1. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of the Government’s new infrastructure plan, Accelerating Infrastructure-Report and Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70883/25]
Sentiment score: 0.01
Dia duit ar maidin, a Aire. The Minister has outlined a new infrastructure plan and clearly we have a serious infrastructural deficit, which I have raised with him numerous times. This infrastructure deficit, particularly in the west of Ireland, is as a result of decades of neglect by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments. The Government has promised the earth and has delivered really nothing in terms of infrastructure for the west of Ireland. Why should anybody trust that these action plans will be any different?
Sentiment score: 0.04
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. One of the things I noticed when I was reading the plan was that there are the 30 actions and it seems to me that every single one of them will be delivered in quarter two of 2027. This is a ten-year action plan and it seems that, from what I have read, 2026 to 2027 is when they are going to be delivered. That is obviously a two-year timeframe. My query is in relation to the ten-year period. Is it that they are the actions, that is what happens and then it is left until 2035, or what are the actions coming out of that? Will new action plans be agreed coming out of those or how exactly is that going to work?
Sentiment score: 0.04
I have to be very honest here. I want to this to work. The reality is that the way previous Governments have treated infrastructure has been abysmal and we see the direct results that has had. We see it particularly when storms hit or when people want to be able to build housing, providing housing or be able to attract jobs to areas. The state of our infrastructure has been horrific. I have a number of questions in relation to this. One of the things that makes me a bit nervous when it is Fianna Fáil, is whether there is much of an approach in terms of deregulation. We have seen what Fianna Fáil did previously and the impact that it had and I have to ask that question. I was also a bit concerned that it seemed to me that there was an awful lot of blame-shifting. Of course, we know there are serious issues but it did seem like a lot of blame-shifting from Government and other people. First and foremost, it is very clear that the reason we do not have the infrastructure is because of a lack of investment from Governments.
Sentiment score: 0.03
3. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of protected disclosures legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70884/25]
Sentiment score: 0.15
This question relates to protected disclosures. We all recognise the importance of whistleblowers and the incredible work they do for our society in calling out wrongdoing. Unfortunately, doing so for the better of society often comes at their own expense. There was a debate on a Private Members' motion on this issue a few weeks ago. Will the Minister provide an update on whistleblower legislation?
Sentiment score: 0.20
The legislation may only be in place three years but we knew, when it was going through the Houses, that it was far too weak. Everybody agreed on that. It was almost the weakest transposition of the directive that could be made. One of the key issues debated at the time was retrospectivity and how so many people were locked out of the Act's provisions. Has the Minister dealt with EU counterparts on the issue of retrospectivity and whether they, too, excluded people? If not, will he undertake to have that engagement? I welcome the review because it is needed. When in 2026 will it open in terms of public consultation? What direct engagement has the Minister had with whistleblowers in this regard? The least we can do for whistleblowers is to ensure they have protections in law because, unfortunately, so many of them really suffer as a result of their whistleblowing.
Sentiment score: -0.03
This is an issue I am particularly passionate about and I appeal directly to the Minister in this regard. Whistleblowers are telling us they are being failed by the legislation. The Minister has responsibility for it, albeit he has advisers and all of that, and I am appealing directly to him to really look, by way of the review, at the best way to ensure whistleblowers are specifically protected and to take that on board personally. Will he examine whether there are areas in the EU where this process works well and what can be done to strengthen our regime to protect our whistleblowers? I had concerns at the time, which I have raised again numerous time this year, about protected disclosures not going directly to Ministers and those Ministers then being able to say they cannot deal with them because they are with the protected disclosures office. There was an element of concern about that at the time and it is still a huge area of concern. I ask the Minister to look at this personally. It is such an important area and he has such power in relation to it. I urge him to listen to the whistleblowers.
Sentiment score: 0.32
4. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of the removal of pay ceilings for CEOs of Irish commercial State-owned enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70885/25]
Sentiment score: -0.03
I would love to say more about whistleblowers but we must move on. This question is about the status of the removal of pay ceilings for CEOs of State-owned commercial enterprises.
Sentiment score: 0.14
It is unbelievable to me that being out of line with the market and being competitive only ever in this Chamber relates to those people who are on the highest income. It is never about competitiveness for low-wage workers. It is never out of line for low-wage workers. The Minister's decision to remove these pay ceilings has resulted in pay increases for CEOs of Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann of €50,000 and €75,000. Those are insane amounts of money. That is making millionaires out of CEOs at a time when people cannot afford childcare or housing. It shows how out of touch the Government is. Last year the CSO identified that in-work poverty was 5.9%. That equates to more than 145,500 people in employment who are living below the poverty line. What will the Minister do about their competitiveness and being out of line with the market?
Sentiment score: -0.13
I do not think the Minister can seriously come into this Chamber and say his budgets have delivered for people in poverty. One in five children is living in poverty under the Minister's watch, while 15% of the State's population is living in poverty. The Minister talks about an independent recommendation committee on the pay of CEOs in the top 1%. Where is his independent recommendation committee for people who are working, earning and living in poverty? It does not wash with anybody for the Minister to come into this Chamber and tell us the budget delivered for low-paid workers. The Minister has chosen instead to line the pockets of the top 1% of earners, increasing their pay by astronomical amounts of €50,000 and €75,000. Most people do not earn those amounts, let alone get an increase of that scale. What will the Minister do to ensure competitiveness for low-wage workers?
Sentiment score: -0.15
It is not. Children in poverty.
Sentiment score: -0.26
The Minister must know that narrative is what is causing this.
Sentiment score: 0.00