I thank Deputy Gogarty for the opportunity to outline the position in relation St. Mary's Boys National School, Lucan. As I stated, I am talking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. I assure the Deputy that the Department of education has worked closely with the school authorities in relation to the school application for additional school accommodation, and it will continue to do so. The Department is cognisant of the concerns of the school in respect of its gr…

I thank Deputy Gannon for the opportunity to address the need for a new critical care wing at the Rotunda Hospital. I am taking this matter on behalf of Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Government is committed to driving improvements and continued investment in the Rotunda Hospital. Providing the highest possible standard of care at the Rotunda campus is a priority for the Minister for Health. This includes ongoing capital developments at the site to manage the current and future needs of …

Once again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As I said, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Government is clear that we need increased capacity at the Rotunda to ensure it can meet the needs of women, infants and families in the short term. My priority, and that of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is to work with the master, Professor Sean Daly, in making sure we take the correct steps to deliver appropriate neonatal care for the Rotu…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien. I will give the Deputy the response I have, but I will bring the particular point he raised back to the Minister. I suggest that the Deputy follow up himself and write to the Minister on the point in question. Renewable fuel is a vital transitionary measure in transport decarbonisation, falling under the improve dimension of the avoid-shift-improve framework adopted under the Climate Action Plan 20…

I again thank Deputy Ward for raising this matter, which, as stated, I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The transport sector has a significant role to play in Ireland's transition to a low-carbon society and economy as part of the wider European goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Reducing our historical reliance on imported fossil fuels in transport and switching to alternative fuel technologies will be essential in the context of decarbonising the sector. As outlined, the Department of…

I thank Deputy Brabazon for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. At the outset, I would like to recognise the vital contribution that healthcare assistants make to our health system. These staff play an essential role in delivering supports to people with disabilities and to older persons in our communities right across the country. It is important to note that the community and voluntary organisations providing many of the home support services in our…

I again thank Deputy Brabazon for raising this matter. As I stated, I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I want to acknowledge the great work healthcare assistants do. I also acknowledge the work of the great staff in Northside Home Care Services and the huge contribution they make. As I stated, there are different mechanisms by which organisations are funded by the State. The WRC agreement was reached with ICTU unions at the time. They are grant aided under section …

I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising this important topic and for the opportunity to speak on an issue of profound importance: timely, compassionate and specialist care for survivors of sexual assault. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Responding to sexual violence is a responsibility which is shared across Government and Ireland’s sexual assault treatment units, SATUs, play an integral role in this. Across Ireland, there are six dedicated SATUs, located in Cork,…

It is maybe a matter that the Deputy could bring up with the Minister and we can follow up on it. The HSE is currently preparing a review of the SATU infrastructure. We can feed into that in terms of considering the matter the Deputy has put forward for Limerick.

Once again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important topic. I join him in referencing the work done by Rape Crisis Ireland and specially trained gardaí. Will the Deputy come back to us on the 80 people waiting for counselling? As I stated earlier, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Government remains committed to providing sexual assault treatment units across Ireland to offer safe and confidential services for people who experienced rape or sexual assaul…

I thank Deputy John Paul O’Shea for raising this important matter. The Government is committed to supporting older people in Ireland and improving their access to healthcare services in the community. Budget 2026 saw an increase of approximately €215 million to maintain and enhance services for older people, resulting in a total allocation of over €3 billion for the first time. This includes a further substantial increase for home support services to bring the 2026 budget allocation to over €900 million, more than …

The home support services is a core service for older people. It is a highly valuable service used by them, their families and the HSE. Delivery of a high-quality consistent home support service is essential to help people to live well in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Recruitment to this sector is an ongoing challenge for both the HSE and private providers. Within the HSE, work is ongoing at the regional and national level to build capacity to support workforce development and improve access …

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Government remains fully committed to the implementation of healthcare reform under the Sláintecare framework, ensuring that patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time. Central to our hospital avoidance strategy is the development of injury units, which provide safe and efficient care for injuries that are unlikely to require hospital admission…

Once again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As I said, I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Government remains committed to the implementation of healthcare reforms that ensure patients receive safe and convenient care in the right place at the right time. Last year, we saw 222,697 attendances at injury units across the country, which was a 5% increase. This demonstrates the growing public confidence in this model. By maintaining an excepti…

I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this Topical Issue matter relating to section 254 licence applications for telecommunications infrastructure and proximity to residential properties, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the Minister with responsibility for planning is specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any planning-related matter with whic…

Once again, I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this Topical Issue matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. The Planning and Development Act 2024 was signed into law by the then President on 17 October 2024. The Department is putting arrangements in place to implement the phased commencement of the Act of 2024 to transition to new legislation across the planning system, taking account of the need to liaise with local authorities, planning bodies a…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to clarify the position regarding early childhood care and education facilities, commercial rates and the role of Tailte Éireann in that regard. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency that provides a property registration system, property valuation service and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the Stat…

I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to clarify the position regarding commercial rates liabilities for ECCE facilities and the role of Tailte Éireann in the matter. As I said earlier, I am taking this Topical Issue debate on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne. Tailte Éireann is independent in the exercise of its valuation functions under the Valuation Act, as amended. The Act provides that early childhood care and education facilities that are operated on a not-for-prof…

St. Vincent's Community Nursing Unit, CNU, Mountmellick, County Laois, is a public nursing home that currently provides 56 long-stay beds and one short-stay bed. Phase 1 of the current capital project at St. Vincent's is substantially complete and consists of a new two-storey development containing 50 single en suite rooms, adjacent and linked to the existing facility. When complete, St. Vincent's will be registered for 58 beds, which includes the eight-bed dementia unit in the existing building, which will continu…

I very much appreciate and welcome the Deputy's kind comments on what will be the new state-of-the-art building for residents. To put it in context, phase 1 of the St. Vincent's development is substantially completed, with the new unit currently being equipped. The HSE is committed to further development on the St. Vincent's campus. A scoping exercise is under way in conjunction with a local needs assessment to determine the future requirements for the people of Laois and Offaly. Areas for consideration include ste…