The Government has made clear that a focus on capital investment is a key and central priority of this Government. The Taoiseach will have seen the report today from KPMG identifying that a €70 billion investment in Dublin will be needed. That is in the area of housing and wastewater, but investment that always produces returns is investment in sport. The Federation of Irish Sport held a well-attended briefing this morning in the AV room where it emphasised the need for multiannual funding in sport to support the m…

When I asked a question two weeks ago about the Dublin city task force, the Taoiseach said progress is being made and that he hoped to be in a position to bring it to the House before the recess. In the intervening two weeks, has there been any further progress? Has the Taoiseach been briefed on any progress? Will he give an outline of what that progress looks like? With regard to the implementation of the Dublin city task force recommendations, is it the Taoiseach's expectation that they would be funded through th…

I want to acknowledge Jim, Lucia, Aimee, Pia, Hannah and Gemma who are in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. I acknowledge the apology that has been issued on behalf of the State by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice. I first spoke with Lucia almost 12 years ago on the telephone. We have heard many people speak of the engagement Lucia has had in this building. I was then somebody who had recently qualified as a barrister, not having practised and with a limited knowledge of the criminal justi…

I thank the Minister and Ministers of State for attending, making themselves available, responding to the issues and outlining precisely the measures taken in response to some of the events over the past number of days. Words matter and for a Deputy on the other side of the House to tell the public in the Dáil that they cannot trust the health system is inappropriate.

It undermines and belittles the tens of thousands of nurses, doctors, healthcare assistants and people who are engaging in the health system every single day. This is a very challenging time for CHI. The issues that have arisen are serious. This is a scary moment for parents who are affected and have children who have been affected. However, that does not support a statement that says the entire health system is not to be trusted. The Deputy should consider that remark because it is not fair or supported by evidenc…

First, I recognise Cara Darmody. I met her when I was the Lord Mayor of Dublin. I brought her into the Mansion House as part of our initiative to make Dublin the world’s first autism-friendly capital city. Cara is a determined and brave person. I absolutely lament the fact she feels she has to sleep outside the Dáil for the next 50 hours in order to highlight one of the biggest challenges we have in this State when it comes to the delivery of disability services, that is, the assessment of need process. It is impor…

I thank the Minister for presiding over the opening of Harcourt Educate Together National School tomorrow. It will be a really important day for the people who campaigned for the school in the first instance and for the school community and the people who live within the school's environs. In my constituency of Dublin Bay South, there will be three formal openings of Educate Together schools that I suspect which Minister will attend. Those schools are Shellybanks Sandymount Educate Together, Harold's Cross National…

I raise this in the context of a very live issue. Dublin City Council recently went out to public consultation on a brownfield site known as Ballyboggan where more than 6,000 homes could be built. As part of that consultation, Uisce Éireann identified two very significant challenges to the delivery of those homes. The first was wastewater treatment and the absence of a wastewater treatment plant in the area to service those homes. The second, and it is either fortunate or unfortunate that the Minister of State, Dep…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Some people might find it shocking to know that 85% of all the water supply in the GDA comes from one source. It is definitely the case that we have been talking about the Shannon to Dublin pipeline for well over a decade at this point. This specific example I spoke to illustrates the urgent need for that critical infrastructure project, which, let us not deny, will cost several billions of euro. That is why the Government has taken a decision to ensure that the priority…

One of the issues the NESC compact growth report highlights in Dublin is the scourge of dereliction and what we need to do to tackle it. As the Taoiseach is aware, the Dublin city task force covers this issue at great length. On several occasions I have asked about where the task force is at and about its recommendations. From the replies he has given, I know the Taoiseach is committed to the implementation of the recommendations. Obviously, so is the Tánaiste, particularly as he initiated the report. It forms part…

I have already wished the Ministers of State, Deputies Canney and Buttimer, well in their roles but this is the first time I have been here when the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been in the Chamber and I want to wish him well. I found him very approachable as a Minister when I was a councillor and I am looking forward to the continuity of service as a TD. What are the Minister for Transport's plans to expand free public transport access for children and will he make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is good that we have contained in the programme for Government a commitment to expand free public transport for children. It is very welcome that the measure announced in the budget to extend the age from five to eight years and then to nine years of age, will be introduced in quarter 3. There is a certain practicality to all of this. I regularly use the S4 bus route with my seven-year-old and five-year-old. To be fair, the service relies on the honesty of the pass…

One of the issues specific to Dublin when it comes to children taking public transport is, of course, the Luas. The Luas is a very busy tram, particularly at peak times. As we have seen, when we expand and invest in the Luas, we grow the passenger numbers. In that context, I would ask the Minister of State to support inquiring into getting the Luas extension from the Point to Poolbeg into the national development plan review. Obviously, the Finglas Luas application has already got planning permission. It is importa…

I thank the Minister of State for attending. This Topical Issue is very straightforward and I hope he will see the practical sense in what I am proposing. Dublin Port is carrying out a major expansion plan that will meet its future needs. In the context of what is taking place in the world right now, never has investment been so important to ensure we have access to ports for trade. The planning application that is before An Bord Pleanála includes the construction of a new bridge alongside the toll bridge over the …

I thank the Minister of State for that very welcome response. Before any of the announcements were made by the Trump Administration, the Government had made extremely clear that there would be a commitment to and focus on investment in infrastructure. Understandably, the focus of that additional investment is on housing and water but we must not forget about public transport. It is so essential for developing integrated cities. I say this not just about my own city but also about the Minister of State's city. We mu…

This is a very serious moment that deserves a very serious response. I listened very carefully to some of the Sinn Féin speakers earlier when they said what we need is better engagement with the United States and a beefing up of our diplomatic efforts. Does that mean Deputy Mary Lou McDonald will engage next year with the US Administration? When Sinn Féin talks about the all-island economy, does that mean the First Minister of Northern Ireland, purportedly a First Minister for all, is going to engage with the Unite…

A very important infrastructure project is before An Bord Pleanála at present. This is the expansion of Dublin Port. Part of this expansion includes the construction of a new bridge alongside the toll bridge. Part of this bridge will facilitate the extension of the Luas from the Three Arena to Poolbeg via Irishtown and Ringsend. Does the Taoiseach agree it would be common sense that we proceed now with this extension of the Luas to Poolbeg, where 3,500 homes are being built to facilitate a growth of population in t…

It is the Dublin city task force.

My question relates to the policy response to tariffs that were hypothetical when I tabled it and that are now real. I am concerned about a creeping narrative emerging from certain quarters within the Opposition, and Sinn Féin in particular, which seeks to pitch Ireland against Europe in the response. Does the Minister agree that in our response to this we need more, and not less, Europe? The Single Market now stands as a shining light for free trade and the rule of law. What we need in response is Europe working t…

I thank the Minister. There is no sugar-coating the tariff announcements made yesterday evening. We are only beginning to understand their effects. It is now the reality that the United States, which started globalisation, is seeking to bring an end to it. We in the European Union need to be proud of what we have done in developing the largest single market in the world. We need to ensure we do more in Europe to better enhance in particular our banking market and the impact this can have. The history of Europe has …