I thank Deputy Cooney for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne. I am happy to do so. I will pass on Deputy Cooney's thoughts and concerns about the tenant in situ scheme to the Minister. Tenancy sustainment, also known as tenancy in situ, is not a stand-alone programme or scheme. It is a priority category under the Department of housing's social housing second-hand acquisitions programme, which helps to prevent social housing supported households in the private rental sector from becoming homeless. Such acquisitions are an option for local authorities to support households in the most precarious housing situations. They will continue to be available to local authorities for use as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted. However, they will never be the sole or even the primary option. The default first options should almost always be securing the sustainment of the tenancy with the landlord, securing alternative accommodation through the tenancy sustainment and placefinder services, or allocating a local authority or approved housing body tenancy via a new build home or relet. Where acquisitions are deemed necessary, local authorities may pursue individual priority acquisitions without recourse to the Department, once they satisfy the broad parameters and criteria of the second-hand acquisitions programme. Some €373 million is available to be drawn down by local authorities and approved housing bodies under this year's programme. With more than 17,000 persons in emergency homeless accommodation, including more than 5,000 children, the primary focus of this year's programme is to help households to exit emergency homeless accommodation into permanent housing. To this end, the largest share of funding available for draw-down, some €150 million, is ring-fenced for acquisitions supporting households and taking them out of homelessness. Thereafter, some €50 million is available to approved housing bodies for urgent acquisitions for older people, those with disabilities and caregivers. The remaining €173 million comprises €157 million for local authority priority acquisitions, including tenant in situ purchases, and a contingency of €16 million for local authorities that have drawn down most of their allocation but can complete further acquisitions and draw down the funding from the Department before the end of the year. Clare County Council has been allocated an initial €1.7 million, with €800,000 and €900,000 earmarked for approved housing body and local authority priority acquisitions respectively. Consistent with the eligibility criteria introduced last year, refurbishment or adaptation costs are no longer an eligible cost for tenant in situ acquisitions. Generally, extensive refurbishments of those properties should not be required. They already benefit from significant Exchequer-funded rent supports through the housing assistance payment or rental accommodation scheme and, critically, must comply fully with the housing regulations. If refurbishment is required, local authorities need only undertake works necessary to comply with the regulations, effectively ensuring that homes are immediately safe, secure and warm. In such cases, local authorities can draw on the significant rental funding available to them through their respective annual budgetary processes. Notably, Clare County Council's adopted budget for 2025 suggests only 77% of its rental income would be invested in social housing management and maintenance. Local authorities may also draw on their respective internal capital receipts, and the Department of housing's planned maintenance and voids programme.

Sentiment score: 0.31

I will absolutely relay the Deputy's suggestions to the Minister. I will now read the remainder of the reply from the Department. Local authorities may also draw on their respective internal capital receipts, and the Department of housing's planned maintenance and voids programme, energy efficiency retrofit programme, and disabled persons grants scheme, to support non-essential works that can be carried out in the long term. In this regard, Clare County Council projected that some €600,000 or so would be on hand via its internal capital receipts at the end of 2025, while a further €3.4 million is available to the council this year through the Department's stock improvement programmes. Ultimately, the delivery of new build social housing at scale is the only strategic solution preventing and alleviating long-term homelessness. Accordingly, and noting record delivery of new build social housing last year, demand for acquisitions should start to taper off as a greater level of new stock is delivered year on year. As I said, I will certainly relay Deputy Cooney's suggestions and observations to the Minister for housing and ask him to respond to the Deputy directly.

Sentiment score: 0.36

I am here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Brien. Waste management is a statutory executive function of local authorities. The phase-out of bags for the collection of waste is an initiative being taken by Dublin City Council, as the Deputy outlined. Under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act, the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment is precluded from exercising any power or control, in specific circumstances, over the statutory functions of a local authority. That is not to say I will not relay the concerns the Deputy has outlined and see if there is any possibility of an intervention. The collection of waste in bags was prohibited nationally over ten years ago, except in areas designated by local authorities as only being suitable for collection of waste in bags for reasons such as streets being too narrow or where there is no space within a property for three bins. In recent years, this was amended to collection by means of atypical collection solutions. If a household is in an area with no bin collection service, it may be able to avail of atypical collection solutions such as non-reusable receptacles or bags from the nearest collection point. Local authorities are responsible for designating areas as being only suitable for the collection of such waste by means of atypical collection solutions. Households can check with their local authorities if such a designation applies to their address and can organise a service with an authorised waste collection company accordingly. Private waste collectors operate under a waste collection permit issued by the National Waste Collection Permit Office, NWCPO. These permits are subject to a set of standard conditions which include a requirement that waste collection charging systems should incentivise customers to source segregate their waste. This means that the fees charged for the collection of the brown bin or mixed dry recyclables bin should be lower than the fees for the collection of the residual general waste bin. All permits can be viewed in full on the NWCPO website. The waste management market is serviced by private companies, where the terms and conditions of contracts, including payment methods, are matters between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable legislation, including contract and consumer legislation. The Minister has no role in relation to payment methods or setting prices in a competitive market. The roll-out of this programme by Dublin City Council is an anti-litter and anti-dumping initiative. It will eliminate the presentation of domestic and commercial waste in bags, preventing the bags being ripped open by birds and vermin, thus making the streets cleaner. Affected households will need to switch to wheelie bins or use the new waste compactors. Any questions on the roll-out of the programme should be directed to Dublin City Council.

Sentiment score: -0.28

It is widely recognised there are difficulties with the collection of household waste in bags, including the littering caused as a result of bags being ripped, which we often see. There are health and safety issues for collectors whereby sharp objects are placed in bags, litter caused by fly-tipping on streets in areas where bag collections take place, little or no segregation of recyclables or food waste and the inability to gather data on waste collected for statistical and environmental reporting purposes. The Department, in consultation with local authorities, set criteria to be applied nationally with a view to phasing out bags except for areas where it is not practical to use wheelie bins and have been designated by local authorities as suitable for the use of atypical collection solutions. The criteria for these designated areas are: no space within the boundary of the property, which is the argument the Deputy is making; physical features would make it difficult to move a bag to the front or edge of the property or nearest boundary for presentation, or that it would be unreasonably difficult; that the area is too narrow for a refuse collection vehicle to access properties and the nearest designated collection point or suitable presentation point is more than 100 m from the property; and where the local authority is notified of exceptional circumstances and certifies it as same. While waste legislation and policy are a matter for the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, the bag-free streets programme is entirely an initiative for Dublin City Council. The council reports that illegal dumping has reduced by approximately 20 tonnes per month since the introduction of the programme and has contributed significantly to the very positive findings of the most recent Irish Business Against Litter survey, which noted a reduction in littering and an improved level of cleanliness. These improvements have delivered savings in terms of resources required - the Deputy acknowledged that argument – as well as collection and disposal costs for waste management services. I will relay Deputy Gannon’s concerns to the Minister.

Sentiment score: -0.27

I thank the Deputy for raising this incredibly important matter. I am here to respond on behalf of the Minister for Defence, who unfortunately cannot be here, but she sends her apologies to the House. I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter. I acknowledge Deputy Ó Fearghaíl’s long-standing interest in the protection, conservation and preservation of the Curragh Plains and his ongoing engagement with officials in that regard. The Curragh, as State land vested in the Minister for Defence, is recognised as a working environment for the State's Defence Forces as well as being a place of historical and cultural importance. The main occupiers are the Defence Forces in the Curragh Camp and the Curragh Racecourse, which leases a large tract of land. Additionally, the plains are used by sheep owners who avail of rights of pasture on the lands, and by both locals and visitors to Kildare as a major natural amenity. I concur about its scenic beauty any time you drive through County Kildare. The Curragh is approximately 4,870 acres and is one of the most open, accessible, and arguably beautiful areas in this country. As the Deputy will be aware, for the past several years, the Department of Defence has been collaborating with Kildare County Council on the Curragh consultancy project, seeking to develop a suitable future management method and to highlight the importance and significance of the heritage associated with the Curragh Plains. The project came to completion in December 2024 when the Curragh Plains conservation management plan and the associated branding, interpretation and wayfinding strategy were published. The consultation process identified the need for a review of the Curragh by-laws and the Curragh of Kildare Act, with potential amendments to provide effective solutions to challenges faced. The report also identified the need to consider a dedicated agency responsible for the Curragh, or to assign responsibility for the site to an existing agency with the necessary expertise to maximise the potential of the plains. Throughout the project, both the Department of Defence and Kildare County Council remained cognisant of the need to have in place a means of ensuring conservation of this ancient landscape, while also enabling the area to receive the recognition it deserves. The plan has laid out opportunities through which the area can be uniquely identified and also scoped out the development potential of the area as a high-value visitor attraction. It also aims to balance the needs of the respective users of the Curragh Plains, while caring for its natural qualities and providing clear policies for its sustainable future use. As called for in the programme for Government, it is intended to implement the recommendations of the conservation plan for the Curragh, particularly in relation to transferring the plains to the agency that is best suited to managing this historic landscape. To this end, Department officials will continue to engage with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which has undertaken an initial scoping of its likely requirements. I understand further discussions are intended in the coming weeks. From this process it is intended to advise Government as to the appropriate way to manage the plains. I again thank the Deputy for his question and assure him that the Minister’s intention is to ensure that the Curragh Plains, as an important element of our shared heritage, is protected into the future while also ensuring maximum benefit to the local population and to those who come to visit the plains. This Government is fully committed to pursuing a modern and sustainable regulatory model in managing this historically important landscape in the Curragh.

Sentiment score: 0.48

The Deputy's passion about this is obvious. The statement from the Minister, Deputy McEntee, acknowledges the contribution he has made over the years working with the Department of Defence and the National Wildlife and Parks Service as an entity that may take on the management of this beautiful, scenic, historic and important piece of landscape that we have on the island of Ireland. As I have already stated, the Minister remains committed to pursuing a modern and sustainable regulatory model to manage this historically important landscape in the Curragh. The Curragh Plains conservation management plan, finalised and published in 2024, is under consideration by officials in the Department of Defence. This will, however, provide the foundation for implementing the recommendations identified, including the progression of proposals for the future management of the plains. Any such proposals will be brought before Government to decide on a future management structure. I reiterate that it is the Government's intention to ensure the Curragh Plains are protected into future while ensuring and maximising the benefit to all stakeholders. I will relay the Deputy's point. The National Parks and Wildlife Service needs to act quickly to protect it, so we do not see caravans parking up, as they would not do in the Phoenix Park and should not do in the Curragh either.

Sentiment score: 0.34

I thank the Deputy very much. I acknowledge the incredible work he does on rare diseases campaigning. The issue the Before We Die group campaigns on is another incredibly important one. The Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, had hoped to be here but unfortunately she was not able to be. She acknowledges the great work the Deputy is doing and his raising of this important issue. The Minister, Deputy Foley, recently met the Before We Die group and it is her understanding that An Taoiseach and the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, Deputy Higgins, also met it, alongside HSE representatives. The Minister wishes to acknowledge the ongoing commitment and dedication of all involved with the Before We Die group. The Minister also wants to recognise their advocacy for increased residential service provision for people with disabilities and their efforts to shine a light on the very real challenges many of these parents and families continue to face. The next piece of my speech is going to speak to what the Deputy addressed about the investment that is there. It is just so sad to hear that, when you meet those groups, their lived reality is something very different. The information from the Department tells us that, in 2026, €65 million has been allocated to disability residential services for new developments, which includes €40 million that will provide in the region of 199 residential responses, including 152 residential placements. The remaining €25 million will support in the region of 40 residential packages for children in care with complex needs, the enhancement of existing residential placements, decongregation transitions and the under-65s programme. The Department is working closely with the HSE to move from crisis-led residential placements towards a more planned and balanced approach, with HSE regions and voluntary providers identifying and prioritising individuals earlier to help prevent crisis situations. The HSE National Service Plan 2026 places greater emphasis on longer term planning for residential placements, with stronger operational processes to respond to the high demand. HSE disability programme leads are developing a procurement framework for residential placements with for-profit agencies, which will focus on purchasing placements on a group basis with the aim of securing more cost-effective placements. The procurement framework is expected to be in place by quarter 2 of 2026. In addition, new HSE housing co-ordinators and residential planning and review teams will be in place this year to co-ordinate and oversee the delivery of the new residential placements and plan for future placements, many of which will be delivered in local authority homes. The Ministers, Deputies Foley and James Browne, with their officials, have made significant progress through the implementation structures established under the national housing strategy for disabled people in improving co-ordination with the local authorities and disability service providers at local, regional and national levels. This includes establishing the levels of unmet need for specialist disability residential services in each county or local authority area. This will inform the setting of targets in the local authority housing development action plans for two cohorts of disabled people, namely, those living more independently in the community and those with greater support needs, who will receive specialist disability residential services. Some €25 million in new development funding for respite services in budget 2026 has afforded the HSE the opportunity to plan for the expansion of services, with a range of respite initiatives under way. The HSE national service plan targets the delivery of 10,000 additional respite overnight sessions and 25,000 additional respite day sessions this year. I will come back with a little more information later.

Sentiment score: 0.11

I again thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which is a priority for the Ministers, Deputies Foley and Browne, and the wider Government. The Government recognises that there is more to do to improve the lived experience of those with disabilities. The increase in the disability budget for 2026 further demonstrates the multiple commitments made in the programme for Government to improve the lives of people with disabilities and make a difference. The Minister, Deputy Foley, would like to reiterate the importance of ensuring that we continue to support people with disabilities to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, with a person-centred approach across all the services provided. The ambition of the Government is to bring about a step change in services for people with disabilities in Ireland. It is committed to the expansion and reform of disability services to maximise people's independence and their health supports to help them to live ordinary lives in ordinary places. The Minister wishes to reassure the Deputy that the Government is aware of the challenges presented across all regions. The Department is actively engaging with the Department of housing and the HSE to increase service provision, to support service providers to carry out their vital work and to explore various ways of responding to demand. I have taken note of the specific issues the Deputy has raised and I will relay them to the Minister, Deputy Foley.

Sentiment score: 0.52