast, I was delighted to participate in a joint event at Grand Central Station to mark the signing of a €700 million contract for a new fleet of Enterprise trains and related rail infrastructure. I was also pleased to deliver the Lord David Trimble lecture in Queen's University. David played a critical role in the achievement of the Good Friday Agreement. The principles and purpose of the Agreement remain central to what my Government does and how we foster relationships across these islands, including through the shared island initiative.
Also on 7 May, the shared island initiative report on 2025 was published. During 2025, the Government made funding commitments of over €100 million from the shared island fund for new multi-annual programmes that deepen co-operation and connections across the island, including on sustainable tourism, nature restoration, civic society co-operation, emergency response, a new Dublin-Derry airlink service and a shared island media fund as well as significant investment in arts and cultural programmes.
On 8 May, along with Government colleagues, I attended the 31st plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council, hosted by the Northern Ireland Executive in Armagh. This was the fifth such meeting since the restoration of the Good Friday Agreement institutions in 2024. The agenda included discussions on shared challenges and opportunities relevant to both jurisdictions, including tackling gender-based violence and the potential areas where we can work together to eliminate this shockingly prevalent problem North and South. In November last year, we agreed €5.9 million in shared island funding to strengthen the existing co-operation between our emergency and fire services. The next meeting will be 15 June.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as an uasdatú sin. Tá dhá cheist agam. I dtosach báire, will the Taoiseach update the House on the intention to reform the Good Friday Agreement institutions? This has been flagged a number of times by the Government and the Taoiseach and I would be grateful for an update on the thinking of ourselves, the British Government and the Northern Irish parties on this. The Taoiseach rightly pointed to the success of the shared island initiative, which has been transformative in bringing people together. Will he elaborate on whether or not consideration could be given to using the shared island fund to promote initiatives to combat loneliness? It is a blight in societies North and South and I would be grateful for an update in this regard.
The publication last September of the joint framework between the British and Irish Governments relating to legacy issues arising from the Troubles was a welcome development. The legislation enacted by the previous British Government whereby murderers, be they from state forces or paramilitary organisations, could give themselves immunity was reprehensible. Will An Taoiseach update us on the progress in advancing the measures provided for in that framework? Last Sunday marked the 52nd anniversary of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings where 34 innocent people were killed and more than 300 injured. It is essential that at every meeting with members of the British Government the Irish side highlights in no uncertain terms that the Oireachtas needs a positive response to our unanimous request, made on four occasions, that an independent, eminent, international legal person be given access to all files and papers pertaining to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and ensure full co-operation and a comprehensive investigation.
There are a huge number of opportunities for all-island co-operation. This Government has led on the first all-island university in the partnership between DkIT and Queen's. We work together, study together and live together and all along the border it is seamless. However, when it comes to healthcare there are a lot of barriers. There are examples of where you can get dialysis in the North if you are a southern patient. Increased co-operation can only be good for Border communities. If we are looking at furthering the health and well-being of all our people on the island, increased capacity in our healthcare North and South can only be better if we work together. I would love an update on that.
I thank the Taoiseach for the update. As Cathaoirleach of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement committee I have seen first hand the value of the shared island initiative from my visit last June with the Taoiseach to Narrow Water Bridge in County Louth, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, to the ongoing restoration of the Ulster Canal. Closer to home, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown chamber and Bangor chamber signed the shared island economic partnership memorandum of understanding in April and presented jointly to the committee on the cross-Border economic corridor. Will the Taoiseach indicate how the Cabinet committee on Northern Ireland will support business-led partnerships of this kind? Will he confirm when phase 3 of the Ulster Canal is expected to be completed?
Has there been any engagement with the British Government to deal with the issue of the road user levy? This was introduced on all HGVs over 12,000 kg. Southern hauliers have to pay €10 per day to cross the Border. We know there are many Border crossings and how many times that can happen. There is also an administration issue. If you fail to do that, you could have a £300 fine. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with. I have dealt with my colleagues in the North who have brought it up, but it needs agreement with the British Government, which has full control of this issue.
The Friends of Irish Athletics group presented to a packed audiovisual room earlier today. It highlighted the longstanding discrepancy, injustice and discrimination related to the World Athletics 1934 political boundary rule. This means that when an Irish runner competes for Ireland in the Olympics they are specifically representing the island of Ireland, but when an Irish runner competes in the World Athletics Championships they are specifically representing the Twenty-six Counties. The Friends of Irish Athletics group is campaigning for Athletics Ireland to bring forward a motion to the 2027 World Athletics Congress to seek a derogation from the 1934 political boundary rule. Athletics Ireland has indicated some willingness to do this. Will the Taoiseach contact Athletics Ireland on behalf of the Government to encourage it to engage with stakeholders to advance that motion?
The Taoiseach knows there are over 600,000 Irish citizens or people who hold Irish passports in the North. Obviously, there has been a significant surge in Irish passport applications from citizens living in the North since Brexit. Over 120,000 applications were received in 2024 and almost 85,000 last year. Given this sustained demand, does the Taoiseach agree that Irish citizens in the North deserve a dedicated passport office? When is this going to happen? If the State can run a passport office in London, as it should, surely it is reasonable and necessary to establish a permanent passport office in Belfast and Derry to provide this basic public service closer to home for hundreds of thousands of Irish citizens in the North.
On Sunday in Ardboe, thousands of people marched to save Lough Neagh from environmental disaster due to the extreme eutrophication of the waters of Lough Neagh. The protest saw fishermen, swimmers, trade union activists, environmentalists and many more squarely put the blame on all of the major parties in Stormont for failing to prevent the greenlighting of factory farms that are polluting Lough Neagh. They also point to the private ownership of Lough Neagh by Lord Shaftesbury and the failure to protect the precious biodiversity of Lough Neagh. Does the Taoiseach have any comment on that?
I know the Taoiseach recently met with the SDLP leader, Claire Hanna, about reform of the Stormont institutions. It is something we in the Labour Party have long called for. The SDLP is calling on the UK and Irish Governments to engage in a short process of talks with parties to deliver change before the next Assembly elections. Will the Taoiseach confirm if he is considering that and if he will convene talks?
The Springhill massacre saw the killing by the British army of three children, a father of six and a priest. The inquests concluded three weeks ago and there has been silence from the British since. There has been not a dicky bird and no apology at all from the British for these killings. Does the Taoiseach think there should be an apology from the British Government for these killings? On the legacy Bill, the British Secretary of State will still hold the power to determine whether there will be an investigation. He will be advised by the security forces, often the very people who are the subject of those investigations, about whether there should be an investigation. Is it not wrong that a politician, especially a British politician, is being advised by the security forces that there should not be an investigation into themselves? Should the Government not make sure that does not remain part of the new legacy Bill?
I thank all Deputies for the issues they raised. Bhí an Teachta Moynihan ag caint faoi Chonradh Aoine an Chéasta agus go háirithe an cinneadh a rinneamar maidir leis an oileán comhroinnte. He spoke about the shared island initiative and the decision in respect of it. He asked if loneliness could come under that umbrella. It certainly could. We have had discussions with the Minister of Health in the North about public health interventions under shared island. We can try to get the right organisations together North and South, as we have in the area of domestic violence where the National Women's Council Ireland is working with Women's Aid in the North. We have already funded joint projects between the two in respect of that issue. Likewise, if we can get the right bodies to focus on the issue of loneliness, which is a significant socialisation issue and has an impact on health, we will be willing to work on that.
We have made a lot of progress on the legacy agreement, which was raised by Deputy Smith. I say to all concerned that this is the opportunity to get this Bill through. He is correct to say that the previous Bill was deficient and the previous British Government did not consult as widely as it should have initially. It had measures in that Bill that were completely unacceptable. There has been a complete change in approach by the current British Government compared with what occurred prior to that. We need to acknowledge that. It is still going through Westminster. We are keeping an eye on it insofar as we want it to be true to the joint framework agreement. I am clear in my head that this is the opportunity to get a legacy Bill through that can sustain, and this current Government is the government in Britain that can deliver that. We have no guarantee that any future government, whatever configuration that might be, will be as disposed to the kind of legacy Bill we have in front of us. That needs to be said, and I say it straight. That is the reality of it, and we are continuing to work with the British Government to make sure it stays faithful to what was agreed.
I think Queen's and Dundalk is an exciting proposal. I was up there giving the annual David Trimble lecture, and I met the heads of Queen's and Dundalk Institute of Technology.
That is a very exciting potential partnership and again we stand ready to support that. They are working on it.
Deputy McGreehan made a point on the health service. There has been progress under CAWT, which she is probably familiar with, and on cancer and on heart at Altnagelvin, along with dialysis to some degree. More and more, particularly in the north west, we should be looking at really making it a whole health area. That would be my view. Instead of expecting people to travel all the way to Galway from Donegal, Sligo or all along the north east, it makes sense that we would synergise and use up the capacities. We can resource some of that and we are prepared to resource that through shared island funding because everybody benefits - citizens North and South benefit. I was in Altnagelvin some years ago and met a Donegal man who literally had about a 15-minute drive to Altnagelvin. He had to get a stent in because he had a cardiac event. Under our strategies here, that person could have had to go to Galway, in theory, whereas this makes so much more sense. The cancer centre in Altnagelvin that we helped fund some years ago is a superb opportunity and a service for people.
Deputy Devlin mentioned, I think, Dún Laoghaire and Bangor. Again, that cross-Border corridor is extremely important. The Enterprise service has been superb. There has been a 40% increase in the number of people because the shared island initiative funded the hourly service. We want to continue to fund those economic corridors. I do not have an exact timeline for phase 3 but it is going to happen and we will be funding that right to the end as well. It is great that through the shared island initiative, the county councils, about 25 of them, are looking at feasibility studies and how best we can have joint projects between the councils.
Moving to Deputy Ó Murchú, the road user levy did not come up at the last North-South Ministerial Council. I met all the Northern parties last week but I will pursue it. How we can intervene in that is an open question but I hear what the Deputy is saying in respect of it and the additional costs it entails.
I think Deputy O'Rourke was saying Athletics Ireland was negative in terms of what he was suggesting about the same rules that apply to the Olympics applying to the world championships and the 1934 rule. I would have to examine that in greater detail but we should be careful of overly intervening in the sporting world. It has worked out its frameworks over a long number of years and we should respect the sporting bodies in that regard. I would like to see what it has to say about the issues involved.
Deputy Conway-Walsh raised a dedicated Passport Office. This has been a hardy annual for some years. It is all online now. That is the direction of travel. If you look at the statistics, they are overwhelming. The Department of foreign affairs has been of the view for quite some time and has moved away from the establishment of any new physical offices for symbolic reasons because the bulk of applications come in online. That is the Department's view and I have a lot of sympathy with it. The Department has concentrated a lot on getting a very quick turnover of passport applications if everything is in order and so on. The speed of response is quite significant and that is positive.
Deputy Boyd Barrett raised Lough Neagh and again shared island funding has been made available to help with the pollution there. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the shared island unit have had good engagement with the Minister of agriculture in the North, Andrew Muir. He is certainly doing everything he possibly can to deal with what is a chronic situation with the lough. Again, we have sought to pool our resources and bring experts together to try to identify what is the best way to try to deal with this pollution, which is shocking and chronic and really undermining what the lough has to offer.
On the reform of politics in Northern Ireland, I raised the issue with all the political parties last week when I was in Belfast. I spoke about this a number of years ago at the Alliance Party's annual dinner but I favour reform of strand 1 of the Good Friday Agreement in respect of enabling politics to work better. I think there is greater confidence in some parties. Sinn Féin is saying it is going to produce proposals in respect of that and people are awaiting those. That is a new position but it is important. The DUP is saying it is not as enthusiastic about this, to put it mildly. The Alliance, the SDLP and other parties are. Again, the parties themselves need to get together to discuss this. For example, the Assembly should meet immediately after an election and a speaker should be elected. That is a very basic reform that should not bring the whole house down. Then there would not be a vacuum in terms of the Parliament meeting after an election.
What about Deputies Ahern and Tóibín?
That was on Deputy Ahern's point.
Excuse me.
Deputy Tóibín raised the Springhill massacre. I have not seen the full outcome of the inquest but timely and proper apologies should be given in respect of the Springhill massacre and other events of a similar kind. On the legacy Bill, I have made my point to the Deputy that huge progress has been made compared with where we were in terms of the previous legacy Bill. I have confidence that if it gets through the legislature in Britain and is implemented in good faith, it will make for a defining moment in dealing once and for all with legacy on the island of Ireland. If the Deputy does not mind me saying, some people want to have a campaign forever. I remember the Eames-Bradley report. I would say that was nearly 20-odd years ago, or 25 maybe. I do not know. Maybe it was not that long ago. It was talking about legacy. Every initiative has failed. It is start-stop, start-stop.
But should a politician be in charge of a criminal conviction?
Here is an opportunity to try to get it over the line.
Thank you, everybody. We can add the time to the next question.
Ultimately there has to be political accountability in respect of all these matters.
There are 18 Deputies in the next grouping. Most Deputies are present, so we will work with 45 seconds each.
Cabinet Committees
Ceisteanna (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:16. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [11857/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Albert Dolan
Ceist:17. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [11861/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Tony McCormack
Ceist:18. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [11864/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Naoise Ó Cearúil
Ceist:19. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [11869/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraRuairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:20. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [26721/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mark Ward
Ceist:21. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [31949/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Jen Cummins
Ceist:22. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [32603/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:23. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [32865/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Barry Heneghan
Ceist:24. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet [34337/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraRichard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:25. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [34875/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Murphy
Ceist:26. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [34878/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLiam Quaide
Ceist:27. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [35064/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
David Cullinane
Ceist:28. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [36508/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
John Connolly
Ceist:29. Deputy John Connolly asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [36935/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraRuth Coppinger
Ceist:30. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [36987/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPeadar Tóibín
Ceist:31. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [37161/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDarren O'Rourke
Ceist:32. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [37320/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCiarán Ahern
Ceist:33. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [37533/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraRose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:34. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [37562/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (25 píosaí cainte)
I propose Parliamentary Questions Nos. 16 to 34, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy oversees implementation of the programme for Government commitments in relation to the environment, climate action, energy and emergency planning. It considers the wide range of issues that require action in Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient and sustainable future - a future in which we take full advantage of the renewable energy potential we possess, while ensuring energy policies contribute to energy security, affordability and competitiveness.
Much of Government's attention is currently focused on addressing the immediate cost pressures facing households and businesses arising from the conflict in the Middle East. The measures that have been put in place are helping to alleviate some of the dramatic cost increases experienced in recent months. These measures are necessary and the Government continues to develop further options so we will be in a position to respond as the situation develops.
At the same time, we must acknowledge our reliance on fossil fuels is a vulnerability for us all and makes Ireland susceptible to price and supply shocks from geopolitical events beyond our control. Our diminishing but still significant reliance on gas-powered generation also contributes to higher electricity costs. We are very conscious of the increased financial pressure on households and businesses arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Ministers, Deputies Burke and O’Brien, have and will continue to actively engage with industry representatives, suppliers, and relevant regulators on this matter. To date, over €750 million has been committed to measures to support households and business with increased fuel costs. On 24 March, the Government introduced temporary and targeted measures to reduce fuel costs, including a reduction in excise on petrol by 15 cent and diesel by 20 cent, an increase in the diesel rebate scheme for haulage and bus passenger operators from 7.5 cent up to 12 cent per litre of diesel, a temporary reduction of the NORA levy and the extension of the fuel allowance season by four weeks. This builds on the recent expansion of the fuel allowance to working family payment recipients, which was backdated to 1 January, and an increase in the allowance to €38 per week from 1 January.
Government further agreed on 12 April to new measures targeting fuel costs, amounting to over €500 million, to support the transport, farming and fisheries sectors. These include a reduction in excise on diesel and petrol by a further 10 cent - VAT inclusive - which brings the total reduction on diesel to 32 cent and on petrol to 27 cent, a reduction in excise on marked gas oil by a further 2.4 cent which brings the total reduction on green diesel to 7.4 cent and a deferral of the planned increase in carbon tax scheduled for May 1 until the budget, which will impact green diesel and non-propellant fuels such as kerosene heating oil, natural gas and solid fuels.
A new €100 million fuel subsidy support scheme is being introduced to assist farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers facing unprecedented increases in fuel costs, providing €20 million per month in supports.
Our ultimate goal, through the promotion of renewable energy on land and at sea, through the development of battery storage, through investing in an electricity grid fit for our current and future needs, and through the electrification of transport and heating, is to free ourselves from fossil fuels. This will be good for our energy security, good for our pockets and good for our economic future. It will also help us to dramatically lower Ireland's emissions of greenhouse gases.
This Government’s priority remains the delivery of a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system built around renewable energy. As an island nation, we possess some of the best wind resources in Europe, and that potential must remain at the centre of our energy policy. Over 40% of electricity generation is now from renewable sources. Ireland’s emissions have been falling for the last three years, and we now have lower overall emissions than at any point in the last 35 years, despite our population growing by 50% over that period. The latest EPA quarterly indicator report shows a continuation in that downward trend.
The Cabinet committee meets quarterly. It last met on 26 February and is scheduled to meet again later this month.
We know that Ireland will face around eight climate events every year that will have an impact on different parts of the country. The Taoiseach will recall that after Storm Chandra he was with me in Aughrim in County Wicklow. One of the requests made by the local authority, and it has been submitted, is for funding to repair many of the roads washed away as a result of that event. This is still a priority for Wexford County Council and Wicklow County Council. Can the Taoiseach give any indication, given the damage caused by Storm Chandra, of when funding to repair the roads that were damaged will be made available to those local authorities?
There is growing concern about the proposed approach to the new renewable energy targets to be set by the Office of the Planning Regulator, which, in turn, has passed this job to the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, EMRA. These concerns extend to the possibility that the counties that have done the most could, effectively, be reset to zero, regardless of the progress already made. Offaly County Council was brave in 2009 to create a renewable energy policy in its development plan. Groups that have met with EMRA have raised concerns with me that existing renewable energy production may not be properly recognised. In the interests of fairness, counties like Offaly, which despite its small size, is already one of the leading producers of renewable energy in Ireland, should have their contributions to date fully taken into account. We will take more developments, but we cannot be treated in the same way as counties that have done very little or nothing up to this point. I am asking for the Taoiseach’s support with this.
Ireland now has the highest household electricity prices in the EU. They are approximately 40% above the EU average. Households in Ireland are now paying roughly €480 more per year in light of this. When will the updated national energy modelling be considered by the Government, and will nuclear be considered as a part of it? We need to look at all options here to reduce energy prices for families the length and breadth of this country.
I will say this straight out. Given the state of the roads in County Louth, an insufficient amount of money has been put forward for these budgets. The fact is that Louth County Council initially, following Storm Chandra, looked for €1.2 million and then for €2.9 million extra that was necessary due to the huge damage done by the storm. This was done on the basis of works that had not been done over many years and that need to be done and an insufficient amount of resourcing from central government. The fact is that the county council was refused this amount last week. I am not entirely sure how this is going to work out, other than that the roads in the county, particularly in my town of Dundalk, will be particularly bad for the forthcoming period of time. I ask that this be revisited by the Government.
The fossil-fuel crisis is a time when we need to have a catalyst to move more towards renewables. I am regularly contacted by households that would really love to move to renewables and deeply retrofit their homes, but, unfortunately, they just cannot afford to do so. Even though they are able to apply for grants and all those things, which are very welcome, there is a shortfall in the grants by comparison with what is needed. For terraced houses moving from E1 to H2, somebody would still need to find €37,000. It is €39,000 for a semi-detached house and €45,000 for a detached house. It is a huge amount of money. What can households do? The cost of living is so expensive, but it can be reduced if we go to renewables. It is like a cycle that people are stuck in. They do not have the money upfront to change and, therefore, their bills are going to be higher. As previous contributors said, our electricity prices are the highest in Europe. I thank the Taoiseach.
Is ait an rud é seo dom mar gurb é seo an príomhrud toisc gur innealtóir mé. We have made huge progress in renewable energy generation, but there is growing concern that parts of our grid infrastructure and regulatory frameworks are struggling to keep up with that pace. Since August 2025, renewable generators have been reportedly dispatched down and curtailed, with some operators saying they are receiving no compensation despite supplying clean energy. At the same time, there are delays in implementing grid code reforms by EirGrid, and this is creating uncertainty for Irish-owned renewable developers. Will the Government work with EirGrid and industry regulators to accelerate the required grid upgrades and code changes, ensure fair treatment for renewable generators and provide confidence to foreign companies and the Irish market so we can continue expanding renewable generation while maintaining grid stability, along with enacting the private wires Bill and facilitating plug-in solar?
The liberalisation of the energy markets across Europe was supposed to benefit consumers. The removal of the ESB’s not-for-profit mandate and the introduction of competition into the market actually resulted across Europe in a 40% increase in energy costs. In Ireland, however, the increase was 267%. What we actually got was competition that led to rampant profiteering by private energy companies. Prices for the consumer did not go down, but up. Is there a recognition that actually having the energy sector driven by profiteering companies has failed and that we need to bring the energy sector back into proper public ownership and run on a not-for-profit basis?
One of the most important climate measures that could be taken in my constituency of Cork East is the restoration of the Youghal train link. The Taoiseach is well aware of the rail advances under way in the region. We look forward to new stations between Midleton and the city, and ten-minute frequencies of service. Youghal and its hinterland, though, are being entirely left out of that revolution in public transport. This is about carbon emissions, but also about fairness in regional development and Youghal’s potential for prosperity. Residents of Youghal face gruelling commutes to work, college or special schools outside the region. At the same time, the residential and economic development taking off in Midleton and Carrigtwohill is not happening in Youghal at the same pace or on the same scale. This has consequences for housing, jobs, tourism, town centre renewal and the ability of people to live and work locally. Upgrading the N25 is important, but we need a decisive modal shift to rail and light rail in the city to address gridlock, reduce emissions and give Youghal a fair chance to grow sustainably. Will the Taoiseach commit to having more ambition for Youghal in respect of public transport?
County Meath is the fastest-growing county in the country and Navan is the largest town in the country without a rail line. Some 90,000 people are commuting from Meath daily and 60,000 of those are commuting by car because of the lack of a public transport option. It is taking between three and four hours to get back and forth to work every day. People are living in commuter hell. It is costing them in terms of family time and in their pocket, and it is also impacting the environment. The rail line was first proposed by Fianna Fáil in 1994. Its earliest delivery date is 2036. People who started working when it was announced will be on the pension by the time it is completed. It is glacially slow. The proposed railway order for that rail line has been delayed from 2026 to 2027 and now to 2028. Why can we not get planning right in this country? The Meath on Track campaign has done a terrific job in pushing this project forward and there will be a public consultation tomorrow in relation to the routes, and it will be announced.
I thank the Deputy.
Given that this has been disastrously slow, will the Government now designate the Navan-Dublin railway line as a critical infrastructure project under the critical infrastructure Bill?
Many of the Taoiseach’s Government’s policies seem to be ignoring the fact that we are failing to meet our climate targets. We see ever-increasing fossil fuel use due to there being more data centres, more cars on our roads and more planes in our skies. We need to see the Government’s plan for how it is going to square this circle. If it is the Government's proposition that we can, basically, keep doing what we are doing and still cut our emissions as we are obliged to do, then let us see the homework. We keep asking for a climate action plan for this year. We are being told it is on the way. When will it be delivered?
Go raibh maith agat.
I welcome the women from Mayo to the Public Gallery.
As we have been going door to door and speaking directly with families ahead of the by elections this Friday, the one issue that is raised more than any other is the unaffordability of energy and electricity. People are afraid to turn on their heating. Others are rationing, cutting back on essentials and living in constant anxiety about the next bill arriving through the door. Does the Taoiseach accept that this situation is unsustainable for working families, pensioners, carers and vulnerable people? Will he introduce energy credits to reduce energy costs and provide meaningful relief? We tabled legislation last week to show how we could permanently reduce energy prices. Something has to be done. People just cannot afford it. One woman answered the door to me yesterday. She had layers of clothing on her and said that she cannot turn the heat on. It was pouring rain and it was freezing outside. We have to do something to help people here and now.
I thank everybody for raising a range of issues. Deputy Malcolm Byrne was first off in raising Storm Chandra. He made the very good point that there are about eight storm events a year now and that speaks to the need for greater adaptation in our broader policies across the board. We need to adapt and invest in adaptation so that we are ready for these storms. Each storm is different. Storm Éowyn was different from Storm Chandra and had different impacts. I have spoken to the Minister with responsibility for roads and also to the Minister for public expenditure in relation to that. Submissions have been made across the country in respect of Storm Chandra and the needs there. I will come back to the Deputy in respect of that because it has to happen. More broadly, when I visited the Deputy, we saw a different manifestation of the storm. The flooding during that particular storm was a different event from what I witnessed in Carlow and in different parts of the country that I visited.
I would be strongly supportive of what Deputy McCormack said. Offaly has been very progressive in terms of renewables in general. As I have said to him previously, Offaly is on the cusp of something significant. Given the work of Bord na Móna, the battery storage developments that we have witnessed in Shannonbridge recently, investment in renewable farms and other investors coming on stream, renewable energy will attract other investments. Offaly has to get acknowledgement for what it has achieved already. It does not make any sense if there is not recognition. What has happened so far needs to be measured in terms of what one plans for the next instalment or degree of provision.
As I said earlier in response to another question, we need to have an honest conversation in the House about energy. People have looked for supports, quite rightly, and we have allocated about €750 million to alleviate the pressures on families, but the most effective pathway is to have more renewables. That will reduce the costs but we need to communicate that better to the public. More wind and more solar means cheaper energy costs in the long term and then we will not have to be putting together €750 million packages or providing energy credits for ever more. There is an over-reliance on the gas side and all of that is imported. If one looks at all of the graphs, we are still not at the right level. Around 40% of our energy is from renewables, or rather, around 40% of our electricity generation is from renewables. There has been an onshore wind revolution over the last 30 years. It has caused pressures and challenges, of that there is no doubt, but, equally, fossil fuel is damaging as well.
Wind has not brought down the price of electricity.
No, because there are other factors. The war in Ukraine was a huge factor. The problem with fossil fuels is that it they are coming from areas where there is conflict. We had a huge problem with Russia invading Ukraine. There was a huge energy crisis because Europe decided, correctly, to eliminate its dependency on Russian oil and gas. There is a war in the Middle East now, with a 20% reduction in world supplies. That has pushed up the price and caused huge problems for us. We need reinvestment in the grid. We have supported and given equity to EirGrid and we are now at the stage where up to €13 billion will be spent over the next five to six years on the grid itself.
Deputy Ó Cearúil raised the issue of nuclear power. I have dealt with that previously. I have no issue with examining nuclear power. It needs to be examined as an option into the future. At the moment, it is gas and renewables and there is a vulnerability on gas importation if anything was to happen to the gas connectors. We know the ships of a third country actor, Russia, have passed over the gas connectors and we have had to go down and check, as have the British. That is a huge vulnerability. That is why we are doing the strategic LNG energy reserve that we are providing in the mid-west.
Deputy Ó Murchú raised the same issue with roads that Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised. Again, that is under consideration between the Departments and we will come back to that.
Deputy Cummins raised fossil fuels and I have said what she said herself, namely, that it has to be a catalyst to more renewables. When I say we need a political debate, the point is that people object to solar, wind energy and gas generation stations. I keep asking myself how we will turn the lights on if we object to all of it. We need to work out, as a country, where we are heading. In terms of AI and data centres, they are a part of the modern digital world. There is no point in saying otherwise.
We have more than our fair share.
We have our fair share of them - I will acknowledge that - but they are important catalysts for investment too. The point is, though, that they will use up a lot of energy so we really need the offshore wind to happen. That has faced challenges because of what has happened in the United States and the undermining of the companies in the US in the wind space. We have quite a number of offshore wind projects in planning at the moment. We need to get those over the line by 2030 onwards and get a number of offshore wind farms up and running. That is key to the future energy sustainability of the country. There are about 2.5 GW of onshore wind in planning at the moment, with An Coimisiún Pleanála. That gives an illustration of where we are in terms of the energy debate.
We had a debate earlier about TAMS. Farmers are very positive about the utilisation of solar on rooftops, farm sheds and so on. That is an area we can unlock and do more on.
Deputy Cummins also made a point about retrofitting. We have been working on that. About €500 million is being spent on retrofitting now but there is validity in the Deputy's point insofar as it is still a significant up-front cost for people to do deep retrofitting, notwithstanding the significant grants that are now available. However, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, changed the grant scheme last February for windows and doors and a whole range of other items. He brought down the thresholds and has made it easier. The result has been a quite dramatic upsurge in applications, in terms of the numbers of people now applying for different types of retrofitting and for windows and doors as well, so that is working.
Is innealtóir den scoth é Barry Heneghan gan amhras. Admhaím go bhfuil suim faoi leith aige i gcúrsaí fuinnimh. Tagann sé isteach anseo go minic le moltaí agus tá an Rialtas ag éisteacht leis, particularly in the context of the legislation pertaining to private wires. I discussed plug-in solar with the Minister, arising from the Deputy raising it the last day. There are issues with the capacity of houses to absorb plug-in solar.
Not with apartments-----
There is a review under way and work is being done by EirGrid, the Department and the ESB to work that out and understand the challenges. It is being actively pursued. As I said earlier, up to €13 billion will now be invested in the grid itself. We have given the equity to EirGrid for grid upgrades. We met with EirGrid and ESB Networks yesterday at a Cabinet subcommittee meeting, with a view to those companies presenting to us the full map of Ireland with all the various upgrades and projects. We are talking about a couple of hundred projects here and that will need political support. What will happen is that in different localities, some Deputies will come under pressure because people will say they do not want kV lines but at some stage we have to get real as a country. We cannot have each-way bets every time. These are debates that we need to have sensibly. We need to engage with communities and put the facts on the table in terms of the implications if we do not go ahead.
It will mean less economic growth, fewer houses and less development of rural land if we do not get the upgrades to the grid over the line.
Deputy Quaide is probably too young to ever have been on the Youghal train but I had great experiences on it as a child. We all, multiple families, went on it from Turners Cross to Youghal. It was a fantastic service at the time. There is a fantastic greenway there now but I hear what the Deputy is saying. There is huge investment in the commuter rail project in Cork. It is fantastic. All the stations are being built and that development is, and will be, phenomenal. The Midleton rail line was the first part of that and it was Fianna Fáil that put it back into use. The late Séamus Brennan made the point that it was the first railway sanctioned in approximately 50 years. He did that, we have progressed it and the Kent Station reforms have happened. However, I hear Deputy Quaide loud and clear in respect of Youghal. CIÉ is constantly reviewing the situation but it has to get done what it has planned to do in the next number of years.
The upgrade of the N25 is vital and Deputy O'Connor has done a lot of good work on that. It must be acknowledged that it has to happen.
Deputy Tóibín spoke about Navan. I think he is being a bit unfair to Deputy Dempsey, Shane Cassells, the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and others who have done a lot of work in terms of where we are now. We have a national development plan that has the resources that are needed. The Critical Infrastructure Bill will be coming through the House. I hope Deputy Tóibín will support it to ensure we are able to get projects through more quickly.
Will the Taoiseach designate the Navan line as another critical infrastructure project?
In response to Deputy Ahern, I think people still need aeroplanes. The issue is fuel efficiency and the type of fuels used, but people want to fly around the world. That is the reality. However, I take the Deputy's overall point. It is about balance. Our population has increased by 52% since 1995 and we have had record economic growth over that period, yet emissions are going down. Ireland is a very good example of an island that basically has decoupled economic growth from environmental degradation and rising emissions. In other words, we have achieved economic growth while also reducing emissions. We need to reduce them more but I think the direction of travel is very positive.
The Taoiseach did not respond to my question about privatisation.
I did respond. I do not think it is a privatisation issue alone. I get frustrated with the regulatory frameworks at times but the more important issue is that being overly dependent on imported fossil fuels is driving up prices in Ireland and across Europe.
The Minister is looking afresh at the climate action plan in terms of having a more objective-based approach. Instead of an annual 40, 50 or 100 actions, we will be asking what are the big-ticket items that can deliver emissions reduction in this country. His approach is a better one and it will be published soon.
I have dealt with the affordability issue raised by Deputy Conway-Walsh.
Questions Nos. 35 to 39, inclusive, resubmitted.
Questions Nos. 40 to 44, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.
Questions Nos. 45 to 57, inclusive, resubmitted.
Questions Nos. 58 and 59 taken with Written Answers.
Questions Nos. 60 to 75, inclusive, resubmitted.
Question No. 76 taken with Written Answers.
Questions Nos. 77 to 88, inclusive, resubmitted.
Question No. 89 taken with Written Answers.
Questions Nos. 90 to 95, inclusive, resubmitted.
Question No. 96 taken with Written Answers.
Questions Nos. 97 to 122, inclusive, resubmitted.
Question No. 123 taken with Written Answers
Questions Nos. 124 to 126, inclusive, resubmitted.
Questions Nos. 127 and 128 taken with Written Answers.
Questions Nos. 129 to 138, inclusive, resubmitted.