Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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108. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to increase construction sector capacity in order to better deliver on the targets of the national development plan. [63832/22]

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister said he will make a statement. Will there be a questions and answers session? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is wasting her own time.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Will it be a questions and answers session?

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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If the Deputy chooses to do so, that is her business. She is wasting her own time.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Absolutely not. These are questions that need to be answered. I am asking the Minister whether he will facilitate a questions and answers session or if it will be a statement again.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I invite the Minister to respond on the question tabled on the Question Paper.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I reiterate what I have already said: I plan to make a further statement. I have not yet indicated to the Ceann Comhairle when that will be but, of course, the decision to grant that is his. At the earliest opportunity, I want to make a further statement on the matter and ensure the information I am sharing is as accurate as possible. A regards the format of that, I have not yet reached that point. Obviously, much of it is at the discretion of the Ceann Comhairle. I wish to again indicate my intention to give further information on the matter.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Sometimes we need to learn from our mistakes in a lot of different ways. The Minister will have learned from this week that a questions and answers session in the Dáil is what is needed. I would have thought this, as the Minister's first time taking questions in the Dáil as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, would be the perfect opportunity for that. I will read out some of the questions so that if the Minister is not doing questions and answers, he can at least include them in his statement. He should be taking part in a questions and answers session, however. For example, a question he was asked four times yesterday is whether Michael Stone paid people to put up posters for him.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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Deputy, you are wasting the House's time and your own.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I have 35 seconds left, a Chathaoirligh.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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You do, but on the question.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I have 35 seconds. Go raibh maith agat.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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We are dealing with Question No. 108. I will read it out if necessary.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Did Michael Stone pay people to put up posters for the Minister in the 2020 general election?

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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There is a question on the Question Paper. If the Deputy does not wish to delay with the question, we will move on to the next Deputy. I am sure Deputy McNamara would appreciate not being rushed at the end of his opportunity to address-----

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I do not think that at the start-----

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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The question is on the Question Paper before us. Everybody can read it in. The Minister can respond if the Deputy lets him do so. I have asked the Minister to respond-----

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister failed to respond yesterday. There are questions that need to be asked.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I asked the Minister to respond on the question. He has not done so. I will give him another opportunity but then I will have to move on. If the Deputy is going to debate a matter that is not before-----

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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My time is up. It is the Minister's turn.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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If you are going to debate a matter that is not before the House at this moment, I will have to move on. Those are the rules of the House.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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My time is up.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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If the Minister wishes to respond to the question that is on the Question Paper, I am happy to facilitate that.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to emphasise the key points relating to the question that is on the Question Paper. My written response lays out the work that is under way to increase capacity within the construction sector. It looks at the work that is being led by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, through his Department. It makes reference to the construction sector group and the work that is under way to build investment there, and notes the work that is under way in the capital works management framework, looking at how we can better strengthen the role of the Office of Government Procurement to further increase the capacity of the construction sector in the time ahead.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Developing construction sector capacity is a key priority of the Government to deliver on the projects outlined in the NDP, as published by my Department in 2021.

This is achieved through increasing the number of apprenticeships and upskilling and reskilling opportunities in order to boost construction sector capacity. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has set out its vision in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025, which has an overall target of 10,000 apprenticeships per annum across all disciplines. In addition, comprehensive changes have already been made to the employment permit system, open to non-European Economic Area workers, which ensures that almost all occupations in the construction sector are now eligible for a general employment permit.

The promotion of careers in the construction sector amongst Leaving Cert students and college graduates is currently being actioned. This is delivered through actions in the Building Innovation Report set out by the Construction Sector Group, CSG, and is a joint effort with the key players of the construction sector and Government Departments. In addition, under Housing for All, an action plan to promote careers in construction will also be developed by Q2 this year and is being led by the Department for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

As I have indicated, we recognise the importance of apprenticeship as a key supply of talent into the construction sector and have continued to invest in training and apprenticeships, delivering supports to employers and making it easier for employers and apprentices to engage with the system. In 2022, almost 5,000 apprentices working across skills in the construction sector were registered.

The growing need for green skills in the construction sector is supported with a number of collaborative industry-focused educational and training opportunities now available. In total, over 4,500 retrofit and near zero energy building standard, NZEB, places and 60,000 green skills places are being provided with centres of excellence in Laois-Offaly, Waterford-Wexford and Limerick-Clare Education and Training Boards now in place. Centres of excellence will be opened shortly in Cork and Mayo-Sligo-Leitrim ETBs.

Driving productivity is also imperative to increasing construction capacity. The Construction Sector Group is working on seven actions to increase innovation and productivity of the sector. As part of this, my department has awarded a grant of €2.5 million to the establishment of the Build Digital Project led by TU Dublin and partners. The aim of the project will be to transform the Irish construction and built environment sectors by enabling all stakeholders, particularly SMEs, clients and suppliers, to develop, maintain and improve continuously their digital capabilities.

Another action has been the establishment of a Construction Technology Centre, known as Construct Innovate, which will be led by the University of Galway. The centre has been received funding of €5 million over five years from Enterprise Ireland. The centre will be a R&D centre of excellence for the construction industry.

Finally, I want to add that a Capital Works Management Framework review is ongoing by the Office of Government Procurement. This will look at setting minimum standards for the information necessary for each stage of a project's development and also looking at means to measure the performance of a project and its key actors during the course of its delivery and beyond into its operation and maintenance. Taken together, these initiatives will increase construction sector capacity in the period ahead.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. Deputy Farrell, it is entirely in your hands if you wish to respond to that.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I have been clear regarding what I believe needs to be discussed today because we did not get answers to the questions yesterday. A Chathaoirligh, the-----

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I cannot change the Order Paper, Deputy. I have already said that.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I am not asking you to change the Order Paper. I am asking the Minister to answer the questions he should have answered yesterday. He really needs to do a questions and answers session next week and not just give further statements.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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Okay. I am going to move to Deputy McNamara to introduce Question No. 109.