Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate action last met. [10043/17]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate action last met. [10074/17]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate action last met; and when it is scheduled to meet again. [11419/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate action met last. [11613/17]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate change last met and the plans to meet. [11757/17]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 9, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate action last met on 30 January 2017. The next meeting of the Cabinet committee has not yet been scheduled but will happen shortly. The committee addresses the climate change challenge in terms of domestic policy and with regard to Ireland's EU and international obligations.

In addition, the committee drives the development and delivery of key infrastructure and associated policy, including oversight of relevant commitments in A Programme for a Partnership Government.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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What discussions has the Taoiseach had about our water infrastructure at the aforementioned committee? Over the past number of years, the Taoiseach has tried to justify domestic water charges on the basis that we urgently need to address the huge problems with our water infrastructure and to comply with EU directives in the context of the management of our water resources. I do not give that any credibility, frankly, because if the Taoiseach was really interested in such matters, then instead of wasting what could amount to €1 billion on domestic water meters - when we now know from the expert committee that household usage in this country is not wasteful - he would have something to say about what the committee is doing to actually address the huge infrastructural deficit.

I want to ask specifically why the Government is not proposing a retrofit programme for water-harvesting equipment in all publicly-owned housing. Why is the Government not introducing building regulations requiring water harvesting? In terms of meeting the requirements of the EU directive, why does the Government not introduce an incentive scheme and provide grants to householders for the installation of water-harvesting equipment? I recently asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government how many swimming pools there are in the country, in the context of possibly introducing a swimming pool tax for those wasteful people who have private swimming pools ,but he did not know the answer. Does the Taoiseach have any answers on any of this or is it all just spoof?

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Like everyone else, I heard the news this morning that 80 post offices are due to close. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, constantly says that the Government is fully committed to a policy that will see An Post remain a strong, viable company in a position to provide a high-quality postal service and maintain a national network of customer-focused post offices in the community. While I welcome that commitment, closing 80 post offices in the immediate future is really tragic for rural Ireland. The Taoiseach is from a beautiful part of rural Ireland in County Mayo. I am from Ballyfermot and one or two post offices in my constituency of Dublin South Central are being closed. However, the impact of the closure of post offices in towns and villages in Mayo, Kerry, Clare, Donegal and other parts of the country will be enormous. As one journalist wrote this morning, "Will the last person out of rural Ireland please turn out the lights?". This Government has disappointed the people in the context of the provision of bus services. It is now closing post offices and this is just not acceptable. The people of rural Ireland need decisions to be made that will support them, not neo-liberal decisions based on where the most profit can be made and determinations that services are not viable if profits cannot be made. We sprang to attention when the banks went down. We sprang to attention overnight and bailed them out with our money. What are we going to do to bail out rural Ireland and to keep those post offices open? Post offices are essential, not just to financial fabric but the social fabric of our towns and villages.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Tá sé ráite i gclár an Rialtais, atá beagnach bliain d'aois anois, go mbunóidh an Rialtas comhrá náisiúnta ar athrú aeráide, le comhairliúcháin phoiblí forleathan san áireamh. Ní fhaca mé aon trácht ar a leithéid de phróiseas ó shin. Bliain ina dhiadh an geallúint sin, cá bhfuil an bogadh? Cén uair a bheidh an comhairliúcháin sin, nó fiú an comhrá, tosnaithe? Ar an 1 Feabhra seo caite, léirigh an Coimisiún Eorpach i dtuairisc maidir le fuinneamh in-athnuaite nach sroichfidh an tír seo na spriocanna atá leagtha síos don Stát seo i gcomhthéacs na bliana 2020. Thug an Taoiseach geallúint don Oireachtas agus don phobal i gcoitinne go mbeadh an comhairliúcháin seo ar siúl. Cén uair a bheidh an gné sin de chlár an Rialtais tosnaithe agus - ina dhiaidh sin - críochnaithe? An mbeidh aon tionchar ag an bpróiseas comhairliúcháin ar an tuairisc atá curtha faoinár mbráid ag an gCoimisiún? Muna sroichfidh an Stát seo na spriocanna atá leagtha síos ag an Aontas Eorpach agus an Coimisiún Eorpach, tá gach seans ann go ngearrfar fíneáil ar an Stát seo. Tiocfaidh a leithéid d'fhadhb anuas orainn i bhfad níos tapúla muna bhfuilimid ag caint faoi.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Glacann beagnach chuile dhuine leis go bhfuil easpa pleanála agus infheistíochta i gceist le blianta beaga anuas ó thaobh cúrsaí infreastruchtúir na tíre seo. Cé go bhfuil roinnt pleananna foilsithe ag an Rialtas, níl iontu ach liostaí de tograí éagsúla. Níl aon straitéis ann do na rudaí is tábhachtaí i gcúrsaí eacnamaíochta agus sóisialta na tíre seo. Cad iad na nithe is tábhachtaí ó thaobh infreastruchtúr de? Tá go leor ráite maidir le cúrsaí taighde, ach níl dóthain airgid curtha ar fáil le haghaidh infreastruchtúr taighde sa tír seo. De dheasca sin, tá gearrthacha á ndéanamh i gcónaí ar an méid áiseanna atá ar fáil do lucht taighde na tíre. I gcás fadhb na tithíochta, mar shampla, is léir dom anois go bhfuil an Roinn Tithíochta, Pleanála, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil agus na údaráis áitiúla beagnach ar fud na tíre i gcoinne tithíocht shóisialta a thógáil. Is é sin an meon agus an fealsúnacht atá acu. Go bunúsach, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and local authorities in this country do not want to build council houses any more. It is time that the rhetoric stopped. We are hearing so much about social housing options and so forth but local authorities will not build council houses. It is a scandal in itself and a contributory factor to the current crisis. It is extraordinary to think that we are in the midst of the worst housing crisis in living memory and we cannot get council houses built despite all of the strategies and plans. Tá an rud ar fad dochreidte.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I, too, want to talk about the infrastructure deficiencies in the State. Obviously, we have gone through a period when money was particularly scarce and in order to ensure continued provision of vital public services over the past six years or so, the amount of money devoted to our built infrastructure was diminished. That needs to be rectified now but we must do it in a way that is affordable. We do not want to see incredible cost inflation. Three weeks ago, I raised the issue of the cost of the proposed new national children's hospital, which is a really worthy project. I do not need to hear about how worthy the project is because in 2011 it was one of the flagship projects that the then Government identified. The cost in 2011 was €410 million. Two years ago, the cost had risen to €650 million and now we are being told that the project will cost €1 billion. We will not be able to deal with the three new maternity hospitals that we need. The plan is to move the National Maternity Hospital from Holles Street to a site at St. Vincent's Hospital and to co-locate the other two maternity hospitals with adult hospitals. We will not be able to meet all of this infrastructural need if we do not have clear control over the cost of development. In terms of the proposed national children's hospital, has the Taoiseach been given any explanation for the escalation in costs? Was this discussed by the Cabinet sub-committee? What does the Taoiseach have to say about it?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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First, in response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, I am glad he is in favour of water harvesting-----

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I wish the Government was-----

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----but one does not need any sophisticated Government response in respect of water-harvesting devices for ordinary houses.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Just a barrel.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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If one goes to any DIY or home improvement outlet, one will find them, purpose-built and available. One simply puts them under the down pipe and one has water for one's flowers, to wash one's bicycle, one's car - I do not know if the Deputy drives a car - or whatever.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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That would be illegal without permission from Irish Water.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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4 o’clock

They can all be specially designed for Deputy Bríd Smith's house; she does not need to worry about that.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The Taoiseach would want to read the small print from Irish Water.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Under the scheme that the Minister has already put out for bringing back into use houses that are unoccupied-----

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is necessary to get its permission, though.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----it might need €10,000, €15,000 or €20,000 to bring the water into line, address the roof or whatever it might be. These are opportunities for water harvesting. These things are common and have been part of European planning rules and regulation for 50 years. I know we are an exceptional country in the sense that it rains for 200 days in the west, although perhaps not so much in Dublin. It is quite possible for Deputy Boyd Barrett to harvest the water out in that sophisticated part of County Dublin where he lives.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Where are the real conservation grants?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I am glad that Deputy Bríd Smith recognises the qualities of particular parts of the west. I do not know if she was in the House when Deputy Michael Healy Rae mentioned that, as a postmaster himself, he has an interest in-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Climate change.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----the report published by Mr. Bobby Kerr.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Among other things.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The report that was leaked was one that was commissioned by An Post for An Post; it is not a Government report. The Kerr report will be brought in by the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, shortly and will set out the realism here where Government can actually support rural post offices. We decided three years ago, when Deputy Howlin was in government, to have basic banking facilities in post offices, suitable for some but not for everyone. In the case of quite a number of post offices that closed recently in the west, nobody wanted to take them on and they just closed. There is a requirement for An Post to advertise, communicate locally and invite expressions of interest from anybody who wants to take on a post office.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Job opportunities for them.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Unfortunately, it found that no interest was expressed from local people in quite a number of areas. That is a reality.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The Government could pay the minimum wage to a postmaster.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Bhí an Teachta Uí Snodaigh ag caint faoi athrú aeráide agus mar sin de. Glacadh an Rialtas leis an díospóireacht sin ar maidin. Beidh sé ag tosnú láithreach. Beidh an tAire, an Teachta Naughten, ag caint leis an Teachta Ryan agus beidh cead ag na gnólachtaí thart fud na tíre déileáil agus a gcuid tuairimí a chur isteach sa díospóireacht sin. Glacadh an Rialtas leis ar maidin. Beidh sé ag tosnú láithreach.

Deputy Martin asked about infrastructure. Of course, this is always the problem. We have €42 billion between the Exchequer, private moneys, PPPs, but that is not enough. For the Ireland of 2030 or 2040 we need to do much more. That is why we recently opened the European Investment Bank office, which will be in a position to provide serious moneys for particular kinds of infrastructure development on a long-term low-interest basis but where there is an income stream to actually pay for it. A case in point is the motorway from Cork to Limerick, a much needed piece of infrastructure costing approximately €1 billion. If that were to be tolled, it would provide an income stream to deal with that and take it away from the central Exchequer.

We have many ports, but only two that are really big for exports. That area may also provide an opportunity as do the works on the Luas and metro in Dublin as well as work in other cities. They have an income stream and take it away from the central Exchequer. The EIB will provide that over a longer period.

Yesterday along with the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, I launched the Atlantic economic corridor including County Donegal which will come into it when you are finished with it a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. One of the points regarding doing work on ports - without knowing the outcome of the Brexit discussions - is that it is possible to get to the Continent from ports besides Rosslare and Dublin, rather than going to Britain. Obviously, it might be a little longer, but there are other opportunities. There are also opportunities for rail freight to move to ports if that be the case. We need to be creative in how we look at these things.

Maidir leis na cuanta agus the bóthar mór ó Chorcaigh go Luimneach and the cúrsaí traenach agus mar sin de, tithe sóisialta, I agree with this. When Deputy Micheál Martin and I were on local authorities, local authorities were always building council houses, as they were called, or social houses. They have directions to get back into this and I do not see why they should not. They got out of it for particular reasons, because it became commonplace to hive them off to housing associations and so on. Local authorities were always in a position with small staffs to build significant numbers of houses in urban and rural areas throughout the country and I hope that happens again.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach is the boss.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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On infrastructure, in fairness to Deputy Howlin, we did put some money into the opera house and put a few quid into the courthouse. He did provide a decent road to Wexford and the people from that wonderful county returned him and other Deputies to the Dáil.

The national children's hospital is an entity out to 2021. I am informed that a specific monitoring committee will be dealing with a fixed-price contract. The original price obviously was a base price I suppose. Last week I read out all the issues beyond that in terms of fit-out and other things that are clearly a cost. It is expected that when this commences there will be very specific monitoring control and that the costs the Deputy mentioned will not run out of control and hopefully it can be contained at less than the €1 billion being mentioned. I do not need to go into the reasons for having a national children's hospital but I hope and expect it will be tied down in a very disciplined way in respect of the money to deal with the specifics of the contract.