It was prudent that a review took place. It was very open-ended on public consultation and structured stakeholder engagement. There is also the international metric, which is important in that context. It has been established with very strong engagement in the recent period. We want to assess the feedback from the broader political system and, indeed, public interest parties that want to extract information in the interest of transparency, which does help to strengthen evidence-based public policy. It has been a fo…

I am happy to do that. If we look at the existing scheme, the fact that the requests have doubled is a good sign that people are engaging with the broader FOI system. One thing that also needs to be strengthened across public bodies is the work we are doing with the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, on data and digitalisation. A great deal of public information can be published properly and proactively that should be in the public domain without people having to go through an FOI process. That line of work needs t…

The more information we can publish and allow academics and the public interest to interact with it, the better it will be for public policymaking. This needs to sit in parallel with the FOI system itself in respect of how we get better proactive publication across the board.

The construction sector group was set up in 2018 by my Department. The group ensures regular and open dialogue between government and industry on how best to achieve and maintain a sustainable and innovative construction sector positioned to deliver on the national development plan and Project Ireland 2040. It is made up of representatives of key industry bodies, as well as senior representatives of relevant Departments and agencies with responsibilities for policy and for the delivery of infrastructure. It is chai…

The latest meeting of the construction sector group received an update on some of what the Deputy mentioned. This included the proposed research on a pathway to having a 30% embodied carbon reduction in the construction sector, the development of a modern methods of construction data dashboard, which is nearing completion and the collaboration between Dublin City Council, DCC, and the Build Digital Project to progress the building information modelling in DCC. There was also reference to the Department of Education…

The construction sector group is doing an element of that in the context of construction skills. The Planning and Development Act was obviously discussed, and modern methods of construction as well as other priority areas, which I have referenced, around digital adoption and productivity in the construction sector. However, a separate very serious piece of work is ongoing in the Department on establishing a new infrastructure division. That is all about removing the constraints, barriers, blockages and paralysis th…

As the Deputy is aware, we committed to updating the ethics in public office legislation in the recent programme for Government. This is on foot of a wide-ranging review the Deputy referred to on the legislative framework for ethics in public office my Department undertook during the last Government, the findings of which were published in February 2023. The report's recommendations include: the legislative framework for ethics should be underpinned by a set of overarching integrity principles; disclosure requireme…

The first thing is to take into account the review that has happened and some of the more recent recommendations which have been made, and to have a policy consideration around those. Following that, what is set out in the context of the programme for Government is to give legislative underpinning to that. Once the policy matters have been bottomed out within my Department, which I am engaging on, I will be in a position to develop a draft scheme. This will be done in collaboration with the Attorney General. It wil…

That is why it has been set out as a priority in the programme for Government and why, in the first instance, we need to make sure that the policy framework that is developed can be reflected in a general scheme. At that point, we will have pre-legislative scrutiny and cross-party input in the Oireachtas. This is an important matter across the political system in terms of broader engagement. We know that other legislative measures were published previously. These were not advanced. As a result, I want to make sure …

As we debate this motion, Ireland faces huge economic threats and Government is extensively planning for the impact of tariffs on the Irish economy, jobs and competitiveness. This should be the prime focus of all Members on all sides of the House.

Instead, we have found ourselves in this never-ending debate on speaking rights which has been defined by vitriol, barracking, anger, obstruction and a complete disregard and disrespect for the Ceann Comhairle and her office. There has been blocking of the election of a Taoiseach and the attempt to obstruct votes and shut down business. The attempts to shout down the Ceann Comhairle which have taken place in recent weeks is an attempt to shift Ireland to really destructive and divisive politics. As a former Governm…

-----who has simply tried to apply the rules and procedures agreed by this House in good faith. The economic threats we face require all of us to work together on behalf of the people in the interest. Today's vote needs to mark a turning point. We need a concerted effort to refocus and return to a more constructive, collaborative approach in the series economic challenges we will face as a country.

I move amendment No.1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government condemns the waste of any public money and notes that significant sums have been spent on providing better public services in recent years with the additional funding allocated towards improving and expanding the public services provided to our people; — Government expenditure has provided, and continues to provide, a robust response to the challenges and needs facing the Irish nation, through…

I can reference, for example, the sports capital programme and many other areas of capital investment that are valued by the Deputies in areas for which they advocate. The motion is not balanced in the context of the significant investment and impact that is being made in public services. I acknowledge the work and the dedication of many public and civil servants across the system who are helping to support all of the broader objectives in achieving these milestones. I recognise the work they do every day to try to…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2025, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 12th February, 2025.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I congratulate him on his election as Chair. I credit all the Senators: all the newly elected Senators and those back in situ . I wish everyone the best over the next few months and years. The purpose of this Bill is to give effect to the decision by Government to increase from 20 to 23 the maximum number of Ministers of State. As the Seanad will be aware, the number has remained unchanged for the past 18 years, since 2007, when Minister of State numbers increased from 17 to 20. The Bill …

As Minister for public expenditure, I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at departmental level. Responsibility for the management and delivery of individual investment projects or sectoral policy strategies, within the allocations agreed under the national development plan, NDP, rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case. Each Minister is also responsible for deciding on the priority programmes and projects, which th…

From my previous role as Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, I am aware of the absolute need for infrastructure development to unlock economic development in the Gaeltacht region in the context of jobs, etc. I am aware of the difficulties that have been experienced by many residents as a result of the recent storm and, indeed, other storms during the winter period. There has been ongoing engagement across Government on the consequences and on how some of the communications networks collapsed or were seriously impa…

I thank the Deputy. As already stated, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, is engaging directly in respect of communications infrastructure and on the need to ensure greater resilience in our communications networks. That is something that is being pursued. Similarly, when it comes to our energy infrastructure, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is directly engaging with the semi-State agencies and the regulators in order that we can build greater resilience into that infrastructure. I am aware that concerns have been raised…

I thank the Deputy. We had an extensive discussion on this yesterday evening. The purpose of the Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025 is to give effect to the decision by Government to increase the maximum number of Ministers of State from 20 to 23. This number has remained unchanged for the past 18 years, since 2007, when it increased from 17 to 20. The Bill also reflects the increased numbers of Ministers of State attending Cabinet, which is be…