Dublin Zoo, along with Fota Wildlife Park, submitted proposals in 2021 seeking State support for ten-year capital development programmes. Following the Government's approval, the OPW provides capital grants to both organisations. These grants are funded through the OPW's annual Estimates. The funding is in recognition of the specific financial impact of Covid-19 and the need for continued investment in their infrastructure. In 2025, the OPW provided a capital grant of €2.8 million to Dublin Zoo to support a range o…

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the OPW and Dublin Zoo in 2025. Payments are made only after the zoo submits its vouched invoices and its works are approved. This ensures compliance with the public grant rules. On the Deputy's last question, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, is responsible for the licensed inspection of the zoo and the oversight of an annual inspection of Dublin Zoo. Inspections are carried out by an independent multidisciplinary team with specialist expertise. Not a w…

It is probably the Deputy's report.

The Deputy is very good out there with her social media, shouting and roaring.

I cannot believe the Deputy never mentioned the big cataract operation that was done in Dublin Zoo. It was all over the news all over the world. It was the first ever carried out. She did not mention the good work of the zoo. She continually comes in here and complains and says there is cruelty to the animals in Dublin Zoo. I asked her a question. Did she go into the zoo and meet the people or did she stand outside taking pictures and selfies and talking and complaining? She should go in and meet the staff and mana…

I have witnessed first-hand the impact of flooding and the devastation it causes to homes, businesses and local communities. I am very familiar with the flood risk in Clontarf, having visited the area and met with local representatives, businesses and the community in May and October of last year. As the Deputy is aware, Dublin City Council received planning consent for a flood relief scheme for Clontarf. However, the scheme did not progress to construction. The OPW is engaging with Dublin City Council to progress …

I love the drive of the Deputy when it comes to this matter. He might be a colleague of mine, but if I could get every colleague in the House to go to their local authorities, drive schemes and develop the interim solutions such as those the Deputy is working on in Clontarf, I would be very grateful. We come into the House and blame the OPW and everybody else, but public representatives have a huge part to play in delivering by pushing local authorities. I fund local authorities in the context of staff, and I need …

I will work with the Deputy and with the local authorities. He referred to on Portrane, which is another prime example of interim measures. This is the first time we have ever obtained a MARA licence to allow us to do work on the coast. That should happen in respect of areas all around the coast of Ireland. Other local authorities that have issues with coastal flooding should look at what was done in Portrane and, in the context of the MARA licence, deliver more critical infrastructure to protect communities. I loo…

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration published its sectoral investment plan on 4 December last. The second phase of the plan is to focus on bringing the projects for Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, north, to construction in 2028. Following the publication of these priorities, the OPW will engage with An Garda Síochána and the Department of justice. This engagement will support the identification and appraisal of the most suitable site for this project.

The Deputy has raised this consistently at committee meetings and in the House, and I agree with him about the timeframe and the delays. As he is well aware, however, I am the contracting authority. I build the Garda station when a particular project is presented to me. As already stated, money has been provided for the station. My Department will work closely with the Department of justice and An Garda Síochána. I cannot explain why work at the site to which the Deputy refers did not go ahead. However, I can tell …

It was seven years ago, as the Deputy said. A site was identified, but I cannot tell the Deputy why the project did not go ahead. I have been out of government for five years. I am back. The Deputy raised this with me at committee level. I reached out to the Department of justice, on his behalf and on that of other Deputies who represent the area, to try to bring this scheme forward. I am asked every type of question in this House about the building of Garda stations. As stated, I am the contracting authority. Unti…

Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council, with funding provided by the OPW, are leading the development and design of the River Camac flood alleviation scheme to manage the flooding risk within the catchment of the River Camac to protect some 413 properties. The River Camac is an unusually complex river system, and has presented significant challenges during the modelling of the flood risk and the design options for a flood relief scheme. Work on the modelling of the flood risk is continuing and it is pr…

In the first instance, it is up to the local authority to come forward with the scheme and the Deputy can play a pivotal role in doing that. She can go into the local authority and ask what stage it is at and look to engage with me. The Deputy can be part of that. It is about us all working together. Communities are being affected up and down the country. My job is as Minister of State but I keep saying in the House that I need help from all the public representatives as well as TDs to drive on these schemes. There…

I cannot be more clear than to say it is driven by the local authorities. They work with my Department. There are significant delays in the modelling but I am giving the Deputy a way to alleviate that pressure through the minor works programme while we wait for the overall scheme. The local authorities have it within their remit to do that. While I fully appreciate the pressure the Deputy is under from the local community, delivering protection to the local community is very important. Local authorities are the peo…

I am very familiar with the coastal erosion and flooding issues in Kerry having visited the county twice, on 11 and 12 September and on 20 and 21 November 2025. Localised coastal erosion and flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address. The OPW is working closely with Kerry County Council to implement a number of initiatives to tackle coastal erosion and flooding in the county. We are currently funding three local authority staff in Kerry County Council to…

Looking at the figures, there was €24,000 for the seawall in north Kerry through the minor works scheme. For the North Kerry Way, there was €18,000 through the minor works scheme. There was €150,000 for Tralee Bay, and €44,000 for Tralee itself. For the Fenit Road, there was €405,000, and €360,000 for the Fenit Road Lower. Over €1 million has been given out in recent years. There was €216,000 for Cromane Lower, €35,000 for Waterville, €450,000 for Rossbeigh and €195,000 for Glenbeigh. The OPW has not been found wan…

Deputy Cahill is right that I visited Cromane. I met with Michael Healy-Rae's colleague in relation to the same issue only yesterday. I asked him to ask the local authority to come in with minor works for Cromane, and it will be dealt with. Let us call a spade a spade. When I visited the place during Christmas week, I identified areas that could get protection. I looked at the street and we identified one shop, a chemist, that did not flood. Why did it not flood? It put in its own individual property protection, IP…

Sorry, a Chathaoirligh. A statement was made there-----

No.

Grandstanding for social media when there is a scheme for cleaning rivers. How dare you.