I will make two points quite clearly. In relation to affordable homes, that is the sort of prioritisation the LDA should be looking for. I am more than happy to bring this point forward on the Deputy’s behalf to the Minister. Perhaps there will be scope for further discussion at the next round of oral parliamentary questions. The Deputy has raised a point that is not being raised enough in relation to the collection of development levies and the ability to use those funds for community facilities. The part of Dubli…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to reply on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne, who unfortunately is not here today. Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy, as embodied in the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Government is continuing to invest an unprecedented level of funding to support housing delivery, which will underpin the new starter homes programme, delivering an average of 15,000 s…

I greatly appreciate Deputy Hearne’s contribution. Delivering Homes, Building Communities is a clear priority for Government and we are committed to delivering on the targets across all pillars of the plan. The strategy delivers on the programme for Government commitment to increase housing supply and tackle homelessness with an ambitious target to deliver 15,000 starter homes annually to 2033 via local authorities, approved housing bodies, the Land Development Agency, the first home scheme, the vacant properties r…

I thank Deputy Toole for her forensic Topical Issue. I appreciate the detail and I will endeavour to respond as best I can on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Brien. Ireland’s energy security has moved from being a long-term ambition to becoming one of the most pressing challenges facing our country. I think back to the formation of the Common Agricultural Policy which was based on the basic need that Europe did not starve again. We are now in a situation where the basic need is that we cannot allow the lights to g…

I thank Deputy Toole and the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to provide a response to the overarching points the Deputy made and the wider context of domestic renewable electricity generation, the substantial progress that has been made, and the opportunities to further improve the transition to renewable energy to make sure it is not just a climate imperative but is central to our energy security and, indeed, our economic development. I fundamentally believe that we are making crucial investments in …

I have to be very careful with this reply because, needless to say, replying on behalf of our mutual dear friend, the Minister for Health, whom I spoke to subsequent to receiving the script, is a balance, because I could throw back to the Deputy many of the points she has raised and somehow that constitutes a reply. I sometimes question, when replies are being drawn up, whether people look at maps or live in the areas. I know where Clonsilla is. I also know where North Strand is. It is a long way from Balbriggan. I…

Out-of-hours GP care is provided to the population in integrated areas. The Government is committed to the continued development of our general practice service to ensure patients across the whole country have timely access to GP services. As mentioned previously, work is ongoing to increase the GP workforce and therefore improve access to both daytime and out-of-hours GP services. Significant investment has taken place in general practice both in the 2019 and 2023 GP agreements but we need to do a lot more. The in…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026 be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for consideration of all relevant matters at an inter-departmental level and the development of comprehensive proposals, noting that it may be necessary to consider settings other than schools, to obtain comprehensive legal advice, to allow for engagement with a wide range of sta…

As I outlined earlier, there is absolutely no objection to Deputy Kenny's Bill, but the Government is asking for the timed amendment of 12 months to be agreed to allow for sufficient time to develop the legislative proposals in line with the principles of the Bill. I assure Deputy Ó Murchú, and all those who contributed in the House, that the Government will proceed with this Bill as quickly as is possible. There is a very clear bit of work that is needed to be done. The safety and well-being of all children and yo…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 160 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this question. As they know, the Government is committed to deepening our ties with the Irish communities overseas and to ensuring that the welfare of the Irish abroad remains at the heart of our diaspora engagement. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the next diaspora strategy is at an advanced stage of drafting and will be published in late April, to coincide with the next global Irish civic forum that…

I thank the three Deputies for their supplementaries and I will try to rattle through them as quickly as possible. Regarding the emigrant support programme, as I laid out, this year the budget will be €17.5 million. That is the biggest it has ever been. Part of that is to reflect inflationary costs on certain areas but there is always increased demand and need for the services provided. Deputy McCarthy rightly cited the economic opportunities of EU-Australia trade deal, as was laid out by Deputy McCormack as well. …

Regarding the references to sport more generally, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, launched the latest iteration of the sport diplomacy strategy in Boston at the famous Fenway Park. This is a key policy provision not just for the Department of sport, but also for the Department of foreign affairs, because sport brings people together here and abroad. We often see the real economic opportunities associated with the College Football Classic and the NFL coming to Ireland, but we also see where that ties in with tourism a…

As the Minister has outlined, the Government's highest priority in the current conflict is the safety of Irish citizens in the region. This is a priority and concern shared by all here in this House. I am grateful to those Deputies and Senators who have been in contact with my office to raise individual cases. The profile of the Irish community in the region is diverse. It is a mixture of those who are ordinarily resident there, those who were in transit to other destinations and those who were on holidays, visitin…

I am pleased to present the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2025 for consideration on Second Stage. I do so on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, who unfortunately has had a family bereavement but this not unfamiliar legislation as I was the Minister of State responsible when the general order of the scheme was presented. This Bill makes changes to the insolvency payments scheme. This scheme fulfils the vital function of protecting workers if their employer becomes inso…

I thank the Senators for their considered contributions. I am aware of the very real experience of all those contributors and indeed you, a Leas-Chathaoirleach, in the corporate world as employers and as Ministers with relevant responsibility. This was a particularly informed and particularly useful debate, and it is really important that we stress that. A few issues were raised that I would like to address briefly, where possible, in the interest of being helpful. I am very grateful to Senator Nelson Murray for he…

I thank all of the Kenova team for their work. Over the past decade, they have shown that, almost 28 years since the Good Friday Agreement, legacy investigations and reviews can work. It is clear that the Kenova team has gone about this complex and sensitive work with care, placing victims and families at the heart of its endeavours. That is as it should be. In both the interim and final reports, the Kenova team is unsparing in its criticism of both the Provisional IRA and the failings of the British state. In Jon …

I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for consistently raising this issue. He is dead right; there is a distinct lack of attention on this around the world. I would like to think it is an exception here in Ireland. The Deputy is a part of that and I am very grateful for it. Last month, the conflict in Sudan reached its 1,000th day. It is continuing to have a devastating impact on the Sudanese people, particularly women and children. The escalating violence in the Kordofan states is deeply worrying and underlines the need to e…

On the humanitarian aspect, in terms of our partners, it is really important to stress the role of UNOCHA and the UN population fund. Ireland will continue to provide a commitment to all UN appeals because the humanitarian situation is grave. There is famine in Sudan, one of two man-made famines in the world at the moment, and it can be reversed through a co-ordinated humanitarian response and action. On raising this matter, we do so on a UN and an EU basis. I have met four Ministers from the UAE in the past six mo…

I see no issue with that technical point. There are avenues to pursue that. The embargo in place is far from perfect on I think we can both agree but Ireland does believe in it. On keeping it on the agenda, at every Foreign Affairs Council and at every UN meeting I have attended, I have raised this. It is one of the key pillars of Irish interest - Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan – that is raised consistently in all international arenas and is met with real funding and belief among the people in regard to humanitarian suppo…

I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The provision of consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad is a cornerstone of the work of the Department of foreign affairs. The provision of consular assistance is at the request of the citizen or, where the citizen cannot request such assistance, by a family member or friend. As such, there are many instances where a citizen gets into difficulty abroad and does not request consular assistance. In these cases, my Department may not nec…