Barry Cowen
Ceist:1. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the energy summit he convened at Government Buildings in the summer. [36290/23]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Climate Action Plan
Christopher O'Sullivan
Ceist:2. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach for an overview of the Quarter 2 Progress Report of the 2023 Climate Action Plan. [37575/23]
Paul Murphy
Ceist:3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate will next meet. [41221/23]
Mattie McGrath
Ceist:4. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will next meet. [42249/23]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:5. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will next meet. [42341/23]
Mick Barry
Ceist:6. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will next meet. [42484/23]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. On 6 July, along with the Tánaiste and the Minister the Environment, Climate and Communications, I convened an energy summit at Government Buildings. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment also took part, along with speakers from the International Energy Agency and the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities.
The summit brought together representatives of those in the public, private and voluntary sectors whose combined efforts are, and will continue to be, crucial to the decarbonisation of Ireland’s energy systems. The event allowed participants to reflect on national, EU and international developments and to discuss how best to position Ireland to reap the economic, social and environmental benefits of Ireland’s move away from fossil fuels and towards indigenous, renewable energy sources. Those attending were able to share their perspectives and ideas on how the transition can be most effectively undertaken. It was a valuable occasion for me and my colleagues in Government to hear first-hand from those most engaged in this transformation and to discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie before us.
The event reaffirmed this Government’s commitment to moving quickly towards wind and solar electricity generation and away from fossil fuels, reinforcing our electricity network to accommodate this shift and providing the enhanced storage and interconnection capacity that will be required. We also discussed the industrial and development potential that will arise from Ireland tapping into the enormous renewable energy resource that we have on land and at sea. The possibility of Ireland producing far more electricity than we consume is very real. This Government is working to ensure that we make the most of this natural advantage that we enjoy. Government Departments and State bodies, whose officials were present, will use the perspectives and ideas gathered from this event in the further development of policy proposals for Government and in their service delivery arrangements.
The Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out a series of actions in response to the climate crisis, to meet the emissions reduction targets that we have set and to prepare for the impacts of climate change that pose a threat to our people and economy. The Department of the Taoiseach prepares quarterly progress reports on the implementation of actions committed to under the climate action plan. The reports provide a detailed breakdown of completed and delayed actions each quarter. Once approved by Government, these reports are published on the Department’s website. The quarterly reports focus on progress within each of the six high-impact sectors identified: agriculture, land use, transport, energy, buildings and industry. They also provide context for the actions completed and delayed, including sectoral emissions targets and trends, key performance indicators and further detail on actions of particular significance.
The latest progress report for the climate action plan was published on 25 July and refers to actions that were due to be completed in quarter 2 of this year. The completion rate in that progress report stood at 63%, with 32 of 51 actions on schedule. Combining delivery from quarters 1 and 2 gives an overall implementation rate of 72% for the first half of the year. High impact measures completed in quarter 2 include the opening of the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme 3 to fund low emissions slurry spreading, regulations to help a growth in the use of biofuels, delivery of the offshore renewable electricity support scheme auction, ensuring homeowners undertaking energy upgrades have the option of paying the cost net of the SEAI grant and a publication of a roadmap for green hydrogen. All delayed measures from the quarter 2 report have been carried forward for reporting and implementation in quarter 3. The third progress report on the Climate Action Plan 2023 is being compiled and will be published in the coming weeks.
The Cabinet committee on the environment and climate change last met on 10 July 2023, and the next meeting is due to take place on 19 October 2023.
The River Poddle was the main source of Dublin's drinking water for more than 500 years but if one was to drink it now one would be in danger of going to hospital. It is polluted so often that it is a danger to wildlife and children in the parks that it runs through in Tallaght, Crumlin and Kimmage. For years local people, environmental activists and the Save the Poddle campaign have reported the pollution to South Dublin County Council and to the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, but to no avail. The most recent incident was last Friday when an oily substance that looked like bleach turned the river white in Tymon Park and in Bancroft Park. The council knows that the pollution is coming from nearby industrial estates like the Cookstown Industrial Estate but continues to allow business owners to pollute the river with total impunity. When will action be taken? When will business owners be prosecuted for polluting our waterways for the sake of profit? Is the Taoiseach happy for us to end up with more Lough Neaghs in this jurisdiction?
Climate action is often very abstract for people because it does not appear to make any difference to their lives. One area where it can make a real and tangible difference, particularly given the energy price hikes and the cost of living, is in the area of retrofitting of people's homes. If we insulate and retrofit people's homes we can save their energy bills to a very large extent. What is increasingly clear, however, when we look at the Government's plan to retrofit 500,000 homes is that in the first three years of the plan the Government has only managed to retrofit 16% of the target. The number reaching the BER 2 standard of retrofit - a high level of retrofit - is far less than that.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland conducted a survey asking people about where they see the problems with retrofit and 44% of people said the grants were insufficient and the cost was too excessive. That is the big problem: the least well off are the most in need of their homes needing to be retrofitted to reduce the cost of living and the cost of energy but they are least able to actually afford to retrofit their homes because the cost is too much and the grants are too small.
A large quantity of toxic algae has bloomed on Lough Neagh, which is the largest freshwater lake on this island. This is the result of pollution from sewage and from farm run-off combining with hot temperatures. It has been estimated that 200,000 tonnes of sewage is discharged into the lake every year. The poisonous algae has killed pets and killed wildlife. Dead fish are washing ashore due to depleted oxygen in the water, threatening the livelihoods of local fishers. The banks of the lough are owned by none less than the Earl of Shaftesbury who has extracted large quantities of sand from the bed of the lough over decades. He has not done this himself but has paid other people to do it.
This ruthless profiteering has devastated local wildlife and worsened the algae crisis. Will the Taoiseach agree that our environment must come before private profit? Will he join with me in calling for the nationalisation of the lough without compensation and wish the people power campaign on this issue all the very best?
I got reasonable news in the form of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's, SEAI's, feasibility study on shallow geothermal heat sources to replace the gas communal system that is operational in Carlinn Hall, Dundalk. Obviously, this would be applicable in many of these types of scenarios. I have stated previously that these are almost the Achilles heel in relation to district heating, which we need to see in play. There will be legislative changes needed to make sure that we do not continue with these gas-fed systems but I think we would all say that geothermal is one of the ways to go. There will be short, medium and long-term recommendations. As I say, the sooner it happens in October, the better. The Ministers have said that they will work with those necessary stakeholders. We need to ensure that there is a grant scheme that will be applicable because that will involve management companies, residents and the likes of Frontline Energy. We need to deliver for these people, given the huge costs. We all will be aware of the environmental disaster that is these gas-fed systems.
I thank the Deputies for their questions.
Deputy Paul Murphy raised the issue of the pollution of the River Poddle. I do not know the facts or the details but I will make sure that my office makes further inquiries about it.
Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of the retrofitting of homes. I am told by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, that the programme is going well and that we will meet or exceed our target to retrofit 30,000 homes this year. We have made some changes to the SEAI grant. One can now pay the difference rather than having to pay the total amount upfront. There are plans for low-cost loans. I will certainly get an update for the Deputy on the programme and how it is going. Obviously, we are retrofitting housing that belongs to the Government, the social housing stock, too.
Deputy Barry raised the issue of the poor condition of Lough Neagh and the environmental damage to it. I understand there are many different causes. Abstraction is one of those, but perhaps not the only one. Any decision, I believe, on the next steps would have to be one taken by the Northern Ireland authorities.
Finally, on district heating, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, has been appointed as the regulator for district heating and will be responsible for the development of appropriate regulation for the sector going forward. Primary legislation will be required to ensure developers of district heating projects have the necessary legal powers to operate in the sector and ensure consumer protections, as well as put in place licensing and consenting provisions for district heating operations, including those heated by geothermal. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is currently developing the heads of a proposed heat Bill, which the Department intends to bring to Government next year.
Cabinet Committees
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:7. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination last met. [36398/23]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:8. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination will next meet. [42342/23]
Paul Murphy
Ceist:9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination unit will next meet. [42344/23]
Mick Barry
Ceist:10. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination last met. [42485/23]
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:11. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination last met. [42507/23]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 11, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination generally meets in advance of Government meetings. It last met on 25 September 2023. It is scheduled to meet again tomorrow. The committee reviews the agenda of Government meetings; discusses political priorities; and reviews the activity of Cabinet committees. I am a member of the committee, with the Tánaiste and the leader of the Green Party. The Secretary to the Government, my chief of staff and the chiefs of staff of the Tánaiste and the leader of the Green Party also attend the meetings. Ministers are asked to attend depending on what is on the agenda.
Today, Actors' Equity, the union representing actors in this country, submitted a petition to the Government of 3,700 actors. What they are calling for is the implementation of the Report on Section 481 – Film Tax Credit, that was published earlier this year. I asked for the committee of which I am a member to undertake this investigation. It has recommended that while we have to continue, and indeed, increase, investment in film, it has to be tied to the actors, the writers, the performers and the stage crew being remunerated properly and having, "quality employment and training", which is the condition of the nearly €100 million in public funding that goes to film producers in this country who, however, force our actors, as they were outlining again today and as I mentioned to the Taoiseach previously, to sign buy-out contracts. Under such contracts, they are forced to sign away the future revenues, royalties and residuals which actors always used get in the past. The Taoiseach may have noted the strike of writers and actors in the United States, which is on the same issues. Irish actors, whose film producers are funded with taxpayers' money, are being asked to sign lesser contracts than their English, Northern Irish, American and European counterparts. Similarly, stage crew and film crew are essentially never recognised for the service they have given to the film industry even though they may have worked for that industry for decades because they are on successive fixed-term contracts.
For years, the film crew have been saying this must be addressed. We want more investment in film but the actors, the writers, the performers, the directors and the stage crew need to be treated with respect. Blacklisting must end and they need decent terms and conditions.
I want to raise with the Taoiseach the participation of Irish soldiers in the EU's military assistance mission of Ukraine. We opposed Ireland's participation. We explained that this was a full-spectrum military training mission and a clear breach of neutrality. In response, Government representatives repeatedly said that Irish soldiers would only be involved in non-lethal training. A statement that went out from the Department after a Government meeting during the summer again stated that Ireland would be involved in things like de-mining and combat medicine but then it emerged, thanks to The Irish Times, that the Irish military is actually providing basic weapons training to Ukrainian soldiers. Yesterday, we had the spectacle of the Tánaiste explaining on the radio how providing training in using a rifle somehow qualifies as non-lethal training. Does the Taoiseach also believe that training people how to shoot rifles is non-lethal training? Does the Taoiseach accept that this is clearly lethal training? Does the Taoiseach accept that this is clearly yet another breach of Ireland's neutrality and a horrific abuse of Putin's invasion of Ukraine to drive this pre-existing agenda of removing what is left of neutrality and aligning Ireland with the western powers of NATO and the process of militarisation within the European Union?
When will work on the Cork event centre commence? What will the overall cost be? What will be the bill for the private investors and what will be the bill for the taxpayer? Last, but not least, and there will be plenty of people in Cork listening in on this answer, when will that centre be opened?
I remember being a councillor in Cork City Hall in 2014 when we were told that the overall cost would be €50 million and that the State would contribute €20 million. I remember when the Minister, Deputy Coveney, got kitted out in his high-vis and posed for the cameras with then Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny, to turn the sod weeks before the general election in 2016. Nearly eight years on, not a brick has been laid despite €1.5 million having already been spent on the project. It is a Fine Gael fiasco. It is a market fiasco. The Taoiseach might be able to answer at least a few of those questions for us today.
Recently, I met Sphere 17, which is a youth service in my constituency based in Darndale, Priorswood, Bonnybrook and Kilbarrack. It does tremendous work. I also met some of the young people who use the youth service who spoke about how well they feel supported there in terms of it being a safe place and a place where they are encouraged to reach their full potential. Youth services such as Sphere 17 do invaluable work helping to support our young people in communities around the country. Given the importance of this work, is the Taoiseach considering in the budget giving better resources and better funding to youth services such as Sphere 17?
Earlier, Deputy Ó Snodaigh and I met representatives of film crew in Ireland. I reiterate earlier comments about actors and how they do not have decent contracts or the residuals that many actors have across the world. Beyond that, we constantly deal with the other issues like blackballing and work conditions that no one would accept for film crew. We need the recommendations in the Committee on Budgetary Oversight’s review to be put in place. The Taoiseach has said he supports it. First and foremost, we must ensure we deliver the stakeholders forum, which would allow all these issues to be dealt with. The Taoiseach spoke about a sectoral employment order, SEO or an employment regulation order, ERO, but we just need this to happen as soon as possible. We cannot let it drag on. There have been promises previously but we have failed these people.
On the issues raised by Deputies Boyd Barrett and Ó Murchú, I have not seen the petition from the actors but I have read about it in the news. As the Deputies pointed out, a lot of taxpayers' money goes into the film and audiovisual sector, sometimes through grants and sometimes through Screen Ireland, often through tax incentives. With that in mind, it is only right that people who work in the sector, whether actors, writers, performers, cameramen, stage crews or riggers, should have decent terms and conditions. I have spoken about this with the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. The suggestion to establish a stakeholder forum as the next step is a good one and I will ask the Minister to bring it forward.
On Deputy Paul Murphy’s question, our Defence Forces are taking part in the EU military assistance mission in support of Ukraine, EUMAM. It is not the first training mission we are involved in. We were involved in one in Mali, for example, which I was able to visit some years ago. It is providing training for Ukrainian forces in areas such as de-mining because Russia has mined a huge part of southern Ukraine. That is presumably with a view to trying to hold on to it, given that Russia has annexed large parts of Ukraine. It is also providing training in firearms use. Firearms can be used in a defensive manner. We do not believe Ukrainian troops will invade Russia but quite the opposite. Ukrainian troops are defending their lands, their homes, their democracy, their independence and their neighbours.
The question was lethal not defensive.
Deputy Barry asked about the Cork event centre. I do not have an update. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, gave me a verbal update on it recently and I promise to get back to him when I have a chance to find out more about the project. I think it is a very good project and will be really great for the city of Cork and the wider region. Of course, it is embarrassing that it has not recommenced work after such a long pause. It is a very different project to the one that was initially envisaged. That is why the costs have gone up, as well as other reasons including inflation and the passage of time. We are very keen to see it under construction as soon as possible. I cannot give a cost or timeline at the moment but I hope we can do so in the very near future.
Deputy Cian O'Callaghan raised youth services. I know from my own constituency the real value that youth work can do. There are proposals in for additional funding for youth work in the budget. As I have told Deputies throughout the day, and will again tomorrow, the budget is not decided yet and I am not in a position to make any commitments or announcements today.
Departmental Programmes
Aindrias Moynihan
Ceist:12. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Well-being 2023-2025, published by his Department on 1 August 2023. [37563/23]
Paul McAuliffe
Ceist:13. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach if he will report on From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Well-being 2023-2025, published by his Department on 1 August 2023. [37564/23]
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Ceist:14. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach if he will report on From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Well-being 2023-2025, published by his Department on 1 August 2023. [37565/23]
Mark Ward
Ceist:15. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Taoiseach for an update on the child poverty and well-being unit. [41222/23]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:16. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach for an update on the child poverty unit in his Department. [42343/23]
Paul Murphy
Ceist:17. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach for an update on the child poverty unit in his Department. [42345/23]
Mick Barry
Ceist:18. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach for an update on the child poverty and well-being unit. [42486/23]
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:19. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach for an update on the child poverty and well-being unit. [42508/23]
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:20. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach for an update on the work of the child poverty unit in his Department. [42620/23]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 20, inclusive, together.
In December, I announced my intention to set up a child poverty unit in the Department of the Taoiseach. I am happy to confirm that the child poverty and well-being programme office is now fully operational and on 1 August, published its initial work programme for the next two and a half years, From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Poverty and Well-being 2023-2025.
The initial programme focuses on six areas that will have the greatest effect on the lives of children who experience poverty. These are: income supports and joblessness; early learning and childcare; reducing the cost of education; family homelessness; consolidating and integrating family and parental support, health and well-being; and enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by disadvantage. The six areas were identified through extensive consultation with other Departments and Government agencies and representatives from relevant NGOs.
Importantly, the themes were also informed by information on what is important to children gathered through the established Government child participation structures.
As outlined in the plan, the role of the child poverty and well-being programme office is to drive implementation of a broad range of commitments. The office will also undertake a small number of strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of cross-government responses to child poverty. This includes putting a specific focus on child poverty at budget time. The annual budget is a critical moment in which the Government articulates its ambitions and plans for the coming year.
Given the Government’s commitment to reducing child poverty and improving child well-being, I know that my other Cabinet colleagues are also looking at what can be achieved in budget 2024.
I welcome the child poverty unit and the report that it issued. I met the Society of St. Vincent de Paul last week. It reported that in conjunction with the elimination of fees for school books and the increase of €100 in the back-to-school allowance, it had seen a 20% reduction in requests for assistance in regard to the return to school. It is an example of how Government measures can assist with child poverty.
The Taoiseach is aware that we have many measures in place. These include the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, the area-based child poverty initiatives and the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O’Brien’s empowering community projects. However, many of these need an area focus. There are 160 electoral districts in this country of 3,500 with a Pobal deprivation index of minus 15. There must be area-based interventions by senior decision-makers including the HSE, Tusla and the Department of Education, on the ground and there must be an end to the one-size-fits-all approach to the those 160 electoral districts with persistent and consistent poverty. It is within the Government’s power to try to eliminate child poverty and those places that are severely impacted by it. One such example is the roll-out of the north-east inner city model for multidisciplinary supports in schools in the Department of Education. That Department is an example of an entity that, were it to be given a local focus, could respond to a local need in one area and similar ones across the country and could change the way it does business to support children in poverty.
I have been quite happy to lobby on behalf of electoral districts in my area that need support but it should not be about lobbying. If an area goes into a Pobal deprivation index of minus 15 or minus 20, there should be an automatic range of packages put in place. We should not tolerate any part of Ireland having a deprivation index of minus 33.
I also welcome the first programme plan for child well-being. I also have concerns. The Government has made good strides, particularly on DEIS schools which is close to my heart and County Carlow was very lucky as we got 13 DEIS-status schools. I have an issue with DEIS 1 and DEIS 2, the first for boys and the second for girls; I think they should be all DEIS. We should look at all schools to have DEIS status in order that every child who goes to school gets a hot meal.
In Carlow, we have set up a soup kitchen, St. Clare's Hospitality Kitchen. There are volunteers who do great work. Around 120 meals go out every week to children and families, together with about 80 food parcels. But there is no Government funding for soup kitchens. There is no help whatever from the Government to support the volunteers, the good people who set up these soup kitchens, who fundraise and do their best to make sure children and families are not going hungry. I ask that it be included in the budget.
I also welcome the great announcement of free books for primary schools. I believe it should be extended to secondary schools. We speak about children but we have no women's refuge in Carlow. While we are getting one, we need to it really urgently. I have families coming in to me with young children who are being evicted. They cannot find a place to rent. I and the Government need to get the women's refuge up and running in Carlow. We all met the childcare providers last week and spoke about the challenges that exist. I ask that core funding be looked at in the budget. One other thing, which is very important, is that children with disabilities are facing huge challenges accessing services. Community health care organisation, CHO 5 has faced huge challenges and I ask that we look at this in the budget.
This Saturday, I hope we will see thousands of people on the streets at the cost of living demonstration, assembling at 1 o'clock at Parnell Square and marching to the Dáil. There will many people there, including pensioners, trade unionists, students, anti-poverty groups and housing advocacy groups. They will have many different reasons for marching over the cost-of-living and housing crisis. Undoubtedly, one of the most abhorrent aspects of the cost-of-living and housing crisis is child poverty and child homelessness. Surely the Taoiseach would acknowledge that it is a shameful indictment of the Government that the latest homeless figures show the highest level of child homelessness the country has ever seen. That figure has got worse every month since the Government lifted the eviction ban and is set to get worse still, as the number of notices to quit that are being served on families has also increased dramatically over recent months. I ask the Taoiseach when he is going to take action, or what action he intends to take, to stop more children being driven into homelessness and to prevent the damage that is done to children languishing in homelessness or set to go into it, or the terror. I am dealing with many families where the children are literally paralysed with fear because they know in a few weeks or a couple of months, they are likely to end up homeless. What is the Taoiseach going to do to stop it? It is just getting worse. There is no solution being offered by the Government, none at all. I appeal to the Taoiseach to respond to an absolutely diabolical, unacceptable, shameful situation of our children being driven every day, every week into the terror of homelessness.
There was a striking article by Fintan O'Toole in today's edition of The Irish Times where he is drawing upon research by the OECD to put the fiscal cost of child poverty in Ireland at something like €20 billion, around the scale of the health budget on a yearly basis. That, of course, is on top of the moral shame and human impact of people growing up in poverty and all the impact it has on people. One aspect of that which Deputy Boyd Barrett has spoken about is the whole question of homelessness. There have been lots of studies now of the psychological, mental and physical impact on children growing up in homelessness. It is devastating and has an impact well beyond the point at which they manage to get out of homelessness, perhaps a year or two or three years after going into it. How much is going to be too much for the Government? A striking thing from the homeless figures last week is that almost 4,000 children are homeless now. It is the highest number of children homeless since August 2019. Over the course of the winter, are we going to see the figure going up towards the 5,000 mark? How much is going to be too much for this Government? What would cause the Government to say, "stop, enough children are homeless," to reinstate the eviction ban and use the time allowed by that to do the measures that will actually make a fundamental difference in terms of proper rent controls, tenants' rights and building of social and affordable housing?
I have just met families with children who were attending St. Michael's House. Just before they graduated this year, they received a letter telling them there would be no places for them in adult day services. Since then, the families have found out that the HSE knew this was going to be the case for about 12 months beforehand, at least since May 2022. The families were never told. They have never been told why this information was not shared with them. In July, I attended a meeting with the families and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, where they were given assurances that the HSE would be providing places for them and that they would be in place by this September. However, most families still have no places, no concrete information, no dates as to when there will be places made available and no commitments on transport, which is essential. Some families have been told that places will become available when existing service users no longer need them. This is a terrible way to treat people. It shows a severe lack of planning, which is putting the lives of the families in turmoil. It means the individuals without the day services are regressing. What is the Government doing to ensure that children graduating from school have access to adult day services when they need them? What is it doing to ensure planning is done to prevent a situation like this from ever occurring again?
If we are really going to deliver the From Poverty to Potential plan, we need to get serious about a multi-agency approach and early intervention must be more than a term we use. That means we will need to see the resources in play. We will be dealing later in this House with the issue of early education and childcare. The likes of Lios na nÓg, Muirhevnamore, will talk about the additional resources they need to stay afloat, particularly because they are dealing with a huge amount of kids presenting with additional needs. I talk about the team project in Muirhevnamore and their after-school project. It is the same in Cox's Demesne. These are projects that are operating in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Dundalk. We need to make things as easy as possible. We need to recognise the work that is being done and make sure we can keep these projects afloat. They are dealing with kids day in, day out, and with multiple levels of projects. I will also mention that there are youth diversion projects being run out of those two centres also. The High Voltage youth diversion programme is one of those pilot early interventions. We need to see that operated across the board. We know we need this to happen as early as possible but we at least need to make sure we keep those projects that are in existence in operation. We can then add those further resources if we want to see real change.
I thank Deputies again for their questions. Deputy McAuliffe mentioned the very positive impact of the free school books scheme in primary schools and how it has relieved the pressure on parents trying to get their kids out for going back to school. I would add to that the hot school meals programme, which I think is very valuable, as well as the increase in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance, which helped a lot of people in the months just gone by. It is unfortunate that when we calculate poverty statistics, none of that is taken into account. The back to school clothing and footwear allowance is, but things like free GP care, lower childcare costs, hot school meals, free school books - none of that is taken into account because it is a service or help in kind rather than help in cash. One of things we are going to need is to do more research as to how we can measure these things a little bit better. I do not like the fact that the value of these things does not affect those numbers when really it should, in my view.
Deputy McAuliffe also mentioned small geographical areas that are affected by severe disadvantage. I do not think it is a case of one-size-fits-all. We do have a targeted programme under way for quite some time in the north-east inner city. We have one in Drogheda as well. I think there are plans for Cherry Orchard too. I know Ballymun is under consideration as well and that the Deputy has a particular interest in that part of the city. It is something we need to extend to more areas and to do it on a programme-based, logical basis, based on data, deprivation data in particular. It is something we are working on at the moment.
Deputy Murnane O'Connor raised the issue of hot school meals and suggested they be extended to all schools. I definitely agree with that sentiment. We should not forget that most disadvantaged kids do not attend DEIS schools.
There are children who may not be classified as being disadvantaged but for whatever reasons their parents do not provide them with the basic meals that they need. I know the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is a particular fan of the hot school meals programme. She wants to expand it and has sought expressions of interest from non-DEIS schools that may be interested in taking up the programme. Again, I am not sure how much will be provided for that in the budget at this stage because nothing has yet been agreed.
Deputy Murnane O'Connor also advocated in favour of extending free school books to secondary schools. I know the Minister, Deputy Foley, has said that is very much part of her medium-to-long-term plan as well. Again, at this stage I cannot say what will or not be in the budget next Tuesday because it is not agreed yet.
On funding for childcare and early years education, funding is now more than €1 billion a year so it has increased very significantly. The focus we want for the next couple of years is on affordability, that is, making childcare more affordable for parents, making it more available, because I know that is a huge issue in large parts of the country, including in my constituency where it is very difficult to get a place at all at the moment, and also raising standards and quality.
With regard to the challenge of family homelessness, which was raised by a number of Deputies, in July, 1,839 families were in State-provided emergency accommodation. That included 3,829 children. That is a shockingly high number. It is already too many. The solution is additional social housing, and lots of it. We are ramping up social housing dramatically at the moment. More social housing was built last year than in any year since the 1970s, and I believe we will exceed that again this year. Social housing benefits everyone, not just those who receive it but it also frees up properties for other people to rent and has a dampening effect on house prices in general. It is a good thing that over the past ten years we have seen a significant increase in social housing, both in raw numbers and percentage terms, and we want that to continue.
In terms of the eviction ban, as Deputies will know unfortunately when it was in place last year, homelessness continued to rise, and it has been rising at a rate of 1% or 2% per month since the ban was lifted.
Housing for All commits to enhancing prevention and early intervention services for children and their families to provide improved tenancy sustainment measures to families experiencing long-term homelessness to help them exit from homelessness and maintain their homes. Budget 2023 allocated €10 million in capital funding for emergency accommodation for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. This will achieve the expansion of Housing First towards the achievement of more than 1,300 new Housing First tenancies.
Guaranteed State investment of more than €4 billion a year in housing is aimed at increasing housing supply. Indicators are positive and show that the Housing for All plan is taking root and supply is increasing. Further measures also being taken to deal with family homelessness are to increase and accelerate the supply of social housing, which I mentioned earlier, an increase in the number of social housing acquisitions under the tenant in situ scheme - we aimed to purchase about 1,500 homes from landlords selling up this year, allowing those tenants to transition from housing assistance payment, HAP, and rental accommodation scheme, RAS, to a regular social housing tenancy - and funding in place to provide 11,813 new social homes this year, of which more than 9,000 will be new builds. The Department is also working with local authorities to bring on stream an additional 2,000 beds in homeless emergency accommodation.
Deputy Paul Murphy mentioned Fintan O'Toole's article in The Irish Times today. I have not had a chance to read it yet but I will. I know he writes very well on this particular issue.
Deputy Cian O'Callaghan raised the issue of adult day services. I know that is a priority for the Department. There have been some real difficulties recruiting staff. I will make sure he gets a more detailed reply in writing from the Department.
Deputy Ó Murchú made a very strong case for projects that are helping children in Dundalk. He made a very good argument for funding to be retained for those services.
There is less than three minutes left so, with the permission of Deputies, I will not continue, as there would be no time for supplementary questions. There would be barely enough time for the Taoiseach to reply. Is that agreed? Agreed.