The Deputy is completely ignoring what is after happening over the last number of years. Childcare investment has quadrupled from €260 million in 2015 to €1.37 billion in 2025. This is significant State investment in childcare, along with the affordability supports that underpin it. The Minister, Deputy Foley, is ambitious to continue to do more to support parents with the affordability of childcare. It is unfair to dismiss many small and medium enterprises that provide a really important service in the communities we represent in west Dublin or elsewhere.
Sentiment score: 0.12
The Deputy dismissed them in how she described them. They provide a really important part of supports for childcare across communities in this country. They also need to be supported in how we manage the budget process.
Sentiment score: 0.29
I thank Deputy Collins. The Government and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, are committed to continuing support for the islands. This is reflected in his submission to me as part of the national development plan but also in advance of budget 2026. I do not have specific detail relating to the individual allocations for the different islands the Deputy referred to but I will ask the Minister to revert to the Deputy directly. I know the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, has been similarly reflecting the need to support Bere Island.
Sentiment score: 0.27
Since 2015, the population has been growing significantly and we have had a clear policy intent to support increased provision of public services in health, education and disability services. Part of the work we are doing as part of the medium-term expenditure framework is assessing what the appropriate number is in for the medium term in the context of the pay and numbers strategy, and what the envelope will be to fulfil that need. Separate from that piece of work, there is a need to drive and focus on outputs and delivery across public services, which is something we are all centrally focused on. The Deputy referenced that IFAC has pointed out potential overspends this year. Some of the interventions we have made are on education, for example, with respect to the increased demand, provision and need in special education, and also additional supports around social and affordable housing, which is a pressing need, as we know, across communities. How we calibrate and assess the broader medium-term need of pay and numbers will be an important decision as part of our medium-term expenditure strategy.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I thank the Deputy. A number of road safety interventions have been made and are being made to the N81. Funding of €400,000 has been provided for realignment of the section near Stratford-on-Slaney and technical advisers have also been appointed to develop this scheme through a planning application. Funding has also been allocated to provide for traffic calming measures on the N81 adjacent to Hollywood village as well as for smaller safety interventions at Blessington and Baltinglass. When it comes to the national development plan and the prioritisation of roads projects on which the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will engage, we are clear that we want to see many of the roads projects in the NDP, which are important across our country, advance. The Minister will have to revert to the Deputy directly regarding the N81. However, it is important that we continue to support the measures being taken around the existing road and the road safety interventions which will make a difference.
Sentiment score: 0.44
I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue. I will start by acknowledging the bravery of so many victims of domestic and gender-based violence in speaking out. These voices are a stark reminder that although improvements have been made, we need to keep the momentum going to achieve our objective of zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This topic was discussed at the North-South Ministerial Council and is obviously an issue reflected throughout our island. There have been significant increases in funding, which has tripled since 2020. With the establishment of Cuan, we want to continue to build momentum. There will be an additional 80 refuge spaces by 2026. We are happy to work with the Deputy in driving that in the coming period.
Sentiment score: 0.09
I thank the Deputy. I am not sure whether he was here during Leaders' Questions when I responded to many of the Deputies who raised this issue. What has been stated up to this point is that the one-off temporary measures taken in the past 12 months are not continuing in the context of budget 2026. However, there will be a real focus on affordability of public services in education, childcare and healthcare. That is something many Government Ministers want to prioritise. In the aftermath of the summer economic statement, we absolutely acknowledge the need to support students and those in an education setting, whether at primary or third level. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, will engage in that as part of the budget process. We have to respect the budget process in advance of it actually occurring. We are due to commence that over the coming weeks. We will be able to set out on budget day what decisions we will take for budget 2026.
Sentiment score: 0.14
This issue obviously involves specific, individual circumstances which relate to the Ministers for foreign affairs and justice. I can ask the Ministers to respond to the Deputy as appropriate.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Many others have raised it and as I have said to others, this is a matter for budget 2026. We will engage with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, in that context. All measures and priorities are reflected in the budgetary discussions that the Government will undertake in advance of budget 2026. The same applies to the issue the Deputy has raised, as it does to many of the other priorities reflected across this House. The parameters we will set in July will outline what is possible for 2026. That is how the Government will proceed over the next period of weeks.
Sentiment score: 0.10
I thank the Deputy. As she knows, this issue is regulated by the Irish Aviation Authority in the context of the EU legislative framework that exists for drones. I know the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is working on finalising the draft policy framework and expects it to be published this summer. There was previous consultation on the framework and extensive work has been carried out in the aviation division of the Department of Transport. That is the latest position I have been given relating to the publication of policy.
Sentiment score: 0.09
I thank the Deputy. I know and understand some of what is being said around Letterkenny and surgical capacity for the north-west region. The Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has been engaging with the Deputy and other representatives of the north west in the context of the surgical demand that is there. She is engaging in that process in good faith. Over the coming period, we will set out the future plans around surgical capacity for the north west, where there is significant demand. She is listening to the community and the clinicians. She will continue that process over the coming period and will then set out her plans in the context of the capital provision over the medium term.
Sentiment score: 0.21