Focusing on the specific point again, what kinds of changes are being prioritised for each year? It is reasonable that not everything would be done in one go and the process would be phased in. What kind of changes are being proposed for phase 1 and each of the subsequent phases? Will the Minister give an outline in this regard? In communities where people are making applications now, in fast-growing communities such as in Cloughduv, for example, a large number of applicants will want to go to secondary school in B…

The imposition of Trump's tariffs of 20% last night is a deeply serious concern for Irish jobs and costs for so many people. The EU response is being co-ordinated and could add further pressure for people. What engagements has the Minister planned with his EU counterparts and with the Commission as regards this response?

While Trump's tariffs are only a few hours old, the Minister's officials have been examining various scenarios and preparing reports, some of which have been published. We recognise that the technology, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage sectors are a serious concern. In my own area in Cork, pharmaceuticals and food and beverages are a major concern. Will the Minister be making the case to his counterparts on different sectors when he meets with them? What particular priorities does he plan to set out to his cou…

I thank the Minister. With 10% tariffs on the UK and the higher 20% tariff on the EU, there is a particular concern about the all-island economy and how people in the Republic will be impacted by the tariffs versus those in the Six Counties. Is there space within the Windsor Framework to deal with this? Will the Minister put the all-island economy as a priority to his EU counterparts when he is meeting them?

There is great need to upgrade the drinking water plant in Macroom. The plant in the castle grounds supplies water from the Sullane river to over 4,100 people in Macroom and east around Carrigadrohid and Canovee. Boil water notices have been put in place in the area during each of the past three winters. This is due to turbidity in the water. This is not just a water quality issue. It is also heavily influenced by the older design of the plant. These boil water notices have been a constant source of difficulty for …

I thank the Minister of State for the update. I acknowledge the progress that has been made on the wastewater treatment plant and the works under way there. I will focus on the drinking water and the supply there and the hassle and associated cost for locals who have endured boil water notice after boil water notice each winter. It is essential that those works and the new plant be advanced as quickly as possible. It is positive to hear that the works will be quickly under way. It is unfortunate that it has to be r…

Has the Minister considered using the mart and the farm walks as a platform for reaching out to farmers and delivering services or access there? He almost referred to it earlier when he spoke about people working very much on their own for days, maybe even for several weeks, when the silage campaign is on or during lambing. People can be very much isolated when they are farming, yet we see people will gather together at the mart. After the pandemic, it was very evident because even though the online option was avai…

Will the Minister outline the efforts being made to prevent the spread of bluetongue to Ireland in view of the fact that it is in the UK and on the Continent? We are moving towards warmer weather, longer days and possibly an increase in the mobility of the midge population, which is potentially carrying bluetongue disease.

I thank the Minister for the details of the various efforts that have been made over the last number of years on this. I ask him to outline whether tests have been carried out on livestock this year. In addition to livestock, trucks and various other vehicles would be travelling back and forth between the UK and the Continent as well as across the Border with the North. Are tests being carried out on them or are they being monitored to ensure they are not carrying midges or infected livestock? What efforts are bein…

On the question of vigilance within the farming community, if a farmer identifies the disease that means it is already here. My focus is on preventing it travelling to us here, whether on vehicles going back and forth on ferries or across the Border. Are efforts being made to ensure that those vehicles do not bring the virus with them? The Minister briefly referred to the possibility of vaccines. Is he going to make vaccines available to people who want to vaccinate livestock?

Is cúis mhór áthais é dúinn go bhfuil scéim na mbóithre áise geallta mar chuid den chlár Rialtais amach romhainn. Bhí mo chomhghleacaithe agus mé féin ag brú go mbeadh sí san áireamh. Beidh sí an-tairbheach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta nuair a chuirfear i bhfeidhm í. An bhféadfadh an tAire tuairisc a thabhairt ar an gcur chuige chun an scéim sin a chur i bhfeidhm, ar na treoirlínte agus ar aon tuairimíocht atá aige mar gheall ar rith na scéime sin?

Cuirfidh scéim na mbóithre áise go mór le hinfreastruchtúr agus le caighdeán maireachtála phobail na Gaelainne. Is é an chéad cúpla méadar den bóthar ar a mbíonn daoine ag taisteal gach maidin agus an píosa deireanach den bhóthar ar a mbíonn siad ag taisteal sa tráthnóna atá i gceist. Is deis é seo chun na píosaí sin a fheabhsú. Glacaim leis go bhfuil sé luath go leor go fóill. An bhfuil an tAire in ann a rá cé acu Roinn na Gaeltachta nó na comhairlí contae a bheidh ag láimhseáil na n-iarratas agus an srutha airgid…

Tá an tAire tagtha chuig an chéad ábhar eile ansin nuair a deir sé go n-aontófar í go luath. Is dócha gurb í an cheist is mó atá ag a lán daoine ná cathain a bheidh an scéim ann. An bhfuil a fhios ag an Aire an bhfuil sé in aigne go mbeidh sí ar fáil i gcomhair an chéad cáinaisnéis eile agus go mbeidh daoine ábalta iarratais a dhéanamh in 2025 i gcomhair oibreacha, b’fhéidir, in 2026? Cé go nglacaim leis go bhfuil sé luath go leor fós agus nach bhfuil ach roinnt den obair tosaithe ar na scéimeanna nua agus ar sprio…

Fáiltím roimh an díospóireacht anseo inniu agus an deis chun cúrsaí Gaelainne a chur chun cinn. Ar ndóigh, ní hamháin i rith Sheachtain na Gaeilge a bhíonn gá cúrsaí teanga a thabhairt chun cinn, ach go minic i rith na bliana chomh maith. Fáiltím roimh an deis inniu. Tá Fianna Fáil gníomhach le fada an lá ó thaobh cúrsaí teanga. Mar shampla, in 2003, thugamar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla chun cinn. Rinneadh leasú ar an Acht sin le blianta beaga anuas, agus spriocanna móra cosúil leis an sprioc go mbeidh 20% d'earca…

Tá Foras na Gaeilge ag freastal ar phobal na Gaelainne ar fud na tíre agus tá sé ag feidhmiú le maoiniú ón Rialtas anseo ó Dheas agus ón bhFeidhmeannas ó Thuaidh; 75% den mhaoiniú ag teacht ón Rialtas anseo agus 25% ón bhFeidhmeannas ó Thuaidh. Is é sin an leagan amach atá ann de réir Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. Tuigim go bhfuil an Rialtas anseo lánsásta a sciar a chur ar fáil ach go bhfuil buairt ó Thuaidh. Tá an-bhuairt ar phobal na Gaelainne roimh chiorruithe agus sa chás nach mbeadh an foras ábalta feidhmiú ga…

The well-being framework sets out the things that are important to us as a society as distinct from economic indicators such as GDP or inflation. It focuses, for example, on the quality of our housing, educational attainment, biodiversity and so much more. The aim is that it would steer funding priorities in the budget. On the climate front, for example, we are seeing stark warnings from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council of up to €26 billion in fines coming down the tracks. It is recommending that we should spend t…

I congratulate the Minister and Ministers of State on their appointments and wish them every success in the new roles. I will focus on the availability of land in Cork and the opportunity to develop enterprise there. Will the Minister outline the discussions between the council, the Department and the IDA to ensure there are adequate opportunities, land and sites available for growing enterprises in Cork?

It sounds like there is a great deal of background work going on. I will focus on one sector of enterprise. Cork County Council has had successful sites in which it supported smaller enterprises: Macroom E, for example, and a number of others across the county. As these smaller enterprises grow, they need additional space to expand. Enterprise Ireland and IDA's focus is international and large scale, so this group of businesses falls between two stools. They are not big enough for IDA or Enterprise Ireland and they…

Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go ndíreofaí isteach ar riachtanaisí phobal na Gaeltachta agus comhlachtaí Údarás na Gaeltachta chomh maith. Tá an cheist cheannann chéanna le réiteach. Tá an t-údarás dírithe ar Gteic units i mBaile Bhuirne, i gColáiste Iosagáin agus mar shampla, i mBéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh. A similar situation arises in the Gaeltacht area with Údarás na Gaeltachta and the smaller enterprises it has supported in its gteic units. It does that in Gaeltacht areas across the country. Has a similar conversation b…

Ar an gcéad dul síos, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit. Many congratulations to the Minister of State on her appointment. I am delighted for her and wish her every success with the new role. AI is very much part of the present and future and the programme for Government commits to upgrading the national digital strategy to take into account the situation around AI and its possible future uses. Can the Minister of State give an outline of the up-to-date situation concerning the development of the strategy fo…