Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [7770/24]

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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10. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [8697/24]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [8796/24]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [9021/24]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [9318/24]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [10349/24]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Ba mhaith liom Ceisteanna Uimh. 9 go 15, go huile, a thógáil le chéile.

Tugann an Chomhairle Náisiúnta Eacnamaíoch agus Shóisialta comhairle dom ar shaincheisteanna beartais straitéisigh a bhaineann le forbairt inbhuanaithe eacnamaíoch shóisialta agus chomhshaoil in Éirinn.

The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. NESC is currently working on four main areas, the first is which is "A Thriving Ireland: Foundations and Actions". Throughout 2023 NESC engaged in a programme of activities to mark its establishment in 1973. The NESC at 50 programme, culminating in a conference at which I spoke in November to mark its 50th anniversary, focused on the question of how Ireland can thrive. In 2024, the council will produce a special publication to summarise and reflect the wide range of inputs and ideas discussed at the November conference. It is expected that its publication will be finalised in quarter 2 of 2024.

The second area of focus is on good jobs. The programme for Government outlines the need for a concerted policy focus on increasing the number of quality and sustainable jobs in the labour market. The Government has introduced a series of measures designed to improve employees' terms and conditions. This project examines job quality and the range of benefits it can provide for employees, enterprises and wider society. It is also explores what is meant by "good jobs" and the range of public and private sector actions needed to improve job quality. It is expected that the report will be published in quarter 2 of 2024.

The third area of focus is housing. NESC is currently examining options that will help to better realise affordable, integrated and sustainable residential development. It is expected that NESC will publish this work in quarter 2 of 2024.

The fourth area of focus is the just energy transition and the shared island initiative. In Government we are working hard to ensure that Ireland captures the full potential associated with cleaner energy. This NESC project will develop a shared vision and understanding of the role of clean energy and challenges and implications for the economy, society and environment. The project will focus on power and heat services of the energy system on an all-island basis. It will examine energy poverty, the changing relationship between households and the energy system, and the economic benefits and enterprise opportunities arising from investment in clean energy infrastructure. It is expected that this report will be completed in quarter 1 of 2025.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Three weeks ago many of us stood before the House and spoke of the truly historic events taking place in the North following the restoration of political institutions after an agonising delay. A nationalist has been named as First Minister in the Stormont Executive. This represents a watershed moment which presents unprecedented opportunities for progress on our island. . This is no more pronounced than in relation to dealing with climate change. Action on climate change provides a clear and urgent platform for ambitious all-island action and collaboration. Sinn Féin believes that action on climate change should not be grounded in punitive measures that produce deeply inequitable outcomes. Delivery on climate change will be key to achieving an energy-secure and independent Ireland as part of a just transition. This can only be achieved through effective co-ordination and collaboration North and South. We are not the only ones saying this. Many industry experts, including NESC, have urged the Government to do more to make this happen. What decisive action is the Taoiseach taking to further the development of an all-island response to the decarbonisation of our energy system? Will he prioritise a shared approach and work with our colleagues in the North to achieve this? We need to see action on this and we do not need to see more reports on the matter.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The comments in the British command paper prior to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Executive and the North-South Ministerial Council were particularly negative in regard to the all-Ireland economy. Regardless of what British public servants or politicians think, the all-Ireland economy exists, is growing and is being strengthened every day, thankfully, for the benefit of the people throughout this island.

To take one statistic, between 1998, the time of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and 2022, cross-Border trade in goods and services increased threefold to well in excess of €11 billion. I note that the figure for 2023 is higher again. We welcome that development because a particularly important element of cross-Border trade is its significance to small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs. We all know that for many SMEs, their first export market is to the neighbouring jurisdiction, North to South and South to North. The Taoiseach has heard me speak in this House on many occasions about the importance of cross-Border trade for areas like Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Armagh. This area is thankfully particularly strong in the agrifood sector, construction products and engineering, and it also has a growing tourism industry.

I have mentioned this previously and I would like the Taoiseach's Department and NESC to have a look at it. I refer to the particular challenges and opportunities for the central Border region. We all know that the more densely populated urban centres on the Dublin-Belfast line will grow despite whatever economic challenges arise. We need to prepare and grasp the opportunities and deal with the challenges that will affect the central Border region area.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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NESC has done a lot of work on housing in recent years. This fact featured very strongly in its 50th anniversary meeting, which the Taoiseach referred to. I want to raise with the Taoiseach again an area that needs to be examined; namely, the significant and growing deficit in the delivery of three- and four-bedroom homes. I want to update our conversation on this. The Taoiseach said that there are figures to show that the big need is for one- and two-bedroom homes. Certainly there is a big need for one- and two bedroom homes. However, for the Taoiseach's information, in terms of housing need assessment in specific areas, those receiving housing assistance payment, HAP, are not being counted in the figures for housing need because they are on transferred lists. Huge numbers of those people are in larger families, many of whom are ending up homeless in emergency accommodation. We are seeing child and family homelessness growing. Developers do not want to build three- and four-bedroom houses because they can make more profit from one- and two- bedroom houses. We need to do something about this. Even when there is some uptick, albeit not enough, in the delivery in housing - mostly apartments - generally not enough three- and four- bedroom homes are being delivered. We are seeing people being made homeless or couch surfing in all sorts of deplorable situations. I urge the Taoiseach to look at this. Obviously we directly have to deliver more three- and four-bedroom houses in public and affordable housing developments. However, we also need to insist that developers deliver more three- and four-bedroom homes as well.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of climate action. We are making measurable progress on climate. Emissions are falling and we expect them to fall again this year. This is against the backdrop of a growing economy and increasing population. Our per capita emissions have fallen considerably in the last 20 years, but they are still not falling fast enough. In terms of what we can do on climate when it comes to all-Ireland co-operation, one area is transport. The investment in EV charging across the island is of benefit to all of us.

The decision to go to an hourly service on the Dublin-Belfast rail line is another example of such a benefit. The implementation of aspects of the all-Ireland rail review can be a benefit, too. The other area is electricity, where interconnection is so important, because we have a single grid with connections to France and Britain.

Deputy Brendan Smith spoke very eloquently on the all-island economy. I agree with him; it is real and it is growing. I do not think it should be seen as a threat to trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. It is not a case of either-or. Northern Ireland can increase its trade in both directions and with the wider world, in my view, and that is what we want to happen. The Deputy made a strong case for making sure that the central Border region is always on our agenda. We speak a lot about the north west, such as Derry and Donegal, and we speak a lot about the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor. It can be easy to forget about the huge region in between, which also has economic needs and potential.

Deputy Boyd Barrett mentioned housing and the deficit of three- and four-bedroom homes. I accept that there is a deficit of three- and four-bedroom homes in the country. There is a deficit in housing generally. The research and information show us that the greatest need and deficit is in one- and two-bedroom homes. That is a reflection of the fact that we have smaller households, many more single people and many more small families. When we make plans for housing, we should not just look at the developments that are in for planning; we have to look at the developments that are in for planning in the context of the neighbourhood and the area. There may be places where there are already many one- and two-bedroom apartments and it might make sense to have some more three- and four-bedroom homes there. There are also areas where proposals are in to build a lot of one- and two-bedroom apartments in a neighbourhood that is full of three- and four-bedroom homes. People need to look at the neighbourhood and not just the exact development that has been put forward.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Yes, but they are not counting the three- and four-bedroom homes.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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On the issue of childcare fees, providers that are in the scheme have reduced their fees by approximately 25% and will reduce them by a further 25% in September. Providers that are outside the scheme are different because we do not control their fees. Even if we had a fully State-run system, I imagine there would still be private crèches and private childcare providers, unless one made them illegal, which I do not think anyone is proposing. I do not have a proper read on the number of childcare providers that are pulling out of the scheme. That is something on which I will have to make inquiries to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. It might be a very small number, in which case it would be one type of problem. If it is a very large number, it would be a very different problem.