Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Major research conducted jointly by Dublin City University and Ulster University published this morning highlights how the reunification of Ireland is a huge opportunity for us all. It finds that the costs of unity would be far lower than had previously been put forward by opponents of Irish unity. In my view the research has delivered a fatal blow to any economic arguments that might have been presented against a united Ireland. This is good news and exciting news. It shows that there are opportunities and benefits of reunification there to be seized. We now need an Irish government that will demonstrate the vision, the ambition and the action to match that opportunity. This generation, in my view, can unite Ireland but the Government needs to come off the bench and to get onto the pitch. We need an Irish government now to step up and grasp the massive opportunities for all the people of Ireland's 32 counties. Will the Government now start planning and preparing to deliver a united Ireland that we know can be a better Ireland for us all?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government and many successive Irish governments have made clear our commitment to that cause. We have also made clear the steps we believe should be put in place beforehand to bring us closer together and to unite this island. That is already happening. I have pointed to the work of the shared island fund, overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach, supported by the Department of foreign affairs, putting in place investments to bring us also together. I point to the work the Government has done in dealing with the consequences of Brexit. I make the case that those who point to economic consequences are not necessarily opponents. We should be able to have a fair and open debate regarding an issue that is so important. The Government will do more than debate; we are putting in place the practical steps to bring us together, as I have just highlighted.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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On behalf of the Labour Party, I express my sympathies with the families of those involved in the car crash in County Donegal yesterday evening.

Yesterday the HSE CEO, Bernard Gloster, revealed that the waiting list for assessments of needs will get worse before it gets better. It is quite clear now that there are over 15,000 children waiting for an assessment of need and a prediction for 25,000 children by the end of this year. This is an absolute scandal and a failure of the State under the obligation of law to carry out these assessments of needs within six months. It is quite clear that the failure of assessments of needs to take place has serious knock-on effects for children, particularly in the area of school places and resources for such schools. This year some parents took to sleeping outside the Department of Education and Leinster House, doing their very best secure extra school places. How is it possible to plan for increased resources, supports and classes if we do not know the needs of the students?

Mr. Gloster said yesterday that outside the assessment of needs, significant challenges are faced particularly with essential therapies and interventions. I acknowledge that extra classes have been made available this year which is to be welcomed. My questions are as follows. Will extra capacity be provided to the HSE? If so, what is it? Will legislation be reformed to complete assessments of needs more quickly? How does the Government plan on opening extra classes and providing resources for schools if we do not know the needs?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. There are quite a few questions there and I will do my best to touch on each of them. Before I do so, I join him in offering our condolences to the family in Donegal who have just received such terrible news. The most terrible of news is sometimes unexpected. Earlier, I neglected to agree with Deputy O'Flynn in offering condolences on the death of Brother Kevin, a man who did such good work throughout Dublin, as I saw myself. He was an amazing man and may he rest in peace.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Hear, hear.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy has raised some really serious issues. First, the Government will continue to put in place additional funding and support to help those families who are waiting for the additional needs assessments that we know are really important. Second, actions are being taken by the Government to increase the classes, the therapists and the teachers who are needed to be in those classes. Third, we need to consider, which of course we will do in conjunction with the committee of which the Deputy is a member, how we are conducting these assessments of additional needs and how it could be done in a way that deals with the issue of speed of access.

I know at first hand the huge frustration, anxiety and worry that many families experience as they wait for that assessment and the deep effect it has on their lives and those of the young girls and boys they are looking after as parents. They are the actions that we are taking as a Government and this is a high priority for us in terms of making a difference.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery, the Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia, Mr. Orhan Murtezani, and the special adviser for foreign policy and EU affairs, Ms Elena Presilska. I hope they enjoy the proceedings and their time in Leinster House.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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I also welcome our distinguished guests. I wish to express the sympathies and condolences of the Social Democrats to the families in Donegal and of Brother Kevin.

The official death toll in Gaza has now exceeded 57,000 people but we all know that the reality is much worse because tens of thousands of people are missing, presumed dead under rubble. As the Israeli Government ramps up its depraved slaughter of innocent civilians, western countries continue to sit idly by. Shamefully, the only action taken by many countries is to supply weapons to the Israeli Government and to vilify and criminalise people who are actually doing something to protest this slaughter. In the United States students and workers have been rounded up for joining protests against Israeli war crimes or simply blocked entry. In the UK yesterday the parliament voted to proscribe a group called Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. This was prompted by activists spray painting two RAF planes. Let us be clear, Palestine Action has never harmed anyone. It has certainly never dropped a 500 lb bomb on a seaside café full of innocent people, as Israel did this week. What we are witnessing is grotesque and dystopian. Is the Minister concerned at the rowback of civil rights in countries like America and England? Is he as appalled as I am by the perverse double standards that prevail?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy who is, of course, raising such a serious issue regarding what is happening in the Middle East and what is happening to the people of Gaza. I have outlined the Government's view on it and what we are doing to make a difference. I am not in a position and nor do I have the necessary information in front of me today to offer a view on the actions of other parliaments or governments in relation to this. All I can do is reiterate two points. First, we in Ireland recognise and will continue to recognise the right of people to assemble in a peaceful way to make their voice clear in relation to what is happening to the people of Gaza. Second, we as a Government will continue to do what we can, which I outlined earlier today, to make a practical and political difference to the terrible suffering that the people of Gaza have had to endure.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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How can the United Nations be expected to take the Taoiseach's words about protecting our oceans seriously when he is dumping the laws that would actually do so? Last month the Taoiseach attended the World Ocean Summit, at which he said that he looked forward to "joining with fellow world leaders over the coming days to discuss and collaborate on ways to secure the future of our oceans and seas". Then, over the weekend we learned that the Government is dropping plans to put in place a law to give protection to vital parts of our seas here in Ireland, the marine protected areas Bill. A marine protected area is a defined area where marine life is legally protected. The draft Bill is well advanced and literally years of work have gone into it. It balances the needs of fishers, nature and offshore wind but this Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents is tearing all of that up. Why is the Government so committed to rolling back on the environmental progress that has been made over the last four years? Why is it caving in on marine protected areas?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this issue. The Taoiseach, the Minister for agriculture and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, are very much aware of the importance of the issue raised by the Deputy. The reason the Taoiseach went to the aforementioned conference in the first place was to highlight the personal interest he has in this issue and the Government's commitment to do more in this area. Our marine life, our oceans and our seas are such a precious economic and natural asset. I am informed that the Government has no such plans in relation to this legislation at the moment. As far as I am aware, it is still in our legislative programme. I will refer the comments the Deputy made to the relevant Department but my understanding is that the legislation is still on our programme to be brought forward to both the Dáil and the Seanad.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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During a recent visit to Cork, the Fine Gael party leader and Tánaiste suggested that a Garda task force for Cork city would be a good idea. He made a number of announcements about it which were greeted with great fanfare but he did not give a specific date for when it would be established. There was neither a funding plan nor a full plan put in place. Meanwhile, Glanmire Garda station in a part of the constituency that I represent, on which over €2 million was spent on refurbishment, has two gardaí working in it and is not open to the public. Nobody can get a document stamped. There is no garda on duty who is available to members of the public. Ballincollig Garda station, which services over 20,000 residents in my constituency of Cork North-Central, is open for 15 hours per week on paper. However, the reality is that is it is only open for about two hours per week. Nobody can get access to the station. I am sick and tired of meeting gardaí on the ground who tell me they do not have people to answer the phones. I am sick and tired of meeting residents' groups in Cork who tell me they cannot understand why they cannot get through to a Garda station. The reality is that there is nobody there. Will the Minister make finance available to the Department of justice to properly fund gardaí in Cork so that people can feel safe in Cork city again?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am sure the Deputy will understand that I am not in a position to comment on any individual Garda station. I am sure the Minister for justice will be able to respond to the Deputy on that but the Government is fully supportive of the efforts of the Minister to increase the number of gardaí and to continue our efforts to keep our streets safe in Cork and elsewhere. Three things have been done in that regard. First, as the Deputy will be aware, we have increased the stipend that is available to those who want to become gardaí and are attending Templemore to help them to deal with the cost of that training and to maintain their living standards when they are there. Second, we have changed the age at which people can join An Garda Síochána, recognising the fact that many people are able to join An Garda Síochána a little later in life and do really important work. Third, we have increased, budget by budget, the amount of funding that is available to An Garda Síochána to ensure that Templemore is supplying new gardaí and prioritising them being on the beat on the streets of our cities and towns. That is what we are doing. We know that issues of law and order and safety continue to matter so much. We need to do more on it and they are the actions that the Government and the Minister have put in place.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Over the last number of weeks many ETBs across the country have expressed their concern about funding shortfalls and are saying that they are being squeezed. I have read articles about same related to Louth and Meath ETBs and in my own county, Cork City and County ETB has experienced a similar shortfall in funding. I am guessing - the Minister can correct me if I am wrong - that this is related to the increased allowances for apprentices that were committed to last year. I ask the Minister to explain the squeeze and what he intends to do to make sure all ETBs are adequately funded to deliver the courses they have been prescribed to undertake.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this important matter. He is correct that some of this dates back to commitments that were given last year. I am working through the issues. There was an issue with backlogs that arose over the last two years which are now working their way through the system. Apprentices who should have been out through the system and qualified are now at phases 4 and 6. The upshot of that is that more people are coming through, which is a good thing but because of previous delays, they are being paid at the higher rates, as befits their status and a funding shortfall has arisen as a result. I am meeting the board of SOLAS next week. I have also met a number of ETBs on this. I have engaged with Deputy O'Sullivan's local ETB on it. I have given a direction that no apprenticeship classes should be cancelled in any ETB in the country and I understand the ETBs are working through that locally. I will continue to engage with Deputy O'Sullivan and with other Deputies interested in the matter.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I stand here today to respectfully request that additional funding be allocated to the local improvement scheme, LIS, in 2025 to address the long waiting list for the scheme in every county across Ireland, particularly in my home county of Cork. There are currently thousands of applications on hand within local authorities, many dating back five years or more. I urge the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to consider this request for increased funding for the LIS. This investment will yield significant returns through improved road infrastructure for people living on these roads and it will also improve road safety.

1 o’clock

It will strengthen the rural development outcomes we should all be working towards.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy O'Shea for raising this important issue. I know the local improvement scheme is really important for the communities he represents and the many other communities that need additional support in upgrading their roads. Since 2017, €169 million has been invested in this scheme. Last year, the figure stood at €40 million, which represented an increase of €12 million on the previous year. The Government continues to increase funding for this important scheme. I understand the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht will look at how to prioritise the scheme further and the further steps that can be taken to strengthen it so that it can respond to the needs and issues the Deputy has referred to. I will make sure the Minister is aware of what the Deputy has said today, although I imagine he is already committed to looking at how this scheme can grow in the future.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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The Arklow to Shillelagh greenway project, which is of great important for tourism on the east coast and in south Wicklow and north Wexford, is still stuck at phase 2. There has been no update since 2023 so two years have passed without visible progress. It will be an absolutely tremendous asset for the area, providing scenic walking and cycling routes through the beautiful valleys of south Wicklow. It will extend benefits into north Wexford and across the east coast. It will connect the villages and towns of Shillelagh, Tinahely, Annacurra, Aughrim, Woodenbridge and Arklow. As the Minister knows, the Wicklow Mountains are a great attraction. This is a unique opportunity to develop a flagship tourism project in the region. The constituents of south Wicklow and north Wexford are very frustrated that it has not yet moved to phase 3. We still have to go through phases 4, 5, 6 and 7, the construction phases, so they fear we might not see a greenway for another ten years or so. That is simply not good enough. Will the Minister explain the delay? Will he commit to ensuring the project progresses in a timely manner? Will he give a timeframe for delivery?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy knows I do not have the information. He knows it is not reasonable to expect me to know the status of every greenway in this country when answering questions on promised legislation. If he wanted an answer, he should have let me know he was going to raise this particular issue. I then could have given him a more detailed answer. It is not acceptable to expect that, when I am on my feet responding on a variety of issues, I would know the status of every greenway in our country, even one as important as this one. I know the part of the country the Deputy is referring to well. I know how beautiful it is and that a greenway will only benefit those who live there and those who want to visit. I will commit to making sure the Minister for tourism and the Minister for Transport are aware of the issue the Deputy has raised but, if this issue is as important as he believes it to be, it would have been reasonable to let me know he was going to raise it so that I could have done the issue justice here in the Dáil today. In the absence of that information, I am not able to do so. I will raise the issue with the Ministers responsible for this area, however.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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Even next week would be grand.

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Planning regulations stipulate that new housing developments of up to 75 units must provide a childcare facility with up to 20 places. We are in a childcare crisis and this is simply not working in small, medium and large towns. In my own town of Westport, we recently saw separate developments of 50, 48 and 20 units, a total of 118 units, but no new childcare facility. There is a new housing plan coming. Are there any plans to change this stipulation in respect of housing developments?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As we build more homes, which we need to do, it is really important that we do so in a way that makes services and facilities available for those who will live within them, including families. I am sure the Minister, Deputy Foley, will be giving this matter consideration. I will raise the issue with her and let her know the Deputy has made this suggestion. There may well be trade-offs that need to be considered with regard to the impact it might have on development within an area. However, the Deputy's suggestion sounds very sensible to me and I will make sure the Minister is aware of it.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda is one of the busiest hospitals in the country. It has serious capacity issues. The base bed numbers do not match the need. The accident and emergency department is regularly at capacity, requiring the hospital to enable surge capacity. This has knock-on effects such as outpatient appointments being cancelled. That is not to mention people on trolleys and waiting lists. Dundalk and Drogheda are two of the largest towns in the country. I ask that the feasibility of establishing a surgical hub in Louth County Hospital in Dundalk be considered. It is a practical and cost-effective way to look after the health needs of the people of Louth and the north east.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the issues the Deputy has referred to, which affect not only the people of Louth, but also those of the wider north east, as the Deputy has said. The location of surgical hubs depends on the evaluation and recommendation of the HSE. The Minister and the Department of Health then do their best to act on such recommendations. I am not aware whether such a recommendation has been made for the Deputy's hospital but I will certainly pass this on to the Minister for Health because I know the availability of surgical hubs makes a really big difference to waiting lists and, more importantly, to the health of those who are on them. I thank the Deputy for raising this. I will make sure the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is aware of the matter.

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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I have a question the Minister should be fairly familiar with. Many parents and families have contacted me in the past few days wondering how they are going to pay their children's student fees and rent. People are beginning to see through this Government. The reason it decided to put a halt to the promises made to students and not to include a cost-of-living package in this year's budget is that this is not an election year. Families are being squeezed for every penny they have and the Government has now decided to add an additional cost of €1,000 for each child attending college. One lady who called my constituency office asked me not to let the Government do this. She said that an additional €1,000 would put her family in arrears with their mortgage and that they are living day by day as it is. I will ask the Minister what his fellow Ministers are also asking. Will the Government reverse the decision to charge students and their families an additional €1,000 this year and work towards scrapping student fees once and for all?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. I will outline what we are doing to support people with the cost of living, which we know continues to be a significant issue and problem for many, even when the price growth we have had to deal with for many years is slowing. What has the Government done to respond to the needs we know are there? We are rolling out the free hot school meals system and making free GP care available for under-eights. We have rolled out a free schoolbooks scheme in primary schools across the country and the Minister for Education and Youth is now looking to roll out free schoolbooks across secondary schools. The back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance will be available before the summer. We have rolled out a summer school meals programme. Action has been taken to reduce the PSO obligation in respect of renewable energy. Eligibility for the fuel allowance has been expanded so that thousands more people, particularly older people, are able to qualify for the scheme. We know the cost of living continues to be an issue for many. These are the actions the Government has taken. We need to ensure that the actions we take in the time ahead are affordable and permanent and that we can build upon them. That is why these important decisions need to be made on budget day.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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As the Minister will know, there is a two-tier system in place in respect of homeless HAP. Those who entered the scheme after July 2022 are able to access a higher rate than those who entered before that time. This has resulted in an unjust situation where people are faced with the prospect of renewed homelessness in order to be able to access the higher rate. I will give an example from my constituency. A young woman who works very hard every day lost her car because she had to sell it. She spends over an hour on public transport to work on a farm every single day. She cannot afford to pay her rent any more. She is currently on a homeless HAP rate of €990 per month. If she was to access homeless HAP today, she would be entitled to €1,215 and could pay her rent but she is not able to access that rate. I have pursued this with the DRHE and with the Minister through parliamentary questions. The only way for her to access the higher rate is to become homeless again, which clearly makes no sense. Does the Minister agree that we need a change in this area, which could be done by way of ministerial order, so that people like this woman and many others in the same situation could access the higher rate without having to enter homelessness again?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The very reason the higher rate of HAP was made available in the first place was that the Minister and the Government recognised the need for that payment to do more, to help more and to make a difference in preventing homelessness.

I am not aware of the exact issue that could prevent somebody from accessing the higher rate. Of course, the last thing we want to do when designing something like this is create incentives that make it more difficult for somebody to move out of the terrible difficulties of being homeless. The best thing for me to do is follow up on that matter with the Minister for housing.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I recently met MABS and was taken aback by the range of issues people had. I have listened attentively to what the Minister said today about cost-of-living measures. I acknowledge those actions. In the past three years, however, there have been a range of one-off cost-of-living measures in budgets, which have been welcomed. I want to get all the nonsense out of the way and ask definitively if the Minister of Finance is saying there will no one-off cost-of-living measures in this year's budget. There will be nothing for people with disabilities as there was in the past, or the fuel allowance for older people, double child benefit for families or energy credits for households, etc. Will the Minister confirm to the House, because there has been so much speculation and narrative, that there will not be any of these? There may be other long-term measures, but there will not be one-off cost-of-living measures in the budget.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the manner in which he has raised this matter. I am also aware of the issues he refers to and the views of MABS. The issues he raises are really serious for so many citizens in our country.

First, no budget decisions have been made. We are here at the start of July. The budget will happen in October. In between July and October, various other measures I have outlined to the House will be implemented to help with the cost of living.

Second, and generally, this budget will have to move to a more normal budget in terms of scale and measures. Third, what that means is we want to move back to where we have been at other points where measures were in place that could help our country with all the other needs there. However, these measures were permanent, different in scale and were ones we could build upon. I know the cost of living is an issue for so many at the moment, but we are in a place where the really big increase in prices we saw over two years in particular has begun to change and slow down. We have to recognise that in the decisions we make, and we are well aware of the important issues the Deputy has raised.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I am looking for the Minister's support for a Bill that is currently working through Third Stage. The Protection of Accident Victims from Non-Consensual Recording of Images Bill is aimed at addressing the worrying trend of persons videoing the scenes of accidents and sharing them online. As recently as 3 May, a young man in Cork drowned. Following this, his family had to appear on national media to ask for witnesses not to share footage of the incident. Last week, I walked down the main street of Gorey, County Wexford, to my office and witnessed a very distressing accident. I must compliment the emergency services in Gorey for their quick response. I single out Dr. John, Dr. Kilian and Nurse Middleton, but I was stunned and horrified to see people driving by that accident and videoing the victim on the ground. This was totally disrespectful to the person affected. Recording such incidents is repulsive and those involved in taking images of tragic, sometimes fatal, scenes must be challenged and should be prosecuted.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The terrible behaviour he has referred to is inappropriate, given that somebody could be suffering, distressed or vulnerable. It is equally repugnant to those who love that person and who might find out about it on their phones in an unprompted and unplanned way with no support. For those two reasons, and there are many others, the behaviour the Deputy has referred to is terrible. I compliment and acknowledge Deputy Duncan Smith. My understanding is - I am sure he will correct me if I am wrong - that he has introduced some legislation in this area.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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It is on Committee Stage.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Okay. While the Government indicated that, in recognition of this issue, we did not oppose the legislation, we indicated our significant concern that we believed it would be difficult to legislate for the behaviour the Deputy has referred to and the harm it could cause. I know we need to debate this issue and consider it more carefully. I cannot imagine how any of us would feel if we were in a moment of distress, pain or vulnerability and we had somebody standing over us recording and it being broadcast in a way that others could see. This is serious. This behaviour should not be happening. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and the wider Government are not yet certain that it is something that can be dealt with through legislation, but we will seriously consider it.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I raise the issue of lengthy waiting times for oncology services in the Mater. This issue was brought to my attention by a constituent of mine called Maura, who was referred by her GP in early February for an urgent ten-day appointment with BreastCheck. Unfortunately, it was May when she received a letter, and she was told there was a five-month waiting list for an urgent ten-day appointment. The Minister knows the important work that unit does in saving many women's lives. I put in a parliamentary question asking for details of it. While those details spoke about retention and staffing issues and capacity, I believe we need to make an intervention. While I am aware of the case of Maura, I am not aware of many other women who might be waiting, not just five weeks, but five months. For the many people who support others through breast cancer awareness and so on, this is an incredibly important issue.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Yes, it is. I thank the Deputy for raising it. He and I are aware of the great work the Mater hospital does, how much it is respected and how hard its staff work. I also know how important and sensitive the issue he is raising is. I understand that, last year, approximately 60,000 women were seen in a rapid access clinic. The HSE, in recognition of this issue, has set a target for 95% of urgent referrals to be seen within ten working days and non-urgent within 12 weeks. Five of our centres met those standards and targets and four did not. Sometimes, these were for reasons of staff shortages or problems in accessing diagnostics.

On the particular issue raised by the Deputy, the Minister is intending to write to the CEO of the Mater hospital about this point to draw this matter to his attention. However, I know the Mater hospital will be doing all it can to see patients and those who are really worried about their health as fast as possible. I am sure the Department of Health will give them any assistance to deal with this important matter.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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Funding for further education and training has been cut by approximately €40 million. In my own area under the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board, the funding cut is in the region of €14 million. That is very significant and will have an impact on apprenticeships and further education courses. They will be delayed, postponed or cancelled. We have also been contacted by adult education teachers who are already dreadfully treated. They are being told they will not have jobs in September. They will be protesting about this outside the Dáil next Wednesday at 1 p.m. Does this concern the Minister at a time when we need apprenticeships and tradespeople? What will he do to ensure this funding is restored and these courses and jobs are protected?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Funding for apprenticeships is increasing. Funding for higher and further education has increased as well. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is committed to this. He is doing important work in this area. We have seen in recent years the funding we are making available has been prioritised particularly for those who need to retrain and want to move into parts of our economy where we need additional skills. I know the overall picture is one in which the funding for this work has been increased.

I am not aware of the specific and important matter the Deputy raised regarding funding for ETBs and for those involved in adult education. However, I am sure the Minister is aware of this, and I will make sure he is aware of this exchange in advance of the protest next week mentioned by the Deputy.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Less than a year ago the Government made a U-turn on hate speech. The Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, overruled the former Minister for justice and made a pragmatic decision. Unlike this House, the majority of Irish people oppose any censorship laws. There was some sniggering in the Chamber a little while ago when a speaker suggested that hate speech could be turned against political parties in this House. Many Members are foolish in thinking that hate speech is for other people.

The hate speech laws are a threat to the right, the centre and the left. They are a threat to democracy. I will give an example of that. The Israeli foreign minister accused the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, of hate speech. He said Simon Harris was guilty of being anti-Semitic. Right through Europe at the moment, pro-Palestinian activists are being clamped down on. The German police violently broke up pro-Palestinian marches. Pro-Palestinian protesters in universities in the Netherlands have been arrested. As the Minister knows, Ireland has a very different view to most Europe countries on the slaughter that is happening in Gaza at the moment.

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

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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It is really important that the Government gives a strong answer. The European Union has given the Government just until Monday to comply with European law when it comes to hate speech. That is only four or five days away.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has gone over time.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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What is the Government's answer to the European Union in terms of complying with that law?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, will reply to any communication that we have received from the European Commission on this matter. When he has decided on the appropriate response, I am sure he will be able to come to the Dáil and answer questions in relation to it. I see him in the Dáil and Seanad virtually every day.

I did not hear any sniggering when the issue was raised earlier. Anybody who sits beside me over here is well aware of the importance of this issue, and getting the balance right between freedom of expression and being conscious of the consequences of hate speech. I know that balance will be maintained in any engagement we have with the Commission on this topic.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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My question today is about the new Cork city library. Four years ago, the Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, announced €50 million would be spent transforming Grand Parade and providing a new public library, a new central plaza and a boardwalk. The vision was big. We were promised a new 7,700 sq. m library with capacity for 1 million visitors per year, but like so many other key capital projects for Cork, the Government has failed to deliver. The promised new library is nowhere to be seen. In the four years since, inflation has soared and the project is now short. The current library is not fit for purpose. The roof leaks and parts of the building have been closed to the public. Cork deserves a world-class library - a cultural and community space in the heart of the city. A 21st century library could be more than a library of books; it could be a library of things. Will the Minister engage with Cork City Council on this key project and, crucially, will he provide the additional funding required to deliver this world-class library for Cork city?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am extremely proud of the quality of libraries that are opening up across our country. I am proud of their beauty and the essential role they play. I believe libraries are cradles of decency and learning. We have shown that in our investment in our library programme in recent years.

On the particular library referenced by the Deputy in Cork, we need local authorities to make decisions on the allocation of funding and the projects that they wish to prioritise. As the Deputy says, I can imagine that the cost has gone up because of construction inflation. All public and private construction projects have had to confront that. I will make sure the Minister for housing and local government is made aware of this. He has many competing demands at the moment but he and the Government are doing their best to manage them. We have made good progress with libraries in our country and we will continue to do this. I am proud of them. We need more of them.