I do not disagree at all with what the Deputy has said. There is a role for the public sector here as well. It is clear that not all of our public buildings are being maximised to the full potential that they have. Since Covid, we know that more and more people are working from home and we still have the same level of building space and one has to ask whether they are being used for their full potential. There is no doubt about it. It is not just a night-time issue. If one speaks to anybody running a coffee shop or…

I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh, which will not come as a shock to him. As a good Newcastle West man, I would have to agree with him. Dereliction is an issue that the local authorities have been empowered by this House for donkey's years to deal with. It is not just a Dublin city issue; there are derelict sites all over the country. Our local authorities have ample powers and access to money that they did not have before. It begs the question why they are not doing more. I said a while ago that the Minister for Heal…

Cé go bhfuil tús feidhme fós le cur leis an Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2024,, is faoin Acht sin a thiocfaidh gnóthaí i ndáil le cúrsaí pleanála agus tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht sna blianta amach romhainn. Go príomha, is ag an Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta atá an fhreagracht maidir leis an Acht nua seo, dár ndóigh. Faoi réir alt 29(1) den Acht nua, is gá go ndéanfar foráil i straitéis spáis agus eacnamaíoch réigiúnach chun oidhreacht teanga agus chultúrtha na Gaeltachta a chosaint. Faoin Acht r…

Mar is eol don Teachta, is é an tAire tithíochta an tAire a bhfuil freagracht don pholasaí tithíochta sa Dáil seo air. Tá an rud sin soiléir. Maidir leis an rud a rinne mé, tá a fhios ag an Teachta go ndearna mé mo dhícheall an cheist sin a réiteach nuair a bhí mé i Roinn na Gaeltachta ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta O'Brien. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, in ann teacht os comhair na Dála go luath leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne, chun an cheist sin a réiteach. Níl aon amhras orm go bhfuil s…

Tuigim an ról atá agam faoi láthair mar Aire sa Rialtas, ach ag am céanna tuigfidh an Teachta go bhfuil an t-aonad Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne imithe ó mo Roinn. Níl siad ann. Tá an t-aonad ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary. Níl aon dabht orm ach go bhfuil an tAire, an Teachta Calleary ag tnúth leis an gcéad uair ina mbeidh sé os comhair an choiste agus i dteagmháil leis na Teachtaí Ó Snodaigh agus Moynihan, leis an gCathaoirleach agus le pé Theachta eile a bhfuil suim aige nó aici i gcúrsaí Gaeltachta agus …

Which he does not have.

There are many people the Deputy owes one.

Hear, hear.

The Opposition does not want to hear from Government backbenchers.

There is the arrogance. The Deputy's question is more important than theirs.

I dtosach, is mian liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a thug cabhair do na pobail timpeall na tíre. In that context, I acknowledge and thank everybody associated with the emergency services, including the ESB, the telecoms operators and all the volunteers who helped during what was a totally unprecedented event. With regard to communications, the estimated effect of the storm on the national telecoms user base was the largest ever recorded in history. As of 10 o'clock on Tuesday, 0.79% of fixed service user…

It happens to us all, a Cheann Comhairle.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on budget 2025. This budget reflects the Government's commitment to support the success of all learners, to drive improvements in the overall performance of the tertiary education system, and to provide continuous support for world-class research and innovation in Ireland. It includes €4.545 billion for my Department, providing a major capital and funding package for tertiary education along with measures to reduce the cost of education and tackle the c…

That was a great result, was it not?

Where are your €300,000 houses?

We want to keep it that way.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am aware of the difficulties faced by many students in accessing affordable and suitable student accommodation. The Government is committed to addressing this challenge. This morning, the Cabinet approved the drafting of amendments to the residential tenancies (student-specific accommodation) Bill via an emergency Bill which will deal with the matter of 51-week leases. We gave approval to publish with the intention of the Bill being passed by the Houses of the …

This is the second memo that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and I have brought forward on this issue. The first was to seek Cabinet approval. Today, the Government approved the priority drafting of the residential tenancies (student-specific accommodation) Bill. This will be welcomed by Deputies on both sides of the House, including the previous Minister and now Taoiseach, as well as myself. It will only pass into law if both Houses are able to deal with it before the Oireachtas rises for the summer. Even though it …

It has to be primary legislation. The Attorney General advised the Cabinet this morning of his views with regard to it. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and I are confident it can be enacted before the Dáil and Seanad rise for the summer but it will require the co-operation of the Whips. The Deputy will see the legislation as soon as it is published. It is not published yet. When it is, we will ask the consent of the Houses, given the importance of it, to waive pre-legislative scrutiny and bring it straight into the H…

I thank the Deputy. The higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended. Typically there are two rates of fee, an EU rate of fee or a non-EU rate of tuition fee. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and opera…