I concur with what my colleagues said. It shows the importance of this issue, which spanned three different Dáil terms. Colleagues from political parties and Independents have come together on this issue because it is so important for the people of Connemara. It has progressed but I have been advised by the Minister for Health in a response to a parliamentary question that it was expected to be delivered in 2025. I was told at that stage that the preparation of tender documentation was well advanced, it was intende…

I appreciate the Minister of State's response and how genuine it was. I think the other Deputies will agree we saw progress when we raised it as a Topical Issue a number of years ago with former Minister of State, Anne Rabbitte. She took it upon herself to get things moving, so that shows the role the Minister of State can play in this. Let us hope we can get progress as a result. I was told by the Minister for Health last July that the fire safety certificate and disability access certificate would be submitted in…

The Minister knows Galway, the west and Connemara. He has seen the impact Storm Éowyn continues to have in certain parts of Connemara and across Mayo. It is very clear from the impact of this storm and Storm Darragh that we seriously need investment in basic infrastructure throughout the west of Ireland. The need in this regard is particularly acute in certain parts of Connemara and Mayo. Will the Minister outline what plans he has for additional investment?

I will be seeking a briefing on the review of the NDP and where it stands. The Minister mentioned housing, which is one of the basic infrastructures needed across Galway, Connemara and the State. I have to ask the Minister, because this was a hugely important issue during the general election campaign, about this number of 40,000 homes. The Deputy was Minister for Finance at the time. I am aware that he is now Minister for public expenditure. It is my understanding that he was advised on 6 November that the target …

This was information that the Minister had. It was information that the Central Bank was pointing to housing outputs for 2024 similar to or slightly below the previous year. Does the Minister genuinely believe that people can have faith in the delivery of the NDP or of what the Government is saying about housing now when, during the general election campaign, two days after the information had been received, it told people that it would hit the 40,000 target? Did the Minister genuinely believe this target would be …

I am asking you.

Disappointed is not good enough for people.

Does the Minister think people can believe that?

But they are not.

Are they going to sleep on buses?

Does the Minister think people can have faith in that?

I am a big believer in looking at how we use our public procurement system. When I was on Galway City Council, we ensured that there were ways to employ, through social clauses and so forth, people across Galway. There are so many real positives we can use through our public procurement system. Given everything that is going on in the world at the moment, I am of the view that they can be used very wisely. What plans does the Government have to align our procurement system better with strategic goals and ethical co…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I welcome the fact that the Government is having that consultation. It is welcome that we are all thinking more about this issue, whether in the context of SMEs, social enterprises, as the Minister of State outlined, councils and so on. The EU has long been calling on member states to use the public procurement system in a more strategic way to support industrial policy objectives. Data collection oversight of our public procurement system is poor in comparison with EU peer stan…

That is okay.

That is really good. I am delighted to hear the Minister of State talking about data collection. I did a survey a few years ago asking different public bodies about their use of social clauses. One body responded by saying that it paid the minimum wage. Obviously, that is not a social clause; it is the law. You have to do that. I wish to flag another thing, which comes on the back of the Minister of State’s mention of ethical considerations. It is good that staff of the Office of Government Procurement have done th…

What plans does the Minister have for reform of the FOI system, which of the recommendations from the last review have been implemented and will he make a statement on the matter?

One of the Minister's predecessors, who is now a European Commissioner, undertook a significant review of the FOI system. There are still issues with certain public bodies refusing requests or redacting large volumes of information. Sometimes, it comes out through appeals that this was done incorrectly. There is a view that this is done based on trying to deter people in the hope they will not appeal, in which case the decision is likely to be overturned. I was dealing with one request recently and it was kind of n…

I worked very constructively with former Minister, Michael McGrath, on this matter and other issues. I hope the Minister and I can do the same. Regarding this issue, we also need to consider solutions. Sometimes when people are refused an FOI request, they do not think they have the grounds to appeal the decision. I also encourage people who believe they are entitled to some information to make sure they go forward and appeal the decision. One of the solutions I suggest is if an FOI appeal to the Information Commis…

Yes.

All EU citizens and their family members have the right to move and reside freely within the EU. This fundamental right is established in EU treaty law and the decision to expel an EU citizen is the highest form of restriction on freedom of movement. Two Irish citizens, Shane O'Brien and Roberta Murray, have been issued with deportation orders because of their values. Neither of these individuals has been convicted of a related crime, and my query is: is opposition to genocide not an EU value? For context, I was ra…