Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [50921/23]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52315/23]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52324/23]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52068/23]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52546/23]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52547/23]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52548/23]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52549/23]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52550/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [53587/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [53590/23]

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide and update on the programme for Government. [53638/23]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [53901/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh 1 go 14, le chéile.

The Government is making good progress in implementing the programme for Government. We led Ireland through the pandemic, saving lives and livelihoods. Over 500,000 more people are at work today than on the day the Government took office, and we are now at full employment. We are implementing far-reaching reforms like sick pay, the living wage, and auto-enrolment so that every worker has a pension, and we are setting asie surplus revenues for future investment. This is very much in line with the programme for Government objective that demands our economy recovers in a way that is fair and balanced, leaves no one behind, and is future-proofed against shocks.

Individual commitments in the programme for Government are advanced through the co-ordinating mechanisms of the Cabinet committee structure. The ten Cabinet committees established by the Government reflect the core policy areas that are set out in the programme. The strategy statements of all Departments reflect the national priorities outlined in the programme for Government. The Department of the Taoiseach is continuing to help advance the programme's commitments in the following significant policy areas: the first involves the implementation of the Housing for All strategy, including additional initiatives as necessary, to advance crucial housing related commitments; second is the continued engagement at EU and international level on the situation in the Middle East, including by calling for full observance of international law by all parties working to build consensus at EU level to take a more proactive approach in assisting a negotiated two-state solution and lasting peace process, and increased funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees or UNRWA; third is the engagement with EU leaders to advance high-level objectives in the programme for Government, in particular, economic and competitiveness issues, energy security, external relations including with the UK, as well as continuing our strong collective EU response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; fourth is the pursuit of our international commitments, including strengthening our relationship with the US, and implementing the UN sustainable development goals; fifth is the advancement of the Government’s commitments on a shared island; sixth is ensuring the implementation of the New Decade, New Approach deal commitments, working with the relevant Departments, North and South, in advancing these goals, strengthening British-Irish relations, including with London, and the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland. It also includes the implementation of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, and the Government’s climate action plan; advancements in Sláintecare, improving access, outcomes and affordability for patients by increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the workforce, infrastructure and provision of patient care; oversight of the implementation of the third domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy; oversight of the implementation of A Policing Service for our Future, the Government’s plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland through the policing reform implementation programme office of the Department; and the development of the well-being framework for Ireland and its integration into the policymaking and budgetary systems. It also involves the publication of Harnessing Digital - The Digital Ireland Framework in February 2022, and ongoing implementation to drive and enable the digital transition across the economy and society, with a first progress report in December 2022; progressing four citizens’ assemblies on a Dublin directly elected mayor and local government structures, biodiversity loss, drugs use, and the future of education; and finally, the establishment of the child poverty and well-being programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach to honour commitments identified in the programme for Government that will have the greatest impact on the lives of children who experience poverty and disadvantage.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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There are ten contributors so they each have up to one minute.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I would like to address a topic outlined in the programme for Government that pertains to the mental health services for children and adolescents. Only recently, the Fine Gael parliamentary party members engaged with the organisation Families for Reform of CAMHS, where we had the opportunity to listen to some profoundly distressing stories concerning the impact of the HSE on children and adolescent mental services, CAMHS, units on children nationwide. A recent report concerning the CAMHS within community healthcare organisation, CHO 2, encompassing counties Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, highlighted earlier this year that 311 children and young individuals are awaiting services. This issue of staffing levels and staff retention poses a significant risk. Families for Reform of CAMHS has identified ten distinctive reforms for which it is advocating. First and foremost of these reforms is the allocation of funding to ensure the provision of safe, effective and child-centred services. Moving forward, I ask that the Taoiseach give serious consideration to CAMHS reform.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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There are serious concerns for jobs in Ballincollig, County Cork, after US corporation, Broadcom, acquired the semiconductor company VMWare, which employs 1,000 people in the town. Broadcom moved quickly to implement redundancies across the United States after its $69 billion takeover. It has been in correspondence with the Ballincollig workforce, including stating that it was proposing some organisational changes and possible redundancies. There is a six-week review under way; I understand this will be completed in mid-January. Will the Taoiseach ensure the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, engages with the new owners and impresses upon them that each and every one of those jobs is important to the workers and their families, the town of Ballincollig and the wider community in Cork city?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Once again, there are 12 contributors so I will have to keep Deputies to the time.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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In the past number of years, Aontú has introduced two animal welfare Bills. One related to puppy farms and the second to the stealing of pets from families. The reason we did so is because the entire animal welfare space in this country is in a bad place; so much so, that dog charities are currently at breaking point. The responsibility for animal welfare is split between four different Departments currently and puppy farms are churning out 30,000 puppies on an annual basis in this State. When we brought forward our Bills, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, said the Government would bring about a Bill and there was no need for ours but that was more than 18 months ago at this stage. Where is the Government's response to the animal welfare issues that are experienced in every county? Where is the Bill and when will it come before the Dáil?

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I raise again the issue of rare diseases. While I welcome much of the progress we have achieved in the past two years in government, particularly with the number of drugs to which people have access - more than 80 at this stage, which is great progress - I still feel somewhat disappointed that next year's budget did not contain a stand-alone budget for new drugs for rare diseases. I know the savings from the main drugs budget will be diverted towards this but I have to express that initial disappointment. The programme for Government asks that we establish a national genetics and genomics medicine network and states that we would support the medical genetics service. There is much to be lauded and much progress made but, at the same time, we are still behind the curve in many situations and there is an awful lot more work to do regarding our overall access to drugs. At the moment, we are at risk of losing our European reference networks, ERNs, as well. I would appreciate if the Taoiseach could comment on this matter.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach may recall that there was a commitment in the programme for Government in 2020 to provide additional supports for SMEs and also to scale up Microfinance Ireland so it could support greater numbers of small businesses and start-ups in accessing finance.

We all know that energy costs are killing some businesses. Small enterprises in hospitality and small retail businesses are facing particular problems and challenges at present. I spoke to one business owner at the weekend and that businessperson told me that the business is going very well, with good turnover, but costs are a problem. Some are Government-related costs, and there is a particular issue with energy costs. Alongside that, in my region, Ulster Bank always had a good presence. Since its exit from the Irish market, businesses and individuals have had to change banks. They are not getting the same credit facilities they had with Ulster Bank. That is another problem facing small enterprises, particularly in the Border region.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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In the programme for Government a commitment was given to end direct provision during the lifetime of this Government. Obviously, that commitment was made before the Ukrainian war and is not something we will be able to achieve. It is very important, however, that the State provides shelter that is safe, secure and warm for people seeking international protection. In light of the fact that we are unable to provide an end to direct provision, can we commit to ensure that when people come here seeking international protection, their applications will be dealt with in a timely fashion in order that they can go on to live a full, integrated life in our country? Also, when the Taoiseach talks about "slowing the flow" of people coming to Ireland, is it his opinion that some of the benefits being offered will be changed and aligned with supports that are offered in other European countries?

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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In the programme for Government there was a commitment in respect of the optional protocol to the UNCRPD. There is an awful lot of work going on within the Departments and within the Government to improve the State's provision for people with disabilities, their families, their communities and their carers. It is important as well, however, that we send out a signal. We have ratified the UNCRPD, and a lot of work is going on in Departments on that, but a commitment was given to ratify the optional protocol. What work is under way by the Government on this, and are there timelines for the ratification of the optional protocol?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Last Sunday was UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The disability community and disability activists are asking when the Government will adopt the optional protocol to the UNCRPD to make itself accountable and to ensure real equality for people with disabilities. This Thursday, a new alliance of disability groups will protest outside the Dáil between 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock. I encourage the Taoiseach and Government Ministers to go out and meet them. They are calling for the scrapping of the Government Green Paper on disability reform because they believe that the proposed reform completely fails to engage with the disability community or to understand the complex needs of the disability community in Ireland. I urge the Taoiseach to listen to what people say at that protest, to engage with them and to heed their call for the ratification of the optional protocol to the UNCRPD.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, was told that the health budget was not credible by the Secretary General of the Department of Health before budget day. He said that introducing a budget on that basis was not being honest and is a clear breach of public financial procedures. That is from the former senior civil servant in the Department of public expenditure, and this comes on the back of the head of the HSE saying he either runs a huge deficit or makes cuts. It comes on the back of 11,493 patients, including 434 children, going without a bed in hospitals in November. More than 830,000 people are on the waiting list, and tens of thousands of people are leaving EDs without being seen. This is no way to run a health service and makes a mockery of the budget processes. Is the Taoiseach's Government knowingly forcing the HSE to run a huge deficit this year? Does he accept that this breaks all the rules of public finance? Day after day, his own TDs come in here commentating - commentating - on the health services in their constituencies. Their party is in government.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Could I get an update on the timeline for the inquiry into how the State dealt with the Covid crisis? Have we looked at what particular modules this will deal with? My specific question is about how we deal with those families who lost loved ones in nursing homes. This is not the first time I have brought up with the Taoiseach the issue of Dealgan House and the families of the 23 who lost their lives at the beginning of the Covid crisis and who still await answers. The State and the Minister for Health have promised them that but, unfortunately, it has been up to themselves and the resilience they have shown. We need to give them answers and a means and a mechanism to deal with the particular issues that happened in Dealgan House.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies for their questions.

Deputy Dillon raised the important issue of mental health and deficits in CAMHS. We have real difficulties there, as Deputies will know, in securing skilled and qualified staff for those teams, but I assure the Deputy and the House that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is committed to making all the reforms necessary and possible to improve the situation.

Deputy Barry raised the issue of redundancies at Broadcom. I am not up to date on the particular issues there but I will speak to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, about it. I know he will want to take a particular interest in it, it being in Ballincollig, not too far from him.

Deputy Tóibín asked about animal welfare. I will have to come back to the Deputy with an update on the timeline for the Government's legislative plans on that.

Deputy O'Sullivan once again raised the issue of rare diseases and mentioned that 80 new medicines have been approved. We are examining the matter of setting aside some dedicated funding for new medicines next year. That will have to be dealt with in the context of the service plan. The same would apply to medical genetics. We are keen to make sure that the progress that has been made in recent years does not stall in 2024.

Deputy Smith asked about help for SMEs that are facing increased energy and labour costs. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, received approval at Cabinet today for his €250 million scheme to help businesses with rising costs. Roughly 90% of businesses in Ireland will receive a grant to help with rising costs. We appreciate that the cost of energy is very high for business, as is the cost of labour. One thing of particular interest in the Border region was a decision of the UK Government in many ways to follow our lead in announcing a big increase in the national minimum wage. Actually, on current exchange rates, the national minimum wage north of the Border will be slightly higher than it is south of the Border in 2024, although that will depend on how exchange rates fluctuate over the period ahead. Of course, north of the Border, auto-enrolment already exists, as does sick pay, albeit at a lower rate. We always keep an eye on that because we do not want to disadvantage businesses south of the Border. The fact that those changes have been announced by the British Government helps to prove that we were right to make the changes we have made to improve pay and terms and conditions.

On access to credit, I understand the point Deputy Smith makes about the loss of Ulster Bank, which is a real loss in terms of access to credit. How can we help?

We have a lot of State-backed lending now, through the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, Microfinance Ireland which is being moved properly into the Government sector, and particularly by encouraging more and more credit unions to offer business loans. The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is very much leading the charge on this.

Deputy Troy asked about ending direct provision. To say very clearly, that remains our policy as a Government but, of course, it is not currently achievable given the large numbers of people who have come to the country in the past two years. There are more than 100,000 from Ukraine and elsewhere, 70,000 of whom need accommodation from the State. Yes it is our plan to align the supports we offer to people coming here from Ukraine and people seeking international protection with other western European states. We will not turn anyone away, and nor can we either under international law or the basic practicalities of doing so, but we want to avoid what are called secondary movements of people who have sought international protection in another European country or stayed in another European country for some time before moving to Ireland to seek international protection here.

With regard to the optional protocol in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was mentioned by Deputies Moynihan and Boyd Barrett, it is the position of the State that with regard to honouring international agreements we do not enter into binding international treaties until we are confident that obligations set out in them can be complied with. As such, a robust scoping exercise is procedurally necessary. This is currently being undertaken in conjunction with legal counsel by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Until ratification, we will continue to fully implement the convention and we look forward to engaging with the UN committee when a review of Ireland's first state report is scheduled. That should be quite soon.

Deputy McDonald asked about our renewable electricity target, which is 80% for 2030. I believe we will meet that. If we do not, we will not be far off it. With regard to the reforms we are making to make it possible, we have had a number of successful auctions and there are more to come. MARA has been set up for marine consent and it is up and running. The new planning and environment division of the High Court will sit for the first time next week. This will mean that judicial reviews will be heard and ruled on more quickly. An Bord Pleanála is being staffed up. The 15 board member complement is now there and there are additional staff. We have the planning and development Bill that will set statutory timelines for decisions to be made. I appeal to Sinn Féin to support this and not to oppose it. It cannot say that it is in favour of more home building and in favour of climate action if it votes against the Bill because it is the Bill that will help us to make these decisions happen more quickly.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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We do not when it comes to An Bord Pleanála and that is the whole point.

To respond to Deputy Conway-Walsh, I cannot and will not be answering questions on behalf of Mr. Watt. What I can say is that the health budget for 2024 will be the highest ever. Waiting lists are down 20% from their post-pandemic peak. Health outcomes are improving and life expectancy in Ireland has never been longer. This is money that is being well spent. There are also 20,000 additional staff and 1,000 extra beds since the Government came to office with more to come. If there is a deficit next year, and it is not unusual for there to be a deficit in the HSE budget, we will deal with it by means of a supplementary.

To respond to Deputy Ó Murchú, the terms of reference for the Covid inquiry have to go to the Government. We hope this will happen soon. We are keen to engage with the Opposition on it. We will have to find members to serve on it and this will be complicated because we want people to serve on the inquiry who can be members of it but who were not involved in making decisions on Covid or commenting on them. This will be quite a challenge.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are way over time and I am not sure whether we will get through all of the questions. We will get through the next lot in any event.