I echo what has been said. The Tánaiste, and everyone in government, is deeply committed to working in partnership with families and advocates for children with spina bifida and scoliosis who require the caring support of our health system. Like many others, I want to express my sincere condolences to the Morrison Sherratt family and to underscore the Government's commitment to do more and deliver better services for all children and families. We need to ensure we have a more caring, more compassionate service and …

I move the following Further Revised Estimate: Vote 34 — Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Further Revised Estimate ) That a sum not exceeding €9,220,194,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage including grants to Local Authorities, grants and other expenses in connection with housing, water services, miscellaneous sch…

Introduction Táimid ag teacht i dtír le fada ar na buntáistí a bhaineann le geilleagar oscailte sofhreagrúil a bheith againn. Cé go bhfónann sé sin go maith dúinn mar thír, ní mór dúinn aghaidh a thabhairt ar an timpeallacht eacnamaíoch agus polaitiúil atá ag titim amach níos faide i gcéin. Tá uair na cinniúna buailte le hÉirinn. Beidh tionchar ag an mbealach a roghnaímid le hinfheistíocht a dhéanamh inár gcuid gnóthaí eacnamaíocha inniu, mar aon leis an gcaoi ina ndéanaimid na gnóthaí eacnamaíocha sin a phleanáil …

This will bring the weekly payment to €58 for children under 12 and €78 for children over 12. I am also increasing the working family payment income thresholds by €60 per week for all families. I am extending the back-to-school clothing and footwear payment to two- and three-year-olds. To support those at risk of energy poverty, I am increasing the weekly fuel allowance rate by €5 to €38. Following the recommendations of the national energy affordability task force, I am also extending fuel allowance eligibility to…

-----to support students facing rising living expenses-----

-----and an €810 million capital allocation will fund key infrastructure projects, including the following: the recently established Taighde Éireann will be supported to drive excellence in research, attract international research talent and promote knowledge transfer; student accommodation projects at Maynooth University and University College Dublin; development and operation of 11 technological university facilities covering 70,000 sq. m and supporting STEM and related disciplines; two new veterinary medicine co…

The Government is committed to continuing to support our fishing communities and aquaculture sector. A total of €7.4 million in increased funding is bring provided to Bord Iascaigh Mhara programmes, to support and enable a sustainable Irish seafood sector.

Another area where Ireland thrives in the global arena is in culture and sport. Culture, Communications and Sport For a small country, Ireland offers an extraordinary wealth of talent and entertainment. Our artists, writers and athletes are now leading the way on the world stage, while our media keep us connected to each other and to global stories as they unfold. To build on the progress we have made, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport will receive an allocation of €1.5 billion in 2026. This provi…

Ireland has a proud footballing history at both domestic and international level. However, despite the enthusiasm for the game here, our youth development structures have not kept pace with those in other countries. In addition, rule changes following Brexit mean many more young players are staying in our domestic system for longer. This presents us with a responsibility, but also an enormous opportunity, to nurture our brightest young talents here at home and provide them with the best environment to fulfil their …

-----and funding to the Irish Rugby Football Union to strengthen high-performance pathways for women in rugby. The success and achievements of our sporting heroes inspire us all and bring that collective ambition to be better. When our sports men and women succeed, our nation rises.

The same can be said of our artists. Throughout our history, our arts community and the world-class talent it boasts has ensured Ireland has always been a home of creativity. In recognition of the essential role of the arts and artists in our society, the previous Government introduced a pilot basic income for the arts scheme and this Government is now committing to deliver a successor scheme to begin next year. In addition to this, I am allocating €84.9 million for arts and culture in 2026 to provide for increased…

I thank the Cathaoirleach and all the Members of the House for the opportunity to attend today to discuss the important work programme of my Department. I will cover several key priorities and my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, who will be shortly, will touch on the elements of the Department's work related to her remit in her closing remarks. My Department operates from the centre of government to drive the delivery of better public services, living standards and infrastructure for the people of I…

I thank Deputy Farrell. Some €106.4 billion in gross voted funding is being provided in 2025 to deliver on Government priorities and commitments. This significant level of investment reflects the priorities of budget 2025 and this Government’s commitment to deliver continued improvements in our infrastructure and enhance our existing public services to build a stronger future. End of June expenditure figures were published earlier this month in the Fiscal Monitor. Total gross voted expenditure for the first half of…

The overall process on the national development plan is continuing. We have approximately €20 billion to allocate across critical areas in our economy. We know with the Department of housing that continued investment in public infrastructure for housing is central to this process. We have set out the priority areas of housing, energy, transport and water infrastructure in particular. That will give Ministers across many areas additional head room to invest in infrastructure across our economy. We are continuing tha…

I share that objective. That is why giving that additional scope to Ministers across their respective policy areas to invest in critical infrastructure is essential as part of the national development plan. We are at a point of significant economic uncertainty and this Government is clearly setting out that we want to seriously increase our overall investment in critical infrastructure, which will provide the growth, prosperity and jobs for the future. We know that housing, energy, water and transport in particular…

I thank the Deputy for this question. On 3 July 2024 the European Commission presented a report on the transposition of the EU whistleblower directive 2019/1937. This report stated that a review of the directive, which is referred to in Article 27(3), would be finalised no later than 2026. This review or evaluation will assess the functioning of the directive and consider the need for additional measures, including amendments, with a view to extending its scope to further EU acts or areas. Ireland will have an oppo…

Everybody should be protected, particularly when they raise wrongdoing with public bodies. I think we all share that objective across the House. We have two areas of legislation between 2014 and 2022, some of which was the transposition of EU legislation and also policy direction in an Irish context. We have different points now in the context of the European review, which is happening, and the wider review that will happen in the Irish context, on which we would welcome inputs from across the House and from whistl…

Obviously, the European Commission presented a report in July of last year. The review will be launched this year and finalised next year. That wider evaluation will be essential in order to monitor the transposition of the directive into law in Ireland and in other member states. It will provide an opportunity for a wider input regarding the reforms that may be required as part of the broader EU transposition. From a domestic perspective, we will have a statutory review of the operation of the Protected Disclosure…

In April of this year, I announced Government had agreed a series of actions to accelerate the delivery of strategic infrastructure in Ireland. This work, led by my Department, will first identify and assess the barriers impeding the delivery of critical infrastructure across many sectors, including electricity, energy, transport and water. We will then publish an action plan which will target high-impact reform measures to address the barriers identified and speed up the development of this critical State infrastr…

I can continue later.