I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister for housing. I want to reassert the strong commitment of the Minister and this Government to addressing the housing challenges we face, which are touching every level of our society, as the Senator has outlined. While there is still much more to do, considerable progress has been made to date under Housing for All. Between July 2020 and the end of quarter 2 in 2025, over 50,600 social homes were added to our social housing stock.…

I share Senator Ahearn’s concern and disappointment on the imposition of US tariffs. As I have said many times, tariffs are not good for anybody. They hurt business and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. However, US trade policy has shifted and both Ireland and the EU have to respond to this new reality. The life sciences sector, which both the pharmaceutical industry and medtech are part of, is a significant sector of the economy and employs over 100,000 people. The Government recognises its importance, as e…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan. The NPWS is committed to strengthening its engagement with all stakeholders and, accordingly, has established a number of fora through which the Minister of State and his officials meet stakeholders. In addition, there are multiple informal contacts and discussions that happen on a regular basis. The sustai…

I assure the Senator that pharma and medtech are hugely important sectors for the Irish economy, as is he well aware, and for Europe. The interconnected supply chains across countries and across the Atlantic are not just a necessity but ultimately make us more resilient and stronger in the manufacture and delivery of treatments that improve health and save lives. The health of these sectors is good not just for our own economy and jobs but for the health of our citizens. It is for this reason we will continue to ma…

Since taking office, the Minister of State, Deputy O’Sullivan, has been acutely conscious of the extensive engagement that has taken place with the NARGC, particularly in the context of the wild birds forum. At the same time, he must acknowledge that the NPWS operates with finite resources and that its executive and ecological capacity is already under significant pressure. The service faces a challenging and demanding agenda. It is responsible for the drafting and delivery of Ireland's nature restoration plan; the…

First, the Government's position and, indeed, that of the European Union is clear. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of the two-state solution. This is the long-standing position of Ireland, the European Union and many other international partners. In June 2025, the Government approved the general scheme of the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill. The main purpose of the Bill, as set out in the general schem…

The Government is committed to the provision of additional special places for children with special educational needs. As the Deputies know, the school referred to by them has three special classes, two dedicated for children with autism and one for children with a developmental language disorder or speech sound disorder. The school is to be commended on its proactiveness and willingness to open further special classes to support its community. Indeed, the hard work and dedication to special education was evident w…

I do not agree with the Senator that the issue is being kicked down the road. It is a very significant priority for Government. It is a priority for me, as a member of Government, and for my party. I have been to the West Bank and settlements. I have seen the proliferation of Israeli settlements across the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. It is beyond comprehension. I have been a supporter of the occupied territories Bill since it was first introduced into these Houses by Senator Frances Black. I co-sponsored it in…

I thank the Deputies for raising this question and giving me an opportunity to reassure the House that the Department of Education and Youth and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that all children can access an education suitable to their needs. The Department of Education and Youth is committed to engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to forward planning for new special provision to ensure every child has a place in an educational setting best fitting their educational need. It is important to remember tha…

The Minister for Health has asked me to thank Senator Ryan for raising this matter. I am sure the Senator and the House are aware the measure she has raised is currently the subject of judicial review proceedings and on that basis it is incumbent on all of us to respect the work the court has to do and be circumspect in our discussion about it. Any call for the Minister to make any further decision is also pending the backdrop of the judicial review. There are some aspects of the issue we can be very direct about. …

I thank the Deputy. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, following the MV Matthew seizure and forfeiture, immediate steps were taken to prepare for its disposal. In November 2023, initial consultations commenced with a shipping broker with a view to marketing the vessel for sale. In December 2023, the Revenue Commissioners were advised by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that disposal could not proceed as the vessel was required for evidence in the associated criminal trial. On 2 Novembe…

I absolutely understand the points Senator Ryan is making in relation to small retail and grocery shops, which are the lifeblood of many local communities, as we know. They are under pressure, as the Senator has outlined, on many fronts in terms of their viability and sustainability within our communities. Like our post office networks, it is important that people shop local and support their local shops and enterprises inasmuch as possible. The request she has made is a fair and measured one in terms of the backdr…

I cannot give the Deputy any sense of the timeline. There is no better organisation within the public service than the Revenue Commissioners in terms of efficiency and the expediency of the work done. I believe the Deputy would agree with that. It its fairly clearly implied in much of the information the Revenue Commissioners have supplied to me that there are circumstances outside our control. The Irish Revenue Commissioners cannot direct the Panamanian authorities to move any quicker or at the pace desired. The q…

I thank the Senator for the opportunity to update the House on this important matter. The Government is determined to support Ireland’s screening programmes, which are a valuable part of the health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people and improving the overall health of our population. In terms of newborn bloodspot screening specifically, the Government is aware of how difficult it is for parents whose children have received a diagnosis of a rare disease and how challenging daily life can be f…

We have always evaluated the case for commencing or expanding our national screening programmes against internationally accepted criteria, collectively known as the Wilson and Jungner criteria. The evidence bar for screening programmes should and must remain high. This ensures that we can be confident that programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards. While Ireland currently screens for fewer conditions than many other European countries, direct comparisons are not always accurate. Irel…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. To create safe communities, we must go beyond policing alone, we must work together in partnership. We must take a strategic, solution-focused approach that is proactive rather than reactive. Local community safety partnerships represent a significant step towards a more collaborative, responsive, and locally driven model of public safety. I am pleased that members have been appointed to eight local community safety partnerships. Further members will be appointed across O…

I join the Senator in acknowledging the appointment of Superintendent Michael Corbett as An Garda Síochána's first rural crime lead. I spoke to him recently at the National Ploughing Championships when we launched our new rural safety strategy. I sit on the national rural safety forum and have attended its meetings. It is fantastic in respect of our approach to ensuring our communities are as safe as possible and reassuring people, particularly in rural Ireland, that our communities are being policed and that we ar…

I thank Senator Stephenson for raising this matter. I am replying on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan. I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the implementation of the zero-tolerance strategy and to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to supporting and protecting victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Since January 2024, Cuan has been leading the co-ordination of Government actions under the strategy. A central commitment is to double domestic violence accommodation capacity in …

It is important to reflect not only on the commitments made but also on what has been delivered under the zero-tolerance strategy. The promise of safe accommodation is becoming a reality. The new refuge in Wexford and the refuge in Dublin 4 symbolise that progress. The pipeline of new refuge spaces and safe homes will continue to grow, moving us steadily towards our target of doubling capacity by 2026. To support our children and young people, more than €17 million has been allocated to 60 services that provide cou…

I thank the Deputy for the question. We are well aware of the misery and distress the use of illegal fireworks can cause around this time of year. We also hear and see enough to know that they pose a real risk to the health and safety of young people and to the elderly and vulnerable. They also terrify family pets, service dogs and other animals. Our Department runs an annual awareness campaign that seeks to inform and educate the public about the serious dangers associated with fireworks and the penalties people c…