Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [36610/24]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach if he intends to establish additional units or divisions in his Department to those outlined in the programme for Government. [36728/24]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [38044/24]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach if he will give an update on the programme for Government. [40036/24]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach if he will give an update on the programme for Government. [40039/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

Individual commitments in the programme for Government are advanced through the co-ordinating mechanisms of the Cabinet committee structure. The ten Cabinet committees established by this Government reflect the full range of policy areas that are set out in the programme for Government.

Cabinet committees meet regularly to accomplish and advance their work. The strategy statements of all Government Departments reflect the national priorities outlined in the programme for Government. The Department of the Taoiseach is continuing to help advance the programme for Government commitments in the following significant policy areas: implementation of the Housing for All strategy, including additional initiatives as necessary, to advance crucial housing-related commitments; continued engagement at European Union and international level on the situation in the Middle East, including by calling for an immediate ceasefire in both Gaza and between Israel and Hezbollah, the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza and for a surge in unhindered humanitarian access to the people of Gaza and Lebanon, as well as insisting on full observance of international law by all parties; increased funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA; and working to build consensus at a European Union level to take a more proactive approach in assisting a negotiated two-state solution and lasting peace process. On 28 May, Ireland formally recognised the State of Palestine. The Government took this decision in co-ordination with Spain and Norway to support the two-state solution. It fulfils our commitment under the programme for Government.

We are working on engagement with EU leaders to advance high-level objectives in the programme for Government, in particular, economic and competitiveness issues; energy security; external relations, including with the UK; as well as continuing our strong, collective EU response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

It also includes pursuing our international commitments, including strengthening our relationship with the United States and implementing the UN sustainable development goals; advancing the Government's commitments on shared island; ensuring implementation of the New Decade, New Approach commitments, working with the relevant Departments North and South in advancing these goals; strengthening the British-Irish bilateral relationship, including with London and the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland; and implementing the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and the Government's climate action plan.

The programme also includes advancements in Sláintecare, such as improving access, outcomes and affordability for patients by increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the workforce infrastructure and provision of patient care and supporting the development of the next national disability strategy that will set out a blueprint for the future realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We will provide the necessary framework for whole-of-government action on disability over the coming years.

There will be oversight of implementation of the third domestic sexual and gender-based violence strategy, along with the development of a well-being framework for Ireland and driving its whole-of-government integration in policymaking and budgetary systems. We will see the implementation of harnessing digital, the digital Ireland framework published in February 2022, on progressing our wider digital agenda. The programme included the establishment of a child poverty and well-being programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach to progress commitments identified in the programme for Government that will have the greatest impact on the lives of children who experience poverty. The programme also includes establishing and progressing the work of our citizens' assemblies.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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A week ago, I canvassed in a mid-size Irish town outside the greater Dublin area. I knocked on a door and the man who answered told me that within the past ten years six pubs, two hotels and two banks in the town had closed. He said people cannot get a hot meal in the town any more. The town is similar to hundreds of other towns outside the greater Dublin area. In reality, there are two economies in this country. Anybody who has walked the main streets of most towns outside the greater Dublin area would say they are festooned with dereliction and empty buildings.

Today, thousands of people are on Molesworth Street to protest the fact that their sector is being hammered. One man said his business is operating on quicksand and the Government is hiking the cost of doing business. The sector faces the most expensive electricity and among the dearest fuel costs in the whole of Europe. At the same time, businesses are being hammered on the tax side. The owners of small cafés, restaurants and pubs are hardly making a living, but are being put into the same category as massive hotels in Dublin that make millions of euro in profit. Will the Government consider splitting those two elements? In reality, there are two separate sectors with two separate business models. Will the Government reduce the VAT rate from 23% to 9% for those businesses? They are the heart and soul of most areas. If they are not allowed to function, the heart and soul of so many towns will be ripped out.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I would like to address a question raised by the Dundalk Democrat, namely, Louth County Council putting Uisce Éireann on notice regarding grave concerns about a number of network pumping stations and wastewater treatment issues. There were huge issues in Dundalk and north County Louth this time last year. There have been heavy rains recently causing major worry. There are questions in regard to capacity. While there are plans for wastewater, the treatment plant impacts on my estate, Bay Estate, and nearby estates. It is an issue that needs to be highlighted.

I have spoken about huge infrastructural deficits. I believe all local Oireachtas Members have been called in to Louth County Council and my fear is that it will relate to Uisce Éireann and capacity. As I said, I have seen plans but I hope we are not in a situation whereby they will be not delivered fast enough to prevent further flooding. We also need to make sure we have the capacity to deliver the necessary housing, as well as the industrial units and so on that we are very glad to have in Dundalk. This issue needs to be addressed. We cannot rely on not having heavy rains into the future.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The residents of the Mount Farron estate in Blackpool on Cork's northside have been dealing week in and week out since mid-July with dirty and discoloured water. Since last Saturday morning, there has been an unrelenting stream of urine coloured water. Let us leave aside how people have a cup of tea. How do they do their laundry or have a shower? Residents asked me to bring a sample of their water supply into the Dáil Chamber. I agreed to do so. I have it here. I ask the Taoiseach to have a look at it. It is disgusting. The Taoiseach is more than welcome to come over here and sit beside me when this session is over and have a closer look or even a sup, if he dares to go that far. When will Uisce Éireann and the Minister get on top of this issue? When will some class of relief be offered to these residents and others like them who are being put through this purgatory? It is unrelenting. People have been dealing with this, every minute of every day, since the middle of July.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The programme for Government made commitments on legacy issues, specifically the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. I have been asked by those campaigning, including families, victims and so on, to raise what they believe is the outrageous failure of the Government and Garda to release the files relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings to Operation Newham, that is, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's investigation into those bombings and the collusion of the loyalist killers with British intelligence and what the Garda knew about all of this. It is inexplicable that those files are not being released.

Campaigners now have to take the Minister and Garda to court in order to get the files on the single biggest atrocity that took place during the Troubles released. What is the State hiding? Why is the State not co-operating to the nth degree with the families and victims of those who were massacred in this atrocity? Why do they have to take the State to court in order to get the files released regarding what the Garda knew about the bombings and collusion? Could somebody please explain this? Can somebody do what the campaigners are asking? It is absolutely incredible.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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The programme for Government states, "We do not support the impartation of fracked gas" and "[W]e do not believe that it make(s) sense to develop LNG gas import terminals importing fracked gas". The Government received legal advice three years ago that fracked gas import could not be banned under EU law. The only way to stop fracked gas imports is by not building the LNG infrastructure to receive them.

The Government voted last Thursday to designate LNG as strategic infrastructure that could be fast-tracked to an coimisiún pleanála and not be subject to the normal planning process. This follows a High Court ruling two weeks ago that enables the Shannon LNG planning application to be resubmitted. Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly welcomed that ruling and said he hoped it will enable this project to move forward swiftly. Referencing the Planning and Development Bill, he said it is essential that projects like Shannon LNG, in other words, other LNG terminals, receive timely decisions. Is that the position of the Taoiseach and Government? Is the Government backing LNG and fracked gas imports while we are seeing the consequences of climate catastrophe unfolding in front of our eyes, most recently in the US, in particular in Florida?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In response to Deputy Tóibín's point, I travel around this country regularly and visit towns and villages of all sizes. I take part of the point he makes regarding the need to rejuvenate and regenerate many of our main streets in mid-size towns. I point to a number of projects across the country in terms of rural and urban regeneration and the funds that have been used. I think of Clonmel as one example where the old barracks have been put into public use and the vitality that will bring to Tipperary.

The specific point the Deputy made in relation to the cost base facing small and medium businesses is very valid. I am concerned about it. As I said earlier, when I go into these businesses they seem extremely busy but when they pull me aside they tell me they are busy but struggling to make ends meet. We took a number of steps in the budget to try to assist them, including on the specific issue the Deputy mentioned, electricity. We will provide €4,000 before Christmas to help people in the hospitality and retail sectors with their electricity bills. We have also specifically increased the VAT threshold, which will exclude some smaller and start-up businesses from the burden of charging VAT.

There is some validity in the broader point the Deputy made about VAT reform, if I can call it that. We are somewhat constrained by how many VAT rates we can have under European law. I think it is four. However, in the aftermath of the budget I have asked the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, to engage with the sector and review how our VAT laws interact with the hospitality and retail sectors and other small businesses and the cost base facing them. I will be happy to correspond with the Deputy on that.

Deputy Ó Murchú raised Uisce Éireann, specifically a pumping station and wastewater treatment issues in Dundalk and north Louth, the impact they are having and the fact that there are plans in place. I will seek an update for him from Uisce Éireann about the speedy delivery of them. However, more broadly, bringing me also to Deputy Barry's question, in the budget we allocated an additional €1 billion to Uisce Éireann using the proceeds of the AIB shares. That means in practice that to the best of my knowledge Uisce Éireann is now fully funded to meet its needs until 2028, based on what it told the Government it requires. My question back to Uisce Éireann is when it will be able to address the horrific situation the Deputy described. I do not need to sit any closer to him to see how vile and awful a situation it is for the Deputy's constituents on the northside of Cork to have to experience. We have allocated significant capital to Uisce Éireann. The Deputy will be aware that, at his request, and in fairness he brings this up regularly, I have corresponded extensively with Uisce Éireann and I was assured that a number actions would be taken such as clearing and interim works. However, I will go back to the chief executive of Uisce Éireann in light of what the Deputy raised today. I am satisfied the Government has provided significant additional resources on behalf of the taxpayer to help it to accelerate its actions.

In the interest of making sure I am fully accurate and fully up to date, I will ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to correspond with the Deputy on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. However, my understanding is that his position and the position of the Government is that we are co-operating fully with investigations and inquiries about that. The families deserve justice and truth. I think President Higgins spoke for all of us when he spoke so forcefully at the commemoration, which I attended. I want these families to get truth and justice. My understanding is that there are active Garda investigations, or at least files that remain open. However, I will get a direct update for the Deputy in writing and ask the Tánaiste to correspond with him.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The campaigners will have to go to court.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I do not want that to have to be the situation, quite honestly. I really do not.

On the issue of LNG, the Planning and Development Act 2023 restated the factual position. The Government has not taken any policy decisions in that regard. Our policy position under climate legislation, and with respect to where we want to get to, is that we want to produce clean, renewable energy and to move from being a net importer of energy that is bad for the climate to being a net exporter of clean, green energy. That is where we want to go. There is a legitimate question about the period of transition. How do we fill the gap from where we are today to having the offshore wind energy capacity we need for the country and to export? In that context alone can other projects be considered.