I thank Deputy Cummins. The Deputy's first Topical Issue was extremely well delivered. The Deputy may have answered the question in her own statement but we will get to that later. I appreciate the comments and I will feed back a lot of that. On the provision of multidenominational education, the Government is committed to increasing the provision of education in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities. Work is under way in the Department, by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to deliver on this objective. Since 2011, new arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by the Department. The new criterion for new school entities ensures that all new schools are co-educational, but ethos is determined during the patronage process. These arrangements give an opportunity to patrons to apply for the patronage of new schools. The criteria used in deciding on the patronage of new schools place a particular emphasis on parental preference and language preferences and an analysis of existing provision in the areas where the schools are being established. This approach is underpinned by a 2011 Government decision. The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth, as the resources available for school infrastructure must be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase to ensure that every child has a school place. Based on demographic analysis undertaken, it is deemed that there is not a sufficient unmet demand in Dublin 8 to establish a new school at present and that increasing demographics can be met from within existing schools. Requirements for school places will be kept under ongoing review in this region and across the country. Separately, the schools reconfiguration for diversity process, supporting transfers of schools to multidenominational patrons in response to the wishes of local communities, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multidenominational schools. When a school transfers from the patronage of one patron to another, the school remains open with the same roll number and operating from the same school property. All State-funded primary schools follow a common national curriculum and are subject to the same Department rules and regulations. Given the importance of increasing choice for parents, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, intends to launch a survey of primary school communities shortly. This survey will ensure we have a greater picture as to what our plans need to be into the future. It is planned that the survey will ask parents for their preferences on important aspects of school provision and choice, including demand for a multidenominational ethos. The results of the survey will help us plan how we provide education at primary level into the future. Further details regarding the survey will be announced in due course. I realise this may not be the answer Deputy Cummins is looking for. According to the Department’s statistics and its analysis of the area, it feels there are no unmet needs in the Dublin 8 area but it has also given a chink of light, in that the matter is under review. I have outlined the other process where a school can be transferred to multidenominational management if there is a will and desire among the parents in the school community to do that. I can get the Deputy more details on that process if necessary.

Sentiment score: 0.20

The Deputy has asked some questions that I will endeavour to get answers to, namely, how long the survey and the process of reconfiguration will take. On the unmet needs in Dublin 8, I assume it does not take into account whether there is a desire to have multidenominational education or under different patronage. We can find that out. The approach is that, if capacity of any type can be met within any of the existing schools, the Department will favour that route. I take the Deputy’s point about the other areas not far from Dublin 8 where they have managed to establish multidenominational schools. She mentioned Harold's Cross and other examples. I will ask how those decisions came to be and how recent was the analysis that decided there was no unmet need in Dublin 8. As the Deputy noted, there is a lot of building in the Dublin 8 area. It is becoming a very popular place to live and it is a fantastic area, so we may see the population trending in a certain direction that may require the need to investigate this further. I have taken note of those questions and will take them back.

Sentiment score: 0.14

I thank Deputy Wall for raising this issue. Clearly he is in touch with the community there and is aware of the anguish that this type of move causes, the anxiety not just among the residents and their families but the community too, as people are worried about the future of residents. I wish to assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to ensure that proper care is given and that they are accommodated. The new programme for Government has highlighted the importance of our community services for older people, which assist them to remain independent and live in their own homes with dignity and independence for as long as possible. Many older people living at home rely on the services they receive through day centres and the outreach those centres provide, which often includes meals on wheels services. Allenwood daycare centre is a HSE-funded service in Kildare that was managed and operated by the St. Vincent de Paul through a service level arrangement for daycare and meals on wheels services in Allenwood and the surrounding area. As a private, voluntary organisation, decisions about the closure of the service and the employment of staff rest with St. Vincent de Paul. In December 2024, St. Vincent de Paul issued a temporary notice of closure to the people who use this service and notified the HSE older persons services accordingly. The HSE reported that there were 34 active service users at the time when the closure was notified. HSE older persons services contacted all the people affected by this closure, offering them an alternative daycare place from 28 January. On 4 March 2025, the HSE received formal written notice from St. Vincent de Paul that the Allenwood daycare service would remain closed permanently and would cease provision of meals on wheels from 28 March 2025. St. Vincent de Paul has advised the HSE that it has notified all services users of these closures. The HSE sourced alternative daycare places for service users of the Allenwood daycare service in the St. Conleth’s daycare centre in Kildare town. The HSE is providing transport for the service users four days per week, from Monday to Thursday. Some 18 clients have agreed to be referred to the St. Conleth’s daycare centre and 13 clients have confirmed start dates. As the Deputy has mentioned, five have declined attending this alternative daycare for the moment. Additionally, a new meals on wheels provider has been sourced and will commence this service on 1 April 2025. All meals on wheels service users have been contacted by the HSE to advise them of this. The HSE is seeking an alternative daycare provider for the Allenwood daycare service and, in the longer term, it is planned that the day service will move to Kilmeague health care centre. Refurbishment works are under way currently and are expected to be completed by June 2025. In the meantime, it is essential that all of the people who relied on this service continue to be provided with reasonable alternatives. I totally appreciate the concern the Deputy has highlighted here, the concerns that have been expressed on local radio. There is a few months of a gap between now and June, when they hope the new centre in Kilmeague will be open. I will endeavour to bring that message clearly back to the Department to ensure that the opening of the new centre at Kilmeague happens as soon as possible, and that everybody is accommodated in the best way possible.

Sentiment score: 0.18

I presume when the Deputy says a service provider has visited the site, it is the site of the old centre which St. Vincent de Paul has given notice it is closing. I appreciate that and will get clarification on whether it is something that can happen. I will certainly ask the question. The Deputy also asked whether the Minister might be able to visit the community there. Certainly I can see how that would be a helpful exercise. I will ensure that the Minister gets that request and can reply. Right across Ireland, communities have unfortunately experienced this issue where a daycare centre is closed for whatever reason. It is mainly in situations where they are not run directly by the HSE but perhaps by private or voluntary organisations. It causes hurt, devastation and a lot of uncertainty for families and the residents in question. I take the Deputy's point about three months being a long time for someone who is older. Loneliness is a big issue. The Deputy has made three simple requests and I will endeavour to get answers on them.

Sentiment score: 0.01

I thank Deputy Stanley. He has highlighted well the challenges they face in Rathdowney fire station. It sounds like they have a fantastic crew and great equipment but they need a new building. The first half of my response will be focused on Stradbally. The Deputy will be wondering why the hell I am focusing on Stradbally, but I will put it in context in the second half of the response, if that is okay. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for equipment and priority infrastructural projects. Project consideration stages from a Department perspective include submission of preliminary and detailed appraisals; submission of design brief; selection of a site; application for approval in principle; appointment of design consultants; submission of a preliminary design; planning application; submission of a preliminary cost plan, detailed design and cost plans; and tender process and construction stages, with each step subject to approval from the Department. The Deputy will have known all this already. In December 2020, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, announced the fire services capital plan for the period 2021 to 2025, with a funding allocation of €61 million. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of proposals for station works, etc., were received. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of the area risk categorisation of the fire station, established health and safety needs, state of development of the project, value for money offered by the proposal, and the totality of requests from all authorities. At that time, Laois County Council had indicated a new fire station at Stradbally to be its number one priority, with the replacement of Rathdowney fire station as its second priority going forward. While the Stradbally fire station project was not initially included in my Department's Fire Services Capital Programme 2021-2025; all projects in the capital programme may be reassessed annually to maximise available capital programme funding, and priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value for money and to take account the state of readiness of the projects, based on ongoing engagement with local authorities in respect of prioritisation. Subsequently, following reappraisal, approval in principle for a new fire station at Stradbally was conveyed to the council in November 2022. The council approved the tender for design consultants for the project in March 2023 and in February of this year, the council was approved to tender for the construction phase of the Stradbally fire station project. My Department officials are working with Laois County Council to progress a new Stradbally fire station in 2025. That is the situation in Stradbally. In the second half of my response, I will go on to highlight where we are in terms of Rathdowney.

Sentiment score: 0.14

I outlined Stradbally because it is now earmarked for being delivered in 2025, which very much opens the way now for Rathdowney.

Sentiment score: 0.00

In December 2024, Laois County Council submitted an updated preliminary appraisal for a proposed new fire station at Rathdowney, noting several issues with the existing station, including, as the Deputy highlighted, the accessibility of the site for responding firefighters due to its central location on a narrow street within Rathdowney, the station's limited size and poor layout and the limited welfare facilities, particularly in the context, following the August 2023 Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, agreement with retained firefighters, of the increase to 12 in optimal crew numbers at fire stations. The Deputy also made a point with regard to female firefighters and the difficulty and lack of facilities in that regard. Laois County Council has indicated a new fire station for Rathdowney to be its number one priority project for the fire services capital programme 2026 to 2030, which I think the Deputy will accept is good news. The council has secured a new site, which I am hoping is the one the Deputy referenced, and this new site it regards as ideally situated with regard to the road network and traffic flow while retaining a central location close to the retained crews' living and working environments. My Department will be identifying new priority fire service infrastructural projects for 2026 to 2030 in the coming months. Officials from my Department will work closely with county councils to progress their identified priority infrastructural projects within the context of the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide for capital funding. The good news is that this is Laois County Council's new priority. We will work closely with it in identifying the need. Clearly, it is its number one need now. The Deputy has indicated and the council has indicated that a site has been identified. I totally appreciate the Deputy's point and think this copy and paste approach could serve us well in a lot of areas, not just building fire stations. I appreciate there is a design and plan done. I am not sure and cannot see right now whether that can circumvent the different terms of the different stages, but I can certainly talk to the Department about whether that will help to progress it faster.

Sentiment score: 0.21

I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue. I know that in his term in the Dáil and prior to that as a councillor, he has very much been an advocate for community hospitals in Kerry, in particular the West Kerry Community Hospital. We know how important the community hospitals are. They are fantastic in the level of care and service that their patients and residents get. We need to protect them but we also need to ensure that they are working at full capacity. I hope that I can answer that question as best I can. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for older people, Kieran O’Donnell. West Kerry Community Hospital provides important and valued services for the people in the west Kerry area. The Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell, understands the significant role that the hospital plays in the community and the depth of feeling associated with the facility. West Kerry Community Hospital is registered to accommodate a maximum of 46 residents and provides long-term care, respite, convalescence and palliative care. There are currently 42 beds open in West Kerry Community Hospital, comprising 35 long-stay beds and seven short-stay beds. All of these beds are currently occupied. West Kerry Community Hospital cannot admit any more residents at this present time, as the opening of additional beds is dependent on safe staffing levels, as the Deputy has quite rightly pointed out. West Kerry Community Hospital, in common with other health facilities, particularly in rural areas, can experience staffing shortages for a variety of reasons. However, the HSE constantly endeavours to mitigate staff deficits and ensure that safe staffing levels are maintained. I assure the Deputy that the current care ratio in West Kerry Community Hospital is consistent with that of all community hospitals and community nursing units across the country. There are currently a number of nursing and health care assistant vacancies in West Kerry Community Hospital and every effort is being made to fill these. HSE south west has progressed numerous recruitment initiatives at national and international levels to fill these positions. These campaigns have been progressed against the background of a limited pool of available candidates, which is reflected in the global recruitment challenges being experienced. In October 2024, West Kerry Community Hospital was approved to fill 4.3 WTE nursing posts. To date, one candidate has been recruited with a start date of April 2025. Once the full complement of staff has been recruited, the HSE will be in a position to open the remaining beds. The HSE is working to provide additional beds at West Kerry Community Hospital so that the hospital can provide an enhanced service for the local community. However, as I have already outlined, plans to increase capacity are dependent on appropriate staffing levels being in place and the outcome of ongoing recruitment campaigns. Officials from the Department of Health will continue to monitor the situation and to provide updates to the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell. The Minister of State remains committed to working alongside the HSE to address all concerns in respect of the residential care for older persons in west Kerry, now and for the coming years. As Deputy Cahill quite rightly highlighted, a five-hour return journey to visit a loved one is not acceptable. It is something that should expedite the drive to recruit extra staff so that West Kerry Community Hospital can work at capacity. The Deputy also made a relevant point on the Irish language factor. Being in a Gaeltacht area, there should be an expectation that patients be among other Irish language speakers. My apologies, as I nearly had a slip of the tongue and said "west Cork" a few times. Deputy Cahill will have to forgive me for that.

Sentiment score: 0.27

I thank Deputy Cahill again. There are 46 beds registered in West Kerry Community Hospital, 42 of which are currently open and occupied. West Kerry Community Hospital cannot admit more residents at present, as the opening of additional beds is dependent on staffing levels. West Kerry Community Hospital has experienced some difficulties with staff shortages, but all efforts are being made on a continuous basis to ensure safe staffing levels are in place to maximise the residential care capacity in the facility. Once the full complement of staff has been recruited in West Kerry Community Hospital, the HSE will be in a position to open the remaining beds. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and the HSE are committed to maximising all available services for older people in the Kerry region. The HSE continuously reviews its services in line with population, health planning and Sláintecare principles to ensure that adequate and appropriate residential care services are available to older people in the region. I will bring Deputy Cahill's specific requests to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and I will point out that a similar reply to this one was issued in January 12 months ago and that we need to see more progress. I will be asking him that every single effort be made. There are positions to be filled. I appreciate that there is a difficulty in recruiting, and that is a global issue, but the people of west Kerry deserve better. They deserve a hospital that is working at full capacity. The level of care being provided in community hospitals the length and breadth of the country is extraordinary. I am sure it is the same in West Kerry Community Hospital, so it is important that a solution be found. I thank the Deputy again for bring this issue up and for speaking on behalf of the people of Kerry.

Sentiment score: 0.32