I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 21, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness last met on 2 March and is scheduled to meet on 25 May. Membership of the committee comprises the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, and the Ministers for public expenditure, foreign affairs, climate, enterprise, culture and further and higher education and research. Other Ministers or Ministers of State are invited to participate as required. The committee oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments relating to sustainable economic and employment growth, trade competitiveness and productivity, innovation, the national digital strategy and pensions. As with all policy areas, issues relating to the economy are regularly discussed at full Cabinet meetings, where all formal decisions are made. Ireland continues to demonstrate its economic resilience and its ability to adapt to changing global circumstances. The economy is performing well, despite times of enormous economic uncertainty, with record numbers of people in work, low unemployment and real wage growth. We will continue to advance an economic model founded on a pro-enterprise policy framework, a stable and sustainable regulatory and tax environment with sound management of the public finances and investment in the infrastructure, energy and skills required to ensure our future competitiveness and productivity. The updated national development plan represents one of the largest and most significant capital injections in our economy in the history of the State. It sets out total public capital investment of €275 billion to 2035. Investment in this critical infrastructure will enable 300,000 additional houses by 2030 and expansion of our onshore and offshore electricity transmission and distribution network infrastructure through a €3.5 billion equity investment in EirGrid and the ESB. This will future-proof Ireland's electricity system and ensure it can meet the growing demands of our economy, our homes and our climate targets. The upgrading of our water and wastewater infrastructure will enable social inclusion, environmental sustainability and housing delivery. This funding of €12.2 billion to 2030 represents the largest ever capital investment plan in the history of water services and water quality. Enhanced road and public transport infrastructure will connect our island and reduce travel times. Transport funding of €24.3 billion for the next five years will deliver a diverse range of transport options including public transport, active travel, roads, maritime and aviation. Approximately €10 billion of this will be used for public transport projects with a further €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund specifically to start construction on MetroLink. There will be greater opportunities to attract foreign direct investment and support our international competitiveness. There will be delivery of more childcare facilities and school places, investment in children’s disability services and better healthcare for all. Additional information not given on the floor of the House We will continue to invest in the future of Ireland while preserving the jobs, stability and prosperity of today. We will also continue to put resources into reserve funds, conscious of the risks of using windfall corporation tax revenues for ongoing current expenditure commitments. However, the situation in the Middle East remains volatile and highly uncertain. The economic fallout will depend on the depth and duration of the conflict. The Department of Finance has assessed the economic impact of three scenarios, and this was published as part of the annual progress report on 21 April. The first relatively benign scenario is based on the futures market in mid-March, where energy prices were assumed to moderate over the second half of this year. The second scenario assumes a sustained but contained disruption to energy markets, with oil prices remaining at approximately $100 per barrel over the coming months. The third scenario is based on a more pronounced and persistent disruption to energy supply with oil prices reaching $150 per barrel and staying elevated for an extended time. Under all scenarios, there is a shock to inflation, squeezing purchasing power and lowering the growth rate. While the near-term outlook is clouded in considerable uncertainty, what is clear is that economic fallout is likely to persist given the lasting damage to energy infrastructure in the gulf. The Government is taking action to help households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy. We are conscious of the increased financial pressure on households and businesses as a result. To date, over €750 million has been committed to measures to support households and business with increased fuel costs. This response has been possible because we have adopted a prudent approach in recent budgets. We will navigate this period of volatility, but we must remain flexible in our response. We cannot mitigate every increase in costs, and we must retain resources to ensure we can deal with any further deterioration in the global economy. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and respond as appropriate.
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I agree entirely with Deputy McCormack about the potential for the midlands for renewable energy. There have been some very good developments and announcements there over the last year, with various Ministers attending. I attended one recently with the Deputy. The Bord na Móna land resource has very significant potential for both energy renewables and industry to go along with that. We will do everything we possibly can to capitalise on that for the benefit of the midlands. A transition and transformation is happening there, which is very positive. Regarding sole traders, small farmers and the self-employed more generally, Deputy Dolan is looking for a more streamlined Government approach and simplified tax compliance mechanisms. A cost of business forum has been established which has worked with the small business sector with a view to endeavouring to identify cost pressures on SMEs in particular. That is one strategy that has been deployed. A capacity is being developed within the Department of enterprise around simplification of regulation nationally. Across the European Union, significant work is also under way relating to the simplification of regulation for small businesses in particular. One of the initiatives coming on is a 28th regime, whereby SMEs can establish online and, within a number of days, would be European SMEs, without having to negotiate all the various national borders and so on. That is a focus of Government and of the European Commission. Regarding Clare family-owned pubs, we will examine what the VFI has put forward. There is no question that family-owned pubs, particularly in rural Ireland, provide a social network and enhance socialisation, which is an important dimension of human health and the development of community ethos and spirit. I am not sure about the specific proposal. I will have to examine that, but we can see what can be done. On the issue of our electricity prices being the highest in Europe, we are also the fifth highest in terms of purchasing power parity, but, nonetheless, they are too high. One of the key issues is grid dispersal. We are a peripheral island nation and we rely too much on imported fossil fuels. Those are the fundamental drivers of the high cost of fuel, as well as the volatility that arises when war starts. When there is conflict like in the Middle East and in Ukraine, and going back over the past number of decades, wars and conflict in oil-producing areas have created the greatest degree of volatility, so we have to move to renewables. That is the medium-term strategy. About 50% of electricity generation last February was through renewables. We achieved a lot in onshore renewable wind and solar is moving fast. The key challenge for us over the next number of years is offshore renewables, and then to work with the European Union on whether there are ways to deal with the regulatory framework governing the setting of energy prices. The link to gas is a particular factor in how energy prices and electricity prices are determined. Regarding capital, the support for enterprise is very strong. From Enterprise Ireland, for example, it is growing and continues to do so in respect of most indigenous enterprises for export. The Deputy did not distinguish whether it was indigenous enterprise for export or domestic service companies, but in terms of indigenous enterprise for export, the feedback has been very positive regarding Government supports, not just financial supports but also soft supports, market access supports, market intelligence, R and D grants and so on. Through the budget, we reduced VAT on hospitality. That measure, which was attacked by the Deputy and his party, is supporting SMEs.
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We have provided various mechanisms for access-----
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-----to credit as well.
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Very often, the take-up is not huge in terms of the various loan schemes going back to Covid-19 right through. They had not been taken up to the same extent, but the Deputy attacked it. The VAT reduction was a very simple, straightforward way to try to help the hospitality industry, likewise on the construction side to try to reduce costs but the Opposition attacked it. They cannot have it both ways, but we will continue to work on the financing of enterprise and improving the venture capital area as well. Regarding the CIE pensioners, again I will talk to both Ministers. My understanding was that it was coming to a conclusion and hopefully it will be resolved very quickly. In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, cross-Border taxation is on the agendas of the Department of Finance, the UK Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive. In terms of resolving the issue, it is easier said than done, but there is no question that it is one that the Minister and Tánaiste is focused on. We discussed it at North-South meetings, ministerial meetings and also in the context of the cross-Border bodies whose workers are directly impacted by the taxation situation vis-à-vis North and South. In terms of the job losses at Covalen, retraining and reskilling supports will be provided. We do have the National Training Fund, so the agencies should engage with the workers there in terms of whatever supports they need in perhaps finding alternative employment or helping some establish their own businesses if that is what some might want to do. In response to Deputy Connolly, social partnership is important. The most recent manifestation of it this year has been the Labour Employer Economic Forum that the Irish Congress of Trade Union, the chambers and IBEC attend. I have asked the Secretary General of my Department to draw up a paper and I have consulted with the unions and IBEC, as well as the chambers and others, to see how we can solidify or develop a pathway to a stronger social dialogue and engagement. It will take all involved to participate but people would generally be supportive of some enhanced social dialogue. Whether the various parties want to go back to full-blown social partnership as we knew it is another question. In response to Deputy Heneghan, I agree with him in the sense that all of what he outlined in terms of private wires - and the Minister is driving that forward - will be pursued and, as I said last week, the cost benefit analysis is part of what we need to examine. Examining a proposal means doing the cost benefit and the leg work to sort of identify what it would entail on the nuclear question. However, all of the others do not fall by the wayside as we develop that. In terms of the half a billion euro, I have spoken to the Minister and that will be spent. We have spent up to €4 billion from carbon tax revenues on a whole range of measures, including farming, in terms of agri-environmental schemes, fuel poverty and the retrofitting scheme. Since the Minister brought in reforms, the applications have doubled in the first month or two since he announced them. In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, someone has to keep an eye on public expenditure and if the Minister for public expenditure is not doing it, then there is something really wrong. The Minister has to alert all Government Departments to stay within their budgetary frameworks. I did not quite get the import of what Deputy Paul Murphy was saying, in terms of one person not being able to get the grant because it was wrongly-----
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And the other person did-----
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It should not have been but-----
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-----that is a specific case. They should get it back and the one-stop shop should be approached-----
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-----to engage with the company involved. In response to Deputy McGuinness's question regarding that fire in Waterford, the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Cummins, have been there and met with the key people. The Minister, Deputy Browne, visited yesterday. The Minister, Deputy Burke, visited today and also received Cabinet approval today for a humanitarian scheme for those impacted. We are working to see if we can relocate the social enterprises and in particular the facilities for adults with disabilities which have been wiped out as a result of the fire. We are also working to make sure that full public health protocols are applied in terms of the asbestos. Teams are already down there trying to protect public health. In response to Deputy Nash's question on the public service pay bill, the Minister will obviously engage with the trade unions on a new public service pay agreement, which will have a bill attached to it. I want to make the point that the package did result in a reduction of 32 cent in diesel and 27 cent in petrol which benefits workers. That cannot be ignored. It happened.
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I am looking forward to opening the Fórsa conference as well, and we might allow them to hear my speech first. Perhaps it would be the best thing to do. In response to Deputy Hearne, we built about 36,000 houses last year. We need to do much more, and we need to go higher again. We are going to do everything we can to provide social and affordable houses to both buy and rent.
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 to 40, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs was established by the Government in 2025. It meets quarterly in advance of regular European Council meetings, and as required. Its role is to oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to the European Union, including preparation for Ireland’s Presidency in the second half of this year, and international issues. The Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs last met on 26 February 2026 in advance of the meeting of the European Council on 19 March. At the March meeting of the European Council, leaders dealt with a very full and important agenda against the backdrop of a very challenging and volatile international environment. Substantial items discussed included the situation in the Middle East, including the impact on energy prices, Ukraine and economic competitiveness. On the last of these, leaders agreed a programme of work to be completed in the period ahead that will be central to Ireland’s Presidency of the Council in the second half of the year. Other items on the European Council agenda included European security and defence, migration, the democracy shield, multilateralism and the protection of children online. There was also a euro summit which assessed the state of the EU’s economy. European leaders met again in Cyprus for an informal meeting of the European Council on 23 and 24 April 2026, where our discussions included geopolitical developments, the impacts of the war in Iran on energy prices and supply, and the EU’s next long-term budget, the MFF. I also attended a European Political Community, EPC, summit on 4 May in Yerevan, Armenia. The EPC is an informal forum which brings together around 50 leaders from across the Continent of Europe twice a year to discuss co-operation on issues affecting the entire Continent, such as geopolitical uncertainty, economic security, trade, energy and connectivity. At the meeting President Zelenskyy gave a sobering update on the challenges he and the Ukrainian people face in confronting the continuing Russian aggression. I participated in a round table discussion with other leaders on how to improve European connectivity and economic security, as well as the pressures being faced by people as a result of the conflicts in Iran. I joined the Moldova core group meeting which focused on supporting Moldova on its pathway to accession to the European Union. I also participated in the second meeting of the European Coalition against Drugs, co-hosted by President Macron of France and Prime Minister Meloni of Italy. I strongly support our focus on the collective fight against drug trafficking and drug-related threats. I also met with a number of leaders, including Prime Minister Starmer of the UK, President Guy Parmelin of Switzerland and Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada. This was the first time a non-European leader has attended. The Cabinet committee will continue to oversee preparations for and delivery of the rotating Presidency of the EU Council which we will assume in July. It will be our eighth time doing so and we look forward to advancing the common European interest and improving the lives of citizens across the Union. Additional information not given on the floor of the House Irish Ministers will chair many dozens of formal meetings of the Council in Brussels and Luxembourg, and they will lead work to advance a positive policy agenda for all member states. We will host an informal meeting of the European Council and a meeting of the European political community in Dublin next November. In addition, up to 22 informal meetings of EU Ministers will be held in Ireland, with around a quarter of these meetings outside Dublin. The next meeting of the Cabinet committee is scheduled for 18 May.
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I thank Members for their comments. I will begin with Deputy Shay Brennan, who referred to developments relating to the war in Ukraine. One of the more significant developments has been the unblocking of the €90 billion loan to Ukraine in the aftermath of the Hungarian election. That sends a real signal to Russia that Europe is in there for the long haul and that Ukraine will have the capacity, in budgetary terms, to invest in defending itself. That is significant. European Union leaders are looking at the idea of Europe opening up its own channel of negotiations with Russia at some stage. That is being tentatively explored and discussed, because we do need to bring an end to the war. The US-brokered dialogue has not yielded an outcome. We are very conscious of the need to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Enlargement will feature as a key topic during the Irish Presidency. In our view, Ukrainian membership of the European Union in and of itself would afford some form of security and protection to Ukraine. Fundamentally, it is to say that to the Ukrainian people, who desire the freedoms that are attached to European Union membership, as opposed to what the situation might be if their country was to be taken over by Russia. We have to respond to the desires of the Ukrainian people, who do aspire to a European way of life in terms of democracy, freedom of speech and all of that. We will be progressing enlargement in the context of Ukraine. The precise form that will take has to be discussed by the various member states. Enlargement has been on the slow burner for the past decade. It has come into life more recently because of Russia's imperialist approach to many countries, including those in the western Balkans and Moldova. The latter have come under enormous pressure from Russia in the context of attempts to interfere in their elections. They have proved resilient enough. I met with President Maia Sandu recently. The whole Moldova and Ukraine piece around enlargement will be a key agenda item for us to see if we can progress it. On technology, An Garda Síochána has substantially enhanced its technology capability with drones, as have our military and Defence Forces. It is interesting. Reference was made to the University of Limerick, UL. I visited the university's underwater drone capacity research centre. It was a very insightful visit, and the research is ground-breaking. Ireland will be playing a role in protecting subsea cables, for example, and the gas connectors with the United Kingdom. On Deputy Ó Cearúil's question on sanctions, there has been big progress with the European Union. Many member states are coming around to the Irish and Spanish position. Despite what is said, Ireland and Spain were the first to call for a review of the EU-Israel association agreement, and a lot more countries are coming around to our view. A breakthrough has happened in terms of sanctioning settlers, and a number have been identified. That was blocked by Hungary for quite some time but has now been lifted. There has also been progress with regard to sanctions on Hamas leaders. That is some bit of progress. There is more work to be done about the association agreement. The Minister updated the Cabinet on that this morning. The behaviour of Israel is reprehensible. I will deal with that again later in respect of other questions. Active work is being done by the Irish Government with others at European Union level, at the Foreign Affairs Council and at the European Council. With regard to Deputy Martin Daly's question, the cost of living will be a theme in the context of the energy crisis. Interestingly, and rightly, Deputy Daly has focused on groceries and food prices for hard-pressed families. In the context of the budget, we will be looking at how we can reduce the pressure on families in that regard, and particularly for those on the lowest incomes who inflation hits the most. I take on board what Deputy Daly has said. On Deputy Coppinger's question, we are not urging anyone to play anything. I wish we could have a decent debate about this, but I get the feeling that the Deputy is more interested-----
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-----in attacking the Irish Government as opposed to the Israeli Government at times. That is what it feels like in this House. In the context of all the protests and all the agitation, it is the Irish Government that the Deputy is attacking-----
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We were the first to intervene in the context of the genocide when South Africa took a case before the ICJ. We were the first European State to intervene in that legally and make a strong submission in that respect. We gave additional funding to the ICC in respect of what was happening in Gaza and in the Middle East to support it and give it the resources and capacity. We were one of the earliest to go in and defend UNRWA and fund it substantially when others were not. Likewise, there have been other measures such as supporting human rights organisations, such as those referred to by Deputy Heneghan. We have been doing that even when they came under a lot of pressure. The Irish Government has done a lot. If you ever meet the Palestinian or Lebanese Governments-----
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-----they thank the Irish Government, and they thank the Irish people for their support.
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I met with the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, recently when he attended after the informal EU Council meeting. He cited the Irish experience in terms of the peace process and conflict resolution as a basis for how the Lebanon-Israel situation and the Palestinian question could be resolved. That is the other side of the coin. We want to be part of solutions and we want to use our experience in conflict resolution to help in that regard. On Deputy Ó Murchú's question about the occupied territories Bill, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has engaged with the Attorney General on that. I have made it very clear that I do not believe services should be included in the Bill. That would damage Ireland more than anything. It is largely a symbolic Bill. It will not have any practical significant impact on the ground, but nonetheless it will come before the House. We all need to honest and clear about that. When the detailed analysis was done-----
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-----I think it emerged that about €190,000 worth of goods has come in. Others go through Antwerp and do not come directly into the country. A lot of work has been done on that and the Minister will come back to the House on it. At European Union level there is a real push to see can we suspend the trade association agreement. The UNIFIL mission is on all of our minds. I keep in regular contact with the Chief of Staff, as does the Minister for Defence. I raised the Seán Rooney case and the appeal with the Lebanese authorities when I was in Lebanon. Hopefully, we will see some progress on that.
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On Deputy Cleere's question, more work has been done on understanding the differences between North and South in the last four years than was done in the previous 100 years. We have invested hugely in research on all aspects of education and health and the differences between the health systems in the North vis-à-vis the Republic, and school completion rates in the North vis-à-vis school completion rates here. The ESRI has done a lot of good studies around primary care in the North versus primary care in the Republic. We have funded research projects between universities. We are now looking at the first potential all-island university, involving Queen's University and Dundalk. This is being funded through the shared island initiative. This has probably been one of the more radical and impactful initiatives the Government has ever undertaken in the context of North-South relations. It has been broadly welcomed and well received across all communities. The research piece is working well. The Narrow Water bridge project will hopefully be completed in late 2027. We are going to go the whole way and complete the Ulster Canal project . It is about enhancing connectivity. We have an all-island musical archive for music from different traditions. On biodiversity, we have an all-island network and another on climate and so on. Am I out of time?
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I will come back to the Deputy on that. On the other matters, I think I have dealt with the Palestine issue for Deputy McQuaide. Deputy Heneghan inquired about plug-in solar. There are some issues which the Minister spoke to me about. If you have plug-in solar, some houses have to have the capacity to absorb. However, I think the Minister is in favour and is trying to develop it. On nature restoration, I am working with the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, to ensure a good funding profile for nature restoration in the medium term, as per the report that was published recently by the independent advisory committee chaired by Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shuilleabháin. That is on my radar and my agenda. I dealt with Deputy Murphy's question about the ICJ and the ICC.
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On Deputy O'Callaghan's question about Ireland being the largest exporter of alumina to Russia, again, that has not formed part of the sanctions. This is because the product from the factory is also important to wider industry in Europe. When imposing sanctions, we have always endeavoured not to harm ourselves more than anybody else when it comes to Russia. I will get the information for the Deputy, but there is an importance ere to European-wide industry as well in the context of what is produced in Limerick.
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The Deputy will get the answer on Thursday.
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