Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Mar 2025

Vol. 1064 No. 3

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Oideachas trí Ghaeilge

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Tá mé ag iarraidh déileáil le ceist Gaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8 agus an drochnuacht a fuarthas le déanaí nach bhfuil an bord bainistíochta ar Choláiste CBS ar Shráid Synge sásta leis an gcinneadh a glacadh agus go bhfuil siad ag tarraingt siar uaidh. Tá mé ag iarraidh soiléirithe ón Aire maidir leis seo. I am seeking clarity regarding the issue of Gaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8. Díreach roimh an toghchán, fógraíodh go mbeadh athrú ag teacht agus go mbeadh Gaelcholáiste ann. Bhí gliondar ar gach uile duine go mbeadh, sa deireadh thiar thall, oideachas meánscolaíochta trí Ghaeilge ar fáil in 2026 do na daltaí ar fad atá ag teacht amach ó rang a sé ó scoileanna cosúil le Bhunscoil Synge Street, Gaelscoil Inse Chór, Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Gaelscoil Eoin agus Scoil Bhríde.

Bhí na daltaí, na clanna agus iad siúd a bhí taobh thiar den fheachtas ag tnúth leis an athrú seo. Feachtas an-bhríomhar a bhí ann - bhí siad lasmuigh de Thithe an Oireachtais go minic agus iad breá bríomhar. Bhí na daltaí ag súil leis go mbeadh Gaelcholáiste acu ionas go mbeidís in ann leanúint lena dturas oideachasúil, bunaithe ar an tumoideachas sna Gaelscoileanna ina rabhadar ó thús báire. Bhí sé i gceist go mbeidís in ann bogadh isteach i meánscoil nua, ag tosú i mbliain a haon i mí Mheán Fómhair 2026. Is trua é go bhfuil sé cloiste againn anois go bhfuil seans ann nach dtarlóidh sé sin. Tá mé ag lorg soiléiriú ón Aire maidir leis an gceist seo toisc nach raibh cruinnithe ag an Roinn leis an bhfeachtas nó leis na tuismitheoirí ón am gur fhoilsíodh an fhógra, rud nár tharla ró-fhada ó shin.

Bhí daoine ag tnúth leis an Gaelcholáiste nua seo ar an seansuíomh ar Shráid Synge. Tuigim go raibh fadhbanna ann, ach bíonn fadhbanna ann i gcónaí nuair atá athrú i gceist. An bhfuil an Roinn tar éis féachaint ar shuíomhanna eile sa cheantar? Cad atá déanta ag an Roinn ón uair a cuireadh in iúl nach bhfuil an CBS sásta athrú ón Bhéarla go dtí an Ghaeilge sa chás seo? An bhfuil an Roinn tar éis féachaint ar shuíomhanna oiriúnacha eile don scoil seo? An raibh an Roinn i dteagmháil leis an bhfeachtas agus leis na tuismitheoirí a bhí ag tnúth leis an nGaelcholáiste nua? Bhí roinnt dóibh tar éis a rá lena bpáistí go raibh an Gaelcholáiste seo ag teacht. Cad go díreach atá déanta? An féidir leis an Aire a chinntiú go n-osclóidh an Gaelcholáiste seo le haghaidh Baile Átha Cliath 2, 4, 6, 8 i mí an Mheithimh an bhliain seo chugainn mar a dúradh ag an am? Cinnteodh sé seo sa deireadh thiar thall go bhfuil bealach ann do pháistí leanúint leo ag fáil oideachas trí Ghaeilge mar a chreidimse go bhfuil sé de cheart acu. Níl aon scoil dara leibhéal eile sa cheantar le haghaidh go leor de na paistí as na Gaelscoileanna atá luaite agam, atá ag iarraidh leanúint leis an nGaeloideachas. Bíonn orthu casadh ar an mBéarla. Cuireann sé brú ollmhór ar dhaltaí ag aois 12 nuair is gá dóibh athrú iomlán a dhéanamh ón teanga oideachasúil atá acu. Is minic go gcailleann siad cuid dá gcairde scoile toisc go dtéann roinnt dóibh i dtreo amháin agus roinnt i dtreo eile. Tá súil agam go bhfuil an tAire in ann an soiléiriú sin a thabhairt.

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Deputy Hildegarde Naughton)

Táim ag freagairt an cheist seo ar son an Aire, an Teachta McEntee. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this matter which provides me with the opportunity to clarify to the House, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, the position regarding the Gaelcholáiste for Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8.

The Department is fully supportive of and remains committed to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin south city area. The Department of Education is currently working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust to ensure continued and clear engagement on the successful transition of Synge Street CBS from a single-sex, English-medium school to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis from September 2026.

There has been a growing need for a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin south city to service the Gaelscoileanna in the area, including Bunscoil Synge, which is located beside Synge Street CBS and transitioned from an English-medium national school to a Gaelscoil in recent years. Synge Street CBS is well positioned to meet the growing demand for a co-educational Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 area. It is a welcome addition to the variety and diversity of school choice at post-primary level in the Dublin south city area.

Work is ongoing in the Department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. The development of this policy is informed by the comprehensive consultation process conducted by the Department, as well as international research. This policy will build upon what is currently being achieved under the policy on Gaeltacht education to support the provision of education through the medium of Irish in Gaeltacht areas. It will focus on providing high-quality, Irish-medium education and increasing the proportion of learners receiving their education through Irish.

The Minister also intends to launch a survey of primary school communities in the coming months. This survey will ensure we have a greater picture as to what our plans need to be into the future. It is planned that the survey will ask parents for their preference for the language of educational provision in their children’s school - English or Irish. The results of the survey will help us plan how we provide education at primary level into the future. This initiative along with other work will help the Department identify opportunities for increasing Irish-medium provision at primary and post-primary levels.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Is maith an rud é go bhfuil an Roinn go huile is go hiomlán ceangailte leis an gcoimitmint atá fógraithe maidir leis an nGaelcholáiste seo a bheith bunaithe laistigh de dheisceart lár na cathrach. Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé ar an suíomh seo. Mura bhfuil, caithfear féachaint ar phlean B toisc go bhfuil sé ráite go hoscailte ag roinnt dóibh siúd i mbainistíocht na scoile ar Shráid Synge faoi láthair nach bhfuil sé i gceist acu é seo a dhéanamh. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an Roinn in ann déileáil leo agus a rá go bhfuil sé seo ag dul ar aghaidh. Má tá sé ag dul ar aghaidh, tá jab eile le déanamh. Tá fhios agam go raibh ailtirí na Ranna ar an suíomh ag féachaint ar an bhfoirgneamh agus ar na rudaí gur chóir díriú isteach orthu. Bheadh sé deacair do dhá scoil - scoil Ghaeilge agus scoil Bhéarla - a bheith ar an suíomh ceannann céanna gan leithreas ann do chailíní nó do mhná. Níl saotharlann ann don eacnamaíocht bhaile nó don fhisic beo. Níl seomra inacmhainne nó seomra RSO ann.

Tá rudaí ar leith gur gá a dhéanamh má tá an Gaelcholáiste nua le bheith ar oscailt i mí Mheán Fómhair 2026. Tá rudaí gur gá dóibh tarlúint an samhradh seo - summer works projects - nuair nach bhfuil an scoil ar oscailt. Más gá athruithe a dhéanamh ar an bhfoirgneamh nó ar an gclós leis an dá scoil a scarúint, ba chóir go mbeadh sé sin ag tosú i mbliana, agus tuilleadh oibre le déanamh arís an bhliain seo chugainn. Thar an tréimhse atá againn, níos lú ná bliain go leith, tá obair mhór le déanamh leis an suíomh a chur in oiriúint ionas go mbeidh dhá scoil ar an suíomh sin ag an am céanna fad is atá siad ag aistriú ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge thar tréimhse sé bliana.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

As outlined, the Department is and remains fully committed to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin south city area and is working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust on the successful transition of Synge Street CBS to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis from September 2026. I will ask the Minister to come back directly to the Deputy if he needs clarity on any specific questions. The Department is currently working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust to ensure there is continued and clear engagement with the school in question on the successful transition to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis. Officials from the Department along with officials from ASTI head office are to meet in the coming weeks with the senior management and teaching staff of the school to discuss the professional learning and deployment options available to them. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Would the Minister be willing to meet members of the campaign group or at least get her officials to meet them? They have been abandoned since last September. There should be a meeting so that they can address some of the questions I asked.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

With whom?

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

With the campaign group - the parents and those who have been involved from the start.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

I will raise that with the Minister. I cannot answer for her but I am sure everything is happening within the Department. I will relate that back.

Animal Welfare

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this issue. On the northside of the Cork city in my constituency we have had a spate of animal welfare issues in recent weeks, many of which have made national headlines. I also raised this issue here last year as a Topical Issue. Last year, we gave over €6 million in funding to charities to police this for us. Despite that investment, on the ground in Cork city we are seeing more and more of these incidents of animals being mistreated and in certain cases ending up dead or abandoned in sites or on the side of the road.

It is really worrying because we are investing more money than we have ever given to these charities but the figures speak for themselves. I will take the Minister of State through a few responses I received to parliamentary questions in last few weeks. Between 2020 and now, only two people have been fined for animal mistreatment, with fines of €5,000 or less. There is a second fine open to the authorities, of up to €250,000, but nobody has been fined to that amount in the last five years. A number of people have been imprisoned for up to three years over various years but we are talking single digits. The same is true for the number of people disqualified from owning animals but there was a spike last year and 27 people are now disqualified from owning animals, not just horses, nationwide. That would indicate to me that the trend definitely is moving in the direction whereby more of these incidents are happening and that mistreatment of animals is becoming more common.

The difficulty is that we rely heavily on animal charities in particular. I must give a shout out to My Lovely Horse Rescue Cork, which does Trojan work. It is expensive to do the job it does. We are often talking thousands of euro to save a horse and nurse it back, care for it or whatever the case may be, and in a worst case scenario often disposing of the carcase or, unfortunately, having to euthanise a horse. Those things are very expensive and taxing on charities. The difficulty I have is that we actually have loads of legislation in this space. An Garda Síochána has powers, the local authorities have powers and the Department of agriculture has powers but all I see in every case that we come across is a failure of all those authorities to actually co-ordinate and to give a co-ordinated response. In the most recent case we had in Glanmire all the parties I have just mentioned were notified that an animal had been abandoned on a private site but over the few days of finger-pointing about whose responsibility it was the animal, unfortunately, died. It was up to the private landowner in that case to dispose of the carcase. The landowner was uncontactable for a while and did not realise the horse was even on his site but it still fell upon him to dispose of the carcase and bear the expense. In all this I wonder where the owner of the horse was. It is difficult for the authorities to identify who the owners are because horses are not chipped. There is a requirement that horses would be microchipped but it is just being blatantly ignored.

I lodged a Private Member's Bill yesterday and I ask that the Dáil give it consideration. Maybe the Minister of State could bring this back to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne, and the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Martin Heydon. I ask that a designated official be appointed in each local authority so we do not have a situation where one must go to the Garda, the local authorities or a Department of agriculture official. If somebody is tasked with the job of inspecting licences and ensuring the animals are microchipped then I believe we can get around the kind of mess we have at the moment. I thank the Minister of State.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

I thank the Deputy for his question. I will be raising the matter with both Ministers. I have a response here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Heydon.

Neglect or causing unnecessary suffering to any animal is unacceptable in our society and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is fully committed to the ongoing promotion and enforcement of high animal welfare standards. The Department continues to enforce the law in this important area, as do An Garda Síochána, the Customs service, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine works very closely with these bodies.

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, introduced by the Department, brought all farmed and companion animals, including leisure, sport and working animals, under a single legislative framework. The Act provides a modern framework for applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare. Since the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation in March 2014, 182 individuals have been successfully prosecuted. The programme for Government provides a commitment to prioritise equine welfare and to build on existing inspectorate supports across the country, ensuring a consistent approach to dealing with horse welfare.

Deputy O’Sullivan will also be aware that the Department commissioned Professor Patrick Wall to carry out a root and branch review of our equine traceability system in recognition of how fundamental robust traceability is to ensuring equine welfare. Professor Wall was invited to make representations that would enhance the integrity and security of our traceability system, and deliver improved accountability which in turn delivers better welfare outcomes for our equines. Professor Wall has consulted with stakeholders across the whole equine sector and his report will be published shortly.

Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions with regard to equines, including prohibiting horses in certain areas, the issuing of licences and the seizure of horses in contravention of the Act. These powers can be used in respect of straying horses, which include horses put on land without the owners' permission, including public land. Local authorities may also prosecute offenders. The Department provides funding to local authorities as a contribution towards the costs incurred by them in the operation of the Control of Horses Act 1996. The number of unwanted horses being seized by local authorities reached a peak in 2014 and has declined significantly since then. All legislation in the Department is kept under constant review, including the Control of Horses Act 1996 for which plans for replacement legislation are advancing. The aim of this replacement legislation is to simplify and clarify procedures in the Act, in terms of seizures and disposal of horses.

The Department undertook a stakeholder consultation in 2023 on the control of horses legislation, with submissions sought by November 2023. Four submissions were received and will feed into the legislative process. The Department is fully committed to supporting sustainable initiatives in line with the programme for Government and the Working Together for Animal Welfare: Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. As part of this commitment the Department will continue to support urban horse projects nationwide, which can foster community leadership and education in responsible horse ownership for young people. From 2015 to date the Department has spent over €2 million on urban horse projects. There are currently eight live projects and in late 2023 the Department hosted a seminar dedicated to the promotion of the urban horse projects nationwide. The seminar encouraged collaboration and the exchange of ideas and best practices among local authorities and other stakeholders with a view towards enabling more projects to be successfully established.

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan

I thank the Minister of State. In my introductory remarks I did acknowledge that the Government has done its bit in providing money for the charities. I note that the Department's response the Minister of State read out refers to this legislation is constantly being kept under review. Obviously I welcome this but I genuinely believe that we have more than enough legislation. It is there already. There are reams upon reams of legislation. Be it the Control of Horses Act or the Animal Health and Welfare Act, the powers are already there. All I am asking for is enforcement. The Department's response states that these "powers can be used" with regard to stray horses, or that "Local authorities may also prosecute offenders". We should be putting the local authorities to the pin of their collars: they must prosecute people and they must seize horses that are in distress or in an emaciated condition. They have to do this. It is incumbent on us to ensure that. It is currently a merry-go-round - is it the Garda, the local authority, the landowner or the Department of agriculture? That is what is happening and it is just a merry-go-round at the moment. If we are to be sincere about this and serious about tackling the issue then the only way to do it is to give responsibility to an individual within the local authority, preferably somebody we can actually ring on a Monday morning or Friday evening to say there is a stray horse below in the field or there is a stray horse out on the road and we are seriously concerned about this animal's welfare, and that we can actually talk to a person. At the moment people are being pushed around from pillar to post and animals are suffering.

I wish to read into the record that the total number of seizures of animals in 2020 was 819. On the face of it this looks quite good as it has decreased every year up to 2024, when we only seized 288. On the face of it this actually looks like this is happening less but I can tell the House that from my own constituency's perspective more and more of it is happening. The figures lead me to believe that the authorities are just doing less and they are relying more on charities to pick up the slack. Perhaps the Minister of State will take back to the Ministers my suggestion about the appointment of officers into the local authorities.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

I thank the Deputy. I will relay back to the Ministers what the Deputy has said here. In dealing with breaches of equine identification legislation the policy is to adopt a fair and proportionate approach. Authorised officers engage with keepers to ensure that they understand their responsibilities and, where potential breaches of the legislation are identified, they generally provide an opportunity for non-compliant keepers to rectify the position within a specified timeframe. Last year €6 million in funding went to 101 animal welfare charities throughout the country under the animal welfare grant programme.

Just over €3.4 million of that was awarded to charities involved in the care and welfare of horses. The Department also operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation. I will relay the Deputy's message to the Ministers.

Urban Development

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I am delighted an Aire Stáit is here. Clonmel, a once bustling, proud and thriving town - Cluain Meala, the vale of honey - has been left to deteriorate in recent years. Last year, it had the highest vacancy rate in Tipperary at 18.6%. This has deteriorated further in recent weeks and months. The entire area of Market Place is boarded up and there are numerous prime retail units on the main street that have been boarded up and left to decay. Is mór agus uafásach an rud é sin. The town faces major challenges. I have discussed concerns with the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, recently.

Last week saw the closure of yet another retail outlet, namely New Look, leaving another prime retail unit on the main street vacant. A long-established pub also closed its doors on Monday last. I salute the people running those businesses. Many of them are families and third-generation businesspeople. They are hanging on but getting no supports. All, they are getting are more and more punitive charges. Many of the remaining retailers are struggling to hold on, with reduced footfall, higher rates - these went up again this year by 5% - the highest parking charges in the county, which is totally discriminatory against Clonmel, and huge issues involving antisocial behaviour. The latter have led to many people avoiding the town centre. On a daily basis, one can witness unfortunate souls struggling with drug addiction and hanging around the streets, which has led to a sense of fear and people avoiding the town centre. This is not an easy thing to say because businesses are trying to hold on and in need of support. Urgent action is needed or we will lose even more businesses. They are doing their best to pay the rates, insurance, keep shop fronts nice, have a presence, look after staff and pay VAT, property tax and other taxes. They are not getting support.

Once the capital town of County Tipperary, Clonmel has struggled since the closure by Phil Hogan, I remind the Minister of State, of the borough council. There is huge employment out of town but the town centre is decaying. When we lost borough status, we lost €20 million per annum. Going back to 2014, we have lost €200 million of investment in the town centre. Borough status will have to be restored. They only have €200,000 this year; last year it was €160,000. It is a pittance for a town the size of Clonmel. The town needs a whole-of-government approach to bring it back to its former glory. It cannot be ignored any longer.

I have asked this of four taoisigh, namely Enda Kenny, Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris. I ask again for a task force to be formed working across many Departments, including enterprise, justice, local government and rural development, together with the local authorities, health services to deal with addiction issues and An Garda Síochána. The town needs action now. It cannot be ignored any longer. Will the Minister of State please commit to the establishment of a task force to help the town as a matter of urgency?

Last evening, a community-wide meeting was held in the Talbot Hotel to discuss substance abuse in the town. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend because I was here, but this shows the concerns that are there. I commend Richie Gleeson and all the other agencies that were present at the meeting. Richie was there on behalf of the vintners and businesspeople. I am pleased that efforts are being made, with a newly appointed vacancy and dereliction team engaging with Clonmel borough district. The town is also waiting for funding for some grant projects under the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. This is something I am looking for but I am not happy they will remove 86 parking spaces from O'Connell Street and Gladstone Street as part of this. This is sheer lunacy. It will lead to the town being closed down completely.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell)

I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this important issue and for giving me, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne, the opportunity to update Members on the issue of vacancy and dereliction in Clonmel town.

Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government. To address this, a number of structures have been established, including a dedicated vacant homes unit in my Department, a full-time vacant homes officer in each local authority and the publication of a vacant homes action plan to draw together a number of vacancy-related measures across relevant Departments. One of the focal points of the action plan relates to the interaction with the Government’s town centre first policy approach, which was launched by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development in 2022 and which provides a whole-of-government policy framework to address the decline in the health of towns and support measures to revitalise them. To drive the delivery of town centre first, dedicated town regeneration officers have been appointed within local authorities. Their work is supported by the national town centre first office in the Local Government Management Agency.

In 2023, the Tipperary town regeneration officer and Clonmel borough district brought together a number of people who represented various interests in Clonmel to form a town team and produced the Clonmel town centre first action plan. My Department is also supporting Tipperary County Council through the URDF, with €15.4 million provided for a new regional sports hub and the transformation of Kickham Barracks from a former inaccessible military site into a new civic, cultural and educational quarter as part of the Clonmel 2030 initiative. The regenerated barracks will have in excess of 1,000 people on site and introduce a third level education campus into the town centre, which will offer new opportunities to businesses and retail.

Tipperary County Council has also been approved for €6 million in URDF call 3 funding to tackle vacancy and dereliction by acquiring, including through compulsory purchase, vacant and derelict properties for sale or reuse. To date, 77 of the properties submitted by Tipperary County Council across URDF-eligible towns have been approved for acquisition, with 28 located in Clonmel.

My Department introduced planning and development regulations that provide an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for change of use in respect of certain vacant commercial buildings to residential use, including above-the-shop living. These exemptions can be combined with other vacant property supports such as the vacant property refurbishment grant under the Croí Cónaithe towns fund and the repair and leasing scheme. As of quarter 4 of 2024, a total of 544 applications under the vacant property refurbishment grant scheme had been received in respect of Tipperary County council. Some 412 of these have been approved and a total of 64 grants to the value of €3.35 million have paid out. Further information on the range of supports is available on my Department’s website.

I am conscious the matters relating to antisocial behaviour to which the Deputy referred have been raised previously. I will raise these concerns with my colleague the Minister for Justice.

On the retail sector, which the Deputy made reference to, the Government established the retail forum to allow key issues of relevance to the sector to be discussed with a view to identifying practical actions to support the sector and achieve sustainable jobs growth. My colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is responsible for co-ordinating these efforts.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Chuala mé an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, an Teachta James O'Connor, cúpla lá ó shin. I heard the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach talking about Youghal town centre. All the towns are struggling, but Clonmel has been under siege. The then CEO, Joe McGrath from Nenagh, took over when the county was amalgamated. All the directorships of roads, planning and finance went to Nenagh, and all the money collected in Clonmel from the parking goes straight to Nenagh. You could eat your dinner off the streets in Nenagh town centre. The investment there has been unparalleled. I do not begrudge Nenagh, but we want fair play. Fair play is fine play with me, but Clonmel has been blackguarded, downgraded and diminished while this administration with the power base in Nenagh was there. It is shocking. Now Mr. McGrath has gone into retirement. I wish him well, but what happened was not right. We have only one resident living in the main street in Clonmel now. Her name is Mary O'Gorman, cara mór liomsa. Only one person living on the main thoroughfare - that has to be changed.

The Minister of State mentioned some schemes and I welcome them. He also mentioned Kickham Barracks. I welcome the fact we may be getting a Garda station soon but we have no gardaí to put into it. We have been looking for it for 60 years. The Minister of State did not mention why the barracks was empty and inaccessible. It was a wonderful place and the pride of the men and women of Clonmel and surrounding areas who served their country, town and communities. Phil Hogan and Fine Gael, again, abolished it. We badly need something in there but that will not help the town centre.

The town centre is not working. The town team was mentioned. I has never knocked on my door. I do not even know who is on it but I wish them well. There is a complete disconnect. Most business people and community organisations do not know who sits on it either.

We want a task force, not a token town team that nobody knows. We want serious Government investment to stop the rot in Clonmel. We want URDF funding but we do not want 86 parking spaces removed from the centre of the town. That will kill the town completely. We might as well put gates up at both ends of it.

I want to talk up the proud people of Clonmel, a proud and noble town. I hate to come in here and say this today but it has gone on for far too long. Clonmel is on life support at the moment and it needs serious help and investment. I ask the Minister of State to come down to Clonmel and walk the town with Deputies Murphy and Healy and me and see what is going on and the dereliction, the lack of investment and, above all, the drug problems and antisocial behaviour.

Deputy Kieran O'Donnell

I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this important issue and I note his genuine concern regarding Clonmel town. As he stated, a new Garda barracks will be located in Kickham Barracks. The Deputy referred to the site and the people who served there. It is a formerly inaccessible military site which will be turned into a new civic, cultural and educational quarter as part of Clonmel 2030. The regeneration will have 1,000 people on site and will introduce a third level education campus into the town centre. This will offer new opportunities to businesses.

Obviously, we want to see people living in the town centre. That is hugely important. The Croí Cónaithe scheme does that. The URDF call 3 funding, which saw €6 million given to Tipperary County Council to acquire properties that were vacant and derelict, has resulted in 28 such properties being identified and acquired in Clonmel. There are things happening. As of the end of quarter 4 2024, 540 applications under the vacant property refurbishment grant had been received in respect of Tipperary. Of those, 412 have been approved and a total of 64 have been paid out, to a value of €3.35 million.

The Deputy referred to antisocial behaviour. I will raise that matter with my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, who will take it up with An Garda Síochána in Clonmel and Tipperary.

We want vibrant retail sectors in town centres and we value what they bring. The Deputy raised the specific case of Clonmel. The Government established the retail forum to allow issues of relevance to the sector to be discussed, with a view to identifying practical actions to support the sector and achieve sustainable growth. Just over two years ago, in 2023, the Tipperary town regeneration officer and Clonmel borough district brought together a number of people representing various interests in Clonmel to form a town team and produced a Clonmel town centre first action plan. That is something we can maybe follow up on as well.

The Deputy put across his points in a genuine fashion. I will raise the issue of antisocial behaviour with the Minister for Justice and bring the other matters he raised to the attention of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy James Browne.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy James O'Connor)

I thank the Ministers of State and Deputies for their contributions. Given the upcoming festivities, I wish everybody a happy St. Patrick's Day.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 4.44 p.m. go dtí 2 p.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 19 Márta 2025.

The Dáil adjourned at 4.44 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, 19 March 2025.