I thank Senator Kyne for raising this important issue. Approximately €616 million of Exchequer capital funds has been provided for national roads through Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, to local authorities in 2022. The 2022 funding allocations are made having regard to the National Development Plan 2021-2030, which balances investment in transport against other priorities of Government, such as housing and health over the lifetime of the national development plan, NDP. Exchequer funding under the NDP will f…

I thank the Senator. As I mentioned previously, the N59 Clifden to Maam Cross improvement project remains on the list of projects included in the NDP. While funding has not been provided to progress planning and design of the scheme within the current year, subsequent phases will be progressed later in the plan. However, I agree with the Senator that these things should be kept alive. I will bring the Senator's views to the attention of the Minister. The project was originally part of the N59 Clifden to Maam Cross …

I thank Senator Sherlock for raising this issue. The Commencement matter, which asks if the Minister will confirm that the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force will not be allocated funding in 2022, approaches this matter from an unusual perspective. The drug and alcohol task forces play an important role under the national drugs strategy in co-ordinating services to assist individuals and families to address drug and alcohol issues in the community. They are based on an inter-agency partnership, which is …

I will get the Senator further clarity on the operational funding. Regarding the email that was sent out, I can only go on the information I have and I will try to clarify that as well. I am committed to addressing the drug and alcohol issues affecting the north inner city. It is really for the local community and the statutory agencies and voluntary service providers. This has been ongoing. They have sought to work with the task force leadership and the membership. There are a number of concerns regarding the func…

I thank the Senator for raising these issues. It gives me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education, to outline to the House the Department’s position on the Ennistymon community school and Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, building projects, as well as the Department's approach to climate action in new-build schools. The Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and internati…

I will try to determine what exactly the Department means by a natural ventilation system. Work is ongoing on a decarbonisation option for new schools, with a focus on the standard of required design criteria and specification to achieve a net-zero-energy school building and on establishing the trajectory for the integration of suitable solutions on a phased basis in a risk-controlled manner via the credible cost-effective transition to zero-carbon school buildings while ensuring no delays to school accommodation d…

I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position relating to Gaelscoil Áine's school accommodation on behalf of the Minister. Gaelscoil Áine opened in 2019 and was established in vacant accommodation in the OPW building known as Coláiste Chaoimhin, St. Mobhi Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. The Department facilitated refurbishment works in the building in 2019 to provide the classrooms, along with some ancillary accommodation for the school, with which the…

I would again like to thank the Senator for giving me an opportunity to outline to the House the position in regard to Gaelscoil Áine. As I said, the Department has identified a site and I know the Senator agrees with the point on confidentiality. Nonetheless, I would have thought the school principal and the school would be consulted. In regard to a meeting of the Department with the board and the principal, I will bring the Senator’s views back to the Minister to try to get this progressed as quickly as possible.

I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education, to clarify the current position regarding Meán Scoil Mhuire in Longford with which I am very familiar. Meán Scoil Mhuire is an all-girls Catholic school that is under the trusteeship of CEIST, which was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1861. The enrolment for the school for the 2021-22 academic year is 591 pupils. There has consistently been strong enrolment in this school and that is expec…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to outline the position in terms of Meán Scoil Mhuire to the House. I note that the Senator mentioned two things. I will convey to the Minister his request for a meeting to be arranged between the two local Oireachtas representatives from County Longford, the local authority and officials. The Senator also stated that this is a huge infrastructural issue for Longford town, County Longford and further afield.

In closing, I thank the Deputies for tabling their motion. I fully recognise the importance of Government and the Opposition thoroughly scrutinising the issues under consideration. The level of interest in the development of the new national maternity hospital is a clear reflection that everyone, right across politics and across our health service, shares the same goal when it comes to the vision of our maternity and women's healthcare. As stated earlier, the goal is best summed up through the vision of the nationa…

I thank the Senator for raising the issue and giving me the opportunity to update the House on the matter. Neurology nurse specialists play an important role in triaging, assessing and providing ongoing support to neurological patients, as the Senator outlined, which in turn builds capacity within neurological services and allows for more timely access to efficient, equitable and high-quality care for patients. The national clinical programme for neurology, in conjunction with the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, …

The national clinical programme for neurology recognises the importance of having an adequate number of neurology nurse specialists in position to provide efficient, high-quality care and ongoing support to neurological patients. The 2020 survey of neurological services highlighted that the total number of neurology nurse specialists needs to be increased to reach the levels recommended in international guidelines. It is planned additional posts will come on stream incrementally and the areas of the greatest need w…

The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was signed into law on 20 December 2018 and commenced on 1 January 2019. A review clause was included in the Act to facilitate monitoring of the impact, operation and effectiveness of the legislation in practice, as well as of the delivery of services in this area. The Minister for Health commenced the review of the Act on 8 December 2021. Phase 1 of the review will capture information on the operation of the Act from the perspective of women who access t…

Okay.

Phase 2, led by the independent chair, will assess to what extent the objectives of the Act have been achieved and analysing in that regard the findings of the three strands of information concerning the operation of the Act. The extent to which the Act's objectives have not been achieved will be assessed and recommendations made to address any barriers identified. The chair of the review will also draw on the findings of other relevant peer-reviewed research and consult further with stakeholders, as necessary, bef…

I will bring the Senator's views and concerns back to the Minister. He has commenced a review of the Act in line with the statutory and Government commitments. The review of the operation and effectiveness of the Act gives us an opportunity to hear the views of all those involved and, most particularly, those of service users and service providers. I am confident that the information which will be gathered during the review on the operation of the 2018 Act will provide us with evidence of how to proceed in future t…

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a VAT exemption applies to dental services provided to a patient by a clinic, a principal dentist or an associate dentist, and this has not changed. The supply of facilities to a dentist to enable him or her to carry out a dental practice, is subject to VAT, and this has always been the case. Some dental practitioners operate a fee-sharing arrangement where a principal dentist provides a premises and other facilities to other dentists in exchange for a fee, and provisi…

I cannot speak on behalf of the Minister but if the Senator would send an email to me requesting that meeting I will raise it with the Minister. The Revenue Commissioners are also satisfied that the correct interpretation of the legislation has been communicated to the Irish Dental Association consistently since they first raised this issue in 2018. When a person or group is not satisfied with the response from the Revenue Commissioners they can raise the matter with the Tax Appeals Commission, whose role it is to …

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, and I are ardent supporters of generational renewal and the need to support and encourage young farmers as a way of ensuring we have the best and brightest in the sector. As outlined by the Tánaiste in the Dáil last week, people are entitled to their opinions and to write whatever letters they see fit but I and the Minister want to assure all farmers that Government policy is to support them in investing in their businesses to make them more eco…