Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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In two weeks' time, we will mark the two-year anniversary of the Creeslough tragedy. It was a day when time stopped for the people of that community. The explosion took the lives of ten innocent people. Families were left torn apart and desperate for answers. Two years on, the families still do not have those answers and feel forgotten about. We have a Garda investigation still ongoing, which will determine whether criminal negligence was involved. That, however, will answer only one question. Some of the families have written to the Government seeking a public inquiry into the tragedy. These families want a full account of what happened in order that this is never allowed to happen to any other family anywhere on this island ever again. Last night, we saw on "Prime Time" the mother of Leona Harper and the father of Jessica Gallagher plead with us to help them to find these answers. We in this House cannot turn back time or undo the tragedy but we can still help these families. Will the Government consider their pleas for a public inquiry, and when will the Government make a decision on that matter?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for bringing our attention to the incredibly tragic events that happened in Creeslough. I remember the way in which the country rallied around at the time. Even earlier this year, one of the local GAA clubs came down to my local GAA club in Castleknock and there was a wonderful day of support. It is entirely reasonable that families are asking questions about how the events of that day and what preceded them took place. As the Deputy said, there is an active Garda investigation under way. It is important that anything we might do does not interfere with that, and I am sure he agrees with me on that.

We have to tease out what a potential inquiry would look like, what the families want to see from any such inquiry and what type of inquiry it would be. There are different mechanisms in that regard and they can and do achieve different results. The line Minister is considering this at the moment. I cannot give the Deputy a date today as to when we will have an answer for the families, but consideration is being given to the letter they have sent to the Government.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I want to return to an issue I raised yesterday, namely the Taoiseach's comments at the weekend which appeared to draw a connection between migration and homelessness. I know the Minister made a statement rightly pointing out that international protection applicants do not have a right to HAP or State housing supports. The reality is that the principal reason for homelessness is the lack of houses, the lack of homes. It is certainly not helpful to hear Government Ministers appearing to scapegoat migrants. Nor is it helpful, however, to hear the biggest Opposition party buying into the same political rhetoric. This morning, we all heard Deputy Doherty single out those who have come here seeking refuge from Ukraine. It is neither helpful nor appropriate to have anyone, in government or opposition, suggesting in any way that those who have come here fleeing Russia's brutal bombardment of Ukraine have in some way contributed to a housing crisis that is of the Government's making. Communities across Ireland have stood in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and I am really disappointed to hear that Sinn Féin is clearly offering a cold shoulder to them. At this point, at this new low in the political vernacular, when we hear this sort of scapegoating, will the Minister tell us why the Government has watered down the hate crime Bill and when the Minister for Justice will bring forward those amendments in the Seanad-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you, Deputy Bacik. We are way over time. I am sorry.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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-----that will see at least some aspect of the Bill come into law?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On the matter of housing and meeting our international obligations, I am very clear that I do not agree with the comments Deputy Doherty put forward. As a Minister who has the job to provide accommodation for people and is providing accommodation through that payment, I am not clear what his solution is in respect of the thousands of people who rely on that payment right now if it is withdrawn.

As regards the hate crime legislation, I have always sought, as part of the Government, to ensure that hate crimes are treated as such. There were 651 hate incidents in our country last year, but we can speak to them only as incidents right now because they are not actually criminal. The targeting of somebody because he or she is black or gay is not considered by the law right now. As Minister and as one of the people who helped to negotiate the programme for Government, ensuring that such legislation is put in place has always been a priority for me. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, will bring forward the relevant amendments shortly in the Seanad.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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I want to ask the Minister about childcare and core funding. Parents with children in the Little Rainbows crèche in my constituency were told by the operator this summer that the operator was withdrawing from core funding and increasing its fees. The increased fees are simply not sustainable or affordable for many of the parents, forcing some of them to choose whether they can continue to afford to work. As the Minister knows, this is not an isolated case; this has been unfolding in similar situations across the country. There are no protections in place for parents and they have no right to appeal these decisions. Will the Minister and his Department engage with the operator in this instance to find a resolution that will work for parents and their children? What is the Department doing to tackle this?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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What we are doing to tackle it is make core funding as attractive as possible for providers. Ultimately, providers have a right to make decisions, and we look to make core funding attractive to them. We have done that by growing the overall amount of core funding available to funders. This year, it will go to €331 million, a 15% increase. We have also recognised, however, that the fee freeze that is in place impacted certain providers differently according to when they last raised their fees. We have put in place a mechanism whereby a provider whose fees are out of line with neighbouring providers can apply to make a fee increase, again trying to bring fairness and equality into the system. There are a number of services under that umbrella. My understanding is that one of those services has subsequently contracted with core funding and the parents there will be able to get the benefits of the lower levels of fees. However, we have done all we can to make the core funding as attractive as possible for services.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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There is a crisis in Cork city with the bus service.

For weeks, commuters have been mass-reporting buses that are late, never come or are full and drive past the stops. People are arriving late for work, college and hospital appointments. The root cause of the problem is a crisis in the recruitment and retention of drivers. The 2017 drivers’ contract offers no enhancement of conditions for drivers with years built up in the job and is a huge part of the retention crisis. News broke this morning that Bus Éireann plans to cut services on five city routes on October 20th, namely, the 202, 202A, 205, 208 and 220 routes. It describes it as a temporary measure pending recruitment of new drivers, but it has given no date for the resumption of the normal timetable.

Will the Minister accept there is now a crisis in public transport in Cork? Will he ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, to see the crisis first hand by visiting? Will he address the recruitment and retention crisis by improving the pay and conditions of this workforce?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy Barry. I am aware of this issue. There is nothing more frustrating than the ghost bus or service that goes past because it is full. In my own area, Dublin Bus took measures in the last two years to increase recruitment, which is a major challenge for public transport operators all over the country. Dublin Bus has been able to increase recruitment by 10%. I strongly support any measures Bus Éireann can take to ensure recruitment is enhanced in the area which would allow a return to the previous levels of service that the Deputy indicated.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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I congratulate the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, on becoming leader of the Green Party. Approximately a fortnight ago, on Damien Tiernan’s show on Waterford Local Radio FM, the Minister pleaded ignorance on the status of the Waterford Airport business case but promised to look into it. The Green Party considers politics to be an honourable profession, but the people of Waterford are aggrieved in respect of the Waterford Airport business case. We are not being spoken to honestly on this matter. Even Government TDs have expressed outrage at the sandbagging going on. Waterford hoped for a Green Party Minister, but instead a Senator was chosen to be alleviated to Cabinet. At the same time, as leader of the Green Party, he has allowed, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to squat in office, which goes against the practice of Ministers not contesting elections being asked to resign.

The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, said on local radio on Monday that the resolution of the airport debacle will require a change of Minister. Waterford awaits some honesty on these matters. Will the Minister provide it to us?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy Shanahan. I had the opportunity to meet with the chamber of commerce and its new chief executive when I was in Waterford. We discussed a range of issues in respect of the enhanced level of infrastructure in Waterford. We talked about the university. I was glad to see the veterinary school that we discussed has now been awarded. I absolutely understand that clarity on the enhanced level of investment for Waterford Airport is required. It is something on which I have engaged with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, since I met with the chamber of commerce. It is something on which I will endeavour to engage with him again.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I too wish the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, well as leader of the Green Party. I have serious concerns about his attitude and behaviour towards communities in which IPAS centres are opening, however. We have now lost three hotels in Tipperary – Racket Hall in Roscrea, Hearns Hotel in Clonmel and Dundrum House Hotel. The Minister refused steadfastly to meet the people of Dundrum, a village of 200 people in which 286 IPAS people were put. The Taoiseach met Andrea Crowe and Nora O’Dwyer, who are two local people, briefly in Clonmel recently. He said he would come back to them with answers. There are no answers. These are decent people. There is no such thing as far right and there is no intimidation or anything else. They want to be listened to and respected as good-living people, instead of decisions being forced on them while the Minister hides and will not meet them. Will the Minister meet a deputation of the people of Dundrum? It is a lovely, famed village. It is a wonderful place with good business people. They are being treated like second-class citizens. They are not being helped. A force of 200 Gardaí was sent down one morning, at a cost of €26,000. It was like the siege of Dundrum. That is not the way to treat ordinary people. I remind the Minister that we live in a democracy.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, as part of our emergency response to both the needs of Ukrainians and international protection applicants, we have opened accommodation all over the country. Many times this accommodation is welcomed by the local communities. Sometimes, there are questions and tensions. That is why is I set up a community engagement team within my Department. The community engagement team has engaged with residents from Dundrum. It has engaged with Deputy McGrath on many occasions on many individual properties. That is the best way to manage and to understand local issues.

To be clear, 280 Ukrainians were living in that location. There are now 280 international protection applicants there. They are families just like it was previously. When Ukrainians were living there, there was great support from the people of Dundrum. I have no doubt, working together, we can ensure a similar level of support for the international protection families.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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A group of students in the west of Ireland who have qualified as psychiatric nurses have contacted me. They were previously told there would be full-time work for them. From what I understand, there are approximately 11 or 12 of them who will be taken on full time. At a time when we are employing huge numbers of agency nurses, what sort of mathematics goes on in the HSE? Do we want to actually start employing young people in this country? We have an opportunity to do it. Are we going to educate young people for England or Australia to have the benefit out of what we are doing? Will the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, instruct the HSE to make sure all those students who have gone through the whole process and are fully qualified in the psychiatric service, a service which is actually in turmoil at the moment, will be taken on full time?

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Fitzmaurice for his question. I acknowledge the important role psychiatric nurses play in our health sector every day of the week. It is important to note that the Department of Health and the HSE have committed to offer 2024 graduate psychiatric nurses positions within the HSE. All services must work within recruitment ceilings. Not all graduates can be offered a position in their preferred location, but there are plenty of jobs that will be allocated. We are going to recruit the 2024 graduate psychiatric nurses, but they must work within the recruitment ceilings in a particular area.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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While the zero-trolley policy is putting a certain gloss on trolley numbers in UHL, it is absolutely failing Ennis Hospital. In any year, although we bemoan it, we expect elective surgeries to be cancelled for a few weeks around the Christmas period in Ennis Hospital. This year, however, elective surgeries were cancelled from 27 July onwards. In nine weeks, there has only been elective surgery in Ennis Hospital for four days. That is unforgivable. It means the theatre nurses are reassigned to the medical wards of the hospital. Guess what? The consultants, who are on public contracts, have no patient lists to see. They are effectively on golf leave for nine weeks. It is absurd. It is failing the region. It is disproportionate. In Nenagh Hospital, elective surgeries are allowed. UHL has elective surgery. There are no elective surgeries in Ennis Hospital. I am asking for this protocol to be reversed.

As I said, in other years, we had this protocol for a small period. This year, we have already well exceeded the 42 days of cancellations of elective surgery of 2023. We started cancelling surgeries in July. It is unforgivable. We have to row back on this protocol urgently for the sake of public healthcare in Clare.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his question and the issues he raised. There was a Private Members’ motion tabled by Sinn Féin last night in respect of this situation in the mid-west and the challenges in UHL and the surrounding hospitals. A debate was held here where the Ministers, Deputies Donnelly and Burke, and I were present. Many issues are trying to be dealt with in UHL at the moment. One of the issues is that elective surgeries were cancelled in the hospital during August. I will raise what the Deputy has said with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. I will ask for a written response for him.

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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As the Minister is no doubt aware, the Department of Social Protection has completed a review of the reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities who wish to engage further with the workforce. Deaf Village Ireland and ChildVision are located in my constituency. There is a huge proportion of people with disabilities who want to work, but they need supports. The review found that there needs to be some restructuring of processes and supports. There were also nine key recommendations, as well as the need for a promise of some funding. Can we have an update on that?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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At a broad level, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and I, like all Ministers across government, are acutely aware of the need of the State to support people with a disability who wish to engage in employment.

1 o’clock

That will be a central pillar of the new national disability strategy. I am aware that the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has carried out a comprehensive review of the scheme. I understand there was strong feedback from businesses and employees who availed of it to the effect that it was complex. The Minister has introduced a new streamlined programme of supports for workers with disabilities. It is called the work and access programme and I understand it will form part of the new disability strategy, but I emphasise again that employment is absolutely central. Our employment rate for persons with disabilities is far below the European average and we are absolutely committed to tackling that within the new strategy.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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We are in the middle of a housing crisis, one of the Government's making, it has to be said. Recently, 681 homes were denied planning permission by An Bord Pleanála in Wicklow as a result of the failure of the planning SPC of Wicklow County Council to renew local area plans that expired in 2019. An Bord Pleanála decided there was no statutory zoning in place due to the outdated nature of these local area plans. It is absolutely unacceptable that the planning SPC in Wicklow County Council, which is controlled by Fine Gael councillors, is content to sit on its hands and allow local area plans to be expired for five years. What actions is the Government taking to ensure the failures of the planning SPC in Wicklow County Council will not result in more refusals by An Bord Pleanála of permission for badly needed houses in the council area?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. I do not agree with his initial contention. The Government has prioritised the reform of the planning process through the new planning Bill, which I hope will be a planning Act in the coming weeks. It will address many of the overlapping complexities that exist in our planning law. To be very frank with the Deputy, I am not familiar with the specific case he has highlighted concerning the Wicklow County Council SPC. However, I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to revert to him.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Today I wish to bring to the attention of the House the bullying and aggression adopted by vulture funds in pursuit of homeowners who have had their mortgages sold on to those funds for reasons I will not go into now. The funds are totally impervious to the attitudes of third-party representatives, including public representatives, and are interested in only one thing, namely pursuing their objective to the extent of getting the homeowners out on the road, perhaps making them homeless. This is deplorable in the present climate. I ask for the vulture funds to be reminded of their obligations, of the fact that they are licensed by the Central Bank and of the fact that they are not currently observing the rules of the Central Bank.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for highlighting this important issue and drawing attention to the very real implications of the pressure placed by some of the funds on households, where bills often mount and where there is a genuine sense of struggle. The point the Deputy made on what the funds are and are not licensed to do is important. I am happy to feed that back to the line Minister responsible for the Central Bank and ask him to pursue it further.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister's Green Party colleague, the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, has continued to oversee what is nothing short of a farcical situation when it comes to national roads funding, with just 34% of projects having gone to tender under pavement improvement schemes involving road safety and realignment and new national road schemes in this calendar year. We signed off on a capital plan in February 2024, three months later than is normally the case. This has been a continuous issue for the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. What has the Green Party got against roads and the projects we need to progress in rural Ireland to improve road safety, reduce fatalities and deal with the chronic underfunding of road programmes, which has been a huge issue in my constituency? In this regard, I draw attention to the Fermoy, Castlemartyr and Midleton schemes, all of which have been held up because of continuous funding uncertainty. What is the Government, including the Minister, going to do about it?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. We had a useful discussion on the wider roads budget with Deputy Healy-Rae earlier. My understanding of what Deputy O'Connor is referring to is that it relates to the issue of TII dealing with its own budget. It has been given a budget and that has not been cut. TII has the same budget it had at the start of the year and it has to make decisions on supporting some of the really big roads projects that Deputies across this House called for and also some of the smaller projects. I understand there was a movement of money earlier in the year to support the key steps on some of the bigger projects. More recently-----

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Improvement projects cannot be funded. That is what is going on.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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-----some of the money that was unspent has gone back to support the smaller road programmes. Ultimately, TII has a budget that it has to manage, like all the rest of us across government.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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The Irish Rail timetable changes have been an unmitigated disaster. On the northern line, trains are delayed. When you eventually get on the train, as I did this morning, it can be delayed for seven or eight minutes. This morning, we waited outside Connolly Station and the train itself was dangerously overcrowded. There is a massive gap in the morning schedule, leading to overcrowded trains, frustrated commuters and overcrowded platforms that are dangerous for commuters, other passengers and staff of Irish Rail. I have raised this matter directly with the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, but he appears to be asleep at the wheel, not interested or not able to deal with it. We require an intervention. We need to go back to the original timetable or make a change to the new one that works for commuters. I had an email from one of my constituents this morning in which she told me the train was so badly overcrowded that she had to sit on the ground for fear she would faint. That was before her day's work. It will be every bit as bad for her going home this evening. Can the Minister please ensure the Minister for Transport intervenes and takes some meaningful action on behalf of commuters?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. I am aware of the changes that have taken place on the northern line and their impacts on commuters. My understanding is that these are on foot of a change that we all want to see as positive, that being to ensure an hourly Enterprise service between Belfast and Dublin. That is something we all agree on, but a measure like that should not be taken at the expense of commuters. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about this particular issue. I spent all my life before having this job on public transport and I know that three or four minutes can make a big difference. If there is half-hour gap, it is even bigger. Therefore, my colleague the Minister of State, Joe O'Brien, and I will continue to engage with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, on this issue.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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If the Minister was listening to "Morning Ireland" this morning, he will have heard a constituent of mine, Jennifer, speak about what her ten-year-old child, Maggie, is going through. Maggie suffered from cancer as an infant and recovered from it. She suffers from an intellectual disability. She had been using CAMHS and was finding it difficult and hard to manage. Over a year ago, or almost 18 months ago now, CAMHS stated she needed to be under a mental health intellectual disability team. However, there is no mental health intellectual disability team in CHO 1. I understand there are only four teams in the country and people cannot move between them. I raised this with the Tánaiste over a year ago and have raised it several times here, and Jennifer has now raised the matter publicly on the national airwaves. We need the Government to step in to ensure the affected children and their parents can have some hope of getting assistance. Jennifer stays awake all night on many nights and is not able to manage. If she needs medication, she cannot have it prescribed unless she is with one of the teams, but the State refuses to give her one.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Since I took office, my priority has been to roll out the clinical programmes across all areas. There are five clinical programmes and also five models of care. When I came into this job, there were three eating disorder teams, but we now have 12. We had no ADHD teams for adults but we now have seven funded, with five in place. We have four mental health teams for people with intellectual disabilities, as the Deputy said. I have come from a meeting this morning with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe; the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly; and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Burke, to try to secure as much funding as I can for next year's budget to continue to roll out the clinical programmes so we do not have a postcode lottery. It can only be done incrementally, and that is what I am trying to achieve. I am building on it year on year. If the Deputy wants to send me the details of the case, I will certainly have it looked into.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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There is a major wastewater crisis in west Cork which is nothing short of a scandal. In Shannonvale near Clonakilty raw sewage is bursting out of the tanks into a now closed-off play park and seeping down to the waterway that feeds Clonakilty's mains water. This has been going on for 29 years. Dunmanway wastewater treatment plant has awaited upgrading for the past seven years. That led to a serious discharge of sewage into the Bandon river a couple of months ago. The failure of this Government to provide funds for the Dunmanway scheme means that absolutely no housing development can take place in Dunmanway until funding is provided, which could be another five to ten years, according to Uisce Éireann.

In Rosscarbery, Warren beach was closed to the public this year on more than one occasion, due again to an age-old wastewater treatment plant bursting at the seems, as photographs show suspended solids clearly visible. Again, Uisce Éireann says it will be another five to ten years before repairs are carried out. Further west, the wastewater tank in Goleen is more than 25 years waiting for a replacement and raw sewage is entering into the tide running beside it. This is a legacy of the Green, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Government that has its eye off the ball. There is no accountability with Uisce Éireann and no accountability with the EPA. What is the Minister's answer to the people of Shannonvale, Rosscarbery, Dunmanway and Goleen who have waited decades for wastewater repairs?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Deputy made the political point that this has been happening for 27 years. This Government has been here for four years so I do not think he can say it is a legacy of this Government.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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However, his point is valid in terms of the public health and environmental health impact. It is also no doubt placing a limitation on the ability to undertake new developments in the area because of the lack of wastewater infrastructure. Uisce Éireann has spent €1.5 billion annually on wastewater infrastructure. I do not know why the project the Deputy referred to has not been prioritised. It sounds like something that is really important. I will raise that issue with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate the Minister on his elevation as leader of the Green Party. Today I raise the urgent matter of the need for a special education school for the pupils and students of County Monaghan. I know my constituency colleague, Deputy Matt Carthy, will agree with me on this. I understand a review is under way at the moment but the parents cannot wait any longer. The chief executive of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, John Kearney, is working with the Minister, Deputy Foley, on that. I thank the Minister, Deputy Foley, for meeting with the parents on a number of occasions. However, at this time there is no special education school in County Monaghan. The Holy Family school, which is a state-of-the-art facility in County Cavan, is expected to deal with both counties and have the capacity for both counties and currently it does not. Students may be in ASD units in mainstream school. It is completely inappropriate and unsuitable with the result that children are not attending, they are on reduced hours and sometimes being schooled from home. I ask the Minister please to expedite that as quickly as possible.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this with me. I am not going to give the rote reply on how many ASD classes are in the area. ASD classes are great but we know there are some students who need the extra supports of a special school. I have been involved with the formation of one in my own area, Danu Community Special School, and it is doing absolutely amazing work.

What I will say is, I know the team in the NCSE, and particularly since John Kearney came in it has enhanced its ability to move forward these projects and to work much more closely with the Department and the planning unit of the Department in terms of delivery. I will take the message back to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I know the Deputy is already engaging with her and it is great to see her direct engagement with parents. In the context of this review, let us see that we get this development prioritised.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are out of time but three Deputies remain. I will take 30-second questions. I call Deputy Matt Carthy.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Is the Government actively seeking to dismantle the adult education sector? How else could the Minister explain a situation where adult education tutors with Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board, ETB, and other regions, were informed at minimal notice that their contracts were suspended and that their classes would not commence in September as planned? How could the Minister explain a situation where students planning to commence courses or to advance their qualifications actually turned up, only to be told that the courses had been cancelled? We are told that ETBs have cancelled these courses due to reduced budget allocations from SOLAS and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Does the Minister stand over this situation? Does he realise the impact this will have on adult education? If so, will he ensure that the Government immediately intervenes to resolve this matter urgently?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Earlier this year a new bus shelter programme was announced, in particular for several counties, including county Wexford. Two specific bus shelters have been awaiting approval. In the budget, €500,000 was announced. They waited for the guidelines which they did not get until last May. Wexford County Council submitted the list in July but has not received sanction. This money has to be spent. Unless groundworks start in the next month they will not be ready for this year. It is a ridiculous scenario that the National Transport Authority, NTA, announced this in January or February 2024 and it cannot even be started in 2024. Will the Minister please ask what the delay is?

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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The budget provides a real opportunity for meaningful action on child poverty. I attended a meeting last week of the Children's Rights Alliance which is campaigning fiercely on the issue of child poverty. Social protection supports are a key part of that. It is imperative we use the budget to provide targeted payments to end child poverty. Will the Minister commit to serious action on child poverty in the upcoming budget?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are three questions for the Minister.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy Carthy. As someone who worked in adult education at the start of my own career, I understand its value. I do not know the reason why those employees in the Cavan-Monaghan ETB have not been given the full level of hours but I will raise it directly with the relevant line Minister because I know how important those courses are and how much adult education means to so many people, particularly elderly people in reducing social isolation.

In reply to Deputy Verona Murphy, having stood at many a bus stop in Irish weather I know how important those shelters are. Again I do not know the reason for the delay but I am happy to have it raised.

Finally in reply to Deputy Costello, absolutely this Government highlighted child poverty as a priority issue for ourselves in terms of the child poverty unit created in the Department of the Taoiseach. Budget time is when we really demonstrate that. Points that I will be arguing outside of my own Department will be an increase in the qualified child increase, QCI, and in the working family payment. The Green Party suggested the idea of a baby boost which is not targeted on socio-economic grounds but on timing grounds. When a new child arrives, I do not think there is any family that is not under some sort of financial pressure at that stage. In my Department, I am hoping for funding for Equal Start, the DEIS model for early years that actually kickstarted two weeks ago, to broaden it further in September 2025.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Before moving onto the next business I am asked to recognise and welcome a community group from Dawn Court Day Centre, Athlacca, County Limerick. It is always good to have Limerick people here.