I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality are committed to promoting safe and high-quality practices in areas of alternative care. The Child Care Act 1991 is the statutory framework for child welfare and protection in Ireland. The legislation places a statutory duty on Tusla to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. It sets the legislative provisions in respect of taking children into care and the responsibilities of the State in that regard, which aim to improve outcomes for looked-after children. Bringing a child into the care of the State is a serious matter and the Act prescribes the different mechanisms by which Tusla can take a child into care. Importantly, the Act sets out clear thresholds under which an application for a care order can be brought to allow for a child to be taken into the care of the State. Where Tusla is required to make an application for a care order, this application is made to the courts, which provides an additional layer of oversight in respect of the child. The welfare and best interests of the child remain paramount throughout the process. Parents are legally represented in such matters and children may be appointed a guardian ad litem to represent the voice of the child in the court setting. In respect of the role of birth parents who may come into contact with Tusla in respect of a child protection matter, Tusla aims to work with parents to create safety for children so they can live at home. Tusla interventions aim to be decisive, time-limited and goal-orientated to maintain children within their families of origin. Tusla works to reach agreement with the parents and their extended family about a safety goal for that child and to develop a safety plan containing steps to achieve safety for the child that is revisited at intervals over a prescribed timeline to evaluate whether the safety plan is working. This is called a "safety planning intervention". Parental assessments are carried out in every case where a child comes into care as Tusla must prove the threshold of harm was sufficient for the court to make a care order. Parents who feel aggrieved by their interactions with Tusla, including those related to the decision-making process around State care, have access to formal complaints processes. In respect of complaint management across all services, Tusla strives to resolve all complaints via prompt local resolution, in the first instance, and to proceed with an investigation if a local resolution is not possible. In the case of Patrick, which the Deputy has raised, I am obviously not aware of the details. The Deputy, of course, is aware of the details and has referred to some of them. All I can do now is advise and encourage him to write to the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, and the Minister for children, Deputy Foley, outlining the details and knowledge of the extent of the case he has raised. I am sure they will have the matter examined appropriately.

Sentiment score: 0.46

To be clear, the Deputy has told me that he has already written to the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and the Minister, Deputy Foley, with regard to this. Arising from today, I will speak to the relevant officials within our Department, and I will ensure that the correspondence and communication the Deputy has sent to the Department via the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan's office, is acted on promptly and that he is reverted to with its view with regard to it.

Sentiment score: 0.38

That is fine.

Sentiment score: 0.20

I thank Deputy Ward for raising this important issue. I also wish to extend the apologies of the Minister for State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Naughton, for being unable to attend today. She is currently on a delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina on behalf of the Government to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. The Minister of State has also asked that her sincere sympathies and condolences are extended to the Browne family following the passing of their beloved Jacqui. Jacqui was a very valued chair of the disabled persons' organisations network, and she played a key role in contributing to many disability policies and initiatives, including the forthcoming national disability strategy. The Government is committed to supporting people affected by thalidomide with health and personal social services. In July last year, the Government announced an enhanced package supports, which was co-designed with survivors. Enhanced healthcare, social care and independent living supports are currently available. Also, in April 2024, the national thalidomide advocacy office was established. This office was set up to liaise with thalidomide survivors and assist them to access supports towards their ongoing health and personal social service needs. The support provided is on a one-to-one basis, tailored to the specific needs of the person and in response to contact received from survivors. It includes identifying and liaising with the relevant HSE personnel and other agencies to ensure the required services are provided. Each survivor is also eligible for a medical card on an administrative basis, regardless of means, in addition to aids and appliances, equipment, housing adaptations and access to a full range of primary care, hospital and personal social services.

Sentiment score: 0.45

As previously referenced, in July 2024 an enhanced package for health and social care supports for thalidomide survivors was announced. That included prioritised and simplified access to local health and social care professionals, access to therapies, both clinical and holistic, independent living supports to include housing adaptations, car adaptations and home supports, annual health assessments and a free travel pass. As the Deputy will be aware, there is a thalidomide resolution process under way facilitated by Judge Paul Gilligan. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on that process at this time. Separately, the German Grünenthal Foundation has confirmed that since 2013 it has accepted applications from individuals for compensation for thalidomide-related injury. It is open to any Irish person to apply to the foundation for assessment of their disability as being attributable to thalidomide. Additionally any Irish person who establishes that their injury is attributable to thalidomide will continue to be offered appropriate supports by the Government commensurate with those currently provided to Irish thalidomide survivors. Support for this assessment process is available for anybody who wishes to be assessed. The Deputy also raised a proper acknowledgement and apology and the process taking too long and the lack of compensation. I will convey the sentiments he raised here with both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

Sentiment score: 0.16

As we know, the problem of disinformation is not a new one. What is new is how easily mistruths can be produced, how sophisticated and convincing they are, and how it can be amplified and circulated at astonishing speed. According to the Digital News Report 2025 published just last month, 68% of people said that they are concerned about what is real and what is fake online. This is clear evidence of how important it is to counter disinformation. The Future of Media Commission recognised this in its 2022 report and recommended that Ireland develop a national counter disinformation strategy to co-ordinate national efforts in the fight against disinformation, with the intention of limiting the creation and spreading of false, misleading and harmful material. Disinformation is a serious challenge that requires whole-of-society response, the importance of which was recognised during the development of the national counter disinformation strategy. An independently chaired multistakeholder working group was established in February 2023 to develop the strategy and it was published on 17 April this year. At national level, Ireland is already using a range of approaches to counter disinformation. The strategy aims to connect key stakeholders across multiple sectors, facilitating enhanced co-operation and collaboration in our efforts to counter disinformation. The strategy highlights education in particular as having an important role in giving people the skills to recognise false material and help to prevent its dissemination. Media and digital literacy initiatives should be seen alongside the promotion of public interest information in this regard. Crucially, the provision of media literacy education for everyone in our society will help to ensure that we are collectively resilient to the threats posed by this kind of manipulation to our democracy. One such example is the Be Media Smart campaign led by Media Literacy Ireland, which encourages people to stop, think and check that the information they are consuming is reliable. The Sound and Vision 4 scheme is a notable source of funding for media literacy initiatives across television and radio. A total of €7 million has been awarded under the scheme so far this year for television and radio projects, with media literacy initiatives featuring amongst the funded projects. These range from documentaries about misinformation to local programming Irish-language programmes that set out to boost media literacy skills. Some notable examples include Beat 102-103 Digital Media and You; Virgin Media Television’s "Borders & Lies"; TG4’s "Am Abú"; and Newstalk’s "Ctrl Shift Save - Life in a Digital Age". Further funding awards under the Sound and Vision 4 scheme will be announced by Coimisiún na Meán in August 2025. I look forward to seeing those projects that are to be awarded coming to fruition. In addition, the programme for Government commits the Government to funding the strategy. The Department of Communications, Culture and Sport is developing proposals around this, including commitments in the strategy to media literacy as part of the Estimates process and subject to the availability of resources. While media literacy is a vital component in our fight to counter disinformation, it must be acknowledged that as a whole-of-government and whole-of-society challenge, there are other ways to counter disinformation. For example, enhanced regulation, which places obligations on online platforms to minimise the availability of harmful and illegal content, including disinformation, is highlighted in the strategy. Coimisiún na Meán is at the heart of Ireland's online safety framework. Comprising the Digital Services Act, the Online Safety Media Regulation Act and the terrorist content online content regulation, the online safety framework has an important part to play when it comes to countering disinformation.

Sentiment score: 0.20

As I set out, the national counter disinformation strategy explores the challenge of disinformation in Ireland, its harmful effects on society and its complexity as a policy issue. It is important to state that it is not the role of our Government or, indeed, any regulator to decide on individual instances of disinformation. As mentioned, one of the fundamental aims of the strategy is to promote resilience in people to support media literacy and high-quality journalism to help people to make their own decisions about what is or is not disinformation. Having published a strategy in April, we are moving to implementation. A steering committee has been established and had its first meeting on 20 June. Actions are being progressed which support the commitments in the strategy.

Sentiment score: 0.26

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position regarding the major building project for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire in Parnell Square. The Minister and the Department of Education and Youth are fully committed to delivering a new school building for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire as quickly as possible. Department officials are in regular contact with the school authorities, meeting approximately every six weeks or more frequently when required. The Minister and her Department are committed to continuing this support for the school. This project is included in the Department's construction programme and is being delivered under the national development plan as part of Project Ireland 2040. A number of issues arose on site at the outset, which is not unusual given the nature of a brownfield city centre site, but this led to a delay. While all parties actively engaged to discuss and resolve the issues and to reduce any risk to the programme, these unforeseen matters did lead to a delay. In response to issues on the site, the Department sanctioned the appointment of a project manager on the project, who has engaged with the design team and contractor to minimise project delays on the programme and ensure clear lines of communication were in operation. The appointed project manager developed various proposals and strategies to remedy any issues impacting the programme, realigning the full project team roles and agreeing the project delivery timelines and goals. Good progress was initially made following the project manager’s intervention in the summer of 2024 to the end of the year, with significant visible progress being made on the structure. However, since Christmas the project issues have intensified. The Department has had ongoing engagement with the contractor and the design team to resolve these issues. As a result, the Department entered into a conciliation hearing to try to reach agreement on a solution to ensure the earliest possible delivery of the school while respecting its statutory obligations. In accordance with standard practice and contractual requirements, the conciliation process is of a confidential nature. A temporary pause on works under the suspension of works provisions of the contract provided an opportunity to consider outcomes from the conciliation process. A notice of suspension of works was communicated to the contractor on 23 May 2025 in accordance with the provisions of the contract. During the suspension, the Department carefully considered the best way to deliver a school building while also respecting its statutory obligations. A notice of termination was issued under the contract on 1 July 2025 following careful consideration of the need to ensure compliance with those statutory obligations. Department officials will continue to work closely with the school principal and board of management. As an interim measure, the Department is providing accommodation more suitable to the current needs of the school nearby on Cathal Brugha Street. I am informed the school has provided information to parents recently about these next steps for the school. Some small-scale refurbishment works at the building will provide a good interim accommodation solution for the school and include teaching and learning spaces for all the classes, education support and sensory spaces, adequate meeting and office spaces, a staff room, a communal area and access to a safe outdoor space for students. It is anticipated the school will move into the new premises after the October 2025 mid-term break. The Minister and the Department are fully committed to delivering a school building for this school as soon as possible.

Sentiment score: 0.35

To recap, the project brief was for a large-scale capital project, namely the construction of a 16-classroom primary school consisting of a four-storey, 13-classroom block with ancillary rooms facing Dominick Street, a five-storey block with administration, services, library and resource rooms on the corner of Dominick Place and Dominick Street, an elevated first floor bridge block containing three classrooms facing Dominick Place and a general purpose hall with a basement for services to the rear of the site at Granby Row. The site is an area of archaeological interest and abuts a protected structure owned and occupied by Youth Work Ireland. That was the project brief, as the Deputy knows. It sounds like a very complex build. As I said, a number of issues arose on site at the outset, which is not unusual given the nature of the brownfield site. These included several services on-site, including electrical lines and services related to the adjacent Luas line which were not apparent until excavation began. There was also an issue with the foundations of an adjoining protected building that required careful consideration. While all parties actively engaged to discuss and resolve the issues and reduce the risk to the programme, these unforeseen matters delayed it, as the Deputy knows. It is now prudent to plan on the basis the provision of the new school building will be unavoidably delayed. However, the Department is assessing all options open to it to expedite the delivery of the new school building, as I have previously outlined, and it is in regular contact with the school authorities. I will convey the Deputy’s sentiments. He has raised it, he has articulated it very well and I understand. We all deal with school issues and they are very important for the children and the entire school community. It is hugely important to them and I understand that. It is not unique; it happens all over the country. That is not diminishing the importance of this case. I will convey the Deputy’s frustration and that of the community.

Sentiment score: 0.09

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy McEntee, recently announced €35 million in funding to support digital learning in schools. A total of €35 million in grant funding for information and communications technology has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. Through the ICT grant and the minor works grant schemes, schools are directly funded for their ICT infrastructure. Schools have autonomy to determine which infrastructure to implement, including software and devices such as tablets, in accordance with their digital learning plans. The funding can also be used to provide loan schemes for devices, as needed. The ICT grant funding is being provided to schools to help them to continue to embed the use of digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment. This is the third tranche of ICT funding under the digital strategy for schools to 2027. The funding issues as a lump sum per school, plus a per capita amount, with an enhanced per capita rate for students enrolled in DEIS and special schools and to pupils in mainstream special class primary settings. Using this model of funding, all schools are treated fairly and transparently and are allocated an amount per student. Schools, in conjunction with parents, are responsible for decisions on the use of digital technology, including tablet devices, laptops and learning platforms, and how best to manage their integration into classroom practice, reflective of their own context and requirements. Under the Education Act, boards of management have responsibility for the day-to-day management of schools. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology is therefore a matter for the board of management of each school in the context of their digital learning planning. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community, including parents, when planning for the introduction of digital technologies. This includes devices with cost and other implications being fully considered by the board of management before a decision is made. The Oide technology in education division within the Department of Education and Youth provides a support service for teachers specialising in digital technology in teaching and learning. It offers advice and supports to schools on digital learning. Advice sheets are available on digital technology in education, including on the adoption of laptops and tablets in schools. The digital strategy for schools to 2027, and its associated implementation plan, is underpinned by funding of €200 million over the course of the strategy, as committed to under the national development plan. The funding allocation model is provided for in the NDP and commits to funding issuing over the period of the plan, to be applied by the Department for the digital strategy duration, which is to 2027 for the current strategy. Including the most recent grant, a total of €135 million of the €200 million committed to in the NDP for the strategy has issued to schools through the ICT grant. While the NDP commitment did not guarantee a specific amount in each year, it is anticipated that issuing €35 million in 2025 will enable the balance of €65 million to issue to schools over the remaining years of the current strategy to 2027. This funding demonstrates the Government's ongoing commitment to supporting and enabling schools to ensure the continued embedding of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment.

Sentiment score: 0.29

The Government recognises that back-to-school costs each September can place real financial pressure on families. The Department of Education and Youth is keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators and parents in regard to these costs. To help address this, schools are expected to follow guidance from the Department, which includes using school uniform items that are generic and affordable and regularly consulting with parents on ways to reduce costs. Schools should also provide a full list of required items with guidance on best-value options. A number of measures are in place to support educators and parents as part of the Department's ongoing commitment to reduce financial pressure on families and ensure every student is supported to succeed. A circular letter issued to schools in 2017 with measures to be adopted to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs, including of ICT devices. The circular also instructed schools to consult with parents and their school community on ensuring costs are reasonable and how to avoid cost acting as a barrier. The circular specified that, wherever possible, generic rather than branded items should be specified, for example, uniforms, clothing, tablet devices and sports equipment. It provided that schools should also consult with parents regarding their views and suggestions on cost reduction initiatives. Schools should provide parents with a list of all required items and their likely cost at best-value stores. Where an exclusive supplier arrangement applies, it should be reviewed regularly and tendered in accordance with the procurement requirements. To further assist schools, the Office of Government Procurement, HEAnet and the Department of Education and Youth have established a framework of providers of digital services, including tablets, PCs and laptops, with appropriate specifications, agreed pricing and levels of service, as well as providing framework management. Schools are encouraged to avail of these frameworks, which will enable them to comply with procurement requirements and achieve agreed transparent pricing.

Sentiment score: 0.19