I thank Deputy Cummins for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy James Lawless. I welcome the opportunity to update colleagues on how the arts, humanities, and social sciences will be supported through the Research Ireland strategy and the progress on implementation to date. Research Ireland was established as the national research and innovation funding agency to promote and continue developing excellence in research across all disciplines, including arts, humanities and social sciences, AHSS. The new agency strategy was published in March of this year. The strategy names AHSS as a distinctive national strength, with a role across all three impact themes: talent, society and the economy. The strategy safeguards AHSS funding through a guaranteed minimum floor, which will ensure continuity of funding for AHSS at or above existing levels. No cuts are proposed to funding or to the number of places being funded by the agency. The dedicated society impact theme commits to investment in strengthening capacity across the breadth of disciplines and enabling interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research to bring together diverse perspectives, expertise and cross-government support to tackle key societal challenges. The agency will be working to strengthen engagement and collaboration with wider research users and performers, such as not-for-profit organisations and charities, and the arts and culture sector, to drive and showcase greater benefit to society. Basic, fundamental research is also firmly recognised and supported within Research Ireland’s strategy. It has been a consistent goal of this Government to support fundamental and frontier research at all times, and this is set out strongly. There has been substantial consultation across the research system in developing the new strategy, and there is ongoing consultation on implementation. The agency has a remit to be more than a funder, and to also work in partnership across a more cohesive system with researchers, institutions and representative bodies to ensure that the strategy delivers for all disciplines. This work is ongoing. The agency also has a role in supporting higher education institutions in developing research and innovation strategies of their own. A key action of the strategy is to review existing PhD funding programmes and develop an enhanced suite of programmes, with the ambition to make Ireland the leading location in Europe for PhD training, in partnership with the HEIs and the wider system. The agency is currently undertaking consultation on a proposed strategic institutional funding model, as an evolution of the Government of Ireland programme, which is intended to: reduce the administrative burden for students; provide more security and stability of funding across a course of research or study; address issues in relation to researchers accessing funding for materials or consumables, travel and networking funding; address maternity, paternity and adoptive leave supplements; and enhance long-term planning and institutional capability. Since February 2026, Research Ireland has conducted more than 20 engagement sessions, including seven in-person AHSS-focused events across the country and two national webinars attended by more than 700 participants. The senior leadership from the agency have met with research leaders and researchers across the country, and with the representative bodies. The proposed new model would bring the agency funding model for these awards closer to international best practice. The agency funding portfolio is split almost evenly, and it is intended to maintain this balance across the programme plan and agency funding portfolio. Other calls funded or managed by the agency now available to AHSS researchers include: public service fellowships; challenge funding, which is open to all disciplines; and international calls, such as the Research Ireland-UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council joint call on creative industries. The agency has prioritised growing investigator-led funding in planning, recognising the increasing demand for investigator-led research funding. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is aware of these issues, and he met with representatives of the signatories earlier this week to examine the concerns raised. This has been a constructive and positive ongoing engagement, with insight from the research community informing the design of the new programme. There is consensus on what must be protected: excellence, transparency, mobility and disciplinary diversity.

Sentiment score: 0.40

I thank Deputy Cummins for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Lawless. He will ensure her contribution will form part of the ongoing consultation. New opportunities are being created for AHSS through the Research Ireland strategy, supported by additional Government investment to deliver the strategy, including the development of the development of larger-scale initiatives. New opportunities have arisen for researchers through the newly established Global Talent Ireland and other strategic initiatives, such as the INSPIRE programme, to support infrastructure and the investigators programme. The strategy commits Research Ireland to ongoing consultation and stakeholder partnership, including establishing a formal advisory council which will be predominantly comprised of academics. It will have representation across all disciplines with a focus on AHSS. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, looks forward to working with the agency on realising the ambitions of the new agency strategy for all disciplines, including AHSS, in the coming years. Deputy Cummins has raised particular points in respect of PhD students. It is obviously an area she is familiar with, having been one herself. These are matters that will be brought to the attention of the Department and the Minister.

Sentiment score: 0.31

I take this opportunity to thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising this important matter and providing me with an opportunity to update the House. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of Deputy James Browne, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Under the Planning and Development Act 2024 local authorities are obliged to prepare and adopt development plans that may make provision for the delivery of recreational facilities and amenities. While the making of a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of each local authority under the Act, the development plan guidelines for planning authorities of 2022 set out that when making zoning decisions, consideration must be given to the future availability of, or the capacity to provide, supporting local community and amenity services and infrastructure, including recreation and sports facilities. The sustainable residential development and compact settlements guidelines of 2024 indicate that planning authorities should plan for an integrated network of well-designed neighbourhoods that can meet day-to-day needs, including sporting needs, within a ten- to 15-minute walk of all homes. In the case of larger settlements, the residents of less central neighbourhoods should have the opportunity to travel by public transport, and other sustainable modes such as greenways, to access higher order services and amenities at more central and accessible locations. Section 7.3 of these guidelines sets out that every development plan should include an objective for a community, social and cultural infrastructure audit for areas that are likely to experience significant new development and should have a clear evidence-based rationale for future requirements in order to maximise the social return and community benefit generated by public investment by State agencies and others. Policy and objective 5.1 of these guidelines states that statutory development plans should include an objective relating to the provision of public open space in new residential developments and in mixed-use developments that include a residential element. The requirement in the development plan shall be for public open space provision of not less than a minimum of 10% of net site area and not more than 15% of net site area, save in exceptional circumstances. Different minimum requirements within the 10% to 15% range may be set for different areas. The guidelines state that public open spaces should be designed to cater for a range of active and passive recreational needs, including play, physical activity, active travel, cultural uses and community gardens and allotments, as appropriate to the context. The Deputy may be interested to note that Sport Ireland is a prescribed body for the purposes of plan-making in accordance with the Planning and Development (Prescribed Persons - Statutory Plans) Regulations 2025, SI 458 of 2025. The Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, is carrying out initial research into sporting facilities and the planning system. As part of this, it is liaising with Sport Ireland and other sporting bodies to examine how local authorities can more effectively plan for the provision of sports and recreational facilities for their communities. With regard to the delivery of such facilities, responsibility for Government policy on sport and the funding and function of Sport Ireland lies with my colleague, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport. In accordance with section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001, local authorities are independent in the performance of their functions.

Sentiment score: 0.28

I thank Deputy O'Rourke again for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. In addition to the need to make provision for recreational facilities within statutory development plans, such facilities may also be funded by development contribution schemes, determined by elected members of each planning authority under section 48 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. Conditions attached to permissions requiring contributions to be made towards such schemes may include open spaces and recreational and community facilities. The Planning and Development Act 2024 recognises that recreational facilities are best supported through meaningful public participation in local development planning and decision-making. Effective planning is not solely about technical assessments or infrastructure co-ordination; it is also about ensuring communities have a genuine opportunity to shape the future of the places in which they live, work and raise their families. The Act strengthens the importance of engagement at all stages of the planning process, from the preparation of development plans and local area plans to consultation on individual planning applications and broader regeneration initiatives. As the provisions of the 2024 Act are commenced, meaningful community participation will remain a central element of a modern, democratic and plan-led system that seeks to deliver sustainable development and an improved quality of life for communities across Ireland. I note the points Deputy O'Rourke has raised. Dare I say it, but they are not just related to one Department. I have no doubt that he will be taking these up with those other Departments as well. I will bring the points the Deputy has raised here to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Department. I thank the Deputy again.

Sentiment score: 0.34

I thank Deputies Crowe, Lahart and Ahern for raising this important matter on behalf of their constituents. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the school project for Sancta Maria College, Ballyroan, Rathfarnham, County Dublin. The completion project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at stage 2b, architectural planning-detailed design. The brief is for a completion contract for refurbishment works and a sports hall, following termination of the original contract. The design team completed a stage 2b submission which is currently with the Department for review. The 105 projects prioritised to proceed to tender and-or construction in 2026 and 2027 represent a first tranche of large-scale extension and modular projects. However, further tranches will be prioritised to proceed at a later stage over what is a five-year national development plan, NDP, with a total investment of €7.55 billion. The projects selected for the initial tranche were already at stage 3, tender stage, and the most urgent projects at stage 2b, detailed design, that had planning permission. Projects not already at this stage of readiness were not eligible for consideration for the initial tranche. The stage 2b projects selected to progress were identified as meeting the most urgent requirements from a special education, demographics or building condition perspective. As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, a Department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027. This includes engagement with key stakeholders, and this has commenced recently. The Department-led energy and condition survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities. A next tranche of projects to proceed to tender is expected to be announced in 2027. Engagement with individual schools will also continue and will include the consideration of issues such as any interim accommodation requirements and, in some cases, advancing enabling works to facilitate smooth progress to construction at a later stage. It is important to note that the 105 projects on the initial NDP priority list represent a subset of the overall school building programme. In total, there are 260 to 300 projects under construction at any one time. Over the course of 2026, some 1,000 school projects of varying scales will be under construction. In addition to large-scale extension and modular projects, the projects include climate action projects, summer works and repurposing of rooms for special education classes. I will bring the specific point raised on behalf of the Deputies' constituents, and more particularly the pupils, staff, parents and wider community, to the attention of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, and her Department. I can see that this is something of great importance to the Deputies in their representational roles and particularly to the people they represent.

Sentiment score: 0.26

Once again, the completion of the building project for Sancta Maria College in Ballyroan is a very important matter. It is currently at stage 2B, architectural planning and detailed design. The brief is a completion contract for refurbishment works and a sports hall, following termination of the original contract. The design team completed a stage 2B submission, which is currently with the Department for review. As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, a Department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027. This includes engagement with key stakeholders, and this has commenced recently. The Department-led energy and condition survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities. A next tranche of projects to proceed to tender is expected to be announced in 2027. In the Deputies' follow-up questions, they requested a meeting with the Department. I will take that up with the Minister. I have no doubt that the three experienced politicians raising this matter will follow up with correspondence, directly with the Department and Minister, seeking such a meeting on behalf of their constituents to progress the school building project.

Sentiment score: 0.15