Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh Bridie McNally, who is here with us today. It is her birthday and she is here with a group of very lively women from County Monaghan. Fáilte agus breithlá shona duit, Bridie. She is also Deputy Bennett's mother - I should probably have said that.

Can the Taoiseach be straight with students and their parents? Can he tell them when they get their bill for their college fees in September how much they will be asked to pay? Will it be €2,000 or €3,000? That is the very simple question that has been asked since the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, went on radio and stated that without a cost-of-living package, college fees would be hiked up by €1,000. That was nine days ago. While the Taoiseach has been away in Japan, we have had a parade of senior Government Ministers in here refusing to answer that very straightforward question. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have dodged answering it too. The Government is ducking and diving, oblivious to the fact students are sitting down with their parents to make decisions about college now, today.

They are asking whether they can afford to go to college or to pay the extortionate rents. They are asking whether they will even be able to take up their CAO offers. Those are the questions being asked around kitchen tables.

The Taoiseach says he understands the pressure that families are under, but if he did, there is no way that a hike in fees would be on the cards. This morning’s Barnardos report reveals that many working families are forced to borrow money to pay for basics and are cutting back on essentials, while one in four parents skips meals so their children can have enough to eat. It just beggars belief that the Government is refusing to include a cost-of-living package in the budget. A €1,000 hike in college fees is a lot of money for families. We must remember that it is €1,000 per student, so if you have two or three in college, it is a big whack.

We have been inundated with messages from stressed-out students and their parents. I want to share just a few with the Taoiseach. Stephen told us:

I have two in college. Fees will cost me an extra €2000 this year! Last year, the rent for my daughter in Cork cost me ten grand. This was on top of student fees, food, travel, not to mention other expenses.

Jane wrote:

I’m going into my final year of a general nursing degree. I have to complete 30 plus placement hours a week, leaving me very little time to seek paid employment. The increase in fees [directly] affects my ability to complete my degree. No wonder so many of us flee to Australia.

Alison has two children in university with a third on the way. For one daughter, she is paying €12,000 a year just for accommodation. She said:

I’m infuriated by the proposal to increase fees by €1000 ... I am sick to the teeth with this frivolous decision.

That is just three stories but tens of thousands of students and their families are in exactly the same boat. All are now worried that they will have to find another €1,000 per student at a time when money has never been tighter. They have budgeted and made decisions based on the Government's clear commitment that college fees would not be increased. The Taoiseach owes it to them to be upfront. Tá sé thar am freagra soiléir a thabhairt do mhic léinn agus dá dteaghlach. An bhfuil a gcuid táillí á n-ardú? Cad a bheidh orthu íoc, €2,000 nó €3,000? Students and their families need the Taoiseach to answer this question: how much will they be asked to pay in September? Will it be €2,000 or €3,000? I ask him to please tell them.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl aon amhras go bhfuil méadú faoi leith tar éis teacht ar líon na mac léinn atá ag freastal ar oideachas tríú leibhéal sa tír seo thar na blianta. Tá sé sin soiléir. Tá infheistíocht stairiúil curtha isteach againn le blianta beaga anuas chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhic léinn. Tá i bhfad níos mó infheistíochta curtha isteach sna coláistí tríú leibhéal agus ina lán nithe eile.

I came into politics because of my interest in two issues: Northern Ireland and education. Education has always been at the core of why I am in politics. The reason I joined the Fianna Fáil Party is that it was the party of Donogh O'Malley, who brought free second level education into this county. Throughout my political life, my fundamental motivation has been to ensure the children furthest behind are given priority. It is about access and participation.

We have transformed participation rates in third level education. The Deputy will never acknowledge it but that has been the reality over the last two decades. That requires significant investment. I will repeat that we are one of the top countries in the OECD as regards participation rates in third level education. Students are not flocking out of universities. It is the opposite. More and more students are seeking more and more places. There is demand and pressure to create more places. We are doing that and will continue to do so. However, no matter what happens, I will prioritise the children who are furthest behind materially and children with disabilities. I am thankful that we have made great progress in respect of children who come from what we might term disadvantaged backgrounds. The figures are quite significant.

Progression from DEIS schools to further and higher education has risen to 64%, closing the gap with non-DEIS schools at 80%. We now rank third in the OECD for tertiary attainment, with 54% of adults holding a third level qualification, well above the European Union average of 35%. At the start of the previous Government, I insisted that we would have a separate Department for higher education, research, further education and skills to give a focus on further and third level education and research. We have restored supports for PhD students, which are now substantial as a result of initiatives that have been taken. There has been an exponential rise in apprenticeships because of the focus that Department has brought to apprenticeships and skills over the past four years. Above all, we have widened access and there are a variety of instruments available to any Minister in any year in terms of prioritisation and what we do. That said, this time last year was exactly the same position because the previous year had not provided Estimates for the reduction of €1,000 that happened last year. It was exactly the same position and actually Sinn Féin had a motion down this time last year as well doing the exact same thing. There is an Estimates process and there will be a budget. We will look at the full range of supports, including fees. We will look at student supports and stronger supports for students with disabilities. We will look for stronger supports for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and we will look at progression into third level from different areas, and into postgraduate and research. There is a significant menu, and lots of instruments with which we can help students, particularly those on middle and lower incomes, to make college more affordable. It is across the full gamut of instruments we have or provision we can make in the budget.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is nine days since the Taoiseach's Minister took to the national airwaves to announce that there would be a hike in student fees. He did that. He took that initiative.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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No.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Those very families the Taoiseach describes - working families and families on middle incomes - are now left in a situation where the Taoiseach cannot answer a straightforward question. It is a question they need an answer to now because they have to plan their finances for their young people going to university and college and accessing the places he has described. It is incredible that he cannot answer a straightforward question. Is it €2,000 or €3,000? I invite him again to answer that question directly because it was his Minister who raised this issue. It is the Government which has avoided answering a straightforward question for nine whole days. Those families, the parents and students, deserve a straightforward answer from the Taoiseach today. Will he please give it?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister, Deputy Lawless, did not say what the Deputy attributed to him. This is a classic performance from her, in terms of saying something that is not true. He never said that. His Estimate that was provided last year does not allow it right now, just the exact same as last year. There is an Estimates process and a budget like there is every year.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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There was an election in between.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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That issue will be addressed in that Estimates process and in the budget. SUSI grants and what we can do there will be addressed. Postgraduate supports will be addressed. Additional places in third level, which people are seeking in the areas of therapies, medicine, nursing and so on, all involve expense.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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They want to know what fees they are going to pay.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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In fairness, I think the students of Northern Ireland would appreciate a bit of clarity from Sinn Féin as to how their fees still remain at over €5,000 in Northern Ireland, and the Deputy pontificates and says this Government is not providing clarity.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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They do not pay in euros.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is a Sinn Féin Minister for Finance, and they have the biggest allocation from Westminster in a long time, but they reduce everything to simplicity. We have a full range that we are going to provide-----

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Answer the question.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----and we will continue to provide supports to students-----

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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In fairness to the Taoiseach, he has nothing to say.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----and we will also continue to prioritise participation in education because it is a great gateway for people to progress in life.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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One in five families have cut back on or gone without heating in the past six months. Two in five are going without essential items, including food and medical appointments. Some 40% of parents are skipping meals so their children would have enough.

According to today’s Barnardos report into the cost-of-living crisis, parents across the country are facing impossible decisions. This is starkly highlighted in the quotes from the survey. One parent said: "We are just barely getting by ... I never have money in my purse or account. We are worse off than before." Another said: "My children are now aware of our financial difficulties and it is impacting their mental health. We’ve had to... get rid of medical insurance, visit food banks, and stop after school activities."

Listening to the rhetoric from Government figures in recent weeks, you would think that the cost-of-living crisis had ended, but nothing could be further from the truth. Inflation may be slowing but prices continue to rise. Eurostat data show that household expenditure on goods and services in Ireland is the second highest in the EU. Rents are rising faster than at any point in the past 20 years. Renters must now pay in excess of €2,000 per month to keep a roof over their heads. That is if they can find anywhere to rent.

To compound matters, students and their families now face huge uncertainty as to fees for the coming year. A vast hike in fees from €2,000 to €3,000 has been proposed and there is no clarity from Government as to whether this will be the case or not. This is having a massive impact on households seeking to budget and plan for the year ahead, particularly households with two or more children in third level education. The Taoiseach must be aware of this.

All this is against the backdrop of threatened tariffs by Donald Trump. The international context is precarious but here at home it is precarious too. Why? It is because of nearly a decade of underinvestment by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments and failure to invest in the necessary public services and infrastructure that would provide a lifeline for struggling communities. We have had nearly a decade of failure to invest in social and affordable housing and in water and energy infrastructure, itself now slowing the pace of construction. It has been a decade without the development of decent disability services or provision in education, healthcare and childcare. That is why hard-pressed households face such insecurity now.

The Government's method of governance is about capitulating to the private sector and relying on the market to provide but the market cannot deliver decent public services. The over-reliance on developers has not delivered affordable housing, just as over-reliance on big supermarket chains has inflicted some of the highest grocery prices in the EU. The cost of a weekly shop is rising at more than double the rate of general inflation and those most affected are hard-pressed families. Will the Taoiseach give clarity on the measures he will adopt to tackle this grocery greedflation? Will he give students and families clarity on the level of fees they will pay in the year ahead?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Deputy's questions. We are under no illusions about the impact of the cost of living on families and people. The reality is there was an excessive inflationary spiral coming out of Covid and as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequential increase in energy prices. That did impact and that is why there were exceptional once-off cost-of-living packages in addition to budgetary measures in recent years. We are probably the only European Union country that was in a position to do the level of once-off cost-of-living packages we did because of successful management of the economy in recent years.

I take serious issue with the Deputy's assertion there has been a failure to invest in public services. Let us take education alone. This September, for the first time ever, we will provide free books for every child at primary and second levels. That is not once-off; that is mainstream in the budget. It is provided for now in the base budget for education. St. Vincent de Paul and others have said that has had a significant impact, particularly for families on low incomes. In addition, the hot school meals programme is now in virtually all schools. Again, it is a structural change provided for in the base budget. We have a summer meals scheme for children as well. I could add more. There is free public transport for children aged between five and eight years.

The public sector pay deal was negotiated. We introduced tax measures last year and a range of other measures. We extended the 9% VAT rate on gas and electricity. That measure will save money for hard-pressed families. In June the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, announced a 40% reduction in the renewable electricity PSO levy for 2025-2026.

From 1 June, women can receive hormone replacement therapy, HRT, free of charge. From the beginning of June, the carer's support grant increased to €2,000. That is the highest level ever and this has benefited approximately 138,000 carers. Last week, the income level disregard for the carer's allowance was increased, meaning more people qualify for the allowance and more than 5,000 carers will receive an increase in their payment. The back to school clothing and footwear allowance will be paid over the summer months. Childcare costs have reduced this year and for September, and fee caps will be in place. Some 96% of children aged between three and five are now in the early years programme. That demonstrates significant investment in childcare over the past number of years.

There is not credibility attached to the Deputy's assertion that there has not been investment in public services. There has been very significant investment in public services.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I listened carefully to the Taoiseach's laundry list of measures. Certainly, we welcome progress where it occurs. However, the reality for families is that the cost-of-living crisis is not a once-off. It is an ongoing crisis where people are struggling to make ends meet. We have put forward constructive proposals. My colleague, Deputy Ged Nash, put forward a Bill to tackle price gouging in supermarkets. We are asking the Government to adopt that constructive proposal. However, the reality is we are seeing child poverty still at endemic levels and student poverty now a reality too. Today at six o'clock, our colleague, Senator Laura Harmon, has called a protest outside the Dáil, along with students' unions, to protest against a hike in student fees this year. That hike would put hard-pressed households under increased pressure.

I ask the Taoiseach again whether he can rule out that increase from €2,000 to €3,000 this year. Will he take on board the constructive Bill we have put forward to ensure price gouging by big retail chains can be tackled so that families will see their grocery bills reduce and at last see transparency in the profiteering of big supermarket brands?

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Hear, hear.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, has met with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, and has asked it to conduct an analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector, with a view to determine the existence of excessive pricing or not in an evidence-based way. We also have the equivalent of the agricultural ombudsman in terms of food prices. We are looking at strengthening the powers of the CCPC to protect consumers. Last week there was again engagement with the CCPC on the motor industry.

The Government is very committed to reducing the cost of living. I did not outline a laundry list of measures; they are substantive measures that actually have been mainstreamed into budget provision. This year we will move to mainstreaming with our budgetary allocation. It is exactly the same situation as last year and as we did then, the Estimates process and the budget will deal with all these issues in respect of supports for students.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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What about student fees? Is there any certainty on student fees? There is no clarity.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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There is no clarity on student fees.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Looking at strengthening the powers of the CCPC is no good. You have to actually act when you are in government. The Government has been looking at strengthening its powers for years but it has not done it. The Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, asking it to do a review like it did in 2023, which did not achieve anything as the Government had not given it extra powers, will not produce anything different this time. Families all over the country are struggling to keep their heads above water. Every week it is a challenge. I am not just talking about the financial challenge, which is enormous, but the toll it is taking on people's well-being, who are having to continually count every penny to just pay for the basics. They are scrimping and saving to afford groceries. This constant pressure is exhausting and families are finding, after all the effort, they are still coming up short. Grocery prices are a runaway train and they simply cannot afford them.

The evidence this is an enormous problem is mounting. St. Vincent de Paul has said that almost 50% of the calls it receives are about a single issue, namely groceries. According to today's Barnardos' report, four in ten parents are skipping meals or eating less to feed their children. One parent told Barnardos this constant struggle has led to them feeling inadequate because they cannot provide for their family. Almost one fifth of children are missing out on school trips and activities as their families cannot afford them. In some instances, children cannot go to their friends' birthday parties because there is no money for a present.

A few months ago, the Taoiseach told the Dáil he will always prioritise the child who has been left behind.

What about these children?

The cost of groceries has soared by €3,000 for families in recent years. Where does the Taoiseach think they are finding this money? They just do not have it, and that is why an increasing number are borrowing just to pay for basics. One in three households is now taking on debt or going into arrears to meet day-to-day costs, adding huge stress to what they are already under.

When the Government talks about this problem, it seems to think it is in the past. It talks about prices having increased rapidly after Russia invaded Ukraine but does not acknowledge that those prices never came down. Grocery costs are skyrocketing again, increasing at three times the rate of inflation. Everyone doing the weekly shop can see this, so why can the Government not see it?

The Government could be doing a number of things. For a start, we need transparency about supermarket profits. We suspect Irish consumers are being gouged, but without transparency, it is impossible to prove. The regulators for food and consumer protection must be given more teeth to tackle the issue. The Social Democrats will introduce tomorrow in the Dáil a motion that outlines a number of solutions. Will the Government support our motion? Will it compel supermarkets to publish their profits? Will it finally take some action to control grocery prices?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Let me make one comment, which is probably an observation on the political world we are in today: all the parties on the left favour universality in everything in terms of provision and have not argued once today for targeting or prioritising those left furthest behind.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Every single one of them.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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It has been very interesting that in the past ten days, including today, their entire focus has been on giving everybody everything. Whatever scheme is brought in-----

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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That is not true.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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That is exactly what the Government has been doing for the past three years. This is why it is in this difficulty.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Through the Chair, I did not interrupt anybody. It is a case of giving everybody everything. In the last budget, we took significant steps with the child support payments for both under-12s and over-12s.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Child poverty has doubled.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Sorry, Deputy Hearne is not leader yet.

A Deputy:

He can run for the Presidency as well.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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In the last budget, I itemised the issues. The free schoolbooks scheme is now part of the budget and of the base, which is very important. It is not once off or anything like that. It is the same with free transport for those aged between five and eight and the hot school meals programme. We did not extend VAT either. I have made it clear that in the next budget, for the Government and in the context of the programme for Government, investment in housing and social housing will be key in addressing child poverty. Disability has to be prioritised through income supports. A child poverty approach in the budget is essential. I have a child poverty unit in my Department that will come up with proposals. We are committed to this but I hope I get the Opposition’s support. It is easy to call for everything for everything but, actually, we would not have the finances over a period to sustain that.

We have invested hugely and we accept fully that grocery prices are at an elevated high. The rate of inflation has come down but that does not mean the new order has come down. Prices went up significantly in the past three years, particularly after the Covid pandemic and the energy crisis brought about by the war owing to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I have no argument about that, and that is why there were very significant once-off packages on top of the mainstream provisions for children, in particular in schools, which did bring down the costs for families. I recall that every autumn parents used to dread having to buy the schoolbooks. It was a big problem for them. We have removed that, essentially. The hot school meals programme is also a huge intervention. We can refine and improve it in terms of the quality of food and get all that right but it is a big change. I acknowledge that we need to do more about child poverty but there is a choice facing everyone in this House.

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

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is only so much money-----

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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Tax cuts to target child poverty.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy O’Callaghan to respond.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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We could spend billions of euro but the challenge really is the question of whether those opposite have the political guts to target.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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Absolutely.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Does the Taoiseach have the political guts to make supermarkets publish their profits and have full transparency? This is what I asked him about. Does he have the political guts to actually answer the question I put to him? We are talking about parents skipping meals so their children can eat.

We are talking about situations where a child cannot go to a friend's birthday because there is not money for a present. Is the Taoiseach going to address these things? The Agri-Food Regulator last year wrote to the Government urgently asking for powers so it could do its job. Here we are, still waiting for the Government to act. Why has it not done that? Why is it taking this long? Will the Taoiseach compel supermarkets to publish their profits so there is full transparency and we can see what is going on? Will he take action on foot of that to deal with any price gouging?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, we do have the guts to take on anyone who is engaged in price gouging, absolutely.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Why have you not done it?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I think we need an evidence-based approach.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Where is the evidence-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is an agency there, the consumer and competition authority-----

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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It does not have enough powers.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputies opposite know that. People come in here and make assertions but we have to do our business in an evidence-based way.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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And then you delayed my Bill by 12 months.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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In terms of the Agri-Food Regulator, we established it.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Does it have enough powers?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The former Minister for agriculture, Deputy McConalogue, brought that in precisely to get greater transparency in respect of the differentials between what the primary producer earns - the Deputies know the primary producer was a key motivator behind the introduction of that regulator - as well as making sure that the primary producer would get a better share of the entire supply chain in terms of the costs right along the way. There was an argument that the primary producers were not getting a sufficiency of income for what they were producing.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Does it have the powers to do its job?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The fundamental point is this. We recognise that there are significant high prices, particularly in groceries.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Do something about it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The issue really is in terms of the next budget and the Estimates, how best we use the resources we have to help those who need it the most.

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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Since becoming a TD, I have raised the defective concrete crisis every single week in this Chamber. I have stood here 23 times outlining the many issues with the Government's scheme, and have highlighted the lived experience of the impacted homeowners. My message has been consistent. The scheme is not working for the families. They are struggling. Every week I am standing here pleading with the Government to listen. Then I go home to Donegal and see first-hand the heartache as new cases come forward, while the defective concrete continues to be used to this day. It is unforgivable for the Government to leave the people in Donegal in such distress. I am once again using this opportunity before the end of term to outline some of the many issues with the scheme. I ask the Taoiseach over the break to reflect on this and come back with a new, fairer scheme that addresses these issues and leaves absolutely no one behind.

The first issue is the technical failures and the lack of scientific rigour. There has been no full technical review or timely IS 465 update. There has been a failure to provide interim guidance once the science was established. Homeowners were give the wrong options under the original scheme and not allowed to seek full demolition under new terms. There is a failure to consider whether ongoing damage, review decisions and the opinions of professional chartered engineers were often dismissed in favour of partial remediations. Homes have been left in limbo for years waiting on decisions. Technical data has often been ignored and disregarded. There is a failure to physically inspect the properties. There is no scheme in place for social housing. The treatment of individual properties like semi-detached houses being split is absolutely crazy.

The second issue is the financial hardship and unfair costs caused by the scheme. Delayed payments are leading to builders actually walking off the sites, which then leaves the people renting houses forced to rent them longer. The people are left in limbo as they are waiting on builders to come back because the payments have not been processed. As well as this, there is inadequate support and very poor administration of the scheme. There are workforce and capacity issues. There are measurement and valuation problems, grievance and transparency failures, human and community impacts and damage to adjacent properties. I do not have time to outline the list but I have a full, very detailed list I am happy to provide to the Taoiseach. I am asking him to listen to the homeowners. Will he iron out these issues with us and commit to creating a new, fairer scheme before the new term?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know it is very close to his heart and an issue largely upon which he was elected. I appreciate and understand fully where he is coming from. He has raised it on consistent occasions in the House. As he knows, the Minister, Deputy James Browne, met with various stakeholders in Donegal in May of this year, including representatives from the Mica Action Group along with a large number of Donegal county councillors and senior management of Donegal County Council.

Each group raised important issues, including the need to extend the eligibility of the cap and rate increase to a larger group of homeowners. Through these series of meetings, which lasted six to seven hours in total, the Minister saw at first hand the real difficulties defective concrete block homeowners are facing through no fault of their own. The scheme is important in that regard. Government has committed to this. The Minister will continue to engage, following up those meetings with the groups. There are complex issues around this.

We have allocated a significant amount of money. About €2.2 billion is the estimate of what this scheme will cost. Interestingly, 2025 funding has increased by over 50%, from €45 million to €70 million. In other words, there will be €70 million spent this year as opposed to €45 million last year because the scheme is ramping up. Sufficient additional funding is now required to meet the demand for those who are participating in the scheme. We want to meet homeowners' needs in an efficient and effective way. At the moment, there are about 2,600 homeowners at various stages of the scheme.

I will ask the Minister about some of the issues Deputy Ward has raised, for example, delayed payments. That should not be the case. We need a bit more consistent data in terms of the overall scheme. There are a lot of anecdotal stories. I am not saying they are wrong but I am just saying a lot of this is anecdotal at the moment. We need to develop consistent data in respect of this.

The grant rates were set, and increased in 2024 again, based on expert advice at a level to ensure homeowners get the money they need to put their homes right. In order to ensure the grant scheme follows the most up-to-date science, changes were made to the scheme late last year to take account of the most recent research.

There is forthcoming legislation which will make amendments to the grant scheme to allow these changes to be implemented by the administrators of the grant scheme - the local authorities themselves. As the Deputy knows, in March the NSAI commenced the public consultation period of the revised draft of IS465.

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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I want to mention Elm Park, given the fact that this is a time-sensitive issue. Houses in Elm Park in Buncrana face immediate danger as they have been built in a floodplain and are affected by defective concrete. The only safe option for these residents is relocation. The home of one family home is in such a bad structural state that the family sees no alternative but to move ahead with the defective concrete scheme and start the remediation process of demolishing the house when their planning is granted at the end of July. We have been told by Donegal County Council, however, that if this person does that, this option of relocation for the rest of the residents will be withdrawn. Understanding the very real danger of rebuilding in Elm Park, relocation is a cheaper, safer and more sustainable option than rebuilding on a floodplain. Will the Taoiseach give reassurances that the residents of Elm Park will be relocated?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan and Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran will be meeting with the residents on that issue fairly shortly.

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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When? Can we get a date?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Shortly. Next week. The issue is acknowledged. That meeting will take place next week.

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