Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Apr 2025

Vol. 1065 No. 4

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Water Services

Deputy Aindrias Moynihan

There is great need to upgrade the drinking water plant in Macroom. The plant in the Castle Grounds supplies water from the Sullane river to over 4,100 people in Macroom and east around Carrigadrohid and Canovee. Boil water notices have been put in place in the area during each of the past three winters. This due to turbidity in the water. This is not just a water quality issue. It is also heavily influenced by the older design of the plant. These boil water notices have been a constant source of difficulty for residents. They either have to buy bottled water or boil water before they use it. There is hassle associated with that, for example, not being able to brush one's teeth or wash a head of lettuce.

These prolonged and repeated boil water notices also undermine confidence in Irish water supply. These notices are extending from four to five months at a time through the winter. Last winter, we saw the longest boil water notice so far at six months. That notice began as early as August, there was a brief reprieve for a week in September and then it was back to boiling the water again until February.

These boil water notices involve a cost and create hassle for residents.

I cannot over emphasise that. As I said earlier, it is also heavily influenced by the older design of the treatment plant and the way it filters the water in particular. In recent winters, we found changing the filters typically leads to lifting the boil water notice. By the way, there are no consequences for Irish Water while a boil notice continues. It does not appear to act with any great urgency either. For example, a freedom of information request from late last year indicated its own technical staff recommended changing the filters as early as last autumn yet it was February before that was done and the boil water notice lifted. Locals carried the cost and the hassle in the meantime.

Irish Water has known for some time that an upgrade on this plant is needed and it is down as part of its capital plan but it appears to be progressing very slowly and there is even a reluctance to share information. It had agreed to a meeting, for example, to discuss the situation last December which has been put off until later this month. There needs to be greater urgency by Irish Water in advancing this new drinking water plant, a plant that would provide reliable, clean drinking water to more than 4,100 people in the Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee area.

Macroom is a growing town especially after the bypass construction. New homes are under construction in Rás An Mhuilinn and in Meadowlands, for example. There is an upgrade under way in the wastewater treatment plant. There will be increased demand on the water network in the town as it grows. The drinking water plant needs to have capacity for future growth as well as the delivery of quality water. It needs to advance with urgency. The current situation is not fair on locals where there is are prolonged boil water notices and the hassle and costs associated with it.

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Deputy Emer Higgins)

I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for local government who would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is a shame he was not here because were he here he could hear the passion with which the Deputy has spoken on behalf of his constituents. I thank him for bringing this important issue to the floor of the Dáil.

The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of the public water supply, together with operational issues locally are matters for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, neither the Minister nor the Department has operational function in the matter to which the Deputy refers. However, the Minister has made inquiries and is informed by Uisce Éireann that an upgrade of the existing Macroom water treatment plant is planned to commence in the next few weeks. This upgrade will provide critical investment of more than €6.5 million which will benefit Macroom residents and businesses by ensuring compliance with current drinking water regulations, improving the drinking water quality and providing a safer more reliable water supply. The Macroom water supply is included on the Environmental Protection Agency's remedial action list, which identifies water supplies that need improvement. The planned upgrade will address these issues.

The Minister understands that Uisce Éireann provided an update on Macroom water treatment plant directly to the Deputy last month and has committed to continuing to provide updates to the Deputy as the works commence. Uisce Éireann has also committed to providing regular updates to the community and elected representatives regarding the progress of the water treatment plant upgrade.

The Minister welcomes this upgrade of the water treatment plant which, he understands, supplies a population of more than 4,000 across County Cork. The proposed upgrade will address the frequent boil water notices that the people of Macroom have experienced over the last number of years. In addition, Uisce Éireann also continues to progress a major €21 million upgrade to the Macroom wastewater treatment plant to protect the environment and support the long-term sustainable growth and development of Macroom. This project has reached a major milestone with more than 50% of the works now complete.

Throughout 2025, Macroom residents will begin benefitting from the upgrade as part of the new wastewater treatment plant comes into operation, improving the quality of treated water discharged into the river. This year, the old wastewater treatment plant will be decommissioned, allowing the new infrastructure to become fully operational next year. These two projects represent major investment by Uisce Éireann to support the long-term sustainable growth and development of Macroom.

Deputy Aindrias Moynihan

I thank the Minister of State for the update. I acknowledge the progress that has been made on the wastewater treatment plant and the works under way there. I will focus on the drinking water and the supply there and the hassle and associated cost for locals who have endured boil water notice after boil water notice each winter. It is essential that those works and the new plant be advanced as quickly as possible. It is positive to hear that the works will be quickly under way. It is unfortunate that it has to be raised here to get such an update. As I said earlier, it required freedom of information requests late last year to extract information from Irish Water. It was not forthcoming. It does not willingly share information. That is a big aspect of confidence and trust in its supply. That needs to move as quickly as possible.

Is a contractor being lined up to carry out the works? Can Irish Water identify who that will be and how quickly they will be expected to be on the ground? We know this project has been on the capital programme for some time. If there is information that they are willing to share, we would be keen to get that. The sooner this new plant and the upgrade are in place for the benefit of the people of Carrigadrohid, Canovee and Macroom the better so that they do not have to face another winter of possible boil water notices.

Deputy Emer Higgins

I appreciate the Deputy’s frustration about the lack of information from a State body or a body working on the ground. Ultimately, however, there is good news. The upgrade of the existing water treatment plant is a very welcome development for the residents and businesses represented by the Deputy. Uisce Éireann has committed to holding an elected representative briefing to mark this commencement. The Minister has been informed that an invitation will be issued shortly to all those in the Macroom municipal district and a communication on this has been sent to the Deputy directly. That is probably the best opportunity for the Deputy to engage directly with Uisce Éireann to be able to answer the specific questions he has about contractors and when ground will be broken.

With the existing wastewater infrastructure in the village overloaded and out of date, it is really positive that the works are now progressing on schedule to modernise and improve the performance of wastewater treatment in Macroom. The next phase of the project is now commencing. It will bring significant benefits to the communities the Deputy represents and the surrounding areas in terms of growth, health, environmental protection and improved water quality in the river as well. Uisce Éireann has a dedicated hotline and email address. I appreciate the Deputy has had trouble getting information from that. I am glad that there will be a meeting and a briefing set up with Uisce Éireann and all representatives from the area. There have been record levels of investment in water services by Uisce Éireann in the last five years which will continue over the funding period of 2025-2029. The overall investment will deliver significant improvement in our public water and wastewater services. I am pleased the Deputy’s constituents will see the benefits of that.

School Accommodation

Deputy Dessie Ellis

Táim an-bhuíoch den Aire as an seans labhairt faoi Ghaelscoil Cholmcille, a bunaíodh in 1996. Gaelscoil Cholmcille was founded in 1996. Its first years were spent in the upstairs rooms of the football club St. Kevin’s in Santry, Dublin 9. It is a very successful Gaelscoil and has a great academic reputation.

It is a very popular choice for parents in the area. More than 80% of its pupils live within 2 miles of the Gaelscoil due to its popularity. Unfortunately, the school has to turn away a large number of local children due to the lack of spaces in the school.

In 2008, the school moved into temporary accommodation at its present location in Coolock Lane. This accommodation consists of fast-build prefab-like structures. The Gaelscoil was promised at the time that this move would last for a maximum of five years and that a permanent school building with all of the necessary amenities would be built to accommodate the it. Tá an scoil ag feitheamh 17 mbliana ar fhoirgneamh nua. There is not even proper road signage outside the school to identify that it is there. In itself, this is hazardous for parents, pupils and staff. In fact, there have been a number of incidents and near misses and one serious accident outside the school.

Due to the fact that these are temporary structures not designed for long-term use, the Department continues to waste money on emergency works to keep them operable. The school is basically firefighting because maintenance problems continually arise. One January a few years ago, the boiler failed and there was no heat in the school for the whole of that month. The Department of Education ended up spending €50,000 to replace it. The building is so old that the school cannot replace bulbs in the lighting fixtures and has to spend a lot of money replacing the fixtures in their entirety. The school's plumbing is progressively failing. Every year, money is being spent on replacing pipes, fixing water heaters and general maintenance. Tomorrow, someone is due to visit the school to survey it for the installation of solar panels, another potential huge expenditure in respect of a structure that was supposed to be temporary.

There has been much back and forth about a permanent site for the school. The management was originally told that the site next door would be where the new school would be built. This was discounted because, apparently, the area was designated as a no-fly zone. A swap was then discussed between Dublin City Council and Department of Education in respect of another parcel of land nearer to Oscar Traynor Road. This was discussed for years without any decision being made on the proposal. Even if a decision is made on where the building would be built, it could still take at least another five years for a brick to be laid once all the planning processes and so on are completed.

In 2004, my former colleague Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin raised this matter with the then Minister for Education. In 2017, it was raised again as a Topical Issue. In 2018, the parents put up three billboards at the entrance to the school to highlight their campaign for a permanent structure when the Minister for Education paid the school a visit. This has been an ongoing campaign, and parents and staff are very frustrated that no decision has been made regarding a site for a permanent building. Tá naoi seomra sa scoil agus thart ar 274 dalta. Tá siad ag lorg 16 seomra agus cúpla seomra speisialta san fhoirgneamh nua.

This situation is unfair to the staff, the pupils and to the parents. If the Department really cares about staff and pupil well-being, it needs to make a decision on a site for the construction of a permanent school that has the basic facilities a school needs, such as a sports hall and buildings that can accommodate the growing and diverse needs of its pupils.

Deputy Emer Higgins

I can hear the Deputy's frustration loud and clear about the fact this issue has gone on for a long time. It has been raised by him, by Deputy McAuliffe and by others in this Chamber on multiple occasions.

I am here to take this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. Quite a lengthy response has been provided, but I will skip to the bit that is going to be of most interest to the Deputy. He spoke about confusion over the site. What I have today is confirmation that an agreement is in place with Dublin City Council regarding a proposed land swap. This will facilitate any future development relating to the school based on the outcome of the national energy and conditions survey, evolving demographic requirement and allocated capital funds. As the Deputy may be aware, the Department is examining demographic requirements across the country including in the context of current and planned residential development activity. Any major capital works for Gaelscoil Cholmcille will be considered in the context of the review of demographics for the Beaumont-Coolock Dublin 5 school planning area.

As the Deputy will be well aware, Gaelscoil Cholmcille is a primary school in Coolock under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta. The school had an enrolment in September 2024 of 221 pupils. The school has a current staffing allocation of a principal, ten mainstream class teachers, two special education teacher posts and one shared SET post. The school is located in the Beaumont-Coolock Dublin 5 school planning area. There are currently ten primary schools in this school planning area, with Gaelscoil Cholmcille being the only school providing all-Irish-medium education.

All applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of capacity requirements and climate action commitments. The priority of the Department continues to be the provision of required additional school places to meet demographic requirements as well as for children with special educational needs. The Department is required to manage the allocated capital funding across all schools in the country. The Department’s approach is to maximise the usage of existing capacity in schools and, in tandem with this, to manage the progression of the existing pipeline of projects within available budgets and in line with the Government’s infrastructure guidelines. The Department can identify opportunities to transform existing schools as part of energy retrofit projects, and the Department’s pathfinder programme has been developing effective solutions in this regard, as we plan for a future wider roll out.

The plan for working this through at national scale will be informed by the outcome of an energy and condition survey of all schools which is currently under way and is due for completion by the middle of next year. The subsequent analysis of this significant amount of data will take some time but it will help determine priorities going forward in respect of retrofitting and refurbishment projects. The overall process is particularly valuable in facilitating a proportionate assessment of a school's accommodation upgrade needs relative to all other schools, and allowing effective prioritisation of capital investment. Prioritising allows the Department to keep a strong focus on the provision of additional capacity to cater for demographics, new housing developments and the roll-out of additional special classes for children with additional needs. This approach reflects the Department's fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.

The pace of delivery of additional residential developments in school planning areas like the Deputy's, along with the updated enrolment and demographic data, needs to be kept under review and to inform strategies. As stated, we have confirmation now that an agreement is in place with Dublin City Council regarding a proposed land swap for this school. I hope that is welcome news to the Deputy, to Deputy McAuliffe, to the parents and to the school community.

Deputy Dessie Ellis

I thank the Minister of State. I am delighted that the land swap has been agreed, there but I am worried about the Minister of State's comment to the effect that there are a lot of surveys to be done. The Oscar Traynor Woods complex is right beside the school. Some 895 apartments and houses are being built there. In nearby Whitehall, Santry and Coolock, vast numbers of apartments are also being built. It is an absolute necessity to get this school going. I know the Minister of State is saying it will take until the middle of next year. People have been waiting more than 19 years for this. It is getting to the point of ridiculousness that we have not got any further. I hope the Minister will listen and speed up this process.

Tá an scoil seo an-cháiliúil ar fad agus tá sí ag dul chun cinn freisin. Tá a lán páistí ag feitheamh ar áit sa scoil seo agus tá liosta feithimh fada ann. It is really frustrating that we have such a long list of people waiting to get into the school. We need the 16 classrooms that are going to be built there. At present we have nine and it is not enough. We need to get this moving. If anyone values the Irish language, this is an opportunity to put in place the facilities that are required in this area. The demand is there. Tá an-éileamh sa cheantar seo ar Ghaelscoil Cholmcille.

Deputy Emer Higgins

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. The Government absolutely values the Irish language. We have had a record level of investment in school buildings this year again. This will increase the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact will be felt in communities right across the country, including in the Deputy's constituency.

The key drivers of capital investment in the school sector are going to include demographic growth, particularly at post-primary level. Demographic growth absolutely covers the Oscar Traynor Woods site the Deputy has spoken about and all the new homes and families we will be welcoming there. Increased demand for special education needs provision will also be one of the key drivers.

So, too, will the alignment of school place provision with new housing developments, such as Oscar Traynor, and climate action objectives, including deep energy retrofit. The programme for Government recognises the importance of strong capital investment in the school building programme and supporting this with enhanced allocations through the national development plan process. The Department is committed to continuing to update An Foras Pátrúnachta in relation to the factors influencing capital investment for the new school, Gaelscoil Cholmcille.

Road Projects

Deputy Brian Stanley

I ask the Minister of State to address the situation of Mountmellick, which has been promised a relief road for a long number of years. It still has not happened and it is very important we get it.

Mountmellick town has been neglected badly over the years in terms of infrastructure. This has been talked about and promised for about 30 years. Various options have been looked at for the route to take. There was a route from beside the mill on the Portlaoise road. That has changed and a better route has been selected. It needs to happen.

There was an announcement a couple of weeks ago of €663 million for roads projects and I was delighted to see it. When I checked down along the list, it had everywhere from Ballaghaderreen to Midleton and Youghal, but nowhere does Mountmellick figure in that long list. Limerick has four pieces of substantial infrastructure, Cork also has four and Laois has zero.

This route is badly needed to connect the Portlaoise road to the Tullamore road out of the town. This is the main route - the N80 - to Rosslare, which the Ceann Comhairle is very interested in. Vehicles coming from the west of Ireland use it, particularly HGVs. There are over 8,500 vehicles per day going through the centre of Mountmellick town, many of them HGVs. There are significant bottlenecks, particularly at the junction of Pearse Street and Sarsfield Street. It is difficult for them to get articulated trucks around it. The local hauliers association complains about it. It is also holding back the town to have HGVs and traffic trundling through every day and the middle of the town hollowed out from a business point of view. That is the simplest way I can put it. You cannot stop to do anything in the town. It is not friendly to walk around and it badly needs to be bypassed.

The feasibility study has been done, with €105,000 spent on it. The county council has done its job, it has done the assessments and studies and the preferred route is there. There are benefits to this. In the previous Government, there may have been a bit of an ideological thing about not putting in a bypass, but this would shorten journeys in distance and time. The relief road would shorten the journey by nearly 60% because you are cutting across country and not having to go into the town and wiggle in and out through streets. It would be a far shorter journey.

Like all new roads, it will have cycle lanes, and I fully support that. You cannot put cycle lanes on the existing streets of the town. That is just a fact of life. It is too dangerous. We need to get people using cycle lanes and bicycles.

It is an important project. Mountmellick is a substantial town with a large population. It is lacking in industry and infrastructure. This would benefit Mountmellick as well as travellers and drivers, particularly HGVs. We need to get this moving because there is now much more freight going to the port of Rosslare, particularly with Brexit. The number of HGVs going through Mountmellick has increased, so this is important. The port has been upgraded and new infrastructure has been put in. We need to put in the roads to feed into that. This road is part of that.

Deputy Emer Higgins

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Minister for Transport has asked me to take it on his behalf. The Minister has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in respect of the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Road Acts and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the local authorities concerned, in this case Laois County Council. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and, most importantly, the NDP.

The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national road projects from 2021 to 2030. That is all under the NDP. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country and compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects that are already at construction stage or close to construction stage, as well as the development of a number of other projects.

Since the greater portion of this funding will only become available in the second half of the decade, there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects this year. However, approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities so far this year.

Regarding the Mountmellick relief road, Laois County Council has completed a preliminary appraisal of bypass options. An allocation contribution was provided to Laois County Council in 2020 to carry out a strategic assessment report. However, a proposed bypass of Mountmellick is not included among the projects identified for development during the period of the national development plan. Therefore, advancement of the proposed scheme cannot be accommodated in the national roads programme at present. However, a review of the NDP is being undertaken and the outcome of this review will inform TII on the schemes to be progressed over the coming years, pending the availability of sufficient funding.

It is not included in the NDP at the moment. That is the constraint, but the NDP is up for review. I urge the Deputy and the organisations and residents associations he is working with in Mountmellick to take this opportunity to engage.

Deputy Brian Stanley

I thank the Minister of State. She mentioned the billions of euro that will be there between 2026 and 2030. The bypass did not make it into the 2025 period. We have come to the end of that now. The new funding announced a number of weeks ago did not include it either. I know some of those on the list, such as the Adare bypass, are badly needed, but there is a long list of other ones there as well. Mountmellick and Laois did not seem to figure in it at all. It needs to be considered for inclusion in the review.

The Minister of State outlined the amount of money due to be spent between now and 2030 and I welcome that. The national development plan is the opportunity and that will be signed off on by Ministers. The Minister of State knows that. It will be signed off on by the senior Minister and the rest of the Cabinet. This project is ready to go. The Minister of State mentioned that projects were being funded that had started or were almost ready to go, but this is ready to go. The studies and the groundwork have been done.

The Minister of State's party leader was down just before the election. I always like to take people at their word. Along with Deputy Aird, he gave a firm commitment - I saw it quoted publicly before the election - that this would be built under the national development plan. Will the Minister of State remind the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and her party leader, Simon Harris, of the fact? I have already said it to Deputy Aird. The Minister of State might remind the Tánaiste of the commitment. Local people really want to see that, particularly all the people who voted for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in Mountmellick.

Deputy Emer Higgins

The Deputy will be pleased to hear Laois did figure in funding this year. An allocation of €1.147 million has been provided to Laois County Council for national roads so far this year. That comprises €701,300 for capital protection and renewal and €445,949 for current protection and renewal.

Approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funding has been provided to TII for national roads so far this year, and almost €1.2 million of this has been allocated for Laois County Council, which I am sure Deputy Stanley is pleased to hear. This is in line with the NDP and Government policy.

In line with this, TII has sought to allocate national road funding to local authorities in a manner which seeks to achieve the protection and renewal of existing national road networks, and the progression of major projects in or near construction. I appreciate Deputy Stanley saying this could be a shovel-ready project if it were to be in the national development plan. It is not in the NDP so the next step is to get it there, if this is what Deputy Stanley is looking for, and I will absolutely remind the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, that it is not in the NDP at present. It also looks to progress major projects at an earlier stage of development in the pipeline. A number of the new road projects included in the NDP have already been delivered. They include the N22 project, the Dunkettle interchange, the N5 Westport to Turlough route and the bypasses of Moycullen and Listowel. The programme for Government commits to increased funding for new roads as part of the NDP review and to the maintenance of existing roads.

Tourism Industry

Deputy George Lawlor

In light of the recent statistics released by the Central Statistics Office, which indicate a very concerning 30% decrease in foreign visitors to Ireland year on year, it is clear the Government simply must acknowledge the gravity of this situation and must commit to addressing the underlying causes and implications of this decline. A total of 304,000 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in February. This was down from 433,000 in the same month last year. As we know, tourism is one of the largest indigenous industries and the biggest employer in Ireland with 257,000 people working in the sector. Ireland took in €6.2 billion from overseas tourists in 2024 despite a 3% reduction in bed nights. It has been said by observers in the industry that last month's decline represented an acceleration of the downward trend in foreign visitor numbers that saw first indications last September.

The tourism sector is one of the cornerstones of our economy, particularly in a county like my own of Wexford, contributing significantly to job creation, community development and cultural exchange. A reduction in foreign visitors not only impacts businesses reliant on tourism but also affects local economies, indigenous jobs and the vibrancy of our communities. As such, the Government simply has to recognise the need for a strategic and multifaceted response to challenges faced by the industry and everyone involved. We must conduct a thorough analysis of the factors contributing to the decline. Is it the geopolitical situation? Is it the cost of visiting Ireland? Why is it happening and why is there such a big reduction? Understanding these dynamics will enable us to formulate effective strategies to attract visitors back to our shores.

In response to these findings we must actively work to enhance our marketing efforts to promote Ireland as a premier travel destination. This includes a renewed focus on digital marketing campaigns targeting key international markets, as well as collaborations with airlines and travel agencies to incentivise travel to Ireland. We must also emphasise our unique cultural heritage, our natural beauty and our hospitality to entice potential visitors.

The Government must commit to investing in infrastructure and services that enhance the visitor experience. This includes upgrading our transport links, looking at regional airports such as Waterford, improving accommodation options and ensuring our attractions are accessible and appealing. A positive visitor experience is crucial for encouraging repeat visits and fostering positive word of mouth recommendations. Additionally, there should be engagement with stakeholders in the tourism sector to gather insights and recommendations on how to better support businesses in coping with the downturn. This may involve exploring financial aid programmes, grants and training initiatives aimed at helping businesses to adapt to the changing landscape of tourism. There must also be collaboration with our international partners to promote safe travel practices and restore confidence in international travel. By fostering a co-operative approach with other countries we can ensure Ireland remains an attractive and safe destination for travellers.

A 30% decrease in foreign visitors is a significant concern. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to revitalising the tourism sector. Through comprehensive analysis, strategic marketing, infrastructure investment and stakeholder collaboration we must all put our shoulders to the wheel to restore Ireland's position as a leading travel destination and support the recovery of our economy. Will the Government commit to supporting all these urgent requirements in an effort to reverse the radical downturn we have seen in the number of foreign visitors coming to our shores?

Deputy Emer Higgins

I thank Deputy Lawlor for raising this important matter. My very first job after I graduated was working for Fáilte Ireland so I have been following these statistics with great interest. I am taking this matter on behalf of the relevant Minister.

The latest CSO figures for overseas visitor numbers were published last Friday, as Deputy Lawlor said. These figures were specifically for February 2025 and showed that 304,300 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in that month, and these visitors spent €196 million in Ireland, excluding their fares for getting here and leaving. The visitor numbers and the associated revenue represent an approximate 30% reduction compared to February of the previous year.

In relation to how the data provides an insight into the outlook for Irish tourism this year, it is important to recognise that the figures published to date for 2025 only cover January and February. In recent years, these two months typically have accounted for less than 10% of the total annual overseas visitor spend. Furthermore, I understand that sentiment from the tourism sector itself is far more positive, with research showing that 39% of businesses anticipate an increase in visitor levels this year, while 47% expect growth in overseas visitors.

Earlier this week, officials from the tourism division met with the CSO and the tourism agencies to discuss these overseas visitor figures. I understand a meeting with tourism industry representatives, the tourism agencies and the CSO will take place tomorrow to consider other sources of data that could assist in gathering a more complete picture of the recent overseas tourism performance. This will assist the tourism agencies to put in place targeted activity for the rest of the year to ensure we achieve our long-term growth targets. In this regard, it is worth remembering we are coming off the back of a strong year for tourism in Ireland, when overseas visitors spent more than €6 billion, representing an increase of 11% compared to 2023.

I am, however, well aware of the challenges that lie ahead for Irish tourism. With macro-economic uncertainty in the world now, there is a risk that consumers will become more cautious, including when it comes to travel. On the positive side, there are also many opportunities to take advantage of our wonderful tourism offering. As Deputy Lawlor is aware, the Dublin Airport cap is on hold for the summer months, and it is encouraging to note that we will have 110% of the air seat capacity we had last summer from key source markets such as the United States and Canada. Tourism Ireland will be supporting partners operating new routes, such as Indianapolis and Nashville, with demand generation and partnership activities.

In the longer term, the review of the Dublin Airport cap is an important commitment in the programme for Government alongside our support for regional airports. We can ensure the air capacity is there to enable real tourism revenue growth in the years ahead. We can also look forward to major sporting events that will bring significant tourism benefits to our shores. The hosting of The Open at Royal Portrush in July will ensure golf enthusiasts travel to other areas of the island to experience at first hand our exceptional golf courses. We will also be playing host to significant US visitors on foot of the American college football game in August and the NFL game later in the autumn. We know ongoing Ireland's selling points to visitors are our scenery, culture, history and craic. Tourism Ireland will be launching a new campaign in June, focused on helping people get around the regions and explore the island.

Earlier this week, the Meitheal event was held in Killarney. This is a flagship tourism trade event. The Tourism Policy Framework 2025-2030 was published by the previous Government last November. I understand my colleague, Deputy Peter Burke, to whom ministerial responsibility for tourism is transferring, has asked officials to consider how commitments in the new programme for Government align with the policy framework, and to prioritise the finalisation of a new tourism policy which reflects the programme for Government and other commitments. Once this work is complete we will have more insights into this.

Deputy George Lawlor

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I mentioned in my opening remarks that I wondered if the geopolitical area was the reason for the difficulties we were seeing with foreign visitors coming to Ireland. With President Trump and President Putin's antics, the war in Ukraine and other disturbances and wars and atrocities around the world, is that playing a role in the American market particularly? I was in Savannah a few weeks ago and the level of interest in Ireland, albeit over the St. Patrick's Day weekend, was immense. Savannah has a population of approximately 150,000 people and three quarters of a million people attended the parade, such was the level of interest. When we talk about roots and things like that, we should be looking to identify areas in the United States to which we can have direct flights to enhance the possibility of visitors from those areas returning to Ireland.

I appreciate the Minister of State saying that it only covers January and February, but I sincerely hope it is not a trend, because if it is, we are in some difficulty. I welcome the meetings between the various agencies, and this should be an ongoing event to ensure we have our finger on the pulse. The distraction of what is going on in the world with the tariffs and so on coming down the tracks may have distracted us and we may have taken our eye off the ball, given these figures.

I extend an invitation to everybody to Wexford. It is a wonderful county with wonderful beaches and heritage, particularly this year when we again host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. I know the Minister of State has a social event coming up in the next couple of weeks and maybe she would see Wexford as a destination for that. I thank her for her response, and I look forward to the improving statistics.

Deputy Emer Higgins

I thank the Deputy for that kind invitation. I attended the Fleadh Cheoil in Wexford last year and it was fantastic. As the Ceann Comhairle will be aware, it was fantastic to see the town buzzing and to see so much activity and spin-off trading.

I thank Deputy Lawlor for raising this important issue. Since the Covid pandemic, tourism has shown its resilience time and again and it has played a significant part in our economic recovery. Last year was a strong one from a tourism perspective. More than 6.5 million overseas visitors came to our shores and, in terms of tourism sentiment, it is encouraging to note that the strategic research and insight findings from Fáilte Ireland's tourism barometer earlier this year showed that 39% of businesses expected their visitor levels to be up this year. Overseas visitors underpin the positive expectations, with 47% of businesses expecting an increase from that market. While CSO figures for the first two months were disappointing, like the Deputy, I look forward to being updated on the engagement between the CSO, the tourism industry and the tourism agencies to further examine this data and the context to give us more insights into it.

There are real grounds for optimism in the months ahead. In this regard, intensive marketing campaigns are underway in all our main overseas markets to ensure growth returns while Fáilte Ireland continues its domestic activity. As we approach peak tourism season, the tourism agencies are continuing to work hard with all their partners, including air and sea carriers, to ensure Ireland is seen as a must-visit destination. From a Government perspective, what we discussed earlier around the cap is important and it is also important to see those new routes coming onstream. I take the Deputy's feedback about Savannah and that is perhaps something we should look at. The programme for Government comprehensively sets out the Government's ambitious plans to strengthen and enhance the tourism sector, and I look forward to working with the Deputy on that.

Educational Disadvantage

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

I raise a significant issue, which is the funding of DEIS band 1 schools. Over the past number of years, we have seen significant funding go into education. Obviously, the free schoolbooks scheme and the free school meals scheme have been important for parents and education. In some cases, they have been a significant anti-poverty measure. I remember the first year the free school books scheme was brought in, the Society of St. Vincent De Paul said it noticed a 20% reduction in calls for back to school supports.

The operating costs of the school remain the same, though. That is the issue I want to raise. I have been contacted by three different DEIS band 1 schools in our area. They are having difficulty balancing the books in terms of operating costs. It has always been the responsibility of the schools and patrons to manage their own finances and I do not take from that responsibility, but I have had a hands-on opportunity to look at the balance sheet of one of the local schools. In one school, there was €17,000 left in the account for between now and the end of the year. An insurance payment of more than €10,000 was required. There was a payment for gas and electricity and then there was a payment for cleaning staff. There was not enough to pay all of those outstanding bills. The schools in question have been dealing with the FSSU, which is the financial support unit in the Department. In fact, they have been doing it for more than a year.

While all schools would welcome increased capitation, there is an issue in schools that may previously have accommodated large numbers. In places like Tallaght, Finglas and many others, schools were often built for 700, 800, 900 or even 1,000 pupils. Unfortunately, in some cases they are operating at 15% or 20% of that capacity, so there are large campuses, but the capitation is now at a much reduced rate. The Department needs a bespoke tool for those schools. While capitation is an important mode of funding and ensures it follows the pupil, schools still have to fund the overall cost of their campuses. If that is not enough, then there needs to be a bespoke solution or we need to look at the long-term viability of the building. Maybe a new building over time on those campuses would be more desirable.

I urge the Minister of State to revert to the Minister of Education. I raised this yesterday with the Taoiseach under questions on promised legislation. The benefit of Topical Issues is that we can have more of a discussion about it. The Taoiseach recommended that there be a bespoke solution, and that is where the solution should lie. Principals have enough to do without worrying about cash flow. Some schools might have a little more cash flow because of a sale of land or whatever. Some schools will have more cash flow because they are in a more affluent area and are able to do fundraising. DEIS band 1 schools have a lot of challenges on their books. Some of this may be about shared support for schools, like a group communal insurance policy or a better insurance deal. Some of them are coming off three-year energy and gas deals and that is now having an impact because costs are increasing. In many cases, they have already gone for local solutions for cleaning contracts rather than using contract suppliers and so on. It is an issue that affects all schools across north Dublin and many schools on the southside. In big schools with smaller numbers, capitation is not working. We need to come with a bespoke solution.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice (Deputy Colm Brophy)

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position relating to financial funding for schools.

The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to the schools that have contacted the Department or have been referred to the FSSU. The Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants, as the Deputy mentioned. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general upkeep, and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have a flexibility to use capitation funding, provided for general running costs, and ancillary funding, provided for caretaking and secretarial services, as a common grant from which the board of management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries, as per the circular of 2022.

The current standard rate of capitation grant is €200 per pupil in primary schools and €345 per student in post-primary schools. Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the capitation and the ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils. As part of the capitation package in budget 2025, the Department is pleased to have secured more than €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and in the longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of a 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of capitation grant to €224 per pupil in primary and €386 per student in post-primary from September 2025.

Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. Schools should also ensure they are availing of the available Office of Government Procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure. I acknowledge the Deputy mentioned that is being done by a number of schools.

In addition to these grants, €45 million in cost-of-living supports was issued in November 2024 to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education system. This additional funding announced in budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. This funding was paid at a rate of €36 per pupil in primary schools. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.

The Department of Education is aware that costs and funding can pose a very real problem for schools and is constantly working to address this matter and to enhance the financial and other supports available to schools. While not wishing to pre-empt the outcomes of any future budget negotiations or fiscal parameters agreed by Government, the Department of Education will continue to seek to prioritise the funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools.

The financial support services unit, FSSU, funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cash flow management.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

I agree with the Minister of State that the FSSU is an important source of advice. It is the reason two of the schools took part in an analysis of cash flow last summer and again in October. Some recommendations and changes were made. The schools are anxious not to cause concern among parents and the community and wish to engage with the system. The Minister of State will note that I have not named the schools for that reason. There is, however, something else going on. While the capitation grant has increased to €224, if the number of pupils in the school over a short period of time is down 20%, 30% or more, then any sort of cost-of-living or inflationary increase is never going to keep up with that. Equally, if the school is designed for numbers that are four or five times the size of the current school population, the current capitation grant will never deal with that.

I know the FSSU was involved in drafting the reply for today’s Topical Issue. I hope officials will take back the suggestion I have made, namely, that a bespoke solution is needed for these large campuses that have significantly reduced numbers. It is not one school or one location, rather something that is common throughout those housing areas that were built 50, 60 or 70 years ago that have these large campuses. Demographic changes have meant that school numbers have changed. While that is not the responsibility of the schools, they are doing their best to try to live up to the issues. We know that in the programme for Government, the Minister has identified DEIS plus, which is really exciting and would be a real support. While there are all these other supports I have mentioned, such as free school meals, free school books and DEIS plus when it is implemented, when it comes to the day-to-day bread and butter, you cannot butter parsnips if you do not have butter. In this case, we need funding for these schools.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I fully hear what the Deputy is saying. He is making an important point on that funding issue. I am more than happy to take that back to the Minister. The Deputy mentioned our constituency, which has a similar situation with regard to school funding. It is important. Obviously, the FSSU plays an important role. It is an issue I will highlight to the Minister and I have no doubt the Deputy will continue to do so as well.

Local Community Safety Partnerships

Deputy Paula Butterly

I welcome the news that the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act will be commenced in the coming days. Following that, I welcome the news that the secondary legislation required for these regulations will also be enacted shortly thereafter. These regulations cannot come soon enough. The establishment of the chairs and the committees are sorely needed in counties like Louth. Without going into a history lesson on crime in County Louth, to say that we, as a Border county, have had a unique relationship with crime is no mystery to anyone. In recent decades, however, we have seen a shift in the manner of crime being committed within the county. We have seen gangland and rural crime, not to mention drug crime within the county devastating communities and trying to tear them apart. The community spirit in the county is very strong, however. Places and communities like the Redeemer Family Resource Centre and Moneymore in Drogheda, despite the challenges they have faced in recent decades, have a strong spirit and are still standing strong. I visisted Moneymore in Drogheda this morning where staff are in the process of fund-raising for a new community centre. They are openly there not just to revive and face the challenges of their own community but also to welcome in the other people of Drogheda and all the communities in the hinterland. We need to be supporting communities like these as they face these challenges. Towns like Drogheda, as the mayor of Drogheda, Paddy McQuillan, has urged me again and again, need support. How do we get that collaboration? It is through the key stakeholders and the leaders of the community, along with An Garda Síochána. This has been very effective. We have seen that with the Drogheda implementation board, which received investment of €16 million. It has brought about changes, investment in youth diversion programmes, extra policing and also key, crucial programmes for community groups. The establishment of the new local community safety partnerships, LCSPs, is not only crucial to towns like Drogheda and Dundalk, but also to Ardee and Dunleer in their hinterlands, as well as the smaller villages like Castlebellingham, Tallanstown and Louth. I urge for these regulations to come fast and furious.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I am well aware of the incredible work the Deputy does with local communities on this issue and how she has championed it. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter today. The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and community safety as a whole-of-government responsibility. Community safety is about much more than policing. It is about how we look after and support each other and the most vulnerable in our society. It is about the provision of services that focus on prevention and early interventions, such as addiction support and early childhood interventions. It is about supporting businesses and how our communities in which we live look and feel. It is also about State services working with each other and the community to take a shared approach in solving issues relating to community safety.

High-visibility policing is, of course, an important factor in communities feeling safe but our gardaí are not solely responsible for safety in our communities. This is what the new whole-of-government community safety structure is central to and what LCSPs will aim to address. It will bring the relevant service providers and An Garda Síochána together to work with each community in a collaborative manner to focus on tackling the concerns identified and prioritised by the local community itself. That is really important, as someone who has come through this from a council background right the way through to being a TD.

The Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2024, which Minister O’Callaghan enacted yesterday, provides for the establishment of these local community safety partnerships, which will operate at each local authority level. The partnerships will replace and build upon the good work of the joint policing committees, supplementing this by bringing together a broader range of relevant stakeholders including local councillors, An Garda Síochána, local residents, community representatives, business and education representatives and a range of statutory agencies, including the HSE, Tusla and each local authority. As someone who was on a joint policing committee for many years, I acknowledge and thank all the people who worked on those committees over the years. Those people did an incredible job.

Three innovative pilot LCSPs were set up in Waterford, Longford and Dublin’s north-inner city in 2021. The pilot process was accompanied by an independent evaluation to help inform best practice for the national roll-out. We see how the model can succeed in different contexts and settings. Each newly established local community safety partnership will be required to develop and implement its own tailored community safety plan and will take a strategic approach to their work so that issues arising can be dealt with in a co-ordinated manner, addressed collectively by relevant service providers in partnership with the community.

A total of 36 partnerships will be established, based in each local authority administrative area. Each LCSP will be supported by a full-time co-ordinator and a full-time administrator, resourced by the Department of Justice. Section 114 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 provides for making of regulations to establish the LCSPs. My Department is working with the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers, OPLA, to facilitate drafts of these regulations, which it is proposed will commence shortly.

Deputy Paula Butterly

I thank the Minister of State for his reply on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. It very much reflects my own thoughts regarding these community safety partnerships. As I said at the outset, these cannot come about quickly enough. The partnerships are part of the community and policing coming together to work for the betterment of the community. Towns like Drogheda are now on the cusp of returning to their former glory. The town has always been vibrant and once attracted people from near and far. We need to get these regulations in place and get the committees and partnerships set up. We also need to follow through with the investment, which will be vital to ensure that Drogheda and Dundalk, but particularly Drogheda town receives all the investment it needs to make it a safe place and safe community to work and live in.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I agree with the Deputy that it is really important to get them up and running quickly, to get community buy-in and to get that feeling that we are moving forward in this area. I think we are. The implementation of the Act will have a tremendous effect. The resourcing of it is there and I have no doubt, from my own community where I have dealt with a host of issues in this area, that there is a real desire in community groups to see this work and succeed. I know the Department is determined, through the resourcing being made available, to see that happen as well.

Public Transport

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this Topical Issue. I represent one of the youngest and fastest-growing constituencies in the State in Fingal West. Many of my constituents are served by the train, which runs alongside the side of my constituency, and some by bus. Unfortunately, for my constituents, most of the existing transport routes only bring them in to town. They need dynamic connectivity to bring them from one town to another. We know there is a link from Rush to Lusk to Balbriggan to Skerries to Loughshinny, which is good. These towns are linked by a bus service, but the outlying, smaller towns and villages are not linked up by a bus service.

Equally, many of my constituents experience difficulties accessing the train inasmuch as they do not have public transport that will take them all the way there. We do not have connected cycle routes either, so it is very tough for my constituents to get to the main source of transport. For elderly constituents who simply want to move around within their towns and villages, it is very tough for them to do so.

Some new housing estates are being built in north county Dublin now. Given the scale of the Government's housing crisis, any house building is, of course, to be welcomed. However, there is no joined-up thinking. There is no bus route. Every time a new estate is established, as sure as night follows day, a couple of weeks after people start to move in, a campaign has to be started to get a bus. There has to be some type of forward thinking. If people are moving in to the houses, they are not staying in them forever and for always and for 24 hours a day. They will need to get out. On the one hand, the Government says that it wants us out of our cars and to use public transport, which is a very noble and worthwhile endeavour. However, I do not know how the Minister of State imagines my constituents feel when they are told that the station that serves Rush and Lusk is taken into the Dublin city commuter zone. This is really welcome. It means reduced fares, which is really important. However, those people who use trains that leave from Skerries or Balbriggan have been taken out of the Dublin city commuter zone. It is not that far and the trainline is just a straight line up - I am sure the Minister of State is familiar with the area. They will now have to pay higher fares while towns in Wicklow, Meath and Kildare are being brought into the Dublin city commuter zone.

I am sure the Minister of State will appreciate that my constituents are very angry about this move. Like the Government, they share the aspiration to leave their cars at home. However, a disincentive is being created by making sure they have to pay extra. I mean no disrespect to the people who live in Kildare, Wicklow and Meath. I wish them the very best. I do not begrudge them the reduced fares. It is a good thing that there are reduced fares. In fact, I think it is such a good thing that I want more towns to be included in the Dublin city commuter zone. However, I would like if those towns were in Dublin as well since the scheme appears to be accommodating enough to include towns outside of Dublin city and county. We want to see people using the trains. I will not get into the issue of overcrowding with the Minister of State now. We really want to see people using the trains but they are getting a mixed message from the Government. On the one hand people are being told to leave the car at home but on the other hand, train fares are being increased.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I would not be quite as nice to Meath people at a Leinster final or on an All-Ireland Sunday, as the Deputy was there. I thank her for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport. Improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving citizens' quality of life and achieving our decarbonisation goals. Achieving these goals has been set out in the programme for Government.

The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for transport planning in the greater Dublin area, including in Fingal West. The NTA's greater Dublin area transport strategy, which was approved by the Minister for Transport in January 2023, sets out a framework for transport investment across the region over a 20-year period from 2022 to 2042, and it provides a clear statement of transport planning policy.

This strong policy support has been backed up by increased levels of Exchequer funding, which is supporting the roll-out of initiatives such as MetroLink, BusConnects Dublin and DART+. The delivery of these projects had been delayed due to delays in the planning approval process. However, there have been some positive developments recently, with An Bord Pleanála approving 11 of the 12 BusConnects Dublin core bus corridors, including the Swords to the city centre scheme, as well as the conditional approval of DART+ West and full approval of DART+ South West projects.

These projects will continue to advance in the coming years. It is anticipated that the first of the BusConnects Dublin core bus corridors will enter construction later this year, which will represent a significant milestone in the delivery of the major public transport projects. The first six phases of the BusConnects Dublin network redesign have also been rolled out in recent years. These new spines, including the A spine via the airport to Swords, will continue to be rolled out on an incremental basis in the coming years.

Two orders for the new DART+ train fleet have been placed so far. The first order is for the purchase of 95 additional DART carriages, which comprise 65 battery-electric carriages and 30 electric carriages. These carriages started arriving into Ireland last year and are currently undergoing testing, prior to entry into service. The battery-electric carriages are planned to enter service on the northern line from Dublin to Drogheda in 2026.

MetroLink will provide improved access to employment, education, leisure and healthcare facilities. This includes Dublin Airport, the Mater hospital, the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, and numerous other locations in Dublin city centre.

The Government approved MetroLink under decision gate 1 of the public spending code in July 2022. This enabled the project to enter the planning system. In September 2022 Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, submitted a planning application to An Bord Pleanála. The railway order consultation period, following the submission of the railway order application, provided the opportunity for stakeholders along the MetroLink route to raise concerns about the project. The statutory planning consultation for the project closed in January 2023.

In 2024, An Bord Pleanála held an oral hearing and an additional round of public consultation in relation to MetroLink. A planning decision from An Bord Pleanála is awaited. In addition to the above, TII submitted a planning application for Luas Finglas to An Bord Pleanála last November. The statutory consultation period for this project closed in January.

This major public transport project will extend the existing Luas tram network northwards by almost 4 km from Broombridge to the Finglas area, shortening journey times to and from Dublin city centre to approximately 30 minutes or less.

This route will provide interchanges with Broombridge train station, which is on the planned DART+ west line, as well as bus services. These projects represent a major improvement to public transport offerings in the west Fingal area.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I am very annoyed. MetroLink does not serve my constituency. Neither do DART+ west and DART+ south west. The only DART+ project that will serve my constituents is DART+ coastal north, which has been a very long tale. I do not have the time to tell it all, but suffice to say that it has been a decade since the bridges were raised. A little like draining the River Shannon, it gets wheeled out every once in a while, but it never actually seems to happen.

I fully appreciate the Minister of State being here and I thank him for the reply. However, that reply relates to people who live in different areas and not the people I represent. The people I represent in Skerries and Balbriggan are being taken out of the Dublin city commuter zone and will now have to pay more to get in. The Department has not even included the DART+ coastal north project in the reply. That will drive my constituents up the wall, as I am sure the Minister of State will appreciate. While it is brilliant that the metro will come, and I am sure some of my constituents will use it, people will have to travel in their cars or by another form of public transport to get to the metro, which will stop in Swords. That is not in the constituency of Dublin Fingal West. It is in the Minister for Transport's constituency, which might lead people to believe it will be built, unless they are familiar with his record in other areas.

I understand the limitations of the Minister of State's reply, but I would very much appreciate if he would get a comprehensive reply for me from the Minister for Transport. This should not be a reply that tells me why he cannot deal with the matter but a reply that provides an explanation for me and my constituents as to why commuters from the towns of Skerries and Balbriggan will have to pay more to get into town and use the public transport service, while at the same time, as the Minister of State said, improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving quality of life, achieving decarbonisation, and is part of the goals that have been set out in the programme the Government. These things do not make sense. If the Government wants people to use public transport, it needs to make it accessible, frequent and affordable. More money is being charged to my constituents to use public transport while at the same time they are being told that they have to play their part in decarbonisation, which they want to do. They are Dubs. They live in Dublin. They want to be in the Dublin city commuter zone.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I will of course convey the Deputy's views to the Minister. In summary, transport connectivity is obviously highly important for people who live and work, as we know, throughout Ireland. It is key to our villages, towns, and to Dublin and our other cities to encourage urban centres and have strong local economies. I believe, as does the Minister, in expanding the public transport network and increasing services throughout the country, including in the west Fingal area. The ways we have set out to do that are included in what I said, such as BusConnects and Connecting Ireland. That will lead to a better facility overall for public transport users. I will take note of the Deputy's request and pass it on to the Minister.

Early Childhood Care and Education

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty

I have been raising this issue, including through parliamentary questions, for quite some time. It is the matter of Wombles Pre-school at Scoil Mhuire, Airlie Heights. While the Department correctly acknowledges that it has no direct role in the provision of childcare services based in the school, everyone acknowledges that the service is essential. There were 46 early childhood care and education, ECCE, and 54 after-school places but a total of 66 places are at risk of being removed, because a classroom was due to be taken out of the school as the NCSE was looking to get an additional autism class in. I tried to get a win-win situation where some form of modular room could be brought into the grounds of the school, which would mean the autism class would not be taken away while Wombles Pre-school could continue where it is. It is a valuable source of income to Scoil Mhuire in employing therapists. Many of the children who go to Wombles have siblings in the primary school at junior or senior level.

In that context, it was interesting to hear very recently that the autism class might not be proceeded with this year. That would take away the immediate risk to Wombles, but I would like some clarity on a couple of issues, including in the supplementary response. Will a modular build be put in to facilitate an autism class? If so, will it be in place for this September? I know I am putting the Minister of State on the spot. He is aware of south Dublin from our shared time on the council, but there are plans for a 32-classroom school in the Adamstown strategic development zone, which should be built on a vacant site. It has full planning permission. There is no reason for the Department not to push ahead with this, which would also facilitate a number of autism classes and help parents in some of the neighbouring estates who cannot get into Scoil Mhuire because it is already full as regards its catchment area.

There is a mixture of issues here. We need to get some of the schools that were promised built. We also need to make sure that the autism classes in Lucan open as quickly as possible because they are not in every school in Lucan and there is a huge demand. Given the fact that quite a number of preschools in the Lucan area have closed down or left the scheme, and it is very hard to find alternative facilities, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that a long-standing and successful preschool should be able to continue to operate. As I said, it should not be case of either-or.

While I welcome the special school that is being brought into north Lucan, I reiterate that moving Lucan East Educate Together at Easter does not make any sense at all. South Dublin County Council is not prepared for that in respect of its traffic management plans.

I ask for whatever information the Minister of State has about the autism classes. Are there any details of discussions held between the Department and the patron of the school regarding Wombles Pre-school? The most recent response I got to my parliamentary question indicated that such conversations were under way.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I thank the Deputy for asking the question. I stress that enabling students with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is an absolute priority for the Government. It is the Government's priority to ensure that all children have an appropriate school placement and that necessary supports are provided to our schools to allow children with special educational needs to flourish and prosper.

To ensure schools can open new special classes as quickly as possible, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is examining which schools have capacity to expand and is reaching out to medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation, and no existing special class, to open a new special class for the 2025-26 school year. This will not only ensure that classes can open quickly, as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner, but it will also provide more options for parents in local areas as more and more schools open specialist provision. However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level, and there is a known demand in a local area, the Department of Education will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.

At local level in Lucan, and indeed nationwide, the NCSE continues to examine where provision is best placed to meet demand. I confirm that the council has ruled out sanctioning a special class at Scoil Mhuire for the coming school year. The council is confirming this directly with the school now to avoid any confusion. As new special classes are sanctioned in other schools, it will inform parents and provide advice and support on how to apply.

Of the 400 new special classes to be sanctioned for the next school year, the NCSE has sanctioned more than 350, with classes provided in every county. A total of 66 of these classes are in Dublin, with a number in the Lucan and broader west Dublin area. The council continues to sanction classes. These will be added to in the coming days.

The Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, Deputy Michael Moynihan, both meet the NCSE and senior Department of Education officials on a weekly basis to track the progress being made on securing additional classes and special school places.

I will raise the other issues the Deputy mentioned here.

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty

I thank the Minister of State. Scoil Mhuire is well equipped to provide autism support. For example, two staff members recently completed a master's of education in autism. It is a capable school, which does its best for students of all backgrounds.

I am still looking for further clarity, if it pleases the Minister of State, on whether we can say that ten years down the line Wombles Pre-School will still be able to operate from Scoil Mhuire. I am looking for some kind of guarantee in that respect.

If the autism class does not open in Scoil Mhuire this year, can we get clarity for any parents looking for a place that they will be offered a place elsewhere in the Lucan area? Can we get a guarantee on how quickly we can put a modular building on the site? There is some demand in that part of Lucan so I would like some more clarity on that if there were any plans. I heard on the grapevine that the NCSE would look at putting a modular building at Scoil Mhuire, Airlie Heights, but that it might not be for another year. Why can that not happen in September, for example?

Will the Minister of State communicate back to the Minister for Education the absolute urgency of the need to open that 32-classroom school and get things moving at the Tandy's Lane site which is close to Scoil Mhuire in Adamstown, strategic development zone, SDZ. There is a shortage of primary school places in general as well as an ongoing requirement for autism classes throughout the Lucan area.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I thank the Deputy again for raising the question. I will of course convey back to the Minister the additional points he raised here. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to reassure the House that the Department of Education and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that all children have access to education suitable to their needs. The Department of Education continues to engage intensely with the NCSE on forward planning for new special classes for the 2025 to 2026 school year and future years. More than 28,000 children are now being supported in special schools and classes with the number of special classes increasing by 100% since 2020. It is the statutory responsibility of the NCSE to work with schools to provide sufficient special education provision each year. As already outlined, budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 new special classes, up to 300 additional special school places. The NCSE continues to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and which schools have capacity to accommodate the required provision. As the NCSE progresses the sanctioning of new special classes in the coming days, it will in turn advise parents of the location of any new special classes for the 2025 to 2026 school year.

Housing Provision

Deputy Martin Daly

As we know, housing production is the number one priority for the Government as is reflected in the programme for Government. Ireland's housing need is real and we need to consider all methods of construction to deliver the targets we set out in the programme for Government. We have to increase housing supply, improve sustainability and boost construction productivity. A recent report by the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, published last autumn, which was welcomed by the Government and the industry, was the first critical review of modern methods of construction in the landscape in Ireland. It looked at a template for the forward planning for modern methods of construction, but today, I am specifically asking about modular housing. It is coming at a crucial time because it is clear that the traditional methods of construction will not meet the ambitious targets set out in the programme for Government so we need to involve all aspects and foster all areas of construction in Ireland, not just on-site, but off-site construction.

One of the strengths of the report is that it adopted the UK's definition framework seven categories of modern methods of construction, which will bring much needed clarity to what constitutes modern methods of construction in Ireland. One hundred off-site manufacturing companies operate in this country with 27 providing complete housing solutions. In my constituency, there is a company called Lidan Designs that has recruited 40 people into its manufacturing facility, including master carpenters, plumbers, electricians, architects and engineers. It has taken on 8 apprentices from the local school starting in September. It is a vibrant company with an investment in the region of €10 million, most of which came from its own resources and private equity with very little support from the State. It has built schools for the Department of Education, including St. Flannan's and a school in Birr and it is constructing a national school in Kildare. Its problems are crystalised in what was identified in this report.

As modular housing is a disruption of the traditional methods of construction, it will require a different approach. Institutional leadership - that is us; standards in innovation - that is us; and the building industry are mentioned. Ambitious targets were also mentioned - that is us. Innovative finance must be us because a different financial model is required for modular housing. Much of the finance has to be front-loaded. Supply lines cannot be set up without predictability and consistency. Multi-annual planning is needed. I am talking about the Department of Education in this respect, but also the housing sector. We need to review our relationship with modular construction so we can bring on smaller Irish indigenous companies, especially in this climate, that offer high quality jobs in provincial towns throughout Ireland. I spoke last night at the parliamentary party meeting and another Fianna Fáil TD from another part of the country identified the exact same issues around modular housing and its ability to get a foothold in the provision of housing.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and providing the opportunity to update the House on this important matter.

Modern methods of construction are a key measure to support the delivery of housing under Housing for All and the programme for Government and have the potential to boost productivity, increase efficiency and improve sustainability in the construction sector. Modern methods of construction is the term used to describe a range of compliant manufacturing and innovative construction including modular systems as alternatives to traditional construction.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Government’s commitment to modern methods of construction has been clearly outlined in the new programme for Government, including binding targets for its use in at least 25% of all State-backed housing and an innovation fund via the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF. Initiatives already in place under Housing for All to promote modern methods of construction include: the accelerated social housing delivery programme, the Roadmap for Increased Adoption of Modern Methods of Construction in Public Housing, the Construct Innovate technology centre, the National Demonstration Park, the Build Digital project, the built to innovate initiative, the development of standardised approaches to the design of housing and training for industry and public sector professionals.

In December 2022, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage approved funding of €94 million to address legacy land debt. The funding was contingent on the local authority committing to the early development of a housing proposal that would commence construction in 2023 or no later than 2024 and utilise modern methods of construction. A total of 26 sites received funding as part of an accelerated social housing delivery programme. This programme is being led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and will see the delivery by 13 local authorities of at least 1,500 social homes using modern methods of construction across approximately 36 sites. It is intended to expand the use of the design and build procurement approach to enable greater use of modern methods of construction in social and affordable housing delivery.

Separately, the Department is engaging with Wexford local authority on piloting several three-dimensional modular units, which are expected to tender in the first half of 2025.

A standardised design approach is key in facilitating the ease of adoption of modern methods of construction. To support this standardised approach, the Department has identified a number of designs from the design manual for quality housing, adjusted to allow for ease of delivery utilising different forms of modern methods of construction, including three-dimensional modular systems.

Deputy Martin Daly

One unfortunate phenomenon in recent years has been the conflation in people's minds of prefabricated housing and modular housing. High-quality modular housing is a permanent housing solution. Prefabricated models like the prefabs provided for Ukrainian refugees were expensive and had a poor BER rating of C. These modern modular housing units are permanent solutions and are extremely energy efficient. By setting up a supply and manufacturing line, it is possible to manufacture houses every day of the week for 12 months of the year. This is the beauty of this approach. One of these homes can be provided five times faster than producing an on-site house.

I have looked at some of the research internationally and obstructions are pushed in the way of modular housing. Traditional building companies are slow to adopt the idea of modular housing. It is seen as a threat or disruption to traditional building supply. We must look at the provision of modular housing or off-site housing construction in a different light.

I am going to focus on the financial aspect. In a time when we are under threat from tariffs from Trump and we need to be counterintuitive and invest in our economy, especially in our indigenous industries and particularly where there is an identifiable need to provide homes, we must look at a different relationship between the State, including the Department of housing, the Department of Education and the OPW, and the modular construction industry. The financial model is different. It must be front-loaded. There must be cash flow because people are continuously employed on site.

Deputy Colm Brophy

The Government approved new housing targets up to 2030. Some 303,000 homes are expected to be delivered from 2025 to 2030. This equates to an average of approximately 50,500 homes, building up to 60,000 homes in 2030. To meet these very ambitious targets, it is necessary to use many different ways of delivery. Modern methods of construction are a key pillar in this housing delivery programme. This year, the accelerated social housing delivery programme and the Government initiatives described will continue to support the delivery of housing using modern methods of construction. Additionally, under the programme for Government, further initiatives will also be implemented to support the key pillar that accelerates the delivery of quality housing. I take on board all the comments the Deputy made about modular housing, too.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy James O'Connor)

I thank Deputy Daly. I must say I agree with a lot of the points he made. I should not say that as the Chair, but anyway.

Childcare Services

Deputy Gary Gannon

I wish to talk to the Minister of State about the absence of childcare provision in Dublin Central. I use the example of Dublin Central because it is the area I am proud to represent, but I could be talking about any community to be found the length and breadth of Ireland.

Childcare provision and access to childcare, where it exists, is simply too difficult. The Government made a commitment before the election, promising to progressively reduce childcare costs to €200 monthly under the national childcare scheme. In reality, parents in Dublin Central are still facing the same crippling costs. This is only, though, if they can even get a childcare place at all. In communities across Dublin Central, families are scrambling for places. Some parents are registering their children before they are even born and still cannot secure a spot. What good is a childcare subsidy, however good it may be to the parents lucky enough to get a place, when most parents cannot even find a place to look after their children?

Childcare provision is about communities. Parents cannot go back to work if they cannot find anywhere for their children to be minded. Even before I came down to the Chamber, one of the last emails I received was from a constituent in East Wall. She and her partner recently had a child and they are now scrambling to find a place. The fear is even greater because they see a 600-unit apartment block being built above them and know this is going to limit their ability to find a childcare place even more. There was genuine fear in the community in Stoneybatter in recent months because an afternoon childcare service was at risk of closing. It is very much on-off as to whether that is going to happen, but even the prospect of removing such an afternoon service sent the community into a spiral. Protests were held outside and the matter has been raised in the Dáil several times. This is the reality of what we are dealing with now, be it in East Wall, Stoneybatter, Cabra or the North Strand. When we are knocking at doors, the most important issue coming up all the time is access to childcare provision.

Some crèches are closing because the community providers are not so much walking away as they are closing their doors because circumstances mean they have to. Their workers who deliver incredible care and education - it is an education they are delivering - are underpaid and burned out. My colleague, Deputy Farrelly, rightly asked in the Chamber when the Government would consider pay parity for early years professionals with colleagues in education. I do not think we are anywhere close to that happening.

The Tánaiste, whom I want to take at his word, said Ireland's childcare model should be brought into the public sphere and linked more closely to education. I agree fully with that view. I am sure we all do. When will that process start? I ask because this principle is nowhere to be seen around the streets of Dublin Central. Deputy Farrelly also suggested a "páistecare" approach, this being similar to the all-party platform we had for the implementation of the Sláintecare model. In the lead up to the election, I think we all agreed we needed some form of publicly funded model of childcare provision, so why do we not all get around a table and decide how that could best happen? That would be an excellent solution and would demonstrate to the public, exasperated by this issue, that their elected representatives are doing all we can in their service. In the absence of such an approach, what we have is a two-tier system where childcare is expensive even if people are lucky enough to get it.

There are solutions to this problem. On Dublin City Council, for example, my colleagues, Cat O'Driscoll and Daniel Ennis, asked for an audit of buildings derelict around the city centre or in the possession of the council to see which of them might be suitable, with the right level of work and investment, for childcare facilities. In the absence of this being done, we really are struggling. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's response. I know he is not the Minister of State tasked with special responsibility in this area, but I understand he is here in that capacity and we can have an exchange.

Deputy Colm Brophy

I thank Deputy Gannon for raising this important issue and offering me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare is a key priority for the Government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. An annual sector profile demonstrates an 8% increase in enrolments between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 years. Within the Dublin city local authority area, enrolments grew by 2,235. Core funding application data shows that, between year 1 and year 2 of the scheme, the annual place hours increased by almost 8%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024.

However, it appears that demand for early learning and care and school-age childcare remains higher than available supply, particularly for younger children and in certain parts of the country. Demand for early learning and childcare beyond sessional preschool provision is highly elastic and shaped substantially by families' individual composition, circumstances and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services. A forward planning model is in development, which will be central to the Minister’s plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity. The Government continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of core funding, which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core funding funds services based on the number of places available regardless of whether they are filled. This provides stability to services and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the current programme year, the allocation for core funding allows for a 6% increase in capacity. Additional funding was secured in budget 2025 to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025, in the fourth programme year.

The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised national development plan. This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. The building blocks capital grant schemes are operating over 2024 and 2025. The primary focus of these schemes is to increase capacity in the one- to three-year-old, pre-ECCE, age range for full day care.

The building blocks expansion grant scheme was operated by the Department last year. Twenty-three services were awarded capital grants of between €25,000 and €100,000 for projects to undertake renovation of or upgrades to existing space to cater for more children. This funding has delivered almost 300 affordable new places for one- to three-year olds, with approximately 100 of those places in Dublin.

The building blocks extension grant scheme was launched on 4 November 2024. Applications for this scheme have now closed and an appraisal process is under way. The primary focus of the extension grant scheme is to increase capacity in places for one- to three-year olds, with early childhood education range for full day care. Some €25 million will be made available this year to deliver additional capacity under the scheme, and the Minister expects to announce the outcome of the application process in the coming weeks.

The Department funds 30 city and county childcare committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. Parents experiencing difficulty with early learning and childcare needs should contact their local city and county childcare committee for assistance.

Deputy Gary Gannon

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I do not doubt for a second that there is a genuine commitment across the Government to address the issue. How could there not be? It is a fundamental issue. However, I do not think it is working. The ECCE rates of €69 per week per child have clearly not been sustainable. I do not doubt the level of money that is being pumped into the childcare sector, but the outcomes are still the same. We have a crisis, and a crisis requires innovation in terms of how we respond. The páistecare model outlined by Deputy Farrelly is one workable solution if we can get around to developing a plan that is co-ordinated and agreed from all political parties because it is something that impacts all of us.

Audits of buildings through our city councils where there might be sites available is something we need if we are to make sure there is proper capital investment and identify locations in which childcare facilities can emerge where there were none previously. We must make childcare core infrastructure as part of every new development. There are 600-unit developments going up around the Docklands and no childcare facilities are being included. That is something we need to address.

I represent a constituency that is growing all the time, where women who are eager to get back to work need childcare places provided. This comes up as the number one issue at public meetings and at doors we knock on. We require a hell of a lot more innovation. Where we have childcare providers, we cannot lose them. There are examples of that in Stoneybatter. We certainly cannot lose anymore. Where operators are removing themselves from the market, the State has to step in and provide adequate childcare provision. We need innovation. We need to do more than just throw money at a bad system. We need proper planning, co-ordination and implementation.

Deputy Colm Brophy

Early learning and childcare is an area that has seen rapid and significant developments and has had a substantial increase in investment in recent years. In particular, we have made good progress in affordability for parents, pay for staff and the inclusion of children with disabilities. However, we need to go further in the coming years. We need to support parents and educators and make provision right across the early learning and childcare sector, with a focus always on ensuring there is a positive experience for children.

The national childcare scheme has increased subsidy rates paid to families, which, along with fee controls and other reforms to the scheme, are delivering much greater affordability for parents. Out-of-pocket costs for some families remain much too high, though. That is why the programme for Government builds on the initiatives we had in recent years. For the first time, the Government is committing to introducing an element of public provision with State-led facilities to add capacity. Taking a more strategic approach to forward planning and the option of public delivery options, there is a much greater scope to influence the types and number of places available and to better align those with families’ needs. Importantly, we are committing to progressively reducing the cost of early learning and childcare to €200 per child over the lifetime of this Government. Officials are examining this ambitious commitment and exploring approaches on how to most effectively achieve this objective.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 4.55 p.m. go dtí 2 p.m., Dé Máirt, an 8 Aibreán 2025.

The Dáil adjourned at 4.55 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 8 April 2025.