I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising this matter today. It is important to note that as Minister of State with responsibility for migration, I do not comment on individual immigrant investor programme applications. In general terms, I can inform Deputy Whitmore that my Department does not receive or hold funds at any stage in the IIP process, nor does it have any role in the administration of an approved project or investment fund. This is a private matter between a potential investor, or investors, and a potential project concerned. Approval of an application under the IIP is not an endorsement of a particular project. What it means is that the investor has been approved and the investment meets the objectives of the IIP. The applicant in the IIP process is the investor and not the project owner. The State has no responsibility for the performance of an investment under the programme. This is a matter for the project owner to ensure delivery of an approved project within the timeframe set out in its business plan. The immigrant investor programme was first introduced by the Irish Government in 2012, when the struggling Irish economy needed investment, to create business and employment opportunities in the State. The programme fulfilled its purpose, and changed circumstances means that such investment routes are no longer a good fit for Ireland, or the needs of a thriving economy and society. In recent years, I am aware that concerns have been generally expressed about the immigrant investment programme by the EU Commission, the Council of Europe and the OECD in a number of studies on border security, money laundering, tax evasion and circumvention of EU law, and that such programmes gave rise to issues of a broader public policy concern. While I am satisfied that the IIP was operated to the highest professional standards, the combination of these factors made it timely to close off the programme. The Government agreed to close the IIP to further applications from 15 February 2023. Only the project proposals currently on hand and, by default, the individual investor applications associated with them will be processed to completion. Appropriate arrangements have been put in place for the orderly winding down of the programme. Further information on this process is included in a detailed frequently asked questions document, which is available on the Department's immigration service website.
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If Deputy Whitmore is quoting Fine Gael Ministers it is very important that she does so correctly.
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To continue to answer Deputy Whitmore, I am aware that applicants and projects are anxious to receive a decision on their applications. I assure her that the IIP unit in the Department is committed to ensuring that all applications are examined on their own merits and endeavours to conclude decisions in a timely manner. The IIP unit continues to communicate with projects seeking to benefit from investments made in connection with IIP applications, and more specifically with regard to how the terms of the programme apply to their particular projects, while also monitoring all of the projects for delivery and compliance with the IIP. In the event there are serious issues of concern arising about the delivery of a project, necessary action will be taken, which may include reporting the matter to the relevant authorities, pausing the process for further investor applications associated with the project or withdrawing the approval given. Since the closure of the programme, project applications have continued to be submitted to the evaluation committee for consideration. The committee makes its determination as to whether a project is suitable for IIP investment. If deemed suitable, the project application will be submitted to the Minister for final approval. At present, there are approximately 100 IIP project proposals and 1,600 investor applications undergoing or awaiting consideration. Given the volume of applications on hand, therefore, it is expected it will take a number of years to process all of the remaining categories of application for final decision. I assure Deputy Whitmore the IIP unit in the Department is doing everything possible to progress the applications as quickly as possible.
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We will get it to Deputy Whitmore.
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity, on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth, to outline to the Dáil its current position on Scoil Chroí Naofa in Ballinasloe, County Galway. This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth’s construction programme which will be delivered under the national development plan, NDP, as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning — stage 2(b) detailed design - where the design team has secured all statutory applications and is preparing the suite of tender documents. The brief for the project is to provide a new 16-classroom primary school with additional classrooms for pupils with special educational needs. The stage 2(b) submission has been received in the Department for review by the multidisciplinary team, and this review is currently under way. On completion of stage 2(b) design, a meeting of all stakeholders will be organised. On completion of the review, the Department will advise the school authorities and their design team of the progression of the project, including comments for the design team's attention regarding the stage 2 (b) submission report.
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I will bring that back to the Minister on the Deputy's behalf. I know there were delays with this relating to a change to increase the number of classrooms, as well as proposals by the local authority to alter the road layout and access. This necessitated a new planning application, as I am sure the Deputy is well aware. The final grant of that planning permission for the project, as currently designed, was received from the local authority in September 2023. Under Project 2040, the Department of Education and Youth is investing well in excess of €5 billion during this period to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities. The Department of Education and Youth has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was again seen in 2023, notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment. Since 2020, the Department has invested in the region of €5.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of more than 1,350 school building projects. The Department continues to support the delivery of extensive schools infrastructure programme which incorporates best practice. I again thank Deputy Kerrane for raising the question and for giving me the opportunity on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy McEntee, to reassure her that the Department is conscious of the need to continue to support the operation of the school system and intends to provide clarity for individual schools mentioned by the Deputy and its school building project as quickly as possible.
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the position in relation to the Department of Education and Youth’s plans for upgrading school buildings, including CBS, New Ross, County Wexford. As the Deputy is aware, he school had an enrolment in 2024 of 413 pupils. This represents an increase of 4% in the past five years. The Department approved significant capital funding for the school under the additional school accommodation scheme in 2019. The approved project was for the provision of four general classrooms, one special education tuition room, one DCG room and one home economics room. This project was devolved to the school authorities for delivery and the project is currently at tender stage. The Department’s planning and building unit also received an application, in June 2017, from the school seeking capital funding for the provision of a PE hall. The school authority was informed in writing that it was not possible to consider the application at that time. However, approval was given to the school authorities in 2022 to include funding for master-planning the future build of a PE hall in conjunction with the 2019 project. Since 2020, the Department has invested more than €6 billion in schools throughout the country, involving the completion of more than 1,375 school building projects. Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department of Education and Youth are adding more than 610,000 sq. m of new and modernised capacity to our school estate. This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities across the country. The programme for Government recognises the importance of strong capital investment in the school building programme and supporting this with enhanced allocations through the NDP process. A future strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities. However, the main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the past decade and for the coming period is on the provision of critical additional capacity to cater for changing demographics and children with special educational needs. The Department manages the overall school building programme, ensuring that areas under the greatest pressure for additional school places are prioritised. This reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.
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I take the Deputy's remarks on board and will bring the issue to the attention of the Minister. As I outlined in my earlier contribution, a range of projects are being delivered across the school area. The priority is for the Department to ensure that there are places available for every student for the next school year. In the context of that and the points the Deputy has made, I will bring his views back to the Minister and make sure she is aware of them.
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I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for giving me the opportunity to reply to him on this issue. The Government is providing €325 million in 2025 for local authorities to buy second-hand properties, with a particular focus on the tenant in situ scheme, where tenants in receipt of HAP or RAS receive a notice of termination. While the clear focus of the Government must remain on increasing the supply of new-build social and affordable homes, a targeted social housing acquisition programme has been, and will continue to be, an important part of the policy response. The social housing acquisitions circular that issued to local authorities recently sets out the revised arrangements for second-hand social housing acquisitions in 2025. Under the revised arrangements for second-hand acquisitions in 2025 local authorities will receive a capital funding allocation for the acquisition of homes for the following priority categories: the tenant in situ scheme; elderly and disabled persons; exits from homelessness; and buy and renew acquisitions that tackle vacancy. The provision of a capital funding allocation will help to promote best practice in obtaining value for money and provide local authorities with the flexibility to respond to needs and priorities locally within the categories of need being prioritised. Despite coverage to the contrary, the eligibility criteria for the tenant in situ acquisitions in 2025 are not overly restrictive. The guidance is largely the same as what issued in June 2024 and is not substantially different to what was required in 2023. The Department asked local authorities, as it did in previous years, to ensure that they are responding to a valid notice of termination where there is a real risk of homelessness and to examine all options for the ongoing accommodation of the household before progressing as a last resort with an acquisition. The Department also asked that local authorities give priority to families with children, older persons or people with a disability who are at serious risk of homelessness. However, prioritising households should not be interpreted as excluding any household and the final decision on each individual acquisition rests, as it should, with the local authority. Since the introduction of the tenant in situ scheme in 2023, a significant number of homes have been acquired. In the period 2023 to 2024, more than 3,300 second-hand acquisitions have been completed, of which more than 2,100 have been tenant in situ acquisitions where tenants in receipt of HAP or RAS had received a notice of termination. The tenant in situ acquisitions programme was introduced by way of Government decision in 2023. The programme for Government commits to the continuation of tenant in situ acquisitions as an option for local authorities. Currently, there is a strong pipeline for second-hand social housing acquisitions, with more than 700 acquisitions in the pipeline. We have assured all local authorities of our continued support for their acquisitions activity. To the end of April, local authorities have only drawn down €65 million or 20% of the €325 million which has been allocated for second-hand acquisitions in 2025. I again thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this issue.
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I again thank Deputy O'Sullivan for his contribution. I appreciate the sincerity with which he has raised this issue. We are committed to responding positively to it. My understanding is that Cork City Council's allocation for second-hand acquisitions in 2025 is €20 million. At the end of April, it had drawn down €6.9 million or 34% of its allocation. The Cork County Council allocation for second-hand acquisitions in 2025 is €15 million and at the end of April it had drawn down €0.5 million or 3% of its allocation. The Government decision of 4 March 2025 decided on a total of €325 million for second-hand social housing acquisitions in 2025. The approach to funding allocations was a change from the approach taken in 2023 and 2024, when local authorities were issued with a guide number of acquisitions. The intent is to allow local authorities negotiate the acquisition costs with vendors and landlords and to achieve the best value for money. Each local authority has now received its individual allocation, with a total allocation of €35 million for Cork City Council and Cork County Council for 2025. For acquisitions where there is a tenant in situ, local authorities will assess the options available in each case and decide on the appropriate action. Prioritising vulnerable households for support under the scheme is important, but it does not mean excluding others. It will be a matter for local authorities to respond to local needs. I assure the Deputy that the Department of housing will continue to engage with local authorities on any challenges that have emerged, so as to ensure the tenant in situ acquisitions remain an option in 2025 where other solutions cannot be found.
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