Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

Tuesday’s business shall be Second Stage of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 (to adjourn after 2 hours).

Tuesday's private members' business shall be Second Stage of the Water Services (Repeal of Water Charges) Bill 2025, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:- Statements on Tariffs (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins)

- Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Committee Stage, section 5, resumed) (to commence no earlier than 5.30 p.m. and to adjourn either at 9 p.m. or after 3 hours, whichever is the later).

- Statements on Uisce Éireann (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins)

- Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 (Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn at 6.58 p.m. or after 1 hr and 34 mins, whichever is the later).

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that private members’ business may be taken earlier than 6.12 p.m. and shall, in any event be taken on the adjournment of proceedings on the Second Stage of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025, or where those proceedings conclude within the available time, on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Education, and topical issues, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. in relation to the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025, the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 2 hours and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(i) the arrangements for the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(ii) any speaking slots on the first round which are not reached may be taken on Thursday in accordance with the agreed sequence; and

(iii) members may share time; and

(b) the proceedings shall not be resumed on Tuesday; and

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	20	20	20	12	4
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	20	12	4	20	12
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	NP/G
Mins	4	20	12	4	20

3. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 177(2), the proceedings on Second Stage of the Water Services (Repeal of Water Charges) Bill 2025 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours.

In relation to Wednesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as set out in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders is modified to the following extent:

(a) the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of the weekly division time; and

(b) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the weekly division time, which may be taken on the adjournment of proceedings on the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024: Provided that where the proceedings on that Bill conclude within the allotted time, the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the Statements on Tariffs shall not exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(a) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c) members may share time; and

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	35	25	15	15	5
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	15	15	5	12	15
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	NP/G
Mins	5	12	15	5	8

3. the resumed proceedings on Committee Stage of the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024 shall commence no earlier than 5.30 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 9 p.m. or after 3 hours, whichever is the later.

In relation to Thursday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. (a) the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) the Dáil shall meet at 10.23 a.m.;

(ii) Questions to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall not be taken, and Questions to the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall be taken as the first item of business;

(iii) no motion for a Committee report pursuant to Standing Order 111 or private member's Bill pursuant to Standing Order 169 shall be taken; and

(iv) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of the resumed proceedings on Second Stage of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025, or where those proceedings conclude within the allotted time, on the conclusion thereof, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of topical issues; and

(b) the Dáil on its rising shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 29th April, 2025;

2. the Statements on Uisce Éireann shall not exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(a) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c) members may share time; and

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	35	25	15	15	5
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	15	15	5	12	15
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	NP/G
Mins	5	12	15	5	8

3. in relation to any resumed proceedings on Second Stage of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025, the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 6.58 p.m. or after 1 hour and 34 minutes, whichever is the later, and the order of speaking and allocation of time on the first speaking round shall be as follows:

(i) the speaking slots from Tuesday’s arrangements for the first round shall be continued from the point at which they were adjourned; and

(ii) members may share time; and

(b) the proceedings shall not be resumed on Thursday.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Not agreed.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Can we have the Whip from each party or those wishing to record dissent, for 30 seconds?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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My understanding is that Deputy McDonald wants to move an amendment under the Standing Order.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Under Standing Order 35(3) I wish to move an amendment such that, for Thursday's business, a proposal No. 4 be included, on the establishment of committees. We have waited far too long for this. The idea that we wait until the middle of May before we have committees up and running is unacceptable at this point, and I believe it can and should be remedied. We have a lot of very important issues arising-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy McDonald. That is 30 seconds, and your amendment is moved.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----some of which have been raised today.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I call Deputy Duncan Smith.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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And we need functioning committees very quickly.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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As the Whip, I can respond. The Deputy raised the issue under the Standing Order, which she has a right to do

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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That is fine, Deputy. In future I will call on you to speak and then ask the leader to move the amendment when the others have spoken.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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That makes no sense.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It makes no sense.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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An amendment under the Standing Order can be taken at any stage. It is at the discretion of the Ceann Comhairle as to when she decides to take it.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I did, but I said I would come back to you next. Go ahead, Deputy.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I want to make it clear than on 5 February, a Cheann Comhairle, you took independent legal advice and adjudicated on the right of the Regional Independent Group to form a group in opposition.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Please, Deputies.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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No, this is my moment. I have 30 seconds, which is all that has been given. That is all the Ceann Comhairle has allowed me and I intend to make my point. At that point the Government could have moved, along with the rest of us, to form Oireachtas committees immediately under the d'Hondt system. We were told repeatedly that the Government was going to change Standing Orders and that is why the process was delayed. I can tell the House that Standing Order 113(2), which governs the formation of committees, was not changed. We have wasted two months thanks to the Government looking after Michael Lowry. That is why our committees have not been not set up.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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There is no excuse as to why we cannot roll out the committees this week, and I fully support that.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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I turn to CHI. The HIQA report published today is a matter of historical significance. We will now enter a two-week recess for Easter, and we think we should have a full debate this week on the HIQA report into CHI, the subsequent resignations and all the associated issues.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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I agree with those two proposals. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, said that the pre-election promise of 40,000 homes did not damage trust in the Government. That is an incredible statement to make and a slap in the face to the tens of thousands of people looking for somewhere affordable to live. I propose there should be time this week for the Minister to come into the House to make an apology for that.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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We really need to take time this week to debate the HIQA report and to try to learn some lessons from the horrific abuse of some children at Temple Street hospital. The Taoiseach made the point earlier that the insertion of springs should not have happened and that responsibility lies with the surgeon. I agree 100%. The question, however, is how that was allowed to happen and to continue. If it was not for a whistleblower, a series of parliamentary questions and the reporting of The Ditch, this could still be happening today.

There is another related scandal of children being put through unnecessary hip surgeries. It is why the families are calling for a public inquiry. They are right to do so. We need to debate this issue in the Dáil.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Last week, a staggering 9,300 farmers were waiting since early 2024 on delayed ACRES payments. Some 2,302 of these farmers are waiting for their 2023 payment. We also have a tariff crisis facing Irish agriculture. Farmers also want to discuss – I met the IFA on this – Ireland’s derogation scheme. It is now about pointing the direction for Ireland and we need to have a discussion on agriculture this week in the Dáil.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to committees, the Dáil reform committee, as agreed, will begin the process of establishing committees tomorrow evening, as Deputies are aware. The Government submitted the list of committees to the Dáil reform committee today and we are happy to discuss this at the meeting of the Dáil reform committee tomorrow evening. We will select the committees on Thursday morning, as was agreed with all the Whips last Thursday.

Questions were raised about the HIQA report and agriculture. I know Deputy Collins raised the matter of agriculture last week too, but there is only a set amount of time every week. We have allocated three and a half hours to the tariffs discussion, which was the main focus of all the Whips when we met last Thursday. We will certainly, however, see if there is an opportunity to debate the HIQA report in the Dáil this week. I will have to discuss that with the Minister.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Chief Whip.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Can we prioritise the formation of the foreign affairs and trade committee to get on with-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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There are massive issues and huge concern around these tariffs. Can we at least prioritise the foreign affairs and trade committee?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The question is that the proposed arrangements are agreed to. Is that agreed?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Can we agree-----

Deputies:

Not agreed.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I moved an amendment. The Ceann Comhairle needs to take a vote on my amendment.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I have the question which will explain all of that.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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An amendment has been proposed.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is no need for a vote. We are going to set up the committees as quick as we can.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The question has to be put, Taoiseach, if everyone will just settle down.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The number of schools in financial distress has soared. In the 2022-23 school year, five schools were referred to the financial support services unit, but the number has jumped significantly to 34 schools this year.

Nearly half those are DEIS schools and special schools. The sharp increase in operating costs sees many schools struggling to keep the doors open. Since early last year, Rutland National School, which is in my constituency, has been pleading with the Taoiseach's Government for help with soaring insurance and utility costs but has had no positive response. The school has been hit, would you believe, with a water bill of nearly €9,000. It is living with real uncertainty, and the school is not on its own in that. We know that Government funding simply does not match the costs that schools face. We can see the soaring numbers of schools in real difficulty.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank Deputy McDonald. I call the Taoiseach.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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What action does the Taoiseach propose to take on this matter?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. We have about 3,000 schools in this country. When schools find themselves in financial difficulty, there is a structure and system in the Department of Education to respond to such schools. I will refer the matter to the Minister for Education. I ask the schools involved to engage with the section in the Department that deals with schools that have financial challenges or are under financial pressure.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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The Minister, Deputy Foley, today published the report by Sheila Nunan on negotiations with the religious bodies involved in running mother and baby homes. It is disappointing to see how little the orders are prepared to do towards paying their fair share of redress. The vast majority are dragging their feet and delaying on the issue of redress. I think just one substantial offer has been made by one order, along with two fairly derisory offers from two other orders. There has been nothing at all from the others. These orders are not short of money. An investigation by Noteworthy for The Journal showed that the religious orders involved in historic abuse sold over 75 properties worth more than €90 million between 2016 and 2022 alone. What will the Government do to compel religious orders and associated lay-run trusts to pay their fair share of redress? I have drafted legislation for the Labour Party to address the imbalance of power to make it easier for survivors to seek justice by providing the Government and the State with additional powers to effectively compel the payment of redress. I would be very happy to share that again with the Minister.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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What is the Government's view on this matter?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is very disappointing-----

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Yes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----that only two orders have made any sort of meaningful responses, one being the €12.5 million from the Bon Secours order, which has been accepted. This is what was recommended by the Nunan committee. I pay tribute to Sheila Nunan for the work she has done. The other response concerned a building. I will have to get greater clarity in terms of its value and so on. The Minister has gone back to the organisations to say there is a period of time here if they wish to reconsider. Meanwhile, the Attorney General is examining options.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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The Taoiseach's Department oversees the north-east inner-city task force. Such is the extent of the crisis in schools funding at the moment that I am meeting with representatives of four schools, Rutland National School being one of them, with Jim Gavin who chairs the north-east inner-city task force to try to understand how more than €50 million from the Taoiseach's Department has been spent on the task force, yet schools are struggling to pay electricity bills. This is extraordinary. We need more of a crisis intervention in terms of helping to support schools the length and breadth of the country. It is very clear that something serious is happening.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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My understanding is that significant resources were put into the schools through that programme. This may not have been in the capitation category, but in terms of curriculum supports and other supports in the general area for young people in particular, including therapeutic supports for children and multidisciplinary teams. I think that has worked very well. Again, I will refer this matter to the Minister for Education for a response. Additionally, there are mechanisms in the Department to deal with schools that find themselves in difficulty in terms of the normal financial overheads and so on.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Tá mé ag díriú isteach arís ar An gCeathrú Rua i gcroílár na Gaeltachta agus an easpa infreastruchtúr bunúsach atá ann go háirid maidir le hionad séarachais. Níl aon ionad séarachais ann. Tá an scéal seo ag dul ar aghaidh le breis is 25 bliain anois agus tá sé ag cur isteach go tromchúiseach agus go hollmhór ar chúrsaí tithíochta. Bhí cathaoirleach na scoile speisialta i dteagmháil leis na Teachtaí Dála uilig sa cheantar toisc nach féidir leis an scoil leanúint ar aghaidh le dhá sheomra breise atá ag teastáil go géar de bharr easpa séarachais.

Níl aon chothromaíocht ó thaobh cúrsaí tithíochta nó ó thaobh cúrsaí forbartha. Tá sé seo thar a bheith práinneach.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Easpa uisce, an ea?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Easpa córas séarachais - sewage treatment plant.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Sewage, gabh mo leithscéal. Níl an t-eolas sonrach agam ach déanfaidh mé fiosrú ar an gceist. Is olc an scéal é nach bhfuilimid in ann dul ar aghaidh leis na seomraí breise. Déanfaidh mé fiosrú leis an mbardas agus leis an Aire féachaint an féidir linn rud éigin a dhéanamh go gearrthéarmach chun infreastruchtúr a chur i bhfeidhm agus slí a aimsiú chun go mbeimid in ann na seomraí breise a chur ar fáil.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Cancer Connect, the hugely successful cancer transport service, is available throughout County Cork and is delivered on the ground by a team of 430 volunteer drivers of several vehicles. The years 2023 and 2024 alone saw between 6,000 and 7,000 passenger journeys recorded. The impact this transport has on the lives of those on a cancer journey and the extended community is extensive. Cancer Connect has gone beyond the realm of surviving on community donations. The company is now struggling to budget efficiently for 2025 without any guaranteed income secured. The Department of Health made a commitment last October to fund Cancer Connect up to €50,000. This was greatly received but to deliver on this ever-growing service, Cancer Connect will need an annual budget of up to €100,000. Will this be achieved in the next budget?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was there on the day we announced the €50,000, which was warmly welcomed by the Deputy and by everybody else. Fair play to the Deputy, he has doubled his bet now in terms of the request. It was the first time ever a response of this kind came from Government and it was part of wider financial supports that were allocated to cancer centres across the country. Yes, Cancer Connects does extraordinary work around the entirety of County Cork where it brings patients to services. The Minister for Health has a lot of pressure with regard to expenditure demands but I have no doubt that when she comes to look at this situation, we will see what we can do in terms of Cancer Connects and the other bodies as well.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Despite the wonderful weather we are having, there is a certain sense of foreboding around the country as we see - thanks to Donald Trump - the dark clouds of economic uncertainty beginning to gather. I am conscious that in such circumstances, where we have had difficulties in the past, we have always moved to secure the well-being and welfare of the most disadvantaged and the less well off. It is in that context that I have been thinking about those who have been impacted by thalidomide. It is nearly 50 years ago since I first heard the story of thalidomide. Fifty years has elapsed and we now have approximately 40 people living with that condition in the country. To say that I am embarrassed and ashamed that we have not yet met their needs and resolved the difficulties is something of an understatement.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you. The Taoiseach to respond.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Taoiseach see his Government being able to meet the needs and resolve the problems surrounding those survivors of thalidomide?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Why is it that this great State of ours-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy. You are way over time and taking someone else's time.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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-----has to be forced so often to apologise for the mistakes of the past?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The State is not being forced here; it is being very responsive. There are other factors afoot that have frustrated the State's endeavour to bring this to a conclusion. I have to put that on record. The State is wide open and wants to get this resolved. We have established a mediation process. There have been two mediation processes and we have a judge appointed. Apart from all of that, we have already made it very clear that all health services are available now to anybody affected by thalidomide until the end of his or her life. This includes any time they require a consultant or anything. When I was last Taoiseach we set that in train. In my view that was being held up unnecessarily not by the State but by people who were looking for the overall settlement. I said that, in the first instance, we should make sure all healthcare was available, somewhat like earlier schemes, and also housing adaptations or any changes to people's living environment. All of that is available as well.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Taoiseach. We have nine Deputies left.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a process there that hopefully we can bring to a conclusion. I can talk to the Deputy if he wishes and bring him up to speed on it.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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An issue of growing concern in recent months is the sharp rise in the number and sophistication of scams targeting people across Ireland, from phishing texts to fake texts and online fraud. These scams are causing real distress and financial loss to many, particularly the vulnerable and our older citizens who are often primary targets. We have heard reports of people losing their life savings to increasingly convincing scams. Despite warnings from banks and gardaí, swindlers continue to find new ways to deceive the public. Can the Taoiseach outline what steps the Government is taking to better inform and protect people from these scams? Is there a co-ordinated plan to increase public awareness, strengthen consumer protections or enhance support from those who have already fallen victim to fraud?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Aird for raising this issue. Deputy Collins raised a similar issue relating to financial services earlier. The Central Bank has issued a new consumer protection code relating to technology more generally. Technology and financial literacy are two very important programmes that are under way to try to educate people in order that they do not fall foul of these scammers and those who want to defraud people and engage in fraudulent behaviour. On all levels and across different Government Departments, constant efforts are being made to alert people to the dangers of phishing and online scams. In the context of the financial world, it is amazing how people trust others with large sums of money and then lose it very quickly afterwards.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach may have seen reports in the Irish Daily Mail on protected disclosure which detail how confiscated weapons, including automatic firearms, ammunition and explosives, were being held at Garda headquarters in a container secured by a very simple combination lock. The report suggests that much of the weaponry is undocumented and therefore untraceable. Does the Taoiseach agree that this type of system creates a real risk of these weapons making their way back into the hands of organised criminals? We know that a pump-action shotgun that was originally seized from one criminal gang in 2009 was later seized from another criminal gang in 2023. The newspaper report suggests that the Taoiseach has had sight of the protected disclosure. Can he let the Dáil know whether he is satisfied that the facts contained in the report are true, and if so, what action will be taken to address this serious issue?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy knows well that the new procedures and protocols governing protected disclosures have been processed under the policy in place to handle such matters. I have been assured that the independent investigation by GSOC, which is investigating this matter, will be completed in due course, notwithstanding the time already lapsed since the protected disclosure was first made. Obviously, the various bodies - the Director of Public Prosecutions and GSOC itself - must continue their investigations before I can comment. I am not in a position to comment at this stage until those investigations are complete.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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First, I add my voice to the support for Deputy Boyd Barrett and Councillor Melisa Halpin in Dun Laoghaire as they begin their journey to recovery.

Almost ten years ago, we voted for marriage equality and proudly so. We have made great strides down that road but there are still families who do not have familial equality. Children born into same-sex couples - depending on the means in which they were born - do not avail of the same rights and have issues relating to citizenship rights, succession rights, social protection rights, education rights, inheritance rights and birth registration rights, as well as the emotional toll it places upon them. When and how is the Government going to remedy this situation to ensure we have equality for all families in this country?

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As the House is aware, the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act was signed into law in July 2024. Significant amending work is necessary for that and formal drafting of that Bill, which is largely concerned with the outstanding issues of parentage and citizenship, as well as procedures undertaken abroad, is under way and is a priority area. I am hoping this will be published in June.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Bhí na sluaite amach ar an R336 an Chéadaoin seo caite, agus beidh amárach, ag glacadh páirt i siúlóid agóide mar gheall ar cé chomh contúirteach is atá an bóthar sin agus an easpa muiníne atá ag tuismitheoirí a bpáistí a ligint dul ar scoil ag siúl nó ar rothar. Tá a fhios agam gur faoi dhualgas na comhairle contae atá an tsábháilteacht bóthair, ach ba mhaith liom aird a tharraingt ar an dul chun cinn mall atá déanta againn ar an scéim um bealaí sábháilte chun na scoile. Some 421 schools were included in the original safe routes to school scheme in 2021 and of those 421, only 96 have had work completed on them. This is impeding children who wish to walk or cycle to school safely and the impact of the scheme is not meeting its desire. The scheme is overly cumbersome from my perspective, as it includes the Department of Transport, NTA, An Taisce, local authorities and schools.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There are nine phases of approval through the scheme. We need to look at it again.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue of safety in the context of the safe routes to school scheme. I take on board what he has said. I will ask the Ministers responsible to look at the scheme. The Deputy has said it is taking too long. He mentioned that 421 schools are involved.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Of the 421 schools, just 96 have had their work completed.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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We will see what we can do to expedite that.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach will have seen the campaign run by parents to get special school places for their children both nationally and in Cork. They have fought a Trojan campaign. There was an announcement last week that there would be additional places but it is an absolute scandal that parents must go out and fight for their children's right to an education. In 2022, there was an announcement for the new special school in Carrignavar in County Cork. There is now a fear that this school will not be open in September and may not be opened at all. I have two simple questions for the Taoiseach. Have the capacity issues in Carrignavar been resolved? Will the new special school in Carrignavar be opened this year?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The new school in Carrignavar will be open. It may not be ready for September - it has been announced already that there will be a contingency plan for students who will be in a temporary building in Fermoy - but the works are progressing on Carrignavar. The site is an old primary school, as the Deputy knows.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Yes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is agreed and is progressing. Again, the number of special classes provided in the past four years has doubled and the number of students attending special classes has gone from-----

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Taoiseach, it was Irish Water-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----9,000 to 19,000. The population is increasing, as are the numbers identifying with special needs. Our job and obligation is to provide every child with a place and that is the objective. I am now informed - as of the latest this morning - that up to 4,000 additional places will be provided this year from the beginning of September. The aim is for every child in the coming weeks to know their place. That is the objective. I spoke this morning to the Ministers for Education and special education-----

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is Irish Water that cannot facilitate this. There is no capacity in Carrignavar.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy Gould. He can write to the Taoiseach. I call Deputy Stanley.

Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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The issue I wish to raise with the Taoiseach is the need for special needs places, and specifically the case of St. Francis School in Portlaoise. There is a big commitment in the programme for Government regarding special schools and increasing places. We all welcome this but it must be more than aspirations. St. Francis School is a relatively new facility but it was too small the day it was built. There are children going there from all over Laois and the school is in urgent need of extra space. There are nine children due to leave the school this year but there are 45 children waiting to get in, and this number is increasing. The school has been granted four extra classrooms and I welcome that fact but this will take time. We know in this House that this must go through several hoops and stages. There is an immediate problem - the management of the school and staff have pointed this out for a long time - and there is an immediate solution to provide two prefab buildings. There is space on the site for that. Can the Taoiseach get the Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee, and the Department of Education to take this seriously?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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What is the name of the school?

Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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St. Francis School in Portlaoise. The Taoiseach might take it up with the Minister to really push this on. It is very important.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Deputy is way over time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will bring this to the attention of the Minister of State for special education, Deputy Moynihan. He is working flat out with schools, as is Minister McEntee, with a view to getting solutions on the ground in given locations where the need is greatest. If the Deputy sends me the details, I will forward them to the Minister of State to pursue the case. If there is a blockage, we will see if we can unblock it.

Every effort is now being made to make sure every child has a place.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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You would want to have a heart of stone not to be moved by the parents of children with additional needs who spoke to us last week. They broke down telling their stories of the failure of the State to provide them with appropriate school places and services. I am supporting parents in my constituency whose children are locked out of education. In area CHO 9 more than 3,000 children are waiting for an initial contact from children's disability services. We are organising a public meeting on that this Thursday.

What is the Taoiseach doing to ensure each child in north Dublin will have access to an appropriate school place by this September and access to assessment of need and proper adequate services from the children's disability services? This is not moving quickly or adequately enough. To give an example, one school opened a special class and had 26 applications for six places. Is this acceptable?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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This is no consolation to any parent or child seeking a place now but there has been an exponential growth in the number of special classes in the country over the past four years. Over a five year period we now have 19,000 children attending special classes. Five years ago that number was 9,000. There has been constant expansion of the provision of special classes. In the past four years 11 new special schools have opened. This year alone there will be five more. As I said earlier, close to 4,000 special education places will be provided by September this year. I will ask the Minister to talk to the Deputy in terms of specific solutions for specific school areas. Last week he said to me that Dublin was the one area that had not been closed off and that they were working extremely hard to get every child looked after and facilitated.

George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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In January of this year BNY announced it was to close its Wexford facility with 95% of its 310 Wexford-based employees to transfer elsewhere or be made redundant. Significantly, BNY operations in Dublin and Cork are not impacted by these cuts. The first question to be answered is: why Wexford? Clearly the cost of both property and operating is higher in Dublin. What discussions did the IDA have with BNY in advance of this decision? The Minister, Deputy Burke, promised in the immediate aftermath of the announcement that he would do everything possible to support affected staff and to ensure options were available to the 310 individuals and their families. Will the Minister be clear today in setting out what the position is more than two months after the announcement? Financial services are one of Wexford's economic focuses. I would like a clear commitment from both the Taoiseach and the Minister, and through him the IDA, that every possible effort is being made to find a replacement company in the financial services sector to replace BNY. Do the Minister or the Taoiseach have any progress to report on this?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Ministers is not here. However, I will raise this issue with him. I can well recall there was a determined attempt nearly two decades ago to create a financial services presence, hub and footprint in the south east, in particular in Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny. State Street opened in Kilkenny. To a certain extent that got traction. It is disappointing that BNY has made the decision it has made. I was not involved in the discussions between the IDA and the company. The company generally tends to make these decisions itself. It may be to do with trends within the company or particular issues. However, I will talk to the Minister in respect of the employees. We will certainly do everything we can to get further financial services investment into Wexford. We will also see whether we can help the employees to secure alternative employment either through Enterprise Ireland companies or through further investments via the IDA.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We are out of time but I propose to take Deputy Richard O'Donoghue, who has one minute for a question and a response.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)
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I wish Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett well in his treatment. Please God everything goes well for him.

This question is for the Minister of Health and relates to the freeze on UHL. Two Limerick people are coming home from Australia. One is a physiotherapist and the other is an ICU nurse. The ICU nurse had been told they had a position in the hospital but they received a letter to say it was sorry that there is a freeze on taking on staff in UHL. These are two Irish people who want to return home and join the health service, which I would welcome. If the Minister could intervene, that would be welcome. This person was offered a job in UHL but is now being told they cannot have it.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I would appreciate it if the Deputy would give me the details of that. We are constantly recruiting in the health service. We have another 6,250 people to recruit just this year and that is after retirements. It is very much against the grain to hear this in Dáil Éireann, considering how much we have invested and how much we continue to invest. Could the Deputy give me the details? I will be happy to look into it. I note UHL's continued good progress on its trolley numbers. Getting to amber this weekend was a new statement for UHL and I hope that continues.