I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. There is a critical need for a new water source for Dublin, the east and the midlands. Currently, the River Liffey supplies 85% of the water requirements for 1.7 million people in Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. By relying so heavily on one river, there is no alternative if there is a contamination or weather event and no backup if equipment failure affects supply. The project will provide Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow with a resilient, safe and secure water supply. It will also provide infrastructure with the capacity for future offtakes to serve communities along the route in Tipperary, Offaly and Westmeath. The current cost estimate is €4.6 billion to €6 billion and construction of the project is scheduled to commence in 2028, with Uisce Éireann aiming to complete the project by 2032, subject to planning and other statutory approvals. It is important to note that the project will abstract a maximum of 2% of the average flow of the River Shannon at the Parteen Basin downstream of Lough Derg. The water levels at Lough Derg and the Parteen Basin will remain in the control of the ESB and the abstraction will not affect the normal operating water levels. Uisce Éireann’s modelling shows that the abstraction is sustainable, will have a neutral effect on water quality and will make no visible day-to-day difference for any water users. Extensive preparation and studies have been undertaken and Uisce Éireann will continue to monitor the project during and after its construction. The potential environmental impacts of the project are being considered as part of the statutory planning process and will ultimately form part of the determination to be made by An Coimisiún Pleanála. This includes an extensive public consultation. As part of the planning application for the project submitted last December, a 30,000-page environmental impact assessment report, EIAR, was submitted by Uisce Éireann. The EIAR includes details of any likely significant environmental effects that may arise and the proposed mitigation measures that are being put in place. All of this is being considered as part of the planning application process for the project and I would also note that the EIAR and other planning documents have been published by Uisce Éireann. On the lands required for the project, Uisce Éireann has engaged extensively with the main farming organisations - the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association, ICMSA - and an agreement has been reached on a standard agricultural wayleave package with both landowner representative organisations. I am pleased to note that around 81% of landowners have already signed up to this compensation package and Uisce Éireann is continuing its community engagement efforts. Uisce Éireann’s community engagement clinics are continuing throughout 2026 and a dedicated community liaison officer is working with the local communities along the route. The Government is committed to getting this vital infrastructure built as quickly as possible and will continue to support Uisce Éireann to deliver it.

Sentiment score: 0.18

It is important to restate why we need the project. Currently, the water supply in the eastern and midlands region faces a number of serious challenges. A single source - the River Liffey - supplies 85% of the water requirements for 1.7 million people in the greater Dublin area. This dependency on the Liffey results in a serious vulnerability to risks such as prolonged drought and-or contamination, not just for Dublin, but for the whole of the eastern and midlands region. With forecasts showing that the region will need 34% more water by the year 2044 than is available today, this situation is not sustainable. The project will address these challenges and provide a secure water supply for housing development and economic growth across eastern and midlands region. The project works in tandem with ongoing leakage reduction efforts. Uisce Éireann is investing over €2 billion in leakage reduction under the revised national development plan. Fixing leaks is, of course, essential but it is only part of the solution. Fixing leaks alone will not meet the needs of the region nor will it address the issue of over-reliance on the River Liffey. A new sustainable source of water is required alongside continued leakage reduction. The project went for planning permission in December last year and construction is hoped to commence in 2028, subject to planning permission being granted and not challenged via litigation, so Uisce Éireann is hoping to complete the project by 2032. The project will work in tandem with Uisce Éireann's other major project, namely, the greater Dublin drainage project. Uisce Éireann will continue to work to accelerate the delivery of this vital infrastructure and this process has already been greatly aided by reforms that the Government has made as part of implementing the accelerating infrastructure report.

Sentiment score: 0.20

I thank Deputy Cooney for raising what is a very important matter and giving us the opportunity to update the House. Stakeholder public engagement is one of the most important principles underlining the planning system, with the need for engagement with local communities being of particular importance to enable every citizen to have their say in how their area grows and develops over time. Under the Planning and Development Act 2024, planning authorities are required to consult State agencies, prescribed authorities and members of the public when preparing development plans and determining planning applications. These legal requirements ensure that planning decisions are transparent, sustainable and consistent with national and regional policy objectives. The Planning and Development Act 2024 strengthens the emphasis on a plan-led approach to development, with co-ordinated planning and collaboration between public bodies to identify future requirements for schools, healthcare facilities, transport systems and utilities before major developments are approved. Importantly, the planning process is not limited to institutional consultation alone. Public and community engagement is a core principle underpinning the 2024 Act. Members of the public, community organisations, environmental groups, business interests and other stakeholders have an important role in shaping the future development of their areas. Public participation requirements ensure that communities are given opportunities to engage during the preparation of development plans, local area plans and planning schemes, including in relation to the zoning of land for different purposes. Statutory public consultation periods and engagement initiatives undertaken by planning authorities in developing these plans help to promote accountability and democratic transparency within the planning system, recognising that such plans ultimately guide and inform decision-making on planning applications. The reforms introduced by the Planning and Development Act 2024 seek to create a more coherent, efficient and accessible planning system while preserving strong safeguards for democratic participation and inter-agency co-ordination.

Sentiment score: 0.59

Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Planning and Development Act 2024 recognises that strong and sustainable communities are best supported through meaningful public participation in local development planning and decision-making. Effective planning is not solely about technical assessments or infrastructure co-ordination; it is also about ensuring communities have a genuine opportunity to shape the future of the places in which they live, work and raise their families. The Act strengthens the importance of engagement at all stages of the planning process, from the preparation of development plans and local area plans to consultation on individual planning applications and broader regeneration initiatives. Early and constructive consultation with residents, community groups, voluntary groups and local stakeholders, including local businesses, helps to improve transparency and build public awareness. As the provisions of the 2024 Act are commenced, meaningful community participation will remain a central element of a modern, democratic and plan-led system that seeks to deliver sustainable development and an improved quality of life for communities across Ireland.

Sentiment score: 0.73

I thank Senator McGrath for raising this important matter and for giving me the opportunity to reply. I begin by reiterating the Government's strong commitment to boosting recruitment to and supporting the retention of personnel in the Defence Forces. Military authorities have advised that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,778 as of 31 March, the latest date for which this figure is available. Last year saw an increase in the overall strength of the Permanent Defence Force by almost 200 personnel, which was facilitated by the achievement of a total of 790 inductions during 2025, the highest figure in 20 years. We want to build on the growth achieved in 2025 and have set a target of 850 inductions to the Permanent Defence Force for 2026. The total number of applications for careers in the Permanent Defence Force exceeded 16,500, and more than 7,000 were received by the end of March of this year. Increases in application numbers and the overall strength of the Permanent Defence Force demonstrate that the key enabling measures which the Government has introduced to support and drive Defence Forces recruitment and retention are yielding positive results. On the specific matter of the recruitment process for the Defence Forces, the military authorities have advised that the process of candidates being recruited to the Permanent Defence Force comprises several stages, which include shortlisting, psychometric assessments, fitness and interview, medical, Garda vetting and security clearance, offer and attestation. It should be noted that some candidates may be subject to fewer or additional stages of the process, depending on the specific competition for which they have applied, but the majority of candidates follow the process as outlined. A new candidate management system, Resumo, was introduced in December, making the process easier for applicants. Candidates now receive automated correspondence at all stages of the process to maximize engagement and ensure they are kept informed of the status of their application. My written reply contains a list of overall average times of progression by stage for all general service recruitment candidates who applied in quarter 1 of 2026. The Deputy has it there in the reply, so I do not need to go through the table. It gives the average number of days for each stage of the process. The military authorities have informed me that the security clearance process can take anything from six weeks to nine months for candidates, depending on a variety of factors, such as their previous country or countries of residence, how many addresses they have lived at, prior interactions with police or security services and the speed at which foreign authorities respond to requests, to name just some of the complexities. Recruitment to the Defence Forces remains open and ongoing via a wide range of pathways, including general service recruitment, re-entry schemes and multiple direct entry competitions for specialist roles. A range of new recruitment competition streams have successfully launched in recent years and include new competitions for air traffic controller cadetships, aircraft maintenance technicians, grooms in the Equitation School and dental nurses. Additional new competitions for chefs, communications and information services or cyber roles, medical officers and aircraft maintenance technicians have all launched in recent weeks. The 2026 cadetship competitions closed in March, with over 2,800 applications received. The key enabling measures include increases in the maximum ages of recruitment and retirement respectively, the extension of private and secondary healthcare to all personnel, and the application of the provisions of the working time directive across the Defence Forces, subject to certain exemptions. I can come back and finish that later.

Sentiment score: 0.40

To conclude on some of the key enabling measures that we have introduced for recruitment and retention, we have also increased the patrol duty allowance payable to Naval Service personnel at sea, which has been doubled after ten days at sea in a calendar year. We have seen the extension of the Naval Service tax credit for a further five years, the extension of the service commitment scheme for pilots in the Air Corps and air traffic control personnel, and we have seen engagement of external expertise to support recruitment in the Naval Service. To support recruitment and the implementation of related measures, budget 2026 has provided a record allocation of €1.49 billion to the defence sector, an increase of €145 million over 2025. I hear what the Deputy is saying about vetting but, whether it is with the Defence Forces, people who are applying to An Garda Síochána or those applying for citizenship, the timelines for some parts of vetting are outside of our control. As I said, if people have lived at multiple addresses or in multiple countries, awaiting replies and clearance on vetting from other jurisdictions outside our control can sometimes lead to delays which, unfortunately, we cannot control.

Sentiment score: 0.32

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The Minister for Defence is at the annual PDFORRA delegate conference today. Bringing the Defence Forces within the remit of the Organisation of Working Time Act has been a key issue for the Defence Forces representative associations for a number of years. The inclusion of the Defence Forces under the Organisation of Working Time Act required careful consideration and extensive consultation in getting here and recognises the unique nature of the work carried out by our Defence Forces members. A particular consideration was of course those military activities which, due to their nature, continue to be exempt from the Act. As the Deputy will be aware, it is over 12 months now since the blanket exemption from the Organisation of Working Time Act for Defence Forces personnel was removed in January 2025, and the majority of Defence Forces personnel now enjoy the protections of the Act, including daily and weekly rest and maximum weekly working time over a 17-week period. I have mentioned that, due to their specific nature, a number of military activities continue to be exempted from the provisions of the working time directive. However, it is important to point out that a number of health and safety protections for those involved in such tasks have been agreed, including prescribed compensatory rest periods, which are now incorporated into Defence Forces regulation. This body of work is rightly seen as a significant step forward in the extensive transformational journey already well under way in the Defence Forces. A range of additional health and safety measures were also agreed, with a number of them already implemented, including the provision of one return commercial home-reunion flight to Ireland in respect of an operational tour of duty of six months, where the security assessment by the military authorities determines that the individual cannot avail of leave in-theatre. In addition, enhanced Wi-Fi services in UNIFIL have been put in place. Upon the removal of the blanket exemption last year, the Chief of Staff was clear in communicating the responsibilities of Defence Forces management on the implementation of all aspects of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 across the entire Defence Forces. This included ensuring that commanding officers are fully aware of their management responsibilities with regard to both activities coming within the scope of the directive, and for those activities which are exempt. Military management is continuing to progress the implementation of a number of remaining health and safety protections and a Defence Forces working group has been convened for this purpose. Some of those measures requiring additional funding beyond existing resources are to be addressed in line with the normal Estimates process. The military authorities have advised that in the intervening months, numerous briefings have been undertaken across the Defence Forces in addition to the availability of an instructional video. In addition, an instruction document from the Chief of Staff providing guidance to commanders and their personnel on all aspects of the implementation process, coupled with the Defence Forces' non-financial labour budget system, which is now in place, both provide important management tools in ensuring that the provisions of the directive are correctly applied. The Defence Forces are also leading on the development and implementation of a permanent electronic time and attendance system which is expected to be in place later this year. In the meantime, an interim time and attendance system has been put in place. I am assured that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the protections of the working time directive are implemented fully on the ground. In that context, the working time directive subcommittee through the conciliation and arbitration scheme continues to meet on a regular basis. Using this forum, any issues which have arisen which pertain to the practical implementation on the ground of the protections set out in the directive have been brought to the attention of the Defence Forces management.

Sentiment score: 0.33

I thank the Deputy for raising the issues he has raised. I am sure the Minister, Chief of Staff and management of the Defence Forces are following this discussion very closely. Any of the outstanding issues which the Deputy has raised and indeed any of the issues which will be raised at today's delegate conference will receive maximum attention over the coming weeks and months.

Sentiment score: 0.46

I will.

Sentiment score: 0.00