My Department provides funding under the suite of housing adaptation grant for older people and disabled people to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the housing adaptation grant for disabled people, the mobility aids grant and the housing aid for older people grant, is funded by my Department with a contribution from the local authority. The detailed administration of the scheme, including assessment, approval, prioritisation…

It must be acknowledged that Sligo County Council did apply for additional funding of €500,000, which it received. Obviously, the Deputy will be making contact with Sligo County Council, and I encourage the council to make an application for additional funding, if it is required. I will also ask my officials in the Department to reach out to Sligo County Council to find out what the position is. Where local authorities wish to provide additional funding and where there is a need, we want to ensure we can redistribu…

I know the Deputy has raised this issue and advocated for it before. On practical measures, as he mentioned, initial funding to Sligo County Council increased by 30% this year to €2.3 million. It received a further €500,000 in additional funding that it requested earlier in the year, bringing total funding to €2.8 million. I ask the Deputy to inform Sligo County Council that if it has an additional request, it should be made to the Department. In a practical way, I will ask my officials to reach out to Sligo County…

I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important matter. As he is aware, unit 1 in St. Stephen's Hospital in Glanmire, County Cork, is a designated centre for older people registered by HIQA. Eight residents are residing in the dementia-specific unit. Unit 1 is the only older persons' residential facility on the grounds of St. Stephen's campus because all other operational units on the site are being utilised to deliver a range of services under the registration of the Mental Health Commission. HSE south has advised…

Once again, I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important matter. I appreciate it is a difficult time for the residents and their families. As already stated, HSE South West has advised me it has taken the decision to deregister the dementia-specific unit for older persons in St. Stephen's campus hospital, with a view to re-registering the unit with the Mental Health Commission. I reiterate that the HSE is engaged in a comprehensive process of engagement, consultation and planning with residents, family and staff…

I thank Deputies McGrath and Murphy for the opportunity to address the House today on an issue that I know has had an ongoing impact on many patients in south Tipperary. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, who I know is committed to reducing waiting lists for both adults and children across all our services be they provided in acute hospitals or in the community. It is important to highlight that the HSE provides free optical services to preschool and nation…

Once again, I thank Deputies Michael Murphy and Mattie McGrath for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on the need for strengthened ophthalmology services in south Tipperary. I will make sure to let her and the officials in the Department know the specific views that were made here today in the House on behalf of their constituents in south Tipperary. While recruitment of a permanent consultant has been challenging, I wish to assure the Depu…

I thank Senator Rabbitte for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan. Ireland's National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023-2030 provides the overarching framework for the protection and restoration of biodiversity. The national biodiversity action plan, NBAP, sets out Ireland's whole-of-government approach to halting and reversing biodiversity loss and fulfilling our national, European and…

Once again, I thank Senator Rabbitte for bringing forward for discussion this issue, which I am taking on behalf of Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, the Minister of State with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity. Conservation of biodiversity requires action in protected areas and across the wider landscape. Under the implementation of the national biodiversity action plan 2023-2030 and the forthcoming national nature restoration plan, the Government is pursuing a range of measures to protect, restore…

I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming the Kellehers to the Seanad, which is a beautiful building in its own right. I thank Senator Kelleher for raising this important matter. He has advocated for Westgate Foundation over a sustained period of time and that has to be acknowledged. I know the work it does is close to his heart. I know first-hand because I visited the Westgate Foundation centre with him. I found it to be warm and engaging and it provides a great service to its community. I thank all the people i…

I again thank the Senator for raising Westgate Foundation in Ballincollig and the work it does on behalf of the community, particularly older people. The Senator referred to housing on-site. It is very much an integrated model. I could see how committed the staff and the board, many of them voluntary, were. The HSE has confirmed it continues to work closely with the Westgate Foundation regarding its operational and financial position. Meetings have taken place between the HSE and Westgate in relation to organisatio…

I thank Deputy Maxwell. This is an important point for his constituents in Cavan-Monaghan. By way of update, 302 people were on waiting lists for home support at the end of May in Cavan-Monaghan, including 33 new applicants and 269 people already receiving support who require additional hours. Specifically on the point the Deputy raised, I met the HSE as recently as yesterday. One of the key areas I focused on was Cavan-Monaghan. The HSE gave me an assurance. The last recruitment campaign of home support workers wa…

I too welcome all the guests. As the Senator is probably well aware, section 19 is about development plans, as distinct from the-----

I think the Senator is very familiar with that and the points he has made are duly noted. I can go through what is being proposed under Part 4 of the Bill in terms of the 2024 Act and the statutory deadlines coming in for planning and An Coimisiún Pleanála. If the House would like me to do that, I will.

We very much take on board the Senator's learned views.

Sections 61 and 62 are connected and will operate together. It is important that both sections stand as part of the Bill. Section 61 is a technical, clarifying amendment to the definition of "material alteration" in section 138 of the 2024 Act to add a cross-reference to a new section 138A, as inserted by section 62 of the Bill. Section 62 inserts a new section 138A in Chapter 5 of Part 4 of the 2024 Act in relation to alterations of existing permissions allowed for the purpose of alleviating the shortage of reside…

I thank the Senators for their contributions. I propose to go through my detailed note because that will be helpful to everyone. Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 seek to amend section 62 of the Bill, which, in turn, proposes to insert a new section 138A into Chapter 5 of Part 4 of the 2024 Act in relation to alterations of existing uncommenced permissions for apartment schemes. Section 138A operates so that subject to the meetings specifically set out in the Bill, requests may be made to alter an existing permission of an a…

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on the position of the James Weir nurses home on Cork Street in Dublin 8. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate. The HSE has a significant property portfolio extending to circa 4,300 buildings across circa 2,300 locations throughout the country. The health estate is varied and complex and the HSE act…

As I said earlier, following extensive review the property known as Weir Home on Cork Street in Dublin 8 was identified by the HSE a number of years ago as surplus to its requirements and it was decided to dispose of the property. Disposal of Weir Home is being carried out in line with the statutory obligations, including the Land Development Agency Act 2021 and the relevant circulars from the Department of public expenditure. The HSE engaged with all expressions of interest from State bodies in relation to the pro…

I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. As the Deputy will be aware, the programme for Government reaffirms Ireland's commitment to 80% of electricity demand being met in the near term and there are plans to move to net zero by 2050. The deployment of renewable electricity, including wind energy, is vital to Ireland meeting its ambitious domestic targets and international commitments. T…