No matter how often Deputy McDonald tries to misrepresent the reforms the Government announced last week in respect of the rental sector, it just will not cut it. There are very strong protections in the rent pressure zones, stronger than was the case previously, as a result of the reforms we are going to introduce. In particular, there is a cap of 2% for existing tenants and a cap tied to the CPI for future tenancies. First, there is a significant expansion of support by the State on the way for universities in regard to bespoke student accommodation. We will continue to support students. We have a variety of mechanisms to support students, and we do.
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I am sorry. Could the Deputy please repeat that?
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I thank the Deputy for raising this very serious and sensitive issue for the family concerned. I will ask the Minister for justice to deal directly with Deputy Bacik and with the family as well in respect of endeavouring to bring closure to this for all concerned and a resolution of the issues outstanding.
Sentiment score: 0.57
In the past two to three years, some fundamental decisions were taken, for example, to provide free access to school meals, which is something that was not there previously on the current scale. Free access to school books has had a significant positive impact on low-income families. The Deputy does not acknowledge that at all. The recent SILC report is concerning. I prioritised the reduction of child poverty for the next budget. We did take measures in regard to child support payments and gave the biggest increase ever in the last budget. We are looking at a range of measures to reduce child poverty in the forthcoming budget. We will see then.
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First of all-----
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Overall, the Irish people are very angry.
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We have taken action.
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Significant work has been undertaken in respect of endometriosis. It has been recognised as part of the work of the women's health task force. It was included in the women's health action plan 2024-2025. The previous Minister, Stephen Donnelly, did exceptional work on this issue. Regional hubs have been established in the Rotunda and Coombe hospitals, the National Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, and University Hospital Galway. Severe cases can be referred to two supra-regional specialist centres in Dublin and Cork and Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin. They provide multidisciplinary care. The Deputy is talking more about the primary care side in terms of clinical guidelines in conjunction with the national framework.
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I will discuss this with the Minister for Health. The Deputy has mentioned the GPs, negotiations and discussions. There can be a number of issues on that agenda but there should be a mechanism by which the clinical guidelines can be adopted, but I will leave that to the Minister to discuss with the various interested bodies and come back to the Deputy on it.
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I thank Deputy Dempsey very much for raising what is a very important point. If we look at our climate change objectives, I can see the logic of what she is advocating for. It might be difficult in terms of implementation. Navan does not yet have the rail line, although the Government is committed to it and work is under way. I will talk to the Minister involved and raise the point Deputy Dempsey has raised. I understand the motivation because Meath is a very significant county where a lot of people are commuting on a daily basis.
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. There are a range of grants out there now for vacant houses and for dereliction. They are quite substantial, and there are a lot of applicants. I know they may be more on the individual level. There is the town centre renewal programme. I think there is a town centre renewal officer in Kilcock. I know that the Minister will, obviously in the context of the forthcoming Estimates and budgetary considerations, look to see what more we can do, but there are existing schemes that towns and county councils do not seem to have been successful in transforming into real projects. The town renewal scheme and so on are not getting us the return. I will come back to the Deputy on it.
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The Government is essentially five months - close to six months - in office. This will require capital allocation and provision. We are working off the budget of last year in terms of the Estimates that were provided to every Department, so there are limits to what the Government can do in 2025 if one takes on board that substantial additional capital moneys were allocated to housing - up to €700 million - and substantial additional moneys were allocated to education in respect of new school projects. I will talk to the Minister for children in respect of the specific area Deputy Kerrane has identified.
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First, more generally, the Minister for rural affairs will be meeting the Gaelic Athletic Association in respect of the new rural future design programme. The GAA is having a huge impact the length and breadth of the country on many fronts. On the housing front, it is not fair to say that there is no focus on housing in rural Ireland. There is. The derelict grants and the vacant grants have been particularly used in rural Ireland to great effect. I have seen places myself. It was because I was walking through rural Ireland that I said to Darragh O'Brien in the last Government that we needed to develop such a derelict grant scheme, and it is having an impact. One can see it now in towns where houses have been refurbished and families have gone in to live in them. On the bigger issue, depending on different areas, I do not think there are any applications from rural Waterford in terms of affordable housing schemes, but the more general help to buy scheme-----
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All of those apply to rural Ireland. The first homes scheme applies to rural Ireland.
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. He is raising very legitimate concerns and I will ask the Minister for Transport to review this. I will also ask him to consult the Minister for justice in respect of any road traffic regulations and laws. I saw a situation yesterday evening. I could not believe my eyes. There were two guys on a scooter and a guy on a bike was hanging on to them to get propulsion on a main road, Baggot Street. I was saying to myself, "What is this about?" One could see the obvious safety concerns or safety implications and the dangers for someone driving behind them and so on. We are trying to be reasonable in terms of regulation and regulatory frameworks but there are limits. The Deputy is correct. If there is not a regulatory framework, these scooters will be abused and danger will result. There have been fatalities, one very recently, the Minister for justice has informed me, of a young person. We need to be very careful about all of this.
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First of all, I think about €3 billion is now being spent on medicines. I can clarify that. There is an ongoing issue, and there will be, because of the rapidity of discovery and new drugs coming onto the market. Ireland has a very significant pharmaceutical presence. I have engaged with most of the CEOs of the pharmaceutical companies in respect of tariffs, trade and so on and domestically, the European Public Health Alliance, EPHA, has made representations in respect of this, as have patients, particularly as regards rare diseases and orphan drugs. The Deputy, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan and others have been looking at this for quite a while. The process we have through the pharmaceutical centre, headed by Professor Michael Barry, is diligent and so on. We need to look at it in terms of rare drugs, rare diseases and orphan drugs in particular, and new discoveries as well.
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We should work to improve our timelines.
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I thank Deputy Smith for raising this issue. I know this is an issue close to his heart. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to all schools. Last year, the then Department of Education provided per capita grants to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. There are two grants: the capitation grant and the ancillary grant. Schools have flexibility to manage these grants as a combined fund. The current capitation rate for primary schools is €200 per pupil and the ancillary grant is €173. As part of last year's budget for 2025, the Department secured more than €30 million for a permanent increase in capitation funding. This represents a 12% increase on current standard enhanced rates and follows a 9% increase on budget 2024. From September this year, the new capitation rates will be €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per pupil in post-primary schools.
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This is an important point. In addition, the capitation grant payment in June 2025, which will be a balancing payment for the period of January to December, will include the new increased rates effective from September 2025.
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The Deputy can send that note to the Minister for housing and copy it to me, and I will talk to the Minister for housing in respect of it. The Deputy should try to take it up directly with him. I will alert him to the fact the Deputy has raised it.
Sentiment score: 0.26