Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

The programme for Government annual report published on 10 May provides a comprehensive update on more than 300 commitments progressed across all of Government in its first year and highlights the specific plans put in place to tackle in the short and longer terms areas such as housing, homelessness, education, rural and regional development, job creation, broadband, agriculture and climate change. The report also highlights the ambition and steps to improve services for families, children, people with disabilities and mental health problems and older people, and reforms necessary in the health and justice sectors. It also reflects the significant work undertaken to ensure an effective whole-of-Government approach to the Brexit negotiations and takes full account of the Government's negotiating priorities.

Work is under way on a further interim progress report to reflect work advanced by the Government since May. The report, which is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks, will include an update on measures progressed by Government Departments, including actions to ameliorate housing and homelessness problems, such as the €750 million financing entity Home Building Finance Ireland, the new stamp duty refund scheme, projects approved under the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, the national roll-out of the HAP place finder service and measures to progress delivery of vacant houses; actions to support rural development, including a €60 million regional enterprise development fund, €21.6 million allocated in the 2017 town and village renewal scheme and €10 million approved for Leader projects; actions to support businesses and jobs, including a €300 million Brexit loan scheme, which has been announced, €3.4 million in Brexit supports made available to SMEs, the reduction in USC rates and an additional €6.6 billion in capital funding allocated in budget 2018; and actions to support families and services, including a €5 increase in all weekly benefits, increasing the minimum wage for the fourth time, 1,800 additional front-line posts for the health sector, the new national cancer strategy, which runs from 2017 to 2026, an increase in maternity leave in the case of premature births and 2,300 extra posts for schools.

The Government will continue this work over its lifetime to protect and grow the economy, invest in and care for its people and plan for Ireland's future.

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