I thank the Deputy and acknowledge all of the workers who are here. I regret what has happened in the past number of days. I know how concerning and difficult it is for everyone involved. To answer the Deputy's question, receivership is a long-standing legal mechanism around the independence of functions when a company enters into that process. I was asked about this yesterday by Deputy Murphy. The Department of Social Protection is engaging directly with the receivers in the context of the information that has emerged and a collective redundancy notification has been received by the Department of enterprise as well. There are limitations given the independence of the receivership process. Of the two respective Departments, one has been notified and the other is engaging directly. That work is ongoing in the context of what is emerging.
Sentiment score: 0.11
To answer the Deputy's question, I welcome the outcomes from the European Commission proposals. Europe continues to be a leader on climate action in a world that is, unfortunately, backsliding in many instances. The new targets will be challenging for many member states, including Ireland, but we are taking action in the context of the national development plan that we reviewed. Consider the focus on energy and transport in particular, with more than €20 billion in transport investment over the next five years. That is a real opportunity for transformational investment and delivery of transport infrastructure and public transport across our economy. Ensuring that we accelerate the planning and design process for many of the projects that cannot be started-----
Sentiment score: 0.19
-----is critical to ensuring we meet our climate goals from a transport perspective.
Sentiment score: -0.05
The report sets out over 2,000 scenarios and it is not a projection. The Deputy needs to be factual about what it is and what it is not. It has been made on a no-policy change basis and this is reflected in that. We will take further decisions in terms of delivery of infrastructure and housing right across our economy. That will be the new housing plan and the infrastructure reforms it will underpin. There are issues that we need to be honest about. For example, parts of EU law do not allow us to deliver levels of housing and infrastructure which are required.
Sentiment score: 0.05
No. It is why we need-----
Sentiment score: -0.15
It is why we need to remove some of the regulations that exist in parts of delivery of infrastructure and also in housing. The Deputy's solution on housing is just more State investment-----
Sentiment score: 0.16
-----and he ignores the market continuously. We need to have a viable housing market that allows small builders and developers to deliver housing right across our economy.
Sentiment score: -0.14
That is what we are trying to do, with measures the Deputy opposes continuously.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I was setting out the honest position relating to receivership, which has a legal standing, and the Deputy needs to be honest about it as well.
Sentiment score: 0.85
There is a long-standing legal mechanism when it comes to receivership and when a person is appointed. As I said to our two colleagues, the Departments of both enterprise and Social Protection are engaged in this. One is part of the notification and the other is engaging in the context of the real issues and challenges that I know the workers are facing. I will reflect on what the Deputy and others have said and bring it to the Minister for Social Protection. That is why the Department is engaging in this. We will allow that to continue over the coming days. The Minister will be able to set out further details.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I regret that households and businesses have been seriously and repeatedly impacted by this. I will certainly relay that to Irish Water. I received just a brief update on this before I entered the Chamber. I know there is work ongoing to ensure it is part of the mains replacement project. I will ask for a more detailed response to issue to the Deputy. I appreciate that this issue should not be arising repeatedly, particularly with the capital uplift we are giving to water infrastructure across our economy. We need to ensure there is a quicker delivery and a better response to communities that are affected by such issues.
Sentiment score: 0.22
I acknowledge that Deputy Dolan would like to see projects delivered quicker over the next number of years for the schools that he has raised in Galway East. What we have tried to do in the national development plan is to significantly prioritise investment in education and in particular special education for communities where we know there is serious pressure on school places from a special education perspective. That is why the capital allocations have gone from, on average, €1 billion a year in the Department of education to €1.5 billion over the next five years. The capital allocation over the past five years was €5 billion; over the next five, it will be €7.5 billion. That will allow for a lot more school buildings, special education places and, indeed, the critical social infrastructure in terms of schools delivered in communities across our country. I can ask the Minister for education to respond back to the Deputy's particular needs. There are pressures the Minister needs to manage in-year around the pipeline of projects that are there-----
Sentiment score: 0.13
-----and I know she is working to manage that within the context of her overall allocation.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I share Deputy Murphy's objective of ensuring we accelerate the delivery of the warmer homes scheme, which has made a real difference for many families affected by energy poverty across our country. In recent years, the SEAI has received a significant increase in demand for the warmer homes scheme. The increased supports for the scheme have resulted in a significant increase in applications, with 45,000 received over the period from January 2022 to the end of September 2025 and a total of 24,000 homes upgraded under the scheme. The waiting times are too high and that certainly is something I will ask the Minister for the environment to reflect on. However, to be fair to the SEAI, it has significantly reduced its waiting times from what they were. I understand the average waiting time was significantly higher in previous years. There is work ongoing to reduce it.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I acknowledge the significant difficulty for many of the Deputy's constituents when there is such disruption over a weekend, exacerbated by other events. There should be better co-ordination. There is capital investment in particular events. In terms of public transport no-shows and issues with levels of services, the National Transport Authority, NTA, has brought in a regime of fines for bus operators that do not operate on time or where there are no-shows. It is quite punitive for a lot of the bus operators, and rightly so, if they do not deliver a service on time or if there are no-shows. I will ask our colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to engage with the NTA to ensure there is better co-ordination around major events, which is a fair point, and also to ensure we have an ongoing focus on efficiency. There should be punitive fines placed on transport operators that do not deliver a service for constituents.
Sentiment score: -0.01
I acknowledge the Deputy's concern in terms of the announcement by Merck. On Wednesday, 22 October, IDA Ireland was notified of Merck's decision to wind down operations by the end of 2028. Staff were made aware on the same day. It is important to say this decision does not affect the life science employees. Our foremost concern is for any of the potentially impacted employees during this time. To be absolutely clear, the Government is on hand to any of the employees. We will be providing a range of supports for those affected, including assisting with appropriate training and development opportunities or, indeed, any other income supports. IDA Ireland continues to keep close contact with Merck management to offer support during the process. Our enterprise agencies have shown in other instances where there is an announcement such as this that they help to provide alternative employment and opportunities in terms of their wider client base and other indigenous companies through Enterprise Ireland. That is something they are working on in the context of the announcement the Deputy referenced.
Sentiment score: 0.27
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I know the Taoiseach had a meeting with some of the survivors in the past number of days. A process was put in place around the appointment of a mediator, which was wanted by all sides. The update I received on this yesterday was that a specific issue had arisen for the mediator who was due to be appointed but a recommended, very experienced alternate had agreed to be in place. It is my understanding that a meeting was due to take place at some point towards the end of yesterday or today so that a mediation process can advance. In the aftermath of the meeting with the Taoiseach, the Government certainly wants to see that mediation to occur and engagement with the survivors relating to some of the issues they are raising.
Sentiment score: 0.31
I thank the Deputy. I discussed it there with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as well. I acknowledge the significant pressure it puts on families, particularly in the commuter belt in south Kildare and elsewhere, who are reliant on coming to Dublin early in the morning. I will ask TII and the Minister for Transport to better resource the response, if that is an issue, so that when a particular accident arises, it can be responded to quicker. Obviously, there are particular accidents that arise where the scene has to be preserved. That has an inevitable impact on displacement of traffic. As a Government, we are committed to being more pragmatic on our roads building programme. It is something that is important for the commuter belt and regions across our country. That is why the work the Minister for Transport is doing around the sectoral investment plan will significantly improve public transport but also ensure we continue the acceleration and build out of our national roads programme, which is critical for economic growth and development. It is also critical for the daily lives of many people who live in the commuter belt in Kildare. I will ask them to respond to the issues the Deputy raised.
Sentiment score: 0.10
I thank the Deputy. He is correct that some of the delivery of projects has been too slow. That is why projects like Carrignavar and others need to be accelerated over the coming years. We have prioritised putting €12 billion into water and wastewater infrastructure over the next five years. The Minister, Deputy Browne, is finalising the capital investment plan and the sectoral plan for water and wastewater infrastructure so that many of the projects on lists can be delivered. They are the foundation for building more homes in the villages and towns right across our country. That plan is due to be published in the coming weeks. Work is ongoing between the Department of housing, the Minister and Irish Water to put that together over a five-year period and put the capital investment beside a lot of the projects that are referenced. The Deputy is correct that they are critical to ensuring we build more homes across communities and I will ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to respond on the specific plant.
Sentiment score: 0.07
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As he knows, the National Immunisation Office in the Department of Health takes a very much evidence-based approach to vaccination programmes. There has been some work on RSV relating to certain groups and it is free for babies, according to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. Any expansion of that should be examined by the National Immunisation Office, where appropriate. I know it is continuously ambitious in terms of broader vaccination. It is hugely important for managing overall public health and acute presentations that occur in our accident and emergency departments and in terms of using overall bed capacity in our hospital system. I will ask the Minister for Health, the National Immunisation Office and public health officials to respond to the Deputy's specific question relating to the learnings from Scotland.
Sentiment score: 0.16
The safety and well-being of all residents in IPAS centres is of the highest priority for the Government and for the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. All issues relating to fire safety are taken extremely seriously. When any inspection identifies issues, including those relating to fire safety, a formal process is immediately triggered to bring about a resolution. A written report is provided to the contractor within 14 days detailing all deficiencies. They are contractually bound to respond within a further 14 days on remedying particular problems. Where issues relating to a contractor's track record are of concern, a follow-up inspection is scheduled around the remedial works. I can ask the Minister for justice to send a more detailed submission to the Deputy. What was set out in The Irish Times, I think, is a point-in-time assessment. It is important that any deficiencies found are responded immediately to by respective contractors to protect the safety and well-being of residents.
Sentiment score: 0.15
I thank the Deputy. What is really important in aviation in particular is that safety comes first. I have not seen the particular report referenced but I will ask the Minister for Transport to respond to the Deputy's particular questions and the concerns raised by workers. Safety would come first in any framing, or agreement, of a contract or indeed the operational work around that contract. The Minister for Transport will be able to respond to the Deputy's concerns comprehensively. We are in a new contract with Bristow relating to the Coast Guard which will serve us over the next number of years. I can ask the Minister for Transport to respond to the Deputy's question.
Sentiment score: 0.25
What happened to Ashling Murphy in Offaly was shocking. I know how difficult this continues to be for her family and indeed for the wider community. I want to speak more generally to say that the removal of criminals and those who are a danger to public safety is always a priority for the Minister for justice. In the free movement regulations of 2015, there is a mechanism through which that can occur. There is a particular threshold and bar which is set for the utilisation of that directive. That is co-ordinated by An Garda Síochána working with the Irish Prison Service relating to any individual.
Sentiment score: -0.15