I thank Deputy Doherty for his question on an area which is very close to the concern of the Government, which is energy affordability in our country and the ability of households to pay. Something the Government keeps a very close track of is those who are in arrears for 90 days. It is a critical component that shows stress over a period of time. I want to outline what the Government is doing to really reduce costs at the kitchen table, as the Deputy put it. First of all, we came forward with a record level in an EU context per capita of intervention to support families across the country. We are supporting families with the cost of fuel, which is very significant for those who are commuting to work, families who are working and families who are trying to heat their homes, by reducing excise duties across all components with a €16 reduction in petrol per fill and a €19 reduction in diesel. Also, looking at the logistics and how food is produced to reduce the cost of groceries on the shelves for consumers, we have done a huge package for agriculture in terms of production and in haulage, with a 60% increase in the diesel rebate scheme, again underwriting the cost to the housewife, the homemaker and the person in the home to ensure they get that key support. There are a few areas I also want to comment on in relation to how we get energy independence and reduce the cost to the family. At this point we have 258,000 homes that have been through energy improvements. We have fully-funded 32,700 under the warmer homes scheme. That is 32,700 families across the country who have had that support. We have brought forward 18,000 heat pumps, again to support people - and using money raised by the State. We have about €558 million of the €640 million through those schemes through the SEA to target the most vulnerable in society. I note when Deputy Doherty brought forward his party's proposals earlier this year in a motion he left out the fuel allowance, meaning no recompense to support the most vulnerable people in a targeted way, which is key and absolutely needed. The Government's position is very clear. We stood up the national affordability task force to look at affordability right across the economy to the household and particularly to the most vulnerable. That report will be published in advance of consideration for the budget. We will be looking, through that report, at energy prices in the first instance and second at addressing energy poverty and consumer protections - which are very important - as well as energy affordability. I ask people who are struggling to first of all engage with their supplier. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been very clear in meeting all the energy companies and working with them to ensure people are not cut off, people who engage with them, and to support people. We will obviously be coming forward as a Government, collectively, with other measures in the context of the next budget. As Deputies have seen in previous budgets, we were agile. We reacted before the calendar turned and supported families right across the economy and supported the most vulnerable, which is key, through our targeted measures in the current budget, which are still being utilised and are supporting families as we speak. It is key we ensure we continue to support families. We will be doing that through evidence-based initiatives, through our national affordability task force and through supporting customers who are in arrears. I would also say to people who are in trouble that they should reach out to our Department of Social Protection, which has a range of supports, including the additional needs payment, and works with families to ensure no one gets cut off. The fuel allowance has increased significantly to €152 per month to support families in a targeted measure. There are now about 460,000 homes right across the economy, which are being supported by it. We extended it this year to people on the working families payment, thereby bringing 50,000 more families into that support and linking it to work as well, to support people who are working right across the economy.
Sentiment score: 0.29
We are acting right now at a record level in the economy, supporting people at the fuel pumps and through reductions in electricity VAT rates. We are supporting people right across the economy to ensure they are not cut off. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has met with all the energy companies and given the Government an assurance that anyone who works with energy companies in relation to their bill will be supported. The Deputy has brought forward a number of measures he said he costed at €100 million a month, to be brought forward at the start of this energy crisis. The Government is doing much more than that. Sinn Féin says the Government is doing nothing this side of the Border, but on the other side of the Border Sinn Féin is doing nothing. We are acting at a record level to support families. We will continue to do that through the national affordability task force, which is looking at energy affordability, protecting consumers and energy policy.
Sentiment score: 0.31
We have always acted in the past and we will continue to do so to protect the most vulnerable in society.
Sentiment score: 0.17
I thank Deputy Cian O'Callaghan for his very important question. I fully share the concern he has raised. That is why we have set about conducting an investigation in the Department of enterprise to impartially ascertain the evidence, working with the European Commission and the Swedish authorities, which came forward with additional evidence in the past ten days. We are also working with Aughinish Alumina to try to ascertain the truth. We will get to the bottom of the supply chain. We will need assurances that it is a concealed supply chain. Ireland has supported every sanctions package in a European context against Russia, which is the aggressor in this case. That is a total of 21 packages we have fully supported. We have been very much to the fore as a country in supporting Ukraine, be it with the very significant €90 billion support loan we were part of underwriting in a European context, supporting Ukraine with non-lethal aid, giving it spare parts for its grid, welcoming so many Ukrainians here to Ireland and also providing more than 14,000 school places to support them at that very difficult time in their history. That is why I am very clear in the first instance that we must have a robust investigation here. We are working very closely with the European Commission. Aughinish Alumina was established in Ireland around 1986. It is the largest supplier of alumina in Europe. There are a few important facts to set out in the first instance to understand the trajectory. First, alumina is a critical raw material. It is relied upon for so many parts by every economy, including Europe, for medical devices, the automotive industry, electric vehicles and the food sector.
Sentiment score: 0.22
I will. I said that we are carrying out an investigation to get the evidence. As a Minister, I cannot make a decision without impartial evidence before me. We are working with the European Commission, which is the competent authority in this regard, to essentially recommend sanctions to the Department of enterprise and the Government. We are the enforcement authority. We carry out the execution of the sanction but the policy piece is the remit of the Commission, which we feed into. We will be working to ascertain the truth here. We are taking a pan-European approach with other European authorities, which is critical. I will be very clear that the Irish Government would not tolerate any exports that were feeding the Russian military complex. We have supported Ukraine. We have a very strong track record of doing that. I have put an independent process in place to ensure that we get to the bottom of the facts of exactly where this alumina is ending up. We have to achieve that through the investigation. In a European context, alumina is not a dual-use product and has not been designated as such. There are many products like that across the economy. We have to be clear. We must get the evidence and then take action if it is proven that the supply chain is not concealed and that it is going to aid and assist the Russian military complex.
Sentiment score: 0.18
Yes, we have spoken to the Ukrainian Government and we have asked it for the evidence it possesses regarding the allegation that is before us. It is currently engaging with the Department in relation to that. That is why I said our investigation is very wide-ranging. It is a genuine investigation to get the evidence. I am working with the Swedish authorities on evidence that has come forward as well. We need to go through the process to prove the allegation the Deputy puts forward. I put on the record to be helpful that incorrect data was given to the Central Statistics Office about the exports of alumina to the EU and to Russia. About 45% of it goes to Russia and about 55% goes to the EU. I have to stress test the notes that are given to me. The independent investigation will do that. A large proportion of the alumina is imported back into the European Union from smelters in Russia. We have to assess all that and ensure that the information we have is correct. I have put on the record very clearly, as a proud European, that we stand by Ukraine. We will not tolerate, in any shape or form, if exports from Ireland are advancing the cause of the Russian aggression in Ukraine and damaging their citizens.
Sentiment score: 0.11
I thank Deputy Murphy for his question. I am a firm believer in Sláintecare. It is one time when the Oireachtas came together and charted how health policy evolves irrespective of the change of Governments that we have within the country. First of all, the Deputy is quoting from a leaked report, which I have not seen and have no knowledge of. The Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, commissioned a report - ordered the HSE to do so - into Children's Health Ireland because of significant concerns that she had. I would acknowledge the exceptional work the Minister has carried out over the past two weeks to protect the integrity of the State and to ensure patients get equality of care right across our economy. The great work that has been carried out with the public-only consultant contract should be pointed out. As of the end of May 2026, 3,416 consultants have signed up to the public-only consultant contract. Out of 2,196 consultants, that represents almost 70% of all consultants working in Ireland. As a result of that, we have to ensure that work is public only. The Minister is committed to doing that, in line with the terms as set out by Sláintecare which is very important. One of the critical things we can do with the public-only consultant contract is that, clinically, we can manage consultant availability with public demand. That will be very important as we see the challenges our health service faces in the years ahead. It should be pointed out also that huge advances have taken place in a lot of hospitals across the country because of these changes. For example, in the Mater hospital, an additional 180 CT scans monthly and 84 MRI scans have taken place because of the public-only consultant contract. We see in other hospitals that many of the theatres are now operating at weekends. We get additional days out of consultants and, critically, the key decision-makers are in the room when patients have to be triaged and clinical decisions have to be made. Those senior consultants who are employed by the State on a public-only contract are available to make those decisions in support of patients, which is critical. Sláintecare has had its challenges but the Government is very committed to deliver it. It has never been so committed as under the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Minister has demonstrated that with the increase in budget the Health Service Executive has received over the past number of years, which now is at record levels, with the support we have in preventative medicine, which is key, and with the support for our children. No one wants to stand over any child in this State having to wait for urgent healthcare. That is not acceptable in any society and I say that as a father, understanding the needs and the genuine concerns families have right across our society.
Sentiment score: 0.18
First of all, I reiterate I have not seen the report. I do not know when it will be completed. I do not know what version the Deputy has that has been leaked. I do not know whether the Minister has received it yet. The Minister for Health commissioned this report and asked for an investigation into the practices at CHI to ensure there was equity of treatment of patients. The Minister asked for this and the Deputy is quoting the results of it. I do not know whether the Minister has seen that report and what actions she will take on foot of it but I am confident she will take action. The Minister demonstrated that quite clearly over the past number of days when she assured the protection of the public-only consultant contract. The Minister has got results. That is why I am clear in my view. The Government is very committed to Sláintecare and, critically, that all children are treated equally in our society. That is espoused in the Proclamation. It is something that we have strongly in our hearts as Irish people. We are doing everything we can to ensure there is equality of treatment for all our children.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am aware of the many community groups up and down the country that give so much to organising festivals that benefit the wider community and attract significant numbers of visitors to rural areas. A number of Members put queries to me on this issue during the week. The Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, has been doing a lot of work with a number of festivals in his area. Deputy O'Flynn has outlined how much out of pocket some of the festivals are and the exposure faced by community groups. I understand there is an intervention in the High Court in relation to this issue. Therefore, I must be careful in what I say. The first point I will make is that protections are very clearly set out for a lot of areas where client money is held. This particular area does concern me. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, there may be a gap in the regulatory environment. We will look at that because we want to ensure maximum protections are afforded to client moneys being held by any organisation. In the context of a liquidation process, the rules are very clear in terms of the action a liquidator will take in regard to preferential creditors and how that process is worked through. As I said, a court action is going on in the background. I have asked my Department to investigate what we can do and what supports we can provide in this regard. However, I do not want to make false promises. We have committed a very significant budget over the next three years for festival events through Fáilte Ireland, which is supporting many festivals up and down the country. That will bring a huge amount of economic activity to many rural parts of our country. I absolutely am not in any way unsympathetic to the issues the Deputy has raised. I work with community groups. I am at the coalface in a rural town where exactly that activity is happening. I know how much of their time volunteers give to run festivals, particularly ones like the Rory Gallagher International Festival in Ballyshannon, Cowboys and Heroes in County Leitrim and Rockathon at Fairyhouse, that have a very significant reputation. They are all important events that contribute very substantially to their localities. I will revert to the Deputy in the first instance in terms of regulatory gaps that may exist in relation to clients' funds. I need to go through that properly in the Department to see exactly what we can do in terms of supports. The Corporate Enforcement Authority is there. If there are any allegations, we can investigate them. However, I must be careful in terms of the High Court case that is currently under way.
Sentiment score: 0.27
I will revert to the House on this matter. This year, we are under significant pressure in terms of our budgetary perspective. However, we may be able, over the coming years, to look at what is needed to keep running these established festivals and how we can support them. I can commit to having a look at that in the next couple of years to see what my Department can do, together with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, who has a lot of responsibility in this area. I appreciate that many genuinely voluntary organisations are working so hard and driving so much economic activity at the heart of their communities. Those involved are exactly the types of people the Government wants to support.
Sentiment score: 0.25