I want to focus on the mental and physical health dimensions of the well-being framework and return to the issue of special class places for September 2026. We heard at the public accounts committee last week that the Department of education, and I presume the Minister, intend to bring a memo to Cabinet imminently in relation to meeting the unmet need for special classes. The Taoiseach might let us know if he expects that to be about funding. What does it mean for SNA places? There will be hugely increased demand f…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I want to speak about the transition from wardship to supported decision-making, drawing on the recent research from the National Disability Authority, NDA, the analysis my colleagues mentioned from the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at University of Galway and conversations I have had with concerned families, committees and wards themselves. I want to focus on two of the five points my colleagues mentioned from the Centre for Disability Law and Policy in Galwa…

There is specifically a service for these purposes. I am sure he is aware of it and can avail of it. I would be useful if he could clarify in his closing statement because these are important matters. Fáiltím roimh an deis labhairt ar an topaic fíorthábhachtach seo, tithíocht inár bpobail Ghaeltachta ó Dhún na nGall go Corcaigh, cósta Chonamara agus Gaeltachta na Mí, is é sin, Ráth Chairn agus Baile Ghib. Ní féidir le teaghlaigh áitiúla, a chothaigh an teanga leis na glúnta, tithe a cheannach, a thógáil ná a thógái…

I want to ask the Minister about the next round of the community sports facilities fund, when it will open and if he will consider allowing clubs use the fund to buy land.

Will the Minister of State indicate when we might see this? Will it be in quarter 2, quarter 3 or quarter 4? I welcome the fact that the application process will be simplified. There is a direct correlation between those accessing this funding and the capacity within the organisations involved, even at club level, in the context of completing the forms. There is a barrier that needs to be to be addressed. The Minister of State indicated that a review is coming. What does he mean by that, particularly in the context…

I thank the Minister of State for the clarification on the timelines. One of the sports that has suffered over the years is swimming, particularly in the context of underinvestment in infrastructure and swimming pools. We previously discussed the gap analysis that was prepared and funded by the Department. One of the issues raised in that report was about the model for delivery. We have been talking about the clubs applying, but, of course, that does not deliver swimming pools. Swim Ireland had talked about an alte…

Sinn Féin and I strongly support the hot school meals programme. Anyone who has any doubts about it should speak to the principals of DEIS or DEIS plus schools. Incredibly compelling evidence was presented at a recent meeting of the education committee. The scheme is not perfect. One of the areas in respect of which there are concerns is food quality. What is the Minister doing to analyse and improve that?

I agree 100% with the Minister's final point. I want to focus specifically on the issue of quality. The Minister stated that on the basis of the initial desktop analysis, 66% of meals met 60% of the standard. That is not good by any measure. If you were to give it a grade that is probably a C or below. It is of concern because there is a huge public spend on this. I have heard how the Minister will analyse this. How will he influence this and ensure quality? He stated that in the context of fatty and sugary content…

I appreciate all of that complexity. We heard at the Oireachtas committee that it is sometimes at the request of parents or the children, in that the food is of a different standard or there is a lack of variety. Two other important points were raised with us at the education committee which are relevant to the Minister. He mentioned one of those earlier, which is in the area of school holidays. Specifically, a point made by principals, Eoghan O’Byrne and Conor McCarthy, when they came in to us was around the conti…

On what date will the public consultation take place on the route options and emerging preferred route for the Navan rail project? A commitment was given at the end of last year that it would happen early in 2026.

I make no apology for being obsessed with this project. It is just such a potential game changer for the county on so many different levels. It is hugely important socially, culturally, economically and environmentally. It would be transformative and I welcome the fact it is now back on the agenda and back in the plans and there are euro beside it. I am concerned there will be slippage at every juncture, and there has been slippage in relation to it. As I said, in October, we said early 2006. Is the Minister confid…

We can control what we can control in relation to this and we will be persistent in pursuing it and making sure, as best we can from the Opposition benches, we hit those deadlines. The big question then is around taking it beyond planning and to construction. Will the Minister outline how the Navan rail project best positions itself as a priority project in the midst of a range of other funding demands on the Department and the Minister? How can the project compete to ensure it can move quickly and uninterruptedly …

I am pleased to be here today to respond to the First Interim Report of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence. I thank the Minister of State for being here. I thank the Cathaoirleach, Deputy Malcolm Byrne, and all the members of the committee and the secretariat and the witnesses who helped to shape and inform and prepare the report. It is a significant milestone. It represents a cross-party collaborative effort to understand not only the technicalities of AI, but its real-world impact on the people of Ire…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to these statements. I want to correct the record of the Dáil. The Minister said that, by comparison, Sinn Féin's general election manifesto committed to providing an average of 1,000 SNAs per year. I think she was talking about special education teachers, not SNAs. When it comes to SNAs, the Minister has not provided 1,000 special education teachers-----

Sinn Féin is setting the yardstick in relation to that. When it comes to special needs assistants, there were 1,700 last year. Sinn Féin provided for 1,900. How many were there this year? There were 1,700 again this year. Sinn Féin provided for 1,850. Over the last couple of years, had Sinn Féin been in Government, we would have had hundreds more special needs assistants. I would like to correct the record of the Dáil in relation to that. Last night, the Dáil sent a unified and powerful message. We unanimously agre…

Today's apology is historic, important and welcome. I acknowledge the survivors who have endured decades of harm, neglect and State failure. We are not dealing with an historic issue. It is very much live and present. It is the ongoing failure of the State to meet the basic needs of survivors of institutional abuse. I welcome the apology and the commitment in terms of supports. I encourage their being in place as quickly as possible, although it is already too late. I say to Mary, Mary, Miriam and Maurice, and peop…

A number of survivors of industrial and reformatory schools were on hunger strike last year. There were commitments on behalf of Government to provide health supports. Could the Taoiseach say when those health supports will be in place? Related to that, on the Dáil schedule tomorrow there is, "Apology related to childhood abuse (hunger strikers) (working title): Statements". Is that apology going to be for all survivors? Could the Taoiseach be specific in relation to that? Have they been notified of that apology?

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — the invaluable work of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), who provide essential care and support enabling students with additional needs to access education, is under unprecedented threat; — the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), acting under the restrictive and outdated "care model" criteria of Circular 0030/2014, has conducted reviews under Circular 0032/2025 that fundamentally fail to recognise the full, dynamic, and holistic role SNAs play in our schools; — of …

The Minister can hear the response to that from the people in the Gallery.

The Minister should tell the Taoiseach that.