Will further consideration be given by the Department to a decision to refuse an application for the additional school accommodation scheme from a school in light of the school's projected increase in enrolment numbers?

I thank the Minister for her response. I am unsure if she is familiar with the history of Kilcredan National School. It has been the central point of three smaller parish schools - Ladysbridge, Kilcredan and Ballyburden - since they merged in the 1970s. Kilcredan is a popular rural school catering for the families of several local parishes. The population of these parishes continues to increase, with recent development of many new housing estates and more planned. Due to the increased enrolment, an extra teacher bu…

I thank the Minister for her response. There have been some positive developments recently with the approval of a safe routes to school programme application. This was good news for the school as it will greatly help its future expansion. However, the problem is the expansion and extra development within the parishes I was speaking about, and the need for local children to go to those schools. The Minister mentioned there is a space in Youghal but, as she knows, people like to attend the school they live close to. …

I wish to address the ongoing need for the repair of the Fermoy Weir in my constituency of Cork East. I brought the matter to the Taoiseach's attention as recently as March, so I know he will be familiar with this situation, and I thank him for that. He will be aware the weir is a protected structure and a very important part of the river and the wider Blackwater region. However, he will also know that, unfortunately, the weir sustained considerable damage as a result of a flood event in 2016. During this flooding,…

Not at all.

I thank the Taoiseach for his positive response. It means a lot to the people of Fermoy, as I said already. The Taoiseach mentioned Councillor O'Flynn. I want to acknowledge all the councillors in the Fermoy municipal district for all the work they are doing. I know at first hand that they are working hard to achieve what I am trying to achieve here today. I am the only public representative who lives in the town of Fermoy, so I know at first hand the frustration that the locals are feeling about this because they …

I speak today on behalf of the pupils, teachers and parents of Carrigtwohill school campus in east Cork. The three new school buildings, Carrigtwohill Community College, Scoil Chlíodhna and Scoil Mhuire Naofa, were opened in 2023. These schools have the most modern facilities but, unfortunately, do not have a green area for recreation. However, there is a green area immediately adjacent to the schools and owned by the Department of education. Planning permission has been granted by Cork County Council for an entran…

This is to ask the Minister for Defence the current military radar capability of the Defence Forces or plans, if any, to increase such capability and whether she will make a statement on the matter.

I thank the Minister for her response. Although we are a neutral nation and plan to remain one, it is important our Defence Forces are provided with appropriate radar technology to help with their vitally important day-to-day operations. In an ever-changing world, the development of air and sea radar capability should be a cornerstone in ensuring our Defence Forces’ protection of national security concerns. I understand that a business case for a national military radar programme was approved last year for a propos…

I acknowledge that a Government-level approach with one country is favoured in the development of radar capability and that negotiations have begun with France on a potential agreement in this regard. As such, I ask the Minister what engagement she has had to date with her French counterpart on the matter? Can she give us an indication of the level of training necessary for the operation of radar and what is the estimated number of Defence Forces personnel who will be considered for radar duties? Finally, is it the…

What engagement has the Minister has had to date with the Willowbank residents' association, Willowbank, Midleton, County Cork, which spent €7,752 on repairing the estates wall in the immediate aftermath of flooding caused by Storm Babet? Is his Department in a position to provide funding for the reimbursement of repaired infrastructure damaged in the wake of Storm Babet?

I thank the Minister of State for his response and acknowledge his impact and that he met the residents of Midleton. He was in Midleton and I acknowledge that and thank him for that. I understand he is familiar with the situation in Willowbank because they have been in touch with his office. The Willowbank housing estate was affected by flooding following Storm Babet in October 2023. Several houses were flooded when one of the walls in the estate gave way under pressure from the overflowing Owennacurra river. Willo…

I acknowledge there has been some improvement in east Cork with the continued roll-out of flood barriers through the individual property protection scheme. I thank the Minister and his Department for that. However, every effort should be made to reimburse the residents' association for such a small amount in the grand scheme of the €50 million-plus Midleton relief scheme. That is where the residents are mixed up. There was so much money but they cannot recoup €7,700. The residents find that hard to understand. I kn…

I wish to highlight the need for the provision of a special education placement in east Cork, where children and their parents are currently travelling long distances to secure a place. People are travelling daily from east Cork to special schools in Cork city, Dungarvan and further afield, often resulting in an almost 100 km round trip. Does the Minister of State agree that it is unfair that children with complex needs have to travel long distances, far from familiar surroundings, while their siblings attend schoo…

The Minister of State is aware of the Bridging the Gap Youghal group set up by local parents, who are doing tremendous work in advocating strongly that local gaps in special education provision be addressed. These parents are concerned because there is currently only one special school place available for the 2026-27 school year in the only secondary school in the Youghal area. Does the Minister of State appreciate the serious and legitimate concerns raised by these parents? The need for places is evident and only …

Before I ask my question, I welcome to the Gallery pupils from St. Joseph's National School in Fermoy in my constituency and their teachers, Mr. Barry and Mr. Flynn.

What measures is the Department taking to alleviate the burden of community services programme funding recipients being required to provide fully audited accounts on an annual basis? I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. The reason I tabled a question in the first instance is that it was recently brought to my attention by members of a local community group that has long received CSP funding that a significant portion of this funding is taken up with providing the fully audited accounts. There is a requirement on this group to provide fully audited accounts on an annual basis. This is a local community group with, to my knowledge, no financial issues or irregularities, yet it is being…

I thank the Minister of State for his very positive response. I understand the reasons for audited accounts but if he could speak to the Department, I am sure we could find a system which would not place a burden on community groups that do great work. If it costs them €6,000 or €7,000 out of €27,000 of a grant to do this, the Minister of State will see that they are under financial pressure. I welcome the positive response. I thank the Minister and Minister of State for their co-operation and help and I look forwa…

I have raised this matter on several occasions since my election to the House. It concerns the idle IDA site in Fermoy on the grounds of the former Fitzgerald Camp Army barracks. Although it is a serviced site close to the Cork-Dublin motorway, it has unfortunately remained without tenants for nearly 24 years since being handed over to the IDA. In addition, there have been no recent expressions of interest to operate on site. This continues to be a major disappointment to the people of Fermoy and the Blackwater reg…