When does the Minister intend to commence the public sector pay talks? Has he a timeframe for when he would like them to conclude? What period will the pay negotiations cover? Critically, as part of these talks, will he ensure that performance review forms a part of the pay talks?

I welcome the Minister’s confirmation that talks will commence in coming weeks. I agree that wage agreements have provided stability and avoided industrial unrest over recent decades. That is to be welcomed. It is important that these talks are fair and that they deliver value for the taxpayer and that any increases are proportionate, that is, that those in the middle and lower incomes get the greatest increase because those are the people who need it most. It is critical we have an adequate performance review stit…

I welcome that because I do not think it is right that it is either satisfactory or non-satisfactory. That does not recognise people who are exceptional, who are working hard and need to be rewarded and equally it does not call out those people who are performing below par. We need a mechanism where people who are performing below par are brought up, encouraged and supported to ensure the public is getting an adequate public service. Earlier this year, I published a Bill, the Local Authority Public Administration B…

I, too, join with other voices in wishing Irish citizens who are working in the diplomatic core, in aid agencies and in the Defence Forces well at this difficult time, and I add my voice to the others in offering condolences to families who have lost their loved ones. The escalation of violence with the indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel and the barbaric killings and kidnappings of their neighbours by Hamas has rightly captivated the world's attention in a region to which the world has frequently turned a bl…

I ask the Minister for an update on the N4 Mulllingar to Roosky scheme. Back in 2010, the preferred route corridor was published, after three years of work was done and €4 million was spent. The scheme was suspended at that stage and recommenced back in 2018. I would appreciate it if the Minister could give me an update on it today.

This route is committed to as part of the NDP. It is a named route, so we need to see it progress. The Minister spoke about the €200,000 that was allocated this year to finalise phase 2, which is the route selection phase, but unfortunately new rules published by the Department in June of this year providing that a transport appraisal framework must be concluded mean that the €200,000 does not go far enough. Unfortunately, this is happening at a time when we are hearing reports of a €200 million underspend on roads…

I thank the Minister for his commitment that if additional funding is needed to conclude route selection this year, it will be forthcoming. That is very welcome. I accept that all roads cannot be built at the one time, but this road requires €3 million to allow it to move to the next stage. It needs to move to the next stage because it is an extremely busy road and it is essential for balanced regional development in the west and north west from a connectivity perspective. Only today, we heard an item on radio abou…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. School transport, as many have said, is a critical service, particularly in rural constituencies and yet still, every year, as the previous speaker has said, we are in here in September or even October talking about the shortcomings of this critical scheme. Last year, there was a review promised. That review was promised to be completed in advance of this school year but that has not happened. Why has it not happened? No doubt the respective Ministers gave the…

This morning, we learned that 12% of ESB customers are in arrears, up 55,000 on the first quarter of this year. Last year, the Government had to subvent households, businesses and community groups the high cost of energy. At the same time, we realised that energy companies like ESB and Energia had profits of €847 million and €354 million, respectively. What progress did the Taoiseach make with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, in their meeting with the CEOs of these co…

Will the Minister update the House on her Department’s school divestment programme?

I welcome the Minister's reply. It is right to acknowledge that we live in a much more diverse and pluralistic society. In that context, it is important that we improve parental choice. The Minister referred to two schools that recently transferred from a Catholic ethos to ETBs. She might correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that was part of a 60-school programme. Two out of 60 seems small. Where is the resistance to making this change? Is the Education (Admission to Schools) Act meeting resistance in some insta…

I thank the Minister for coming back to us. It is important that we acknowledge that learnings will be taken from the initial pilot scheme, which delivered only three out of 60 schools. In certain locations there is a desire to divest, but we must also acknowledge that in other locations people do not want to divest. They should not be bullied into divesting by people who have a particular narrative or agenda of their own. It would be helpful if the Minister could confirm that there is good engagement with the key …

A number of years ago, a commitment was given to the people of Mullingar that if they fundraised to buy an MRI scanner, the HSE would provide a building to house the scanner and staff to run it. The building has been completed and the scanner has been purchased and delivered. We now have a scanner in a building with no staff approved to carry out the necessary works. I ask the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to intervene with the HSE in order to ensure that the request for additional staff is approved without…

We read last week that there was a €100 million underspend in the Department of Transport. Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste confirmed to me a number of weeks ago that any underspend could be used or redirected to progress the N4 upgrade from the Westmeath border down into Longford to serve the north west. All that is needed is €2 million to enable the move to the next stage, so you can understand the frustration that locals feel when they read about the €100 million underspend and €2 million would help progress a mu…

I welcome the opportunity to raise the issue of visa processing times. I am conscious in doing so of the importance of the process. The process cannot be compromised. A visa is a very important document, enabling foreign nationals to enter our country. First, I want to raise the issue of the atypical visa and the serious delays in the processing time. As we know, it is a requirement for nurses coming to work in Ireland. I want to take this opportunity to welcome a number of retired nurses from my constituency who a…

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I said that people had retired from the nursing profession. I did not say they had retired fully, to clarify the point. I take on board the Minister of State is reading out a response that came from the Department of Justice, but I will share with her the experience of quite a significant nursing home provider. Despite its attempts to seek clarification from the atypical office, it has received no feedback at any point and is left to decipher the confusing automated responses it received. C…

We all acknowledge that housing is the biggest challenge facing the Government at the moment. I acknowledge the energy and vigour the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has brought to this challenge, the priority the Government has given it and the resources that have been allocated. One area where there are bottlenecks is when applications are referred to An Bord Pleanála. Priority legislation is in train to reform our planning laws. When will that legislation be complete? When will the Government publish the updat…

-----but if a time was specified for when decisions would be made it would release a lot of properties onto the market.

I wish to put on the record my thanks to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and, more latterly, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, for their courtesy every step of the way when I have engaged with them in respect of this issue. I am sure when the Green Party sought responsibility for this area, its objective was to eliminate direct provision and not to extend it. Yet, that was at a time before the war in Ukraine, as well as the wars, famine and persecution the world over. Now, we are being left with a situation…

The Tánaiste will be aware that Ireland is one of the first countries to launch an artificial intelligence, AI, strategy, AI - Here For Good, which sets out the high-level direction on how best to use the positivities of AI. One of the three core principles is ensuring good governance to build trust and confidence. Given that the EU has commenced the legislative process to introduce a regulatory framework for the use of AI, does the Tánaiste agree that it would be premature to push ahead with facial recognition tec…