I raise the issue of Droimnín private nursing home in Stradbally, County Laois, and ask the HSE to give serious consideration to retaining this facility on a full-time, permanent basis. As the Minister of State is aware, following an application by HIQA under section 59 of the Health Act 2007, the High Court directed the HSE to assume responsibility for the operation of the nursing home as a provider of last resort. This followed serious and persistent non-compliance identified during the HIQA inspections in April and September 2025, relating to governance, staffing, care planning, healthcare delivery and residents' rights. As widely reported, the HSE has now taken operational control of the centre. I acknowledge the overriding priority has rightly been the safety, care and welfare of the residents of Droimnín nursing home. Enhanced clinical oversight, health professional supports, staff education and daily senior level monitoring are now in place and the residents cared for safely, with no current infectious disease outbreaks. I also believe this intervention presents an important strategic opportunity for the care of the elderly in County Laois. Droimnín is a 70-bed, HIQA-registered designated centre, providing long-term respite and step-down care. It serves the wider Laois region. It is a state-of-the-art, purpose-built building. At the time the HSE stepped in, approximately 40 residents, many of them highly dependent, were living in the centre. County Laois has experienced a chronic shortage of nursing home places in and around Stradbally and the surrounding areas. Families are under severe pressure, with long waiting times, limited local options and increasing dependence on placements outside of the county. This places further strain on patients, carers and acute hospitals. I ask the Minister to consider if the most appropriate course of action is for the HSE to retain Droimnín as a publicly-operated nursing home on a permanent basis. We do not want this valuable capacity lost to the system. While there may not be a precedent for such a decision, I am asking the Minister of State to outline whether permanent HSE ownership and operation of Droimnín is actively being examined, how this facility could contribute to addressing the shortage of long-term and step-down care beds in County Laois, what engagement is taking place with HIQA and other stakeholders on a long-term governance model and what assurances can be given to residents and families to safeguard continuity, stability and the future capacity of the centre. There are many people in my own area around Portlaoise who have to go to nursing homes outside of County Laois. Droimnín is a nursing home in County Laois. I ask the Minister of State to endeavour to do everything possible under the guidance of his Ministry.

I thank Deputy Aird for raising this very important matter. On Wednesday, 4 February 2026, following an application by HIQA under section 59 of the Health Act 2007, an order was made by Portlaoise District Court cancelling the registration of Droimnín nursing home. The HSE was directed to step in and take over operational control of the centre, acting as the provider of last resort. The focus at this time is to ensure the safety, care and welfare of the residents living in the nursing home while longer-term arrangements are progressed. The Deputy has already alluded to that. Droimnín nursing home is situated in Stradbally, County Laois. The nursing home was registered to accommodate up to 70 residents and to provide long-term, respite and step-down care. HIQA inspections in April and September 2025 identified significant and persistent non-compliance across a range of regulations with issues identified pertaining to governance and management, staffing and training, care planning and healthcare and residents’ rights and complaints procedures. HIQA subsequently sought cancellation of the centre’s registration, leading to the court direction requiring HSE intervention. At the time, the HSE assumed control, there were 39 residents living in Droimnín nursing home. We must ensure that the highest standards of care are provided to all nursing home residents and ensure they are maintained in a safe and secure environment. Their safety and well-being are of paramount concern. The HSE has put an interim management and clinical governance structure in place, including the appointment of a person in charge, supported by senior operational and clinical teams. Arrangements are in place to ensure appropriate staffing, payroll and clinical oversight. Following the HSE intervention, the 39 residents have benefitted from consultant geriatrician reviews and individual GP correspondence, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and tissue viability nursing input, and access to education and training programmes for staff. The HSE’s intervention is solely focused on protecting residents in Droimnín nursing home and ensuring continuity of safe, appropriate care. Residents in Droimnín nursing home remain in place and are being cared for in a safe, supportive environment. The situation continues to be actively monitored at senior HSE level with daily oversight and contingency planning in place. The HSE has assured me that it will keep the position under review while engaging with HIQA and other stakeholders on the next steps. Ensuring the welfare and safety of the residents is secured is of the utmost importance, and work to alleviate the concerns of residents, their families and staff is a priority during this difficult time. I know how important this is to Deputy Aird. He knows many of the residents in Droimnín nursing home. I met with the HSE in the days following the HSE taking over the nursing home and discussed clearly the procedure that we are putting in place. As the Deputy said, it has moved to put a range of measures in place in terms of the welfare and safety of residents. All options have been explored by the HSE for Droimnín nursing home. The particular issue the Deputy has put forward is being considered by the HSE as well. At this moment, however, the most important thing is to ensure the welfare and safety of residents and that they feel they are in secure environment in Droimnín nursing home. That is very much happening with the HSE in situ operating the nursing home.

I thank the Minister of State for his response and note his comments. It is acknowledged that Ireland’s population is ageing, and this will bring significant challenges. We must plan proactively to meet these needs. There are three HSE nursing homes in County Laois: one in Abbeyleix, St. Brigid's Hospital in Shaen and St. Vincent's community nursing unit in Mountmellick. While I mention St. Vincent's community nursing home, I am delighted to see that the new 50-bed extension is nearing completion. I urge the HSE to proceed without delay with the remaining phases to deliver the full complement of beds. I must make it very clear that the situation in Droimnín nursing home arose from regulatory failure but it now offers the State an opportunity to strengthen public nursing home provision in an area of growing need. This is a chance to secure long-term, high-quality, publicly delivered care for the older people in County Laois. I visited St. Vincent's hospital in Mountmellick the other evening. It is a hospital that is very near and dear to my heart because my late mother worked there for many years. When the new extension or new build is open, I urge the Minister of State to consider revamping the existing rooms that are available in the hospital. That is very important. I walked through the hospital and spoke to people. I know many people who are there and there was not one patient - those who could interact with me - who had nothing but the height of praise. I want to take this opportunity - I do not often get it - to thank all the people and staff in the nursing home in St. Vincent's in Mountmellick. The single biggest problem in St. Vincent's hospital, which Members here all know as public representatives, is to try to get people into it and have beds available. That is the biggest problem. It shows the care and attention the patients are getting in St. Vincent's hospital. There is just one little thing I would ask the Minister of State to raise when he is in discussion there. I hope the church there, which is visited by the patients many times a day on a daily basis, is linked to the new build so people can come and go as they would be used to doing over many years in St. Vincent's.

Once again, I thank Deputy Aird for raising this important matter of Droimnín nursing home in Stradbally. As I said earlier, all options are being explored by the HSE. Specifically, in terms of St. Vincent's in Mountmellick, I know the Deputy has a keen interest in that community nursing home run by the HSE. I would like to give him clarity on a couple of points. First, the church will continue to be accessed by residents and staff, as required, and the day care will remain operational in its current location. The specific point the Deputy raised in respect of linking the new building and the church is something I will take up with the HSE. I have no doubt the Deputy will have written to the HSE on it in his own way. It is expected that the existing residents' transition to the new building will be during the week beginning 23 March. Furthermore, as the Deputy is aware, the eight-bed dementia unit will continue to operate in the existing building. The HSE is looking at doing a feasibility study on the existing building to see what can be done within it and its utilisation across a range of areas, including additional rehab and long-stay and short-stay beds in the community nursing unit, CNU. That is a general summary of where we are with St. Vincent's in Mountmellick. The residents will transition very shortly. It is a 58-bed unit consisting of 57 long-stay beds and one short-stay bed. I will take that particular issue the Deputy raised in respect of the church up with the HSE and I ask him to follow up with it as well. I will finish on Droimnín nursing home. It is worthwhile to acknowledge and thank both HIQA and the HSE for their prompt and personal response to the situation. As I said, poor care, mistreatment, neglect or any form of abuse of any person living in long-term care is completely unacceptable. The primary focus is ensuring that we protect the safety and welfare of the 39 residents in Droimnín nursing home. That is obviously the key focus. In terms of the other matter the Deputy raised, all options are being explored by the HSE.

I want to raise the decision by the Department not to award funding to the Ballyfermot Youth Service under this year's community safety innovation fund. It is a service that for the past two years has been supported by the innovation fund to employ three highly effective staff members, namely, two workers based in the adventure centre and skate park and a dedicated psychotherapist providing essential mental health support to our vulnerable young people. Unfortunately, Ballyfermot is an area with a high prevalence of suicide among young men. These vital posts are, therefore, vital and working hard for the community. I visited the project recently and want to put on record how impressive it is. You walk into the beautiful skate park that has been there for a while and there is not one bit of graffiti. It is minded so well by the boys and the local community. It is a beacon of hope and a fantastic park. People come from all over Dublin to see it and skate on it. It is a community hub. Every afternoon it is full of young people. What makes it special is it is not just a facility; people are building relationships with the staff and with each other. The staff know the risks. They know who is struggling at home, who needs guidance and who to pull aside for help and community support. It is a preventative-type relationship. It is relationship based. The essence of the project is community safety. Over the past two years, the funding has enabled diversion from antisocial behaviour. It is just the tip of the iceberg but it has reduced engagement by kids with scramblers and in street disorder and has created a structured, safe environment for young people who might otherwise be on the margins. The psychotherapist post has been vital. Many of these young people do not have anywhere else to go. Mental health crises are on the rise and early intervention in a trusted youth-friendly setting is not something I would like to see lost. Previous Ministers have visited the area and used the skate park because it makes for good pictures with politicians. The fact it was not funded again was pretty devastating for the centre. The Minister has to come out. I am inviting him out to see the skate park and the work being done. I saw first hand how that work strengthens the community and the engagement with social workers on site. Without this funding, two front-line posts will be lost within weeks. This places the entire project at risk. Because the staff are there and the children are attending, the place is kept immaculate. Will the Minister review this? It is essential. We speak in this House about early intervention and diversion, especially in relation to disadvantaged areas. We speak about community partnerships. I can say hand on my heart that this project is delivering for young boys and young men in Ballyfermot. Will the Minister consider the decision in relation to the Ballyfermot youth centre, or identify an alternative funding mechanism, ideally on a multi-annual basis, to ensure these posts and this centre can thrive? I extend a sincere invitation to him to visit the service. We might get him on a skateboard. It is something he needs to see and appreciate to get a proper vision of what is going on here.

I thank Deputy Ardagh for raising this important issue. I am aware of the outstanding work Ballyfermot Youth Service does. I know it from talking to the Deputy and other representatives and from my own general knowledge in respect of it. I want to see that excellent work continue. Before I came in here this morning, I had a look at the website for Ballyfermot Youth Service and I could see the extent of the outstanding work it does for youths in the community. The Deputy's concern is about funding that previously came to the Ballyfermot Youth Service from the community safety fund, particularly regarding the skate park and the psychotherapist posts. Before responding to that, I will bluntly state that I will take up her invitation. I will come out to the skate park. I will not get on a skateboard but I will certainly come out to see it. The Deputy will be aware the community safety fund has been an important part of the State's response to ensuring we have community safety. The then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, permitted the establishment of this fund in 2022, along with the then Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. Proceeds of crime seized by CAB are partially invested back into the community through the fund. Since 2022, over 127 community safety projects across Ireland have benefited from the fund. In 2025, I achieved allocation of a budget of €4.4 million to it. For 2026, I achieved a further increase to a figure in the region of €4.75 million. This reflects the importance of the fund and why it is so necessary. When I get money into the fund, I seek to distribute it so as to ensure communities affected by criminal activity predominantly see the benefit. That is why the fund has been used so well in supporting projects addressing youth engagement, domestic violence, restorative justice and substance abuse. I agree with the Deputy that the funding of the skate park and psychotherapist post show the fund is playing an essential part in Ballyfermot in terms of what it seeks to do. I have to point out, however, that the purpose of the community safety fund is not to provide repeated, consistent, annual funding. Because it is a limited and small fund, the objective is to pick projects in areas of disadvantage around the country and provide funding for individual projects. It is important to say it is not intended to provide long-term or continuous funding for projects. Nonetheless, I am conscious of the valuable role of the Ballyfermot Youth Service. It clearly delivers important supports throughout the community. I urge Ballyfermot Youth Service to engage with the national community office in my Department and get an assessment of the application process. Obviously, it did it before and was successful in its applications on two occasions. I think it got funding of €150,000 for 2025. I ask the service to engage with my Department. The community safety fund application process will be opening up again this year.

I thank the Minister for agreeing to come out to the skate park. We know early intervention is far more effective and less costly than dealing with problems once they escalate. The Minister stated correctly the fund is to be put back into communities where there is drug-related crime and high-level antisocial behaviour. This is one such community. The service has benefited massively from the innovation fund and is grateful for that. It has worked well but needs to continue. It is really unfair. They are given resources to set up a service that is working well and doing what we all want to see happen. In an area like this, we want to see kids diverted from antisocial behaviour and given proper and targeted mental health supports. Then the rug is pulled from under them. I understand the fund was not created to give services multi-annual funding but we need to look at a multi-annual funding approach for services like this. They will absolutely engage with the community office in the Department, but is there any alternative source of funding? It is a perfect project for the Department of justice. It is effective and accomplished in furthering the ambitions the Department has in relation to youth diversion. I ask the Minister to look at the project and see what can be done to give it secure funding. I meet a lot of staff in these services and every year they are fighting for funding to keep open, when they really want to be working and delivering their service. We need to look at funding these services on a multi-annual basis. This is the only way we will tackle disadvantage in many parts of our city, including the Minister's area.

I agree with the Deputy. It is an essential part of ensuring we get youth diversion from criminal activity that we put in place facilities and services for young people. We had a very important discussion in this Chamber recently about scramblers and how young men and boys were using them, but we need to try to provide alternative avenues and opportunities for people to engage in certain types of activities of interest to them. I fully appreciate the skate park is something Ballyfermot Youth Services wants to see continue. I want to see it continue just as much as the Deputy does. I will engage with officials in my Department in respect of it. I just want to be careful about giving false hope that this can be sorted out this year in the short term. I am going to come out to the skate park and get an update from officials in respect of what is available. We can engage with other ministerial colleagues as well to see if any other emergency funds are available for the purpose of such essential community projects as the skate park. I do have to just emphasise again the purpose of the community safety fund. It is a small fund, only €4.5 million. I am hoping to get it up even further than that this year. The fund tries to pick deserving projects around the country doing very useful work to ensure that communities are safe, particularly communities disadvantaged as a result of criminal activity. If I get into the trend of saying we have set multi-annual funding that is always going to come from the fund, the application process and the diversity of the fund will be altered. I do hear what the Deputy is saying in respect of the importance of the skate park and the psychotherapist role. I will engage with officials in my Department and continue to engage with the Deputy. I look forward very much to coming out to Ballyfermot skate park.

I thank the Minister. I suppose the fund is a victim of its own success when it is creating these fantastic services that people want to see continue. I welcome the engagement the Minister will have with his Department in relation to this issue and that he will come out to visit the skate park. I want to mention as well that the facility has a programme for young people and children with disabilities. It has a cycling programme on every summer, which I think is highly commendable.

I apologise to Deputy Ardagh because I missed her second contribution. That concludes her Topical Issue question. I thank her. Before we proceed, I thank the Minister very much for his constituency visit with me last week. It went down very well. I very much appreciate him taking the time to come to meet the Youghal Socio-Economic Development Group.

On 17 April 150 years ago, an American whaler anchored off Western Australia. It was captained by a US citizen, George Anthony, and it had an ulterior reason to be at that point on the other side of the world from where it had sailed from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Unbeknownst to most of the crew, in fact, it was on a mission other than whaling. Its story began with a smuggled letter to Fenian and Irish Republican Brotherhood, IRB, leader John Devoy from six prisoners of war incarcerated in Fremantle prison outside of Perth, Western Australia. The six were Thomas Darragh from Broomhall in County Wicklow, Michael Harrington from Macroom in County Cork, James Wilson, whose real name, in fact, was McNally, from Newry, Robert Cranston from Stewartstown in County Tyrone, Thomas Hassett from Doneraile in County Cork and Martin Hogan from County Limerick. That letter set in motion a devious, cunning and audacious plan to rescue the six military Fenians. Military Fenians were Irish men who had been in the British Army and who enlisted and took the Fenian oath. From them, the British sought vengeance. While others in the 1867 rising were pardoned, these men were being made an example of to stop other Irish men in the British Army from joining republican forces. Considering it was150 years ago, it was against all the odds that the whaler got to the pre-appointed place on Easter Monday, 17 April. The key part of the expedition cost over €1 million in today's money. The men were picked up from the road gang they were involved in by a backup team of sympathisers and IRB men who had travelled to Australia to act upon this plan. They included John Breslin from Drogheda, Thomas Desmond from Cobh, Thomas Brennan from Dublin, John King from Tallaght and Denis Duggan from Dublin. They brought the six men to Rockingham, and they rowed out to sea to make good their escape. Even though they got on board the Catalpa, a standoff of four hours ensued when a police boat pursued them and told them to pull to. They refused, and showed they were flying the Stars and Stripes. They managed to escape and spent the next four months travelling back to New York, where they were met on 19 August 1876 to wild celebrations. I think this event is worth celebrating. It is being celebrated in Rockingham itself by the Irish there. It should be celebrated in the United States and celebrated here in the museum, etc. I have been involved in events in the decade of centenaries, and going back to the 1798 centenary events, in which the then Minister, Seamus Brennan, was centrally involved. We then had the Famine commemorations, Robert Emmet's bicentenary and the 1916 and decade of centenaries events. This is important. It is strange there is not a commemorative programme by the Government thus far. I think this would fit perfectly into it. It is not just national, but local in all those towns I mentioned and also international, involving Australia and America. It is something our Irish diaspora looks at to try to ensure we celebrate their role in Ireland's freedom.

I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh. I am very pleased I have temporary responsibility for the issue of commemorations in the Department of culture. I agree with the Deputy that it is important that we should celebrate the great rescue by the Catalpa and how it carried out the rescue of the six military Fenians. The 150th anniversary of that important event is approaching in April this year and I commend the Deputy for raising this issue in the House this morning. Obviously, the State gets involved in many official commemorations. Aside from that, it is important that we recognise as a community and as elected representatives in this House that we also have a responsibility and an ability to celebrate great historical events. The Department, in which I am not the Minister, has done a very good job of respectfully commemorating important events that happened 100, 150 and 200 years ago. It is important we continue in respect of that. The Deputy will be aware that a commemorations advisory committee was established in May 2025 under the chairmanship of Bryan Dobson, the distinguished former broadcaster. It includes individuals from across the board in academia and politics. I am informed, and pleased to say, that the anniversary of the Catalpa rescue has been brought to their attention. I am asked to say that the committee agreed that a State commemoration to mark the event would not be possible at this stage because of the proximity of the anniversary, which, as I said, takes place two months from now. It is beneficial that the committee is aware of the event and that the Deputy has raised it. Obviously, John Devoy played an essential part in the Catalpa rescue. In my capacity as the Minister for justice, individuals have come to me in respect of the rescue by the Catalpa of the Fenians out in Perth. It is an important issue that we are discussing here today. I had the privilege many years ago to be in Fremantle Prison in Perth. It is a long way away and a lonely place to be if you are an Irish person, particularly back in the middle of the 19th century. It was a fantastic rescue. It is an essential part of the history of the Irish struggle for independence and it is important that we remember it. The Deputy will be aware that when it comes to official State commemorations, not every individual event can become an official State commemoration. This does not mean that we do not celebrate other important events and discuss them in the House. As I said, we have commemorated very many significant events professionally and, I think, sensibly here. When we look at what is ahead of us, a number of other important significant events are going to occur in the next number of years. Last year we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O'Connell and it was done very well. Some outstanding documentaries were made in respect of it. Ruán Magan made an outstanding documentary in respect of Daniel O'Connell's life. The important thing is that we are not just looking to the past but that we are educating Irish people and, indeed, the world about the great story of the Irish struggle for independence. It is a magnificent struggle that we should seek to promote to the world. When we think of other important events, there will be a significant celebration in respect of Catholic emancipation. This was an issue that deserves to be recognised. It liberated the overwhelming majority of Irish people from discrimination and unfair treatment. I hear what Deputy Ó Snodaigh has said and I welcome that he raised this issue today. The Department, of which I am not a Minister, does not have official plans to commemorate the Catalpa but we can certainly celebrate it.

It is important, even though there will not be a State commemoration, that the State should get involved. We should try to encourage State institutions to mark the event. The National Museum has a flag. The Minister knows of Joe Clarke who fought in 1916 at Mount Street which is in the Minister's constituency. I have a picture of that flag being handed over and he is in it, as is my father. It was in 1972. Frank MacGabhann contacted me and when I looked up the picture I remembered it from when we were kids. There are connections there and, while this is personal to me, these connections go around the world. We need to recognise the events that shaped Ireland and the role that our diaspora had in shaping this nation. It is important that the message goes out that we respect it. Whether it is a small event or a big event in embassies in the United States and Australia to mark this event, whether it is a publication or a republication of material that was sent before, whether it is a pull-out in one of the newspapers, there are ways the State can get involved without having a full State commemoration. It is important that such an initiative happens. Books have been published, one of the most recent of which is The Voyage of the Catalpa by Peter Stevens. We can also go to books by Joseph Clarke and others; there is a whole load of them. Let us try to encourage people to read them, and maybe try to encourage some of the film companies to look at them as scripts. We have seen adventures from every other piece of work, most of which are fictional, but this is a true-life story that could be very easily captured. It would send out the message that we remember the audacious plans of Irish republicans around the world, our exiled nation if we want, who helped shape the nation. It is important when we get the opportunity to do so that we mark those occasions, and whether it is a full State commemoration or the State supporting some local commemorations it should happen.

I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh. The rescue by the Catalpa is a fantastic story. Irrespective of the prejudices Deputy Ó Snodaigh and I have, and that other people have, for preferring certain commemorations over others, it is objectively a fascinating story that deserves to be reported and promoted. In a way, it is a bit like the story of the Invincibles in the aftermath of the Phoenix Park killings and what happened there. Deputy Ó Snodaigh emphasised, as I did, that the State does not have to be the one driving every commemoration. For instance, as the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy O'Connor, is well aware, last evening I attended an event in the Rotunda to start the celebrations for the centenary of Fianna Fáil. The State is not involved in this; it is not on the list of events that the State has decided to commemorate, although it could very well be but it is not. Simply because the State has not decided to assume responsibility for it does not mean that individuals who are interested or individuals who are involved cannot seek to celebrate events that are particularly special and-or important to them. Deputy Ó Snodaigh has obviously done this in respect of the Catalpa and I commend him for it. Even just having this debate here this morning is important, as we are promoting the narrative about the remarkable rescue. I have no doubt Deputy Ó Snodaigh will continue to highlight this. I am very pleased to say that Bryan Dobson and his committee are aware of it. I am sure there are other mechanisms, aside from official State commemorations, whereby support can be provided to local groups who want to commemorate important historical events. To close on an important point, obviously we all come to commemoration with our political biases and our political interests involved. It is also essential that we recognise we have to be inclusive about commemorating events. This country has been very inclusive, as we commemorated the Ulster Covenant, which was not an issue a lot of people in the House would have thought they would have been supportive of. It is important that we commemorate events that may not suit our political agenda. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this important question.

I want to raise the issue of the return of the Midleton to Youghal railway. As a TD for the constituency of Cork East, I want to report to the House and to the Minister that the overwhelming view of constituents in my area is their desire to see further expansion of the east Cork rail corridor beyond Midleton, restoring it once again to the town of Youghal and opening the stations in the villages of Mogeely and Killeagh. The east Cork area is one of the fastest-growing regions of the country in terms of new housing stock and visible population growth. Unfortunately, this is causing issues with traffic congestion. It is no news to the House that I have been a very passionate advocate for upgrading the N25 corridor between Midleton and Youghal, particularly with regard to bypassing Castlemartyr and going down to the village of Killeagh. However, I want to be very clear that as a TD for the constituency I fully support the return of the railway to Youghal. I support what it would do for the local area and I support the objective of dealing with the issue of traffic congestion. It is worth putting on the record that making this happen faces a number of significant hurdles. One of the most important to reference is that a strategic decision was taken in January 2019 by Cork County Council, through a motion brought forward prior to the 2019 local elections, seeking to put in place a greenway between Midleton and Youghal. This came in at a cost of more than €22 million of local authority funding and matched funding from the Department of Transport under the previous Government. A lot of people feel this was a missed opportunity with respect to the return of rail. I want to make clear to the House that people in the area are adamant they want to see the train back, in terms of what it would do for their quality of life and that of their families, commuters going to work and children going to school in these areas. We have to see a pathway. From my perspective, as somebody who has had the experience of being on the transport committee and engaging with the previous Minister for Transport on a very intensive basis, we look at strategies such as the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, the national planning framework, the strategic plans the NTA has for the area, Project Ireland 2040, the national development plan and the all-Ireland rail review, and, unfortunately, the return of the Midleton to Youghal rail corridor is not listed. Sometimes investment can lead to a complication. We will have investment in the full electrification of metropolitan rail in Cork on the Mallow, Midleton and Cobh lines, the construction of eight new train stations on the existing line and ongoing dual tracking being done in preparation for full electrification of the line. However, the line between Midleton and Youghal is single track and I have been told the investment required for it is probably somewhere north of €350 million for the full retrofit of the existing line. Realistically, there is an expectation that it will not be possible to have dual-track electrified rail to Youghal and for the greenway to survive. It is not for me to adjudicate on that as I am not an expert in this field but a decision has to be taken on that issue. On behalf of the constituents of my area, whom I am proud to represent, I want to bring the case forward to the Government and the Minister of State in the Department in respect of this matter. Can the Minister of State give us a realistic feel for how feasible this is? Can he give us some degree of insight into the plans that are in place or what may be happening? We all know about the review of the CMAT strategy. If the Minister of State could give us some information on that, it would be very helpful.

I thank Deputy O'Connor for raising this important issue. As Minister of State with responsibility for rail, I thank him for the opportunity to address the House on this issue today. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for planning and developing public transport infrastructure and for developing the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, CMATS. This strategy has been developed by the NTA in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council. A key principle for CMATS is to reduce dependency on the private car within the Cork metropolitan area while increasing the appeal of sustainable transport options, such as Cork area commuter rail, light rail and BusConnects Cork. As part of this process, the route from Midleton to Youghal was earmarked for development as a greenway, and the final phase of the greenway opened in December 2024. CMATS will be reviewed and updated every six years. As part of this process, the optimal transport provision in the area, including between Midleton and Youghal, can be reconsidered. The next review of CMATS is expected to commence later this year. As part of this review there will be a number of public consultations, giving stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinion on the matter. I encourage all stakeholders to participate in this important process. In addition to CMATS, the all-island strategic rail review, which was published in July 2024, sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050, aligning with net carbon zero commitments in both jurisdictions. The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society on the island, through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new routes. A proposal to develop a line between Midleton and Waterford along the south coast was examined as part of the review but, ultimately, this route was not included in the final recommendations of the report. Analysis undertaken as part of the review indicated that it would likely be more cost-effective to route longer distance services between Cork and Waterford via improved railways between both cities and Limerick Junction, rather than on a new line. One of the review's recommendations is that the review be updated once a decade, taking into account the latest policies and developments. The potential for the Midleton to Waterford line could also be reassessed at this stage. The Deputy spoke about a greenway, which is very popular and is working very well, and the challenges to get the space to put a double-track line down there. However, part of this is the consultation process for CMATS, which will be opening later this year. That is the pathway to see where we will go with on this.

I appreciate the feedback. It is clear there is that opportunity next year with CMATS. I want to be crystal clear and honest with people on this. Making this happen prior to the construction of an upgraded N25 between Midleton and Youghal is going to be a difficult challenge. Politically, everybody whom I have dealt with here in Dáil Éireann wants the return of the rail. That is the prevailing view of the TDs in the constituency. However, the public want a sense of a timeline for this happening. The Minister of State mentioned CMATS and the all-island rail review. Neither of those contain the return of the Midleton to Youghal rail line on the strategic plan. Those are hurdles and barriers. For the public, which has huge interest in this topic, it is important there is reference to that. A capital project of this scale and nature needs to be on capital plans in order for it to happen. That is probably the one thing that has been exceptionally disingenuously pumped out by people involved, who want to make this feel as though it can be done with the click of a finger and overnight, when that is just not how things happen. I remind people that back in 2021, when I had a run-in with the former Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, I threatened to resign and pull my support from that Government. It took that level of action to get some degree of an acceptable response from both the Department of public expenditure at the time, under the then Minister, Michael McGrath, and from the Taoiseach and the then Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan. Being honest, there are huge political barriers and challenges. My ask of the Minister of State is for him and the Department to help us through this process to see if CMATS is an opportunity to consider the future viability of the project.

I understand the Deputy's frustration in trying to get a clear line of sight on what might be happening here. From the outset, the CMATS review will start later this year. That is the avenue by which this project will or will not move forward. This project does not appear in the national development plan, which we have published, or in the sectoral plan for transport and the all-island rail review, in which we have picked projects to do. It is not on the radar, to be honest. We need to use CMATS to see if it is part of the strategy for Cork. Cork people, the county and city councils and the NTA will have a role in all of that, as will the representatives locally. This project has not been included in the all-island rail review and the only next step forward, and the most immediate thing that is going to happen, is the review of the Cork metropolitan strategy. There will be several public consultations on that, giving stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinion on the matter. I encourage all stakeholders to put in their submissions. In addition, one of the all-island rail review recommendations is that the review should be updated once a decade. It will be 2034 when this will be completely reviewed. The Deputy and the people of Cork have a desire to create a railway between Midleton and Youghal but, at present, it is not on the strategy for Cork transport or in the all-island rail review. There is an opportunity to see if we can get it into the Cork metropolitan transport strategy. That is the opportunity. I will not pre-empt the outcome of that strategy here today, other than to say it is the vehicle by which this will change from being something people desire to becoming part of the strategy for the development of Cork. On that, I visited Cork station and met with Irish Rail down there. I have viewed all the projects and development it wants to do. It is very good news for Cork, with the works it has already done. The ambition it has for the future is also very good for Cork. This is just one element that has not made it into the system yet. Whether it does or not will depend on CMATS, when it starts later this year. I will not pre-empt the outcome.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit.