Will the Deputy let me speak?

Many believe the triple lock has provided a clear reassurance to the Irish people that our participation overseas is grounded in neutrality and a UN mandate. However, in an ever-increasingly precarious and uncertain world, we should not find ourselves in a position where the likes of peacekeeping missions by Irish troops could be vetoed by UN member states. There has been mention of Ukraine and in practical terms when a ceasefire and peace agreement is eventually reached there, hopefully sooner rather than later, w…

I thank the Tánaiste. Irish troops have served with distinction at Camp Shamrock for several decades, none more than Deputy Callaghan who has just departed the Chamber. We have a proud and unbroken record of deployment of troops to Lebanon. We must protect that in the best interests of Óglaigh na hÉireann as our only full-scale peacekeeping mission in the world today. We must reiterate the point that this debate is about the opportunity for the deployment of peacekeeping missions around the world and removing that …

I thank the Minister of State and welcome the progress made. I agree with him on the sentiments around interest rates and the take-up. The demand for retrofitting is definitely rising but we need to monitor the correlation of drawdowns versus retrofit. There is a body of work to be done here where there is essentially cash investment in retrofitting. It is welcome but I am not so sure the broader consumer understands the need to invest. We have many debates in this House about the need for energy credits and so on …

For anyone to make a decision on a loan, he or she will consider three key, fundamental points. These are the interest rate, affordability and the loan term. That really determines whether it is feasible or viable. There is one particular cohort, which is our elderly, where the term of the loan may not make sense for them. There is a body of work to do on energy poverty and climate action. I would like to see HVO and wood pellets recognised as an intermediate measure. I mentioned the gap between peat fuel and heat …

As per the last census, there are some towns in my constituency of Offaly with up to 40% of households still relying on peat turf for home central heating. That is ten times the national average of 4%. These families are caught up in the crossfire between climate policy and home heating regulations. For many, moving from turf to a full retrofit is simply not financially feasible or logistically possible. As outlined in the programme for Government, and with the renewable heating obligation scheme due before Cabinet…

Is the Department undertaking a review of utility infrastructure deficits in rural towns and villages and on how such deficits are currently limiting delivery of rural housing? Will the Minister make a statement on that?

I appreciate the reply but I want to give an example of a rural town in my area. Edenderry has a population of 8,000 and is within commuting distance of Dublin. Towns within its environs have grown, yet there will be no development from Uisce Éireann there until 2029. There is a key issue whereby theory and practice are not aligned. Offaly County Council referred to the delivery of wastewater capacity, as did Irish Water, and now Uisce Éireann is referring to the delivery of wastewater capacity by 2029. First and f…

I welcome the developer-led initiative, but a viability element has to be taken into consideration. Where developers are expected to provide an interim measure, Uisce Éireann has to engage and liaise with them to ensure that it remains economically viable for them to do so. The Uisce Éireann website is not developer friendly. The capacity register on the website provides an option of green or red. I firmly believe that lacks transparency and clarity. Where something is green, there should be identifiable measuremen…

This weekend, a tractor run at Ballybrit in my constituency will see over 200 tractors and drivers of all ages take part. For over a decade, the Road Safety Authority has referenced a tractor driving framework and testing for young drivers but there is currently a void of uncertainty. Farmers and contractors are committed to safety and open to initiatives that will enhance it, including for young people operating heavy machinery. Can the Tánaiste provide an update on the status of the tractor driving framework? Imp…

Will the Minister of State give some information to the House on the take-up of EV charging schemes for sports clubs, community facilities and town and village residents, and will he make a statement on the matter?

Many of the community groups that pursued the initiative did so as part of a revenue-generating initiative, but there has been frustration. The Minister of State referred to some of the schemes but there are others that go back as far as July 2023, when expressions of interest would have been sought. These are ongoing. It takes more than two years to get an EV charging station installed at a community centre. There is frustration over how long it takes and the burden of administration. Rather than examining how we …

The Minister of State mentioned the EU JTF. This is a fund we need to focus on in terms of delivery. It is far too slow and creating serious frustration. In reality today, we have a greater variety of electric cars and they are more affordable, but there is still range anxiety. Until we can get the network delivered, we will not address that. More than ever before, we need to consider a network of fast chargers. There are issues over the reliability of the charging stations in rural towns. I have heard anecdotal ex…

I thank the Minister of State for the update. I fully agree with her. When the Minister of State shares that information, she is essentially giving an insight into what is happening in the market. However, if a business owner sits in front of a computer and is looking for information, they do not necessarily know what they are navigating for. We need to be sharing that detail on the website's home page and using it as an interactive piece. I appreciate this is very early days - it was only established last July - b…

I thank the Minister of State. She might not believe this but sometimes, I get feedback that the grant systems are too good to be true. When you get an applicant that has gone through the likes of an energy efficiency grant, how seamless it is and how easy it is to apply and get the payment, that feedback needs to get out there more. We will see an increase in that regard. No one can doubt what progress has been made from a Government perspective in this space over time, whether it be sick pay or living wage, but o…

I commend the progress the Government has made in public health over recent years, leading the way with many global initiatives. Alcohol labelling is a welcome initiative but I have concerns around the timing of its implementation. From a domestic perspective, there is growing uncontrollable uncertainty regarding global trade, and the Irish whiskey sector has found itself in the eye of the storm. Tullamore D.E.W. in my constituency employs almost 100 people and the whiskey sector throughout the country has seen con…

I would like an update on the extent to which parents or next-of-kin of adult children with a disability are consulted on future care and the provision they receive.

I thank the Minister of State. The future and provision of care as to how a parent's or guardian's loved ones will be looked after, particularly after they have passed, is something that keeps people up at night. The appointment of decision-making capacity and assistance with it is important, but there needs to be an element of understanding that the next of kin, where there is one, is given the opportunity to assist in that regard. What we do in the present will give a sense of confidence as to what will happen in…

I acknowledge the efforts the Minister of State has made in this area. I recently met with the Muiríosa Foundation. The work it does in this space is commendable and is very welcome in terms of the initiatives it is bringing forward, particularly to encourage individuals with a disability into the workplace, into education and into different services. There is an element of needing to ensure there is an adequate service there to meet that level of dependency. Local employers are providing a couple of hours of work …

Will the Minister provide an update on the latest figures for school completion rates?