Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1. 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. [14725/25]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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2. 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. [16778/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3. 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. [16858/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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4. 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. [17098/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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5. 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. [17101/25]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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6. 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. [18953/25]

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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7. 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. [20995/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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8. 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. [22105/25]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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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. [22231/25]

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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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. [22313/25]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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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. [22414/25]

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, 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. [22476/25]

Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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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. [24049/25]

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach his views on the National Economic and Social Council's recent compact growth report. [24166/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14, inclusive, together.

The National Economic and Social Council advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. NESC is currently working in four main areas. With regard to Ireland’s future power system and economic resilience, this work investigates the impact of renewable energy targets in four areas: economic and enterprise opportunities; reliability of supply; energy costs; and export potential. The first in a series of reports on this topic was published on 18 April.

Work is also under way regarding artificial intelligence, including a focus on AI adoption and its impacts on Irish public services and the labour market. It will focus on issues such as transparency, ethics and equity and help build public trust and confidence around the challenges and opportunities of Al. It is expected that this work will be completed in quarter 4 of 2025.

Work is under way regarding household and communities’ perspectives on energy. This work focuses on the benefits, for households and communities, from new approaches to how we use and generate energy. It will consider protections for vulnerable groups, including those experiencing energy poverty. It is expected that this report will be published in quarter 2 of 2025.

Work on carrying and delivery capacity, in collaboration with the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, will look at ways Ireland could improve its long-term planning, provision and delivery capacity in areas such as housing, infrastructure, healthcare and other services. It is expected that this report will be completed in quarter 4 of 2025. Work on this programme will be ongoing throughout the rest of 2025.

In addition, NESC recently published a report, Deepening Compact Growth in Ireland. The Government welcomes the publication of the report, which was published on 6 May. The report makes several recommendations to make more progress on compact growth. Compact growth is Government policy, as stated in the national planning framework, Ireland’s long-term strategic spatial plan for the period to 2040. The Government confirms its commitment to this objective. Many of the commitments made in the programme for Government will contribute to compact growth, for example, the creation of a new strategic fund to invest in infrastructure, acquire land, assemble sites and de-risk sites in existing towns and cities to maximise their potential growth.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. NESC is doing comprehensive studies in very important areas. I want to again mention an issue that I flagged with the Taoiseach's predecessor, and with the Taoiseach when he held the office previously. Will NESC carry out an assessment of the all-Ireland economy, particularly in the context of cross-Border trade, where there has been development and growth to the benefit of all of our country? Representing two of the southern Ulster counties, I see at first hand the value and importance of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and what it has done from so many points of view, including the economic. We have one economy now, the all-Ireland economy. However, the central Border region of Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Armagh is vulnerable because it is highly dependent on a small number of particular sectors, such as food, farming, construction products and tourism. We saw the threat that existed with Brexit. We now see the challenges that may arise in the context of tariffs being imposed on the European Union, maybe at a different rate from those that will be imposed on Britain. While we all sincerely hope that does not happen, we have to be prepared for it.

I have asked repeatedly, through the Office of the Taoiseach and in various parliamentary questions, if NESC would undertake a study on the challenges facing the central Border region, North and South, and also the opportunities for further economic development. I have been a representative there for some time. I saw the challenges with currency fluctuations and the movement of trade that devastated our local economy over many years. We should be prepared for turbulence in the economy that may arise but that nobody can readily predict. It is one area where we need to do more research and be prepared.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for taking the question. I have enjoyed reading NESC reports on and off for the last 30 years. I noticed that one of the most recent ones, which was also referenced by the Taoiseach, was in regard to energy poverty. Successive Governments have introduced schemes like the warmer homes scheme, which is very valuable, and we also have the fuel allowance. These cost the State significant amounts of money and it is right that the Exchequer pays this money out. However, it has often struck me that for a local authority like my own, South Dublin County Council, which has a housing stock of, say, 8,000 to 10,000 homes, the Government could mandate it to look at bulk buying of energy for social homes. NESC could also examine this. For example, South Dublin County Council could enter into negotiations with Bord Gáis, Energia or Electric Ireland to say that it has 10,000 homes and wants the company to give it a rate. Even though the customers are all individual bill payers, this would not contravene GDPR or their privacy rights. It could significantly reduce the cost of energy to those homes over time. I ask the Taoiseach to comment.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I add my voice to the condolences to the colleagues and family of Garda Kevin Flatley. It reminds us of the dangers that gardaí face every day. We can see the recent work that has been done in my constituency in dealing with incredibly serious organised crime, and I commend the Garda on that. Our thoughts are also with the families of the two teenagers who were lost in Donegal.

As my constituency colleague has stated, in case anyone needed to be told, it was an historic weekend for Louth after 68 years, and all the sweeter for it. I am delighted that the Taoiseach welcomes this and has forgiven Louth for 1957. Beyond that, he sees the necessity of a county stadium. It has already been stated that we have the under-20s, the minors, the ladies football and the camogie, as soon as sense prevails, and I commend the players in that regard. It has been a very good year, even for Louth hurling. However, we do not have a county stadium.

When I brought up this issue with the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, he said that LSSIF funding would be determined on the basis of budgetary conditions, and we all understand that. However, when I dealt with the issue with his predecessor, the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, he spoke about the fact the Louth county stadium, alongside Drogheda United, was on the reserve list. It is absolutely necessary that they are on the reserve list if funding becomes available or else top of the list for the next round.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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The collapse of the houses at the canal yesterday encapsulates the scandal of dereliction and vacancy in this country. There are 160,000 vacant properties, 50,000 of which have been vacant for six years or more. Despite the immense housing crisis and the fact that over 15,000 people are living in emergency accommodation right now, the Government has done very little to address this.

These homes were owned by the Construction Industry Federation, the lobbyists for the builders in this country. They were left empty, left to become increasingly derelict over time, until such a point that they collapsed yesterday. They were put on the derelict sites register only in June 2023 but it does not appear that anything else has happened with them since then.

Does the Taoiseach agree the councils should be compulsorily purchasing properties that are left vacant for long periods of time? Do not allow these to sit vacant during a housing crisis. Bring them into public ownership and use them to provide housing to the very many people who need it.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I share the sentiment of my colleagues on the left regarding the work of NESC and the extensive research it undertakes. One concern I have is that following much of research it undertakes, it goes on to suggest action points or new departures the Government should make. Is there a particular formula for putting these into action? I speak particularly about recent research on Ireland's future power system and economic resilience, which noted that the transition from fossil fuels in the energy sector is heading into fog where visibility and certainty are low. Key actors are not on the same page from a strategic standpoint and, worryingly, the reliability of our power supply may worsen over periods of the transition. There is no clear visibility of the power system's reliability beyond 2032. Recently, a company in my constituency decided not to proceed with a significant renewable energy project. The report details a number of actions to be taken now, next and later. How do we intend to carry out the actions proposed?

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Care of older people is very important and is generally privatised in terms of nursing homes. The workers who provide this service in nursing homes are essential workers. Many of them were brought over on a special work permit in which the Government was involved. I ask the Taoiseach on a humanitarian basis to listen to the issues raised by these workers. Their wages are too low to allow them to bring their families here, who, by the way, they can support; nobody is asking for any handout. There are so many criteria put in the way. For someone to bring their spouse, for example, they must earn €30,000. In order to bring one child, they must earn €36,000. To bring two children, they must earn €41,000. We are subjecting these workers to enforced family separation while expecting them to look after our families. It is not a very nice thing to do to people. It is not the type of care system we want. I plead with the Taoiseach to look into this issue. Unite trade union is organising these workers, which is very good. It has asked that these criteria be dropped and that these workers be allowed to work here and bring their families over. Most of them are nurses; the majority are from India. They have great skills from which we are getting added value. Most of their spouses are also health workers and could help with the labour shortage in the are of health.

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for the update on the NESC. As he is aware, NESC has identified modern methods of construction as a key to reducing the cost of apartment delivery and supporting more compact sustainable urban growth. In order to realise this potential, however, we need to invest in our workforce. The national modern methods of construction, MMC, training centre in Mount Lucas in Offaly, run by the Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board, is already leading on this. Important work is also being done in the University of Galway. By expanding the Mount Lucas training centre and providing real incentives for existing construction workers to upskill, we can modernise the sector, lower costs and reduce environmental impacts. It is often said that we should work smarter and not harder but in truth we should always aim to do both. Will the Taoiseach, through his Department, commit to support the training and upskilling needed to fully unlock the benefits of MMC and meet our housing needs?

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Specifically on the work of NESC, similar to Deputy Lahart, I welcome the broad consideration it has given to many issues. As the Taoiseach mentioned, it is carrying out work on artificial intelligence. Critical to this is ensuring we have the necessary infrastructure in place to support a modern digital economy. This includes the construction of data centres. Data centres have got bad rap in many places. On foot of launching the new Echelon data centres in Arklow on Friday, the Taoiseach is aware how these centres, which are critical pieces of infrastructure, meet the criteria of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities for data centres and how they will contribute to the national grid. Will the Taoiseach join me in stating that data centres are an essential part of the digital economy and that modern data centres will contribute towards energy supply in this country?

Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for his report on NESC. He made reference to its important report on compact growth. As we know, development within urban boundaries is a far more sustainable form of development, with access to key infrastructure, services and utilities. It lends itself more to public transport use and active travel use. It is a far more environmental and sustainable form of development. Making better use of our existing buildings has to be a key part of our housing strategy. The Croí Cónaithe vacant homes scheme does a lot of good work in this area, and we are making good progress on vacant buildings. The underutilisation of buildings and partial occupation of buildings is another issue. This so-called over-the-shop or over-the-office usage is something on which we need to do a great deal more work. The programme for Government sets out ambition in this respect but I ask the Taoiseach to prioritise it and bring forward incentives in order that we might better utilise our existing buildings and incentivise the so-called over-the-shop occupation model.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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One of the issues the NESC compact growth report highlights in Dublin is the scourge of dereliction and what we need to do to tackle it. As the Taoiseach is aware, the Dublin city task force covers this issue at great length. On several occasions I have asked about where the task force is at and about its recommendations. From the replies he has given, I know the Taoiseach is committed to the implementation of the recommendations. Obviously, so is the Tánaiste, particularly as he initiated the report. It forms part of the programme for Government. At this stage, will the Taoiseach tell the House whether it is the case that the recommendations, and how they will be implemented, will be published by the Government before the recess, so that Dubliners and people around Ireland will know where the next steps are to be taken? There has not been a lot of sunlight in respect of what has taken place. We know it is at interdepartmental group level. I do not know what divisions, if any, are taking place at that level. We have not seen an outcome. Will the Taoiseach indicate to the House whether the recommendations and how they will be implemented will be made clear to the public before the summer recess?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Quite a number of questions were asked about the NESC report. I certainly will revert back to NESC on Deputy Brendan Smith's consistent seeking of a particular study on the challenges facing the central Border area. A number of reports have been done by NESC on North-South development but Deputy Smith wants something a bit more specific on the central Border area and the challenges in respect of the area. I have made the point myself that foreign direct investment in and around the Border area, or on a North-South basis, is something IDA Ireland could reasonably pursue also. It is an area that has not really been pursued to the degree that perhaps it could have been in the past.

Deputy Lahart raised the issue of energy poverty. His request or suggestion that local authorities should consider bulk buying energy is a good idea. This would involve using their purchasing power in respect of the properties they own to get a competitive price and reduce the costs. There are also new options emerging. When I say new, in south County Dublin it is already being done in terms of district heating. This should be accelerated by local authorities. It would go a long way towards dealing with issues of energy poverty. The warmer homes scheme is effective and has an impact but it is limited in terms of the number of people covered in any one year. Nonetheless, incrementally and cumulatively ,over time it will impact many people to their benefit and betterment.

Deputy Ó Murchú followed on from what Deputy McGreehan said earlier by articulating his delight at Louth's victory at the weekend. We congratulate Louth again. Deputy Ó Murchú is ambitious for the higher gifts and the need for a stadium in County Louth. When Deputy Ó Murchú says it was on the reserve list, the national sporting bodies listed priorities in respect of their own sports as to which facilities they felt could be dealt with first. The most recent large infrastructure fund was not large enough, or much of the funding had been committed to projects earlier, some of which are now coming to fruition.

We could ask NESC to commission a study on how we can enhance the capacity of the regional supports around the country-----

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----to take on the might of Dublin and the big cities. In any event, we will work on that.

In response to Deputy Murphy, I believe that local authorities should be far more active in the pursuit of CPOs on derelict sites. There is the Derelict Sites Act. Some complain that it is not strong enough. I have never bought into that. I have always sensed that in a lot of local authorities there is a degree of inertia around pursuing implementation of the Derelict Sites Act. There should be dedicated teams actively pursuing those issues.

In response to Deputy Connolly in respect of the action points, etc., much of NESC is conditioning and moving public mood and opinion in a given direction. Some of its recommendations can be of a general nature but ultimately they find their way into governmental policy, strategy papers and White Papers in terms of signalling a change of direction in relation to specific policy areas.

On the future power system, we have had a series of meetings already with CRU and with EirGrid around what is happening between now and 2030. There is a piece of work to be bottomed out in respect of the impact of AI on our future energy needs, in particular, because it uses up an enormous amount of energy. That work is under way between the Department of climate and the Department of enterprise. The two Departments are working on that aspect of it. There is a degree of visibility now. PR6 will be coming forward. It is being submitted to CRU, which will outline the investment in the grid for the next five-to-six years, which is looking like it could be close to double the level of investment in the grid over the past six years.

Deputy Coppinger raised the issue of family reunification of workers in the healthcare sector, particularly in private nursing homes. That is an issue I will talk to the respective Ministers about. There is a human dimension to that which I acknowledge and accept. It is trying to get the balance right within society in terms of the population growth, which has been quite exponential over the past two decades, in particular, and which has had its own impact on services - housing, healthcare and services generally across society. Nonetheless, when you meet workers who are three and four years separated from their wives and children and who are in a distant land, humanity would say there needs to be a certain response. It arises not only in the healthcare area. It is in a number of other areas as well.

I could not agree more with Deputy McCormack on modern methods of construction and I would be very interested in the further education sector dealing with that issue. There is capacity in that sector and in Mount Lucas, in particular. I might talk to the Deputy about that later. Certainly, we should talk both to the Minister of State for further and higher education, Deputy Marian Harkin, and the Minister, Deputy Lawless, in respect of pursuing that agenda.

In response to Deputy Malcolm Byrne, data centres are fundamental to the economy and to the digital economy, in particular. Digital and green is where the future is. They are not mutually exclusive. It creates challenges, about which there is no question, but we cannot just say there will be no more data centres for the next seven or eight years and we will get on fine; we will not. We need a sensible debate on that in the House as well. The development in Arklow, using offshore wind as well and connecting up with an offshore provider in respect of the energy issue, was interesting.

In response to Deputy McGrath, compact growth is the key to sustainable. We both saw in the docklands development in Cork where that is very much manifest. There have been challenges trying to get the apartment blocks going but it is very contiguous to the city centre. Essentially, it is a new lung in the city centre. We can go up. Planning is facilitating height, transport connectivity, etc. There is huge potential there. The NESC report is particularly applicable to the whole idea of really getting momentum on that.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach should conclude now.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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In response to Deputy Geoghegan, I met with David McRedmond recently. We are making progress. The interdepartmental group will, I hope, bring proposals soon and I will bring that to the House in due course before the recess.