I welcome the guests to the Chamber. I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. The Minister recently announced a new towns and cities regeneration investment fund, which Senator Boyhan has alluded to. While replacing the URDF, existing funding for URDF projects already approved will be incorporated into it, with a focus on supporting policies such as town centre first and city task forces, as…

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter, which I am taking behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. It gives me the opportunity to reiterate the support my Department has been pleased to be able to provide for this critically important regeneration project for regeneration in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in general. In that respect, I will also inform Senator Boyhan that funding supports for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown also include €43.2 mi…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — while a large proportion of cancers are preventable, our growing and ageing population is a key driving factor behind the increase in cancers; — today, over 220,000 people in Ireland are living with or after cancer, a 50 per cent increase compared to a decade ago; — the National Cancer Registry predicts that 1 in 2 people will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime; — fortunately, survival rates for p…

I join with other colleagues across the House in acknowledging the great work of all healthcare workers, including medical, nursing and administrative staff and others throughout the health service. They do fantastic work. This year will mark the 13th anniversary of the launch of Ireland’s first national cancer strategy and is an opportune time to reflect on the progress made since 1996 and to look ahead to how we advance and build on what has been achieved. The Government recognises the objective of the Sinn Féin …

The Senator referred to 2007 onwards. Perhaps she could go through that again slowly.

I thank Senator Ryan for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the taking in charge of housing estates. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. It is important at the outset that I point out that under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister with responsibility for planning is precluded from exercising any power or control in regard to any particular case with which a planning authority or the board is or…

I thank the Senator again for raising this matter, which, as I said earlier, I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The decision to take any estate or estates in charge is ultimately one for the elected members of the local authority who, by way of a declaration made under the Roads Act, will make such a decision. In addition, financial decision-making and the accountability of local authorities is a matter for the elected members of a local authority who have direct respo…

I thank the Senator for raising this matter on carrying out a breeding cormorant survey of the Moy catchment in County Mayo, to inform an assessment of their impact on the reported decline of salmon in the river. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, is an executive agency of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which provides the legislative and policy framework for the conservation of nature…

I note Senator Duffy's point. I will make a couple of points. While the NPWS of the Department has a role in the protection and conservation of bird species, including the cormorant, policy related to the management of inland fisheries is the responsibility of Inland Fisheries Ireland. I have a note from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment which reads: While salmon stocks have been in long decline both in Ireland and internationally, the technical expect group on salmon reports that the number of …

Addressing the home support waiting list is a priority for me in 2026 and the HSE National Service Plan 2026 includes, for the first time, an explicit target to reduce waiting times. As part of this, I have secured funding for an additional 257 directly employed staff in 2026, with the highest allocation of 56.5 healthcare assistants, HCAs, and three managers going to the west and north-west region. I can assure the Deputy that there is no pause or restrictions on recruiting healthcare assistants in Donegal, and in…

I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn. I assure him that there is an intensive recruitment campaign for healthcare assistants for Donegal. As I said, 39 additional healthcare support assistants have been hired since September to the Donegal services for home support. Furthermore, 43 candidates have been offered roles and are currently progressing through pre-employment checks. Seventeen of those are cleared to commence, and a further 26 candidates are currently in pre-employment clearance. A recent recruitment drive by the …

In my role as Minister of State for older people, particularly dealing with home support services, I want to bring down the waiting lists. I want the HSE to actively recruit staff. I have met with the HSE about that on a number of occasions. For the first time, in the national service delivery plan for the HSE we are looking specifically to reduce waiting lists. As it stands, 39 additional healthcare assistants have been recruited by the HSE since September for Donegal. There are 43 candidates who have been offered…

The 2025 programme for Government includes a commitment to explore the creation of a national centre of excellence for traditional skills. In furtherance of this commitment the Heritage Council established a task force on traditional skills. The task force met five times during the course of 2025 and is due to meet again later this month. The task force has to date commissioned three pieces of work, including an audit of available traditional skills courses and an assessment of the current and future demands for tr…

I thank Deputy Callaghan. It is a programme for Government commitment, which is as strong a commitment as we can get, to explore the creation of a national centre of excellence for traditional skills. A task force has been established and it has commissioned work. There will be a report from the Heritage Council to the Government in respect of the work of the task force later this year. By way of interest, one of the items of work the task force completed was a survey of skills by RED C. It indicated very strong pu…

With regard to the ongoing work of the task force, I mentioned the RED C survey on public attitudes to traditional skills. There was also an audit of traditional skills courses on the island in 2025. More particularly, there is an economic assessment of the demand for traditional skills, which goes back to the point Deputy Callaghan made. The report on the public attitude to the provision of courses is complete and the demand survey is in its final stages. That very much feeds into this. I have no doubt that, like …

I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority, and the increase in homelessness figures is a concern for the Government. Budget 2026 allocated €513 million in current funding to ensure that individuals and families experiencing homelessness are provided with emergency accommodation and other supports. The key object…

I again thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. I reiterate that resources and funding are not an obstacle to the urgent efforts required. More than €563 million has been allocated to homeless services in 2021. On the specific point raised in respect of the Leap card, the Government's new housing plan includes a strong focus on measures around homelessness and a key measure in the plan is a child and fa…

I appreciate the opportunity to address the House on this important matter. Addressing homelessness is a top priority for the Government. We remain committed to working with all key stakeholders to reduce and prevent homelessness across Ireland, including homelessness among our more vulnerable people, including our older people, disabled people and Travellers. Our new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, is an integrated housing and homelessness plan in which the Government recognises that homeless…

I think there is an understanding I am taking the Topical Issue matter in the name of Deputy Willie Aird. It was No. 3 but is now No. 1.

I thank Deputy Aird for raising this very important matter. On Wednesday, 4 February 2026, following an application by HIQA under section 59 of the Health Act 2007, an order was made by Portlaoise District Court cancelling the registration of Droimnín nursing home. The HSE was directed to step in and take over operational control of the centre, acting as the provider of last resort. The focus at this time is to ensure the safety, care and welfare of the residents living in the nursing home while longer-term arrange…