Each and every one of us, whether Ministers in Departments or Deputies in this House, wants to make sure that every taxpayers' penny that is spent is spent well, goes to where it needs to go and goes to those who need it. That is across every Department, including health, education, active travel, and investing in critical infrastructure. With the €105 billion that was announced in last year's budget, there is a role for all of us, including Ministers, Departments, and agencies, to make sure we get value for money, spend it where it is needed, and that projects come in on time and on budget. That has to be a focus and priority for all of us. That is an objective of Government and of all of us in this House. One of the Department of public expenditure and reform's key roles is the development of guidance, codes of practice, and circulars to make sure we get best value for money, that we adhere to critical infrastructure guidelines, that we have codes of practice in place that are adhered to, and that we make sure that what we are spending our money on is spent well, whether it is money invested in health, education, communications, large-scale transport, or any other larger projects. Before suggesting that is not happening, look at communications where we have the €3 billion national broadband plan which was delivered on time, on budget, and is ahead of schedule. We have large-scale transport projects that are coming in on time and within budget. In the health sector, which the Deputy referenced, more money is being spent than ever before. We will have more people working in our health service this year than we did last year. Of course, we have to make sure that where budgets are set within hospitals and within regions, people are able to stick to those because if you go over your budget, then somebody else in a different part of the country suffers. When you look at the projects and the investment, we had acute facility expansions in 2025, with works to expand ward blocks in Cork University Hospital, St. James's, Connolly, Blanchardstown, and the Mater hospital. They have all been delivered on time and on budget. These are facilities for people where people will benefit day-to-day. The Mater hospital's Rock Wing was completed in 2023. I mention the national forensic central hospital and Merlin Park University Hospital. Look at further and higher education and at education. We are absolutely determined that every cent that is spent of the €105.4 billion budget announced last year, which we will spend this year, and the money announced in the past couple of weeks, will go directly to those who need it but we need to make sure we have a balance, that we are investing in active travel, that we are encouraging people to cycle to work where they can, that we are investing in our communities and that it is not just going directly into services and infrastructure. Nobody agrees with what happened here in Leinster House last year. That is why the OPW has put in place new measures and put forward changes to make sure something like that cannot happen again but the project the Deputy mentioned went through the procurement process and the proper guidelines. What was delivered was what was decided was needed for the hospital in the place that it was located. That is in the scheme of a €105 billion budget, with additional funding already provided for this year. We have provided €750 million to people because we know that it is needed. Some €100 million has been provided directly to our farmers and contractors who are quite literally providing and putting the food on our tables, and there is €100 million extra for our hauliers, who are transporting our goods, food, commodities and people across the country. We are also supporting people directly with the reduction in overall fuel prices, whether it is the 32 cent, 27 cent, or the significant reduction in marked green diesel. All of this is because we appreciate and understand that while we need to continue to invest in our infrastructure and to spend money on our schools, hospitals, and directly on supports people need, we also need to invest in the here and now, and acknowledge that people are in a very difficult position because of the war in Iran, the conflict in Ukraine, and because of what has happened post Covid. All of this cumulatively has put immense stress and pressure on people. That does not mean that every single cent that is being spent is not being spent well and wisely.
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Does the Deputy accept we are spending more money on health every year?
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This time next year there will be more people working in our health service. We cannot have a situation where money is being spent and there is no accountability as to where it is going within our health service or anywhere else as well.
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The Deputy talks about our budgets. We would not have the money to invest if we followed the tack the Deputy wants us to take.
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While I do not stand here every Thursday, I listen every Thursday and every single week, the Deputy comes in here and wants a new budget. Sinn Féin has put forward a new plan for €3 billion additional funding but does not take into account the fact that if we were to spend every penny-----
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-----that the Deputy wants to spend-----
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Not only would we not have a surplus-----
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-----and we would not actually have the money to spend. Sinn Féin does not want any taxes or to take in any money. It just wants to spend it. Sinn Féin does not take into account that the money it is proposing the Government spends would increase costs even more for people by about 5% or €3 billion.
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I have answered the Deputy's question very clearly.
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What we have is an infrastructure plan of €102 billion. The Deputy can talk about one project. I think we all agree we need to make sure whether it is a large or small project, that value for money is achieved.
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What Deputy Doherty will never accept is that €102 billion is being spent in our schools hospitals, our road networks and our infrastructure-----
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-----all of which people will benefit from.
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We would not have a red cent of that if we followed the economic plans Sinn Féin has proposed.
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Again, we all appreciate that we can all see the challenges people are facing at the moment. This has not happened overnight. We have had a series of events that have impacted inflation and our overall prices, from Covid-19 to the war in Ukraine and the most recent crisis in the Middle East where it is being said that if what happened in the seventies was coupled twice with the war in Ukraine, in terms of the impact on and access to fuel and prices, this is worse. We are dealing with what has been a cumulative impact and the need not just for a response of a direct financial support to people, but for structural change and investment. To the Deputy's point, that is exactly what this Government campaigned on, was elected on and what we set out to do in our programme for Government. We have a programme for Government that is set out over the five years. It is important to stress that it is five budgets over five years. It is not possible to do everything in any one year. What we have been very clear on from this year's budget and will be clear again in the coming weeks and months with next year's budget, is that we want to make sure that with the surplus we have, because of the way in which the economy is managed and of our focus on developing economies and making sure we have money to invest back into our infrastructure and in our services for people who need them most, we are in a position where we can provide support directly to people but also plan for the future and invest in those long-term structural changes while, at the same time, making it easier for those who are working and need our support as well. I appreciate that and we all accept that for those who are working, taking the average household - I hate to use the example we always use of a nurse and a garda, or two people who working in the public sector - we want to make sure people feel the benefit when they take home their pay packets every week or month. We have said we will make changes when it comes to income tax brackets and that is something we are committed to doing. We have made very clear that we have plans when it comes to reducing overall costs for childcare, something that can be like an extra mortgage for people, but that we also need to look at overall access to childcare. That is being worked on at the moment. People are struggling most at the moment with energy costs and trying to respond to what has been a significant shock during the past few weeks. We have been clear that we want to do two things. We want to continue directly to support people. I do not accept the Deputy's comment that the general person who gets up and goes to work got nothing. The reduction in fuel costs overall was to support the person who gets into their car or gets public transport and goes to work every day. The €750 million package between the extension of the fuel allowance, the direct reduction and, yes, the specific package for the hauliers, farmers and contractors, was provided with a very clear focus on an industry that uses more fuel than ever because of the time of the year and the production they are involved in. We are making sure that, because of the choices we have made in the past and because of the fact we have a surplus, we are investing directly and supporting people as they need it now. We also have significant plans through our investment and infrastructure plan, and other plans whether they be for childcare-----
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-----the delivery of more homes, investment in healthcare and education that we are making permanent invests and permanent savings for people going forward.
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In the past few weeks alone, the Government has introduced a support package of €750 million plus. If we were to add another budget, essentially, on top of that before we reach October, what will we trade off here? We fully appreciate we need to support people in the here and now. To say that nothing is happening and no one is benefiting is inaccurate when the reduction in overall costs for fuel prices impacts every single person who gets in their car or uses public transport. What we need to do when we are looking at energy in particular is change how we build our new homes and retrofit existing homes. The figures alone total some 250,000 households. Many people who get up and go to work have had their homes retrofitted, which is saving up to €1,100 per year. A total of 73,000 homes are already targeted this year for retrofitting and there are 100% grants available for those who need it most. I think about 34,000 households have been provided with that support. Well before anything happened in Iran, the national energy affordable task force was put together to make sure we can look at overall prices and structure and how we can reduce costs. The initial report recommended that we reduce our VAT on energy and electricity to 9%, and that is a decision that was taken by the Government last year, which will go out to 2030. The new report from this group will be published in the summer. Again, it will look at how we pay for investment in our grid, how we structure our bills and how we can bring down overall costs. A lot of things are happening. The Deputy keeps talking about introducing budgets every couple of weeks. Where is this money coming from? How would we end up having any money to do anything in the budget in October?
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In relation to what is happening in Gaza and specifically the West Bank, I am as appalled as the Deputy is. I think everyone in this House is equally appalled. We have what is supposed to be a ceasefire. Having visited the region and having been to Rafah only at the beginning of the year, it is clear to me that the terms of the ceasefire are not being adhered to in many instances. It is clear that what is happening in the West Bank is only escalating further. The level of settler violence is increasing. The level of destruction of homes and communities is increasing. It is for that reason that Ireland has acted throughout all of this conflict - we have led in many instances - to try to provide support to, first and foremost, bring the conflict to an end, but also to provide humanitarian aid where needed and make sure those responsible are held accountable. We led efforts at a European level to recognise Palestine. We were one of the first countries to do so. We also have had a focus on the association agreement. Only last week at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, I wrote directly to the Chair of the Council, along with my Slovenian and Spanish colleagues, asking for the suspension or partial suspension of the association agreement between the EU and Israel to be up for discussion or on the agenda when it comes to goods. I also asked for us to focus on sanctions when it comes to settler violence in the region. For the first time in a long time, we are now starting to see movement in this regard. We are starting to see countries that had not supported any kind of progress in this regard moving. I also know that Palestine needs our continued support and funding. When I was in the region in January, I announced further funding, which brings the aid and support we are providing to the region to about €144 million. It is unfair for anyone to say that Ireland is not front and centre in providing support, leading, bringing about change and working with colleagues where we can. When it comes to the occupied territories Bill, I came into this Department in November. At that point, the Tánaiste, who held this Ministry before me, had worked with the committee and its ask for services to be included in the Bill that had been presented previously. That work has been done. I received advice from the Attorney General before Christmas, as is the case with any legislation, particularly where when there are complex elements in it. I asked further questions and that advice has come back to me. Of course, I will now make a decision in terms of the timelines and how we progress with this. What I would like to see happen is what we have seen in the past where countries have worked together and made progress on issues, such as recognising Palestine, working on the association agreement, providing aid and calling out issues where they emerged. Where we have worked together, we have made a greater impact and seen greater progress. I have been engaging with colleagues across those other countries where similar legislation has been introduced or is progressing to see what progress we can make. My objective and that of the Government is to make sure that this war comes to an end, that we stop people being murdered and killed and that we support those innocent civilians. We must ensure the two-state solution, which has always been this country’s focus and priority, remains a viable objective. The longer the violence in the West Bank continues, that becomes less and less viable. That is why we are taking the actions we are taking. That is why we are still committed to progressing the legislation.
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The Deputy outlined the timeline but recently, particularly as this conflict has escalated and as more and more people have been brought into the conflict, we have acted in a way that many other countries have not. We have led in recognising Palestine. We led in advocating for more support, financial aid and assistance. We have led when it comes to the suspension of the association agreement, which I believe would have a greater impact and effect in supporting people in the West Bank and Gaza more generally. That is why I, along with my colleagues from Slovenia and Spain, wrote recently to put this back on the agenda. It is why I have advocated to ensure there are sanctions applied for those engaging in violent settler actions in the West Bank. It is also why I am engaging with my European colleagues so that as we progress this legislation, we are working collectively together to have an impact. The objective here has to be-----
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-----to make sure that we have an impact. As I said, I have received the advice. We are at the stage where I have received the advice. I have to finalise and assess that. I will then move forward after that. I have only received that advice in recent weeks. I will be able to make progress and move on it. Everything that we do has to make sure we are able to make an impact and a positive impact for people on the ground. That is always going to be my priority when it comes to this.
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The Government has consistently been a strong voice for the rights of Palestinian people. Whether Deputy Coppinger would like to accept that or not, or whether she agrees with me or not, that has always been the case. With every opportunity, be it within the EU or the international community, we have advocated for the rights of the Palestinian people and for a two-state solution. We have not just advocated. On top of the areas I have mentioned, where others have pulled back, we have provided humanitarian aid. We have continued to advocate for other organisations whose members I have met and whose colleagues were killed and murdered in this conflict. We have continued to advocate for them and to provide funding while making sure that at every level possible, at the UN level with our international partners, that we highlight the absolutely integral role they play. We continue to advocate for the suspension of the association agreement. For me, this is extremely important because the association agreement, or part of it, particularly when we talk of the West Bank, is at an EU level. This is where we have the greatest impact, where we effect change and how we bring about the response we need, which is that the killing stops, that what is happening in the West Bank stops, and that the pathway towards a two-state solution remains viable. When it comes to that, we have been part of an overall association that is working actively at the moment. While it seems difficult given what is going on, we are actively working to ensure that this remains the focus and the priority. We held one of the most recent conferences in Dublin with people from right across the globe, including Palestine, focused on how we can achieve that overall objective and how we can bring to bear our own experiences on our island of what seemed like an impossible solution in Northern Ireland, how we brought that to the fore, and how we brought the peace process to the fore. We are actively engaged with Palestine and with our counterparts. We are actively engaged with our colleagues right across the EU, and I am actively engaged with them to see what measures we can bring forward. We have to accept there is not a consensus in Europe at the moment when it comes to the association agreement and suspending it. I know from the discussions we had in the past few weeks that there was a shift and a change. My continued engagement with them will be to focus on how we can do more and how the EU can collectively respond and do more because I do not think we have done enough. I am happy to say, and I have said time and again, that at an EU level, I do not think we have done enough. We have given a very clear commitment with regard to the occupied territories Bill. Legislation does not progress in the same way in different countries. Two countries have already introduced it but it was not through primary legislation and it was by a different route. At the same time, we know other countries are progressing it at the moment and I am actively engaged in working with them. Where we move in unison and where we act collectively together, we have a greater impact and we have a stronger response. This comes back to what is actually having an impact on the ground, how we are supporting people and what it is they need. When I was on the ground speaking to people, they said they need continued aid, they need continued support and they need us to advocate at a European level. That is the way to bring about the change that is needed.
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I am very clear that we are committed to the Bill. I am very clear on that and I cannot stress that enough. In terms of the flotilla, this is the second flotilla. With the first flotilla, our representatives on the ground responded immediately to those who were in Israel. They were some of the first citizens who were brought home. With regard to this current flotilla, I condemned outright the actions taken by Israel in international waters. This was a clear violation of international law. I made it very clear that this was a breach. We had officials on the ground who supported those people immediately and who made sure those who were brought to shore in Greece were provided with the support and assistance they required. I have to stress that our advice to people is not to travel in the region. I have condemned the actions of Israel. I have made sure our officials and our team are on the ground supporting those people but again I stress our advice is not to travel to the region. It was clear where they were headed to and the advice is not to travel. To anybody who is taken off the flotilla to decide to continue in that vein, our advice has to be to advise against that. Again, it is not inaction and it is not just words. We are taking action. My actions in recent times in trying to bring together the European Union to respond more collectively is how I believe we will gain respect and make sure we have a greater impact.
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