-----and that is what we are doing. That is what we will do. I will publish a scheme in light of that. That is what I am committed to doing. The programme for Government is clear on the need to update the ethics in public office legislation and my commitment will be to bring forward a general scheme. When it is ready, I will publish it and it will be for all Members to feed into how we can ensure that it is a strengthened piece of legislation. Obviously, there will be a pre-legislative scrutiny process around that.…

I have established the accelerating infrastructure task force to support the immediate work programme of the new infrastructure division in my Department, which is to identify and propose measures to address barriers to the delivery of strategic infrastructure across Ireland.  This issue is key priority for me and the Government. The work programme for the task force and the new division will focus on many critical infrastructure areas in terms of the electricity and energy, transport and water sectors, as these th…

Looking at the past number of years and the overall support given in terms of childcare affordability, we have made significant strides which have helped many families throughout communities. We also need to work with many of the SMEs and childcare providers, many of which are in the constituency Deputy Currie and I represent, on some of the challenges they have reflected to us as part of the budget process. That is why the broad work of the infrastructure division is to ensure the national development plan's strat…

First, the cross-cutting work of the infrastructure division and the task force is to cut through some of the processes in place in every Department which affect delivery of infrastructure - economic or social. Second, there is a review of the national development plan. That is a bilateral engagement involving all Ministers on what their priorities will be for the next number of years. Obviously, there will be an additional envelope available and work has commenced on that. I have been meeting Ministers bilaterally…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 112, 147, 153 and 156 together. The programme for Government sets out the clear ambition to prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next five years.  To support these goals, Government has prioritised an early review of the national development plan, which is being led by my Department. From February, officials in my Department set about identifying the parameters, priorities and critical milestones for the review. This wa…

I thank the Deputies for raising those issues. I am not going to get into the distribution of different projects or priorities today. I will say, however, that one of the areas of emphasis in the review of the national development plan is transport infrastructure. I am engaging with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on that. The focus is to identify what projects can be delivered. I know there is a great deal of interest in Meath in the particular project Deputy O'Rourke referenced. There are many projects in other par…

I thank the Deputies for their respective contributions. On Deputy O'Rourke point on the need for much more additional headroom for Meath County Council, the new national planning framework provides additional headroom to local authorities to zone more land to drive increased housing supply. The current baseline position is not at all near what we require to deliver the quantum of housing we in this House all want to see delivered. The need to accelerate the outworking of that will be really important in the period…

I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil. In line with the commitments made in the programme for Government, I recently announced a series of actions to accelerate the delivery of strategic infrastructure in Ireland, including the creation of a new infrastructure division in my Department. Initially, the infrastructure division will focus on the preparation of a systematic, evidence-based assessment of the barriers impeding timely infrastructure development. To undertake this work, experts from key State agencies have already been…

I thank both Deputies. In response to Deputy Ó Cearúil, there will be significant private sector input into the work programme and the development of the reforms. We have six external experts on the accelerated infrastructure taskforce. That is to drive accountability and also an economy-wide engagement on how we can cut through unnecessary process delays and red tape which is impeding infrastructure delivery. As I said, I will have a report on that work by July. The outworking of that will be ensuring that we driv…

When one looks at the national planning framework and the strategic objectives that are set out there, balanced regional development is central. As part of the overall review of the national development plan, we are looking at critical, growth-enabling infrastructure priorities around the country and how we disburse the capital allocations. That will be really important in the separate work of the review of the national development plan but clearly, the outworking of the reforms we are advancing is to ensure delive…

I also welcome all the students from Inver College. Hopefully they will be inspired by politics and what they see today. Robust exchanges are always important in the political system. I appreciate what the Deputy has raised. I will provide clarity for her. The legislation she referenced was the general scheme of the conclusion of the IBRC special liquidation and dissolution of NAMA Bill 2024, which was published in July last year. The Deputy referenced pre-legislative scrutiny that was ongoing at the joint committe…

I completely reject what the Deputy said. She asked me a question relating to the legislation and I gave her an answer that reflects the factual position in a general scheme that was presented. The draft general scheme states very clearly that discussions are ongoing with the NTMA and it may be the case that no provision is needed in this Bill to facilitate staff transfers. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, yesterday set out very clearly that the resolution unit would not require a CEO. It is going to be a …

----in the context of an ongoing engagement in respect of an employee in the NTMA. That particular provision may not be required as they conclude resolution of NAMA.

Everyone across this House acknowledges that the State has to play a central role in the future of infrastructure delivery and the provision of housing in our economy. That has been acknowledged in the context of what we are going to do and how we will strategically invest more than €20 billion from the Apple escrow fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to prioritise housing, energy, water and transport infrastructure. They are all critical growth-enabling areas in which we need to invest to protect …

The housing activation office will be there to better coordinate delivery in terms of the provision and supply of homes at a local level. The Minister will set out further details around that-----

He is working through the details. He is stepping up the office itself and will provide leadership when it comes to the actual person who may be appointed in time around that particular office. It is to co-ordinate delivery in the provision of an increased supply of homes across our economy. We acknowledge that there is an infrastructure deficit and that there is a need for additionality across water, energy, transport and housing. That is why we are taking a strategic approach, having an early review of the nation…

Based on what you say, a Cheann Comhairle, I am not going to respond to the specific query Deputy Coppinger raises relating to the article in The Ditch . It is a matter for the individual to respond. I do not have the factual position on that case and I do not think it would be appropriate to make any assertions or allegations connected to it. We must respect the ruling of the House. The named individual the Deputy references is not here to defend himself. The new housing activation office the Deputy continues to c…

Of course the Minister for housing will be taking responsibility for the wider delivery of social and affordable homes across the economy. If there is an engagement or a meeting, it is important to have a structure in the Department of housing to ensure there is follow through, to ensure there are no delays and to ensure the respective utilities are actually following through on the plans the Government would seek to fund. In identifying strategic land banks, like the one the Deputy referenced in Fingal County Coun…

-----which need to be managed very carefully and actively. Having a structure in government to do that and to force that will help to yield greater housing supply which people should welcome. It would be much better for the Deputy to provide constructive input into actually supporting that office with the Minister for housing. It would make a big difference.

The matters the Deputy has raised are very serious and need to be properly and thoroughly followed through by the HSE. There are references there to conflicts of interest and value-for-money concerns, which are extremely concerning. Under initiatives to reduce waiting lists, the HSE can outsource to private hospitals under the surgical services framework and the private provider framework. The HSE looks internally within and across hospital sites to deliver insourcing pathways. As part of the waiting list action pl…