Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Before I call on the Chief Whip, I welcome all the people in the Gallery this afternoon. I hope they are enjoying our robust debates, especially St. Anne's National School from Rathangan and their teacher Ms Cunningham. I call the Chief Whip under Standing Order 35 to move the arrangements for this week's business.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate)

- Motion re Proposed Approval by Dáil Éireann of the Data Protection Act 2018 under (Section 60(6)) and (Section 51)(3)) Regulations 2026 (without debate)

- Motion re Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform (without debate)

- International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to conclude after the first round, not to exceed 3 hours and 34 minutes)

- Financial Motion by the Minister for Finance [2026] (Financial Resolution No. 1 (to be brought to a conclusion within 60 mins, and any divisions claimed to be taken immediately)

Wednesday's business shall be:

- National Oil Reserve Energy (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to conclude after the first round, not to exceed 3 hours and 34 minutes);

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2026 (to be taken no earlier than 5.30 p.m. and to conclude within 60 mins)

- Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 60 mins)

- National Oil Reserve Energy (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Committee and Remaining Stages) (to conclude within 60 mins)

- Motions for Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026 [Votes 1-10, 13, 16, 20-25, 27-32 and 34-45] (back from Committee) (to be moved together and decided by one question, and any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committee (without debate)

Thursday's business shall be:

- Statements on the Bessborough Development (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)

Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:

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

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.;

(b) private members’ business shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Financial Resolution; and

(c) Topical Issues shall not be taken and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Further and Higher Education;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed Approval by Dáil Éireann of the Data Protection Act 2018 under (Section 60(6)) and (Section 51)(3)) Regulations 2026 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

4. the proceedings on the Motion re Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform shall be taken without debate;

5. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at the end of the first speaking round and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) the first-round speeches, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the table below (to be read across);

(b) on conclusion of the first speaking round, or where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c) members may share time; and

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	20	20	20	12	4
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	20	12	4	20	12
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	4	20	12	4	20
				Total	3 hours and 24 minutes

(a) the proceedings on the motion shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes;

(b) the Question on the motion shall dispose of any amendments not disposed of tabled to that motion;

(c) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:‒ opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes

‒ speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group

‒ speeches by Other Members – 7.5 minutes; and

‒ a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes(d) members may share time; and

(e) any division demanded shall be taken immediately.

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a) any motions to be taken without debate shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the National Oil Reserve Agency (Amendment) Bill 2026; and

(b) the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on any motions without debate;

(a) the first-round speeches, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the table below (to be read across);

(b) on conclusion of the first speaking round, or where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes;

(c) members may share time; and

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	20	20	20	12	4
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	20	12	4	20	12
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	4	20	12	4	20
				Total	3 hours and 24 minutes

(a) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-‒ opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes;

‒ speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group;

‒ speeches by Other Members – 7.5 minutes in total; and

‒ a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; and(b) members may share time;

5. the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages of the National Oil Reserve Agency (Amendment) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by one question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment;

6. the following arrangements shall apply to the proceedings on the Motions for Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026 [Votes 1-10, 13, 16, 20-25, 27-32 and 34-45]:

(a) the motions shall be moved and decided together by one question which shall be put from the Chair;

(b) the proceedings thereon shall be taken without debate; and

(c) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and

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

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. with consequential effect on the commencement time for the Second Stage of the Organisation of Working Time (Leave for Health Screening Purposes) Bill 2025, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil: provided that up to ten topical issues may be taken; and

(b) the Dáil on its rising today shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 14th April, 2026; and

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

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

(c) members may share time.

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	25	15	10	10	3
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	10	10	3	9	10
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	3	9	10	3	5
				Total	2 hours 15 minutes

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Is that agreed? It is not agreed. I call Deputy Doherty.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The agenda that has been presented here is outrageous. The Government expects us to debate the major burning issue. The Government might think it is not an issue but for four weeks, people have been pushed to the pin of their collar. Diesel has gone up by 55 cent while the Government has delayed and dithered. When it now brings forward a motion that is a half-baked idea that does not go far enough, it says that it has to be dealt within 60 minutes. Crucially, the key issue is that the Government is afraid of the amendment that we will bring forward tonight. The Government will not even allow that amendment to be voted on, according to the agenda here. What is the Government afraid of? We will put down an amendment that will remove excise from home heating oil and reduce tax on diesel and petrol. Let us have a vote. What the Government is doing is a disgrace.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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I register my utter dissatisfaction with how business is being operated. Eight minutes before we were due to sit today, we got a new agenda that will give us just an hour to discuss the financial resolutions on the only thing that people have been talking about over the past couple of weeks. It is utterly unsatisfactory and we register huge objection.

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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The cost of living in this country is skyrocketing. Before the war in Iran, 320,000 households were in electricity arrears. People are choosing between heating and eating. The cost of living is impacting more than just energy, though, because there is now the price for education. Exam fees, which had not been in place since before the pandemic, are being reintroduced without warning to parents. The cost of living needs to be discussed this evening.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is clear that Donald Trump and the Israeli regime are criminal warmongers that could do anything. If they start to bomb more energy infrastructure in Iran, and there are reports suggesting that they are already doing this having said that they would not, the miserable concessions the Government has made to address the spikes in the cost of living could be wiped away overnight. We need serious time to discuss how the Government is going to actually protect people in this country from the cost of energy spikes resulting from Trump's war.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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I agree with my colleagues that 60 minutes is not enough time to speak about the crisis this country is going through at the moment. We need a proper debate in here and I call for that proper debate. Farmers, the hard-squeezed middle, fishermen and other people are facing a serious crisis. People cannot put heating oil into their home heating tanks this evening. They expected a proper break but they did not get it and we need a proper debate on that this evening.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I will offer some clarity about what will transpire later today. There will a motion regarding Financial Resolution No. 1 this afternoon from the Department of Finance. Sixty minutes have been allowed and we are votable immediately afterwards so I expect there will be several votes at that time. I want to be clear on that.

There has been a change to tomorrow's Order of Business. The National Oil Reserve Agency (Amendment) Bill 2026, which will be allowed 204 minutes and a ten-minute wrap-up, will be taken instead of the statements on sports so there will be plenty of time for debate tomorrow.

I wish to inform the Ceann Comhairle that there is every possibility that I will be returning with a second updated Order of Business this afternoon with regard to the second financial resolution. The Order of Business stands. People want to know exactly what is happening.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the arrangements for the Order of Business agreed to?

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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On a point of order-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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What is the point of order?

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The point of order is looking for clarification on the motion.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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A point of order arises where a Standing Order has not been complied with. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat. There is no point of order. We will vote on the Order of Business. Is the Order of Business agreed to?

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I ask for-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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There is no point of order.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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-----clarity on what we are asking people to vote for. The proposal before us provides that all amendments will be disposed of and the only vote will be on the Government's proposal. The Government Chief Whip has just stated that there will be numerous votes after the 60-minute debate. I am looking for clarity. If the Government is accepting that there will be numerous votes on the amendments, I accept that.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Does the Government Chief Whip wish to respond? If not, we will move on.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business stands.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Order of Business stands.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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What is it? Which one is it?

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

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Are you getting rid of all the amendments?

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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She is not telling us.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I will put the question.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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3 o’clock

“Violence against women and girls is the shame of our society and we must do everything possible to end it.” These were the words of Natalie McNally's heartbroken brother Declan yesterday after Stephen McCullagh was sentenced to life in prison for her horrific murder. It is a sharp reminder of the dangers women face. Today violence against women and girls is at epidemic levels across Ireland. The first government strategy was delivered 15 years ago this month. Progress is far too slow - a judicial system that does not work for victims, court cases taking too long, support services underfunded and overstretched. Despite Jennie's law receiving Cabinet approval last October, we still do not have a register of domestic abusers to protect women from repeat offenders. When will we see a step change from Government to deliver change and bring the determination required to eliminate violence against women and girls?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The level of domestic and gender-based violence is a tremendous stain on our society. There has been a step change in Government responses in the past number of years. Funding is now at about €80 million under the last budget. The establishment of Cuan has been an important step change in terms of dedicated, focused provision of services and the representation of the zero-tolerance strategy. There has been a €12 million increase year on year so the financial resources have been significantly step-changed in respect of this issue. The acceleration of additional refuge spaces and safe accommodation is an important aspect of that. The target is to provide about 282 safe spaces by the end of 2026.

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

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a whole range of other measures as well that we have outlined.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We will be on time, Taoiseach. I call Deputy Bacik.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Less than four weeks into the Government's new rental regime, we are already seeing the effects. The Government is now presiding over the highest level of evictions since the Famine. Last week, Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, data showed the number of eviction notices issued rose by 41% in quarter 4 of 2025. Just over 20,000 people received a dreaded notice of termination through their letterboxes last year as landlords were already leaving the market in anticipation of the new reckless rent rules. Now we are seeing mass evictions at a higher scale again: 14 families in an apartment complex in Ballybane in Galway city; 20 families in Lord Edward Street in Limerick; and in my constituency too, I am hearing it. Renters are vulnerable and need protection. The Labour Party has offered constructive solutions. I ask again if the Taoiseach will institute a ban on no-fault evictions now to protect families and children, in particular, from homelessness.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy seems very confused in her presentations on the rental market. On one level, she is complaining about evictions she suggests are caused by recent reforms of the rental market, which were all about protecting tenants and the six-year term. Which is it?

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Landlords are confused.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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If the Deputy banned evictions, she would cause greater churn and a greater loss of landlords. The facts do not bear out what she said. The latest RTB data shows continued growth in quarter 4 of last year with 243,598 tenancies, the highest on record. There were 104,687 private landlords, broadly unchanged year on year. Churn is normal but overall numbers are stable and, actually, rising. A total of 17,342 new tenancies were registered in quarter 4 of 2025. The residential tenancies Act of 2006 ends no-fault evictions, essentially-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Taoiseach. I call Deputy Whitmore.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----for larger landlords, places stronger restrictions on tenancy termination and caps rent increases at inflation.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy Whitmore is on her feet.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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When global energy crises hit, there is one certainty in Ireland and that is that energy prices shoot sky high like a rocket and then take years to drop.

We saw it happen when Russia invaded Ukraine. In fact, there are still people suffering the consequences of that, with 320,000 remaining in arrears on their electricity bills. We are still facing sky-high electricity prices despite the CSO reporting yesterday that wholesale electricity prices are down by 72% since the peak. People in Ireland have not seen a 72% reduction in electricity prices, as we know well.

We are seeing the same happening as a result of the war in Iran, with a near immediate increase in prices at the pump. We welcome the excise reductions the Government is bringing in but how will it make sure there is pass-through such that people see a reduction in petrol and diesel prices from when the measures are introduced and that there will be absolutely no opportunity to price-gouge people in this instance?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is there to ensure fair play in the marketplace. The Government certainly will be keeping a very watchful eye on this issue. If there is not pass-through, that will have implications for any potential future measures we might take in the energy market itself. We will be keeping a weathervane eye on this in the coming days. I take the Deputy's point that prices went up very quickly and they need to come down once the excise duty change works its way through.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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A task force on special education in Dublin 15 was set up in October 2024. Why, eight months after its final report was handed to the Minister, has it been buried and still not published? Dublin 15 is a fast-growing area with an acute crisis in school provision for children with additional needs. Three parents, all of whom have children with additional needs, gave up their time voluntarily to be part of the task force. They pushed for the strongest possible recommendations, many of which got diluted in the drafting. Among the recommendations were forward planning, a central database, good communication, a disability support hub and "substantial additional capital funding for appropriate places". They also asked for action on the teacher supply crisis.

Why is this report being buried? What is the Government afraid of in publishing it and being held to account? Was it just done to take this issue off the agenda in Dublin 15 before the general election? We need an additional special school in Dublin 15 and one more children's disability network team, CDNT, area as well.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will check with the Minister of State with responsibility for special education in respect of that report and timelines for its publication. There is forward planning now. We brought forward the date by which parents and students apply for places in our schools. That has happened this year, as the Deputy must be aware. The establishment of a central database has to happen but I acknowledge it is not there yet. There have been substantial capital funding increases for education, particularly special education, which takes up a huge portion of the education capital budget. That provision for special education will continue this year. Special education is growing exponentially in terms of resources, whether they be special needs assistants, teachers or buildings. That is the story of where we are in terms of special education and it will continue to be the case.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Taoiseach may have seen the latest figures from the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, which are a cause for concern. Last year, for example, more than 750,000 units of illegal or fake medicines were seized and the number of individual packages separately purchased by members of the public rose by a whopping 180%. There was a 30-fold surge in fake glucagon-like peptide-1, GLP-1, weight loss products, for example, and also a sharp rise in seizures of pregabalin, which is a drug with legitimate applications, such as for epilepsy, but which can kill when misused. The HPRA, to its credit, has shut down thousands of online listings but the problem is still escalating. With this serious and growing public health threat, what additional measures and resourcing will the Government provide to curb the online sale of dangerous medicines, protect vulnerable people and ensure safe and affordable access to legitimate treatments?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. I will talk to the Ministers for health and enterprise and others who can have an impact. It is a very serious issue because fake drugs can do real harm to people and damage their health.

It is an area that perhaps needs a higher profile focus. I will certainly take away the fact the Deputy has highlighted the issue. I will come back to him with the views of the authority and others.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Last night the EU and Australia came to a trade agreement. As a small open economy, trade is hugely important to us in Ireland. The agreement looks to be a fairly good opportunity for Ireland but I want to draw attention to farmers' needs. They are under pressure with milk prices, fertiliser prices and diesel. Increasing competition at this time is much more challenging for them. What assurances are there for farmers that there will be similar standards in this trade agreement, and that milk and beef farmers will be able to compete on a level playing field following this trade agreement?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has welcomed the agreement and will be supporting it at EU level. Ireland's agrifood exports will benefit under the deal through easier access to the large Australian market. We believe this will give us more opportunities to sell our products due to tariff elimination. Tariffs will go down to zero on key EU export products such as cheese over three years. There will be recognition for iconic Irish geographical indications, such as Irish whiskey, Irish cream and poitín. There will be preferential rules of origin for Irish whiskey. Exports of prepared foodstuffs and Irish dairy products, including cheese, will also see tariff reductions. European Union dairy exports to Australia are estimated to have the potential to grow by 48% under the deal.

There are issues with the importation of beef; that will be over a ten-year period. However, mechanisms have been put in place to deal with an unacceptable impact on markets where the EU can intervene. The figure is much less than what the Australian side was seeking. It will be phased in over a ten-year period. It represents about 0.5% of European Union domestic consumption of beef.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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On Friday, I met Denise from Tiernans Nursery in Rathmines. She has been operating it for over 35 years. Unfortunately, she has had to take the decision to exit core funding to make ends meet. She has had to notify parents of that. This is not a person who is looking to make loads of money; she is just trying to continue to provide the service she was already providing. Since I was elected as a TD, I have met lots of childcare providers in my constituency who have had to make this difficult decision to exit core funding. They do not want to tell parents that they are going to have to increase their fees, and obviously the Government is trying to reduce the cost of childcare for parents. My question is on the level of engagement the Department can have with providers that do exit. From responses to parliamentary questions, I know the overall figures are relatively small. However, we want to get them back into the system. We do not want people exiting core funding because we cannot control the fees if they do so. Some of this is bureaucracy and the various funding schemes that they have to operate under. Could we be doing more for providers that exit core funding so that we can keep the costs down for parents and support providers at the same time?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have the background to the specific case. Core funding now exceeds €436 million, up 62% since 2022, with 93%, or 4,590, of providers signed up, which keeps fees at 2021 levels. I will speak to the Minister on this. It is a matter that is kept under constant review. As the Deputy said, we do not want to lose anybody from the core funding framework. People may feel they can do better outside it, but it is not great for parents in terms of costs when that happens. I will let the Minister know that the Deputy raised this. We keep it under constant review to make sure it is accessible and that it makes sense for people to be participants in the core funding programme. The increase in numbers in the system over the past four years has been pretty impressive.

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I would like the Government to urgently address a serious situation facing a primary school in my constituency that has the potential to impact hundreds of children and families. Despite providing the first breakfast club of its kind in the State, St. Paul's National School is hugely concerned that because it does not fit the new model for school meals, it is at risk of losing this vital service. Its funding is in limbo. It has sought clarity from the Department to no avail. I have raised this privately with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and have not yet received a response.

This school is at the heart of a proud community in Drogheda that has felt the brunt of organised crime feuds. Its breakfast club, school meals and canteen are lifeline to many. In 2016, the Government clearly agreed with this when its new Bill rightly ensured that fully fitted kitchens and dining spaces were included in the plans. Its model, which was lauded as best practice for school meals at the time by Fianna Fáil Ministers, must now be facilitated within the new hot school meals programme. The funding must be provided without delay and, more importantly, the school needs to be given clarity. Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister to at least visit this school and see the model at work at first hand, and allay the concerns of the principal and the wider community?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Again, I do not have the full background to the case here. Obviously, the Government has funded the building very well. The hot school meals programme has been rolled out very quickly and effectively on many fronts. There is a lot of debate around improving nutrition. However, fundamentally over the last three years, it has been rolled out at considerable pace across the length and breadth of the country. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Calleary, in respect of the issue the Deputy has raised. The Departments of education and Social Protection can reflect on whether there is flexibility in how the allocation, which every school gets, is spent and I will come back to the Deputy.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the temporary measures that have been introduced to help address the rise in fuel and energy costs. They will offer some short-term support at the time when many households and businesses are feeling real pain. I have spoken to many Louth hauliers, coach operators and households who are desperately worried about what is to come. This conflict in the Middle East is the latest supply chain shock for energy markets. Uncertainty around supply chains is creating real fears about what lies ahead. In Louth as in the rest of the country, families are already finding it difficult to manage heating and everyday living costs. Small businesses are affected. Coach operators and hauliers along the M1 corridor continue to face fluctuating fuel costs. We need a real plan to start reducing the cost of energy in this country, which is unsustainable, as the Taoiseach knows. Given these global pressures and local challenges, will the Government keep the situation under close review and ensure the supports can be adjusted if it worsens? Can we start front-loading investment into alternative energy sources, advancing our critical infrastructure plan and extending our retrofit programmes to help future-proof these problems?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The haulage industry is a key industry whose role in our modern economy has been underestimated in terms of getting goods from ports to shelves and from manufacturing facilities to the ships for our export markets. I am very interested in making sure that we have a sustainable haulage industry into the future. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has engaged with the industry over the last number of weeks and today's measures reflect part of that engagement and will provide some ease of the pressure. I acknowledge the pressures on the industry are still very significant. More generally, the Deputy is correct about the need to drive forward with the retrofitting programme and energy efficiency programmes. Through front-loading solar energy and insulation, we will continue to do everything we can to support businesses and households in terms of any energy efficiency measures they can take to help in the short term.

Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise the state of our local roads in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. While the recent spell of persistent heavy rain has thankfully ceased for the moment, the damage done to our roads in the flash floodings of January this year, particularly in rural parts of Carlow and Kilkenny, is still very evident and is causing grave disruption and inconvenience, disproportionately affecting rural dwellers. I commend Carlow and Kilkenny county councils, which have worked hard at making our local roads passable, but they are a long way from being sufficiently repaired. The reason for that is not the lack of will of both local authorities but the delay in receipt of the emergency funding that was promised from the Government. Following the surveys that have been done, it is estimated that Carlow County Council needs approximately €4 million and Kilkenny County Council needs an estimated €5 million to return those severely damaged roads to pre-flood conditions. Where is the promised funding for local authorities and when will it be released to Carlow and Kilkenny county councils?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister has sought submissions from local authorities across the length and breadth of the country in respect of damage done in recent storms and flooding that occurred.

The Minister is assessing those submissions now with a view to allocations to try to help the county councils concerned.

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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I recently sent the Taoiseach a parliamentary question which he declined to answer. The question was to him and was about the decision-making process behind the recent announcement of a 200-bed hospital unit in Raheen, Limerick, which is option B, part of the HIQA recommendations. People in Clare are asking, when were the Taoiseach and the Cabinet made aware of this? It seems some of his own TDs and Senators in the local area were not aware of this announcement being made. People in Clare were told to stop suggesting sites by one of his Government Ministers. Did this mean it was a done deal? How did the procurement process come about? Did the Government approach the landowner or vice versa? This plan will not solve the problem in Clare that the Government caused in 2009. People in Clare are asking, was this a Fine Gael announcement or a Government announcement? If you look at this announcement on "Reeling in the Years" down the line, you will see it is all Fine Gael elected reps at this. Does the Taoiseach believe that this will solve the issues for those in Clare, particularly those out west and in north Clare, well outside the golden hour?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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First, I did not decline to answer any question, and it is wrong of the Deputy to suggest that I did. She knows full well that questions about hospital sites go to the Minister for Health.

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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But I was asking the Taoiseach, not-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy, there is no interaction.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry, no, I am not responsible for every individual Minister's decision-making. It is a well-known practice in the Dáil and the Oireachtas that questions go to the Minister who is accountable to the House in respect of the matter. Of course, I was aware of the decision, and the Minister would have informed me very early on, along with the Tánaiste, the Minister of State, Seán Canney, and other Ministers as to what, overall, is a positive decision, given the congestion in UHL. Now there is a pathway forward in terms of health facilities in Limerick and in the mid-west, to be complemented by further services for Ennis and Nenagh. It is a positive development overall. The Deputy is obviously against it but-----

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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I am not against it. It is positive for Limerick but-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Taoiseach. The next speaker is Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett. Your time is up, Taoiseach.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, but it is positive overall for healthcare, I would have thought.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I call Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Over the past week I had parents of children with intellectual disabilities from the Before We Die campaign in with me. They pointed out that about 2,000 adults with intellectual disabilities are living with parents who are over 70, and about 500 of those people are living with parents over 80. Their parents are extremely worried about what will happen to their children when they pass away and are asking, "Where is the plan?" They are saying there should be a plan, a framework. The number of houses being delivered, supported housing they need, is pathetic. They give me a figure of one transition for 2026 so far, with thousands of people needing it. Will the Taoiseach respond to the Before We Die campaign's call for a plan, for a framework and for urgent action to provide the transitions necessary for children with intellectual disabilities?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am responding to the issue. I met with the Before We Die group some weeks ago. This is on the agenda of the next Cabinet subcommittee on disability. I have spoken to the Minister for housing, the Minister for disability and the Minister for Health. What is needed here is a concerted, collective approach. I acknowledge that the current situation is not sustainable or satisfactory and creates undue pressure on parents, particularly parents of citizens and people who are of senior age and who need independence. The idea that some of the section 39 organisations would just say, "Go and apply to the local authority, and it's up to yourself", is not on, and I have made that very clear to the system. The bottom line is that we need people joined up together and we need to have supports if someone gets housing. There is a varying continuum of need, so some will need less support, some will need substantive supports and so forth. This is an issue I am seized of. It is a very serious issue for the families concerned and society more generally.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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The Taoiseach, like me and probably many people in this Chamber, probably learned to swim in a local authority or community pool. Fingal has no local authority pool. The closest we have to one is the not-for-profit pool provided by Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Centre. Due to extensive works needed for the pool roof, the pool is closed indefinitely. This is not only threatening jobs and the viability of the leisure centre but also removing a vital resource, that is, the ability to learn to swim, from people in Portmarnock, Malahide, Swords and all over the Fingal area. The Minister, Darragh O'Brien, is aware of this. We need funding to repair the roof for this pool. There is no local authority funding stream any more for pools from the Government, but there needs to be an investment in the repair of the roof. It is the only community pool available in Fingal and it needs to be repaired at the earliest possible opportunity. I ask the Taoiseach to engage with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, me and the board of Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Centre to ensure that this can be repaired.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have the background to this. I learned to swim in the sea, actually, down in west Cork, or maybe Robert's Cove or somewhere like that, but we had a baths long ago. We used to call it the baths, the swimming pool-----

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We used to have one too.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Please.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We still have not got it back.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----next to City Hall, and the craic was good. I passionately believe in swimming opportunities for young people and children in particular to learn how to swim, as Deputy Smith says, because water safety is essential and it can be a very joyous and healthy discipline for the rest of your life.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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And vital.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. He is fairly innovative when it comes to projects in Fingal. I will see what can be done. I take the Deputy's point. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport is here. We will see what can be done in respect of the roof on the swimming pool in Portmarnock.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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A review of income used by Naas General Hospital under the National Treatment Purchase Fund has found that consultants were paid €2 million between 2022 and 2025. Of this, close to €500,000 was paid to two external companies, in which a director in each company also works as a consultant at Tallaght hospital. The audit found that consultants were paid significantly higher levels under the fee-per-patient structure than they would have been through standard contractual or overtime arrangements. More importantly, there was no evidence of approval being sought by hospital management for a derogation from standard public procurement procedures. First, what are the consequences if and when reviews find such misappropriation of NTPF funds? Second, is it time for a national review of the NTPF programme to make sure that this is not a widespread issue in hospitals throughout the country?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There has been a HSE review of the insourcing programme and practice. There has been huge investment since 2025. The Minister undertook a detailed survey of all insourcing activities within the HSE in light of concerns about an over-reliance in the system on supplementary capacity. That report was submitted and published by the Minister in July of last year. That led to a number of measures being taken, stricter control measures, to reduce reliance on inappropriate third-party insourcing while maintaining all options for the provision of care to patients. Those controls are now in place to restrict the use of third-party insourcing. We are moving away from our dependence on the model to fully use the internal under-utilised capacity we have within our core health service.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Yesterday the UK Government announced it would make plug-in solar panels available in the near future to British households. Plug-ins are low-cost solar panels that families can put on balconies or outdoor spaces. Retailers and manufacturers are working with the UK Government to make them available in shops within months. They would save people money on their bills in the UK and they could do the same here as well. However, when I got a reply to a parliamentary question I put to the Department of energy in February, the Department told me it had been considering plug-in solar for 18 months and still needed more time for consideration. In the middle of an energy crisis, the luxury of time has gone past us. Will the Taoiseach move on this? Will he look to make plug-in solar panels available in Ireland immediately?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will talk to the Minister about it. What the Deputy has said sometimes illustrates - I will not say the futility of asking parliamentary questions, but you do tend to get standard replies from time to time. That was last February. The Minister has a huge capital budget. I am not saying capital is required here. I will talk to the Minister about this. I would be favourably disposed to it. Anything that can accelerate people getting familiar with the utilisation of renewables and solar is good. One of the complaints about the existing grant schemes we have is their inaccessibility to people on low incomes, for example. I will talk to the Minister about this.