Alan Dillon
Mayo · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Landlords are generally not in a position to supervise day-to-day waste management practices within occupied properties. The Government therefore has significant concerns regarding both the practicality and effectiveness of these provisions.”
“The Government has commissioned an independent study to examine the feasibility of moving Ireland's household waste collection system from the current side-by-side competition model to a franchise-based system. That study is examining the environmental, economic, operational and consumer implications of alternative market structures.”
“If the evidence supports significant changes to the market structure, the Government will consider those recommendations carefully. If the evidence suggests improvements can be achieved through strengthened regulation, enhanced enforcement or targeted reforms within the existing framework, those options should also be considered.”
“We also want to see a well-designed waste collection system that not only delivers environmental benefits but also provides householders with the opportunity to reduce their own household waste costs through reducing residual waste, correctly segregating recyclable materials and correctly segregating organic materials.”
“We have a lack of capacity so we need to continue that, and investment certainty is really important in that regard but also to enable Ireland to meet both our national and European obligations, which are far reaching. These will all benefit from a stable and predictable policy framework.”
“Ireland requires continued investment across the waste and resource sector. We need investment in collection infrastructure, recycling capacity, material recovery technologies, organic waste treatment, digital systems and innovation. Those making long-term investments require certainty regarding Government policy.”
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“I thank the Senator again for raising these important matters and for all of his previous work as Minister of State in the Department. Given the interconnected nature of the world's oceans in the context of marine environmental policy, we need to continue at a national level to ensure that we develop it as a national priority. It is also important in the context of climate change, ocean currents, migration of species and the broader ocean ecosystem that there be a national, regional and global approach. We must remain connected to other requirements and ensure they are done in a more managed and sustainable way. We have seen, most recently, that threats to the unique environment of Antarctic have a global impact. Participation in the ATS will complement existing work.”
“Officials are currently in process of preparing the general scheme of a Bill to amend the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 to enable us to create more MPAs using the designated maritime area plan process. This work is at an advanced stage and it is intended to bring a general scheme to the Government for approval at the earliest opportunity. Work on the legislation to provide for MPAs complements our continued work on a national and transboundary basis under the marine strategy framework directive. The Department will also proceed to identify the necessary legislative, administrative and policy measures needed to fully implement the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement. The Department is very much focused on progressing this.”
“For this reason, the Government approved the establishment of the interdepartmental group under the direction of that Department to agree next steps regarding Ireland's accession to the ATS. This marine environmental function subsequently transferred the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment on 1 August 2025 and has been delegated to the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley. As the Senator will be aware, our current focus is on ensuring that threatened species, habitats, and ecosystem services in our own maritime area and the wider north east Atlantic region are protected. With this in mind, the priority has been the drafting of legislation to provide for marine protected areas, MPAs.”
“These range from acceding only to the Antarctic Treaty and introducing minimal legislation related to this, to acceding to the treaty, the Madrid protocol and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and introducing a range of legislative and administrative tools to ensure compliance with each of these instruments. An interdepartmental group will determine what level of participation is appropriate for Ireland in terms of the parts of the treaty we should accede to. It will also identify the structures and associated resource requirements necessary for such participation. As the Senator knows, having served as a Minister of State previously, marine environmental matters were a core competence of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.”
“This report provided an overview of the obligations of the ATS, which consists of several different international legal instruments including the 1959 Antarctic Treaty; the 1980 Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources; the 1972 Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals: and the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection 1991. Each of these has a different focus and set of requirements on participating states. The report advised that it would be possible to sign up to the ATS with different degrees of commitment.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this important topic and for his advocacy for Ireland becoming a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty. In 2021 the Taoiseach requested that the Minister for Foreign Affairs re-examine the merits of accession to the Antarctic Treaty System, ATS, in keeping with Government policy in respect of climate change, biodiversity and multilateralism. On foot of this, the Department of Foreign Affairs commissioned an assessment of the full range of legislative, policy and administrative measures that would be necessary for Ireland to participate in the ATS. A report was prepared by Dr. Richard Collins of UCD and delivered to the Department on 12 April 2022.”
“That is where this conversation needs to start, discussing how we can further enhance and amplify messaging and continue to ensure our workplaces are safe during these events.”
“I reaffirm that worker safety remains a core priority of our Department's ethos. The existing legislative framework I outlined is strong, comprehensive and designed to ensure employers assess risk and take all necessary steps to protect staff from extreme temperatures and other hazards. While there are currently no plans to introduce paid leave for extreme weather events, guidance is available with regard to employers' and employees' rights and responsibilities during severe weather events. The HSA has a key role to play in this regard and it provides guidance, oversight and timely communication during these events, ensuring that workplaces are fully informed about their obligations and fully prepared. I reiterate my Department’s offer for further engagement with Unite to facilitate engagement with the HSA.”
“Any arrangement with regard to the provision of paid leave during extreme weather events is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee. Some employers provide for such leave as part of their policies and it may be provided for in a contract of employment between the employer and employee. My Department met officials of Unite to discuss their proposals and offered to facilitate engagement between Unite and the HSA on this matter. I encourage Unite to accept this offer to explore ways to further enhance and amplify messaging regarding extreme weather risks in the workplace.”
“Employers are legally required to assess the health and safety risks present in their workplace, including risks from excessive heat, storms or driving for work. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers must conduct a risk assessment, identify hazards, evaluate the risks they pose and put appropriate measures in place to protect employees. Extremes of temperature are defined as a hazard and must be addressed accordingly. Although there are no plans at present to introduce paid climate leave for extreme weather events, the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, provides guidelines on employer and employee rights and responsibilities during severe weather. The guidance is available to the public on the WRC website.”
“I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. I acknowledge Unite’s concerns and those of the family of the late Matthew Campbell regarding the protection of workers from extreme weather events. These concerns are understandable and the well-being of workers in all conditions must remain a priority. I am satisfied, however, that strong protections already exist in current Irish legislation. Ensuring that Irish workplaces are healthy and safe is a key priority for me and for our Department. A robust occupational safety and health regulatory framework is in place, which is essential in supporting that priority and the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, plays a vital role in delivering it. Irish law already regulates work carried out in high or low temperatures.”
“There is capital gains tax, capital acquisitions tax, local property tax and certain forms of stamp duty for property and shares for those who are in impacted. In conclusion, in the short time I had, I tried to highlight some of the areas raised by the Deputies. The Government is making very real progress in addressing the cost of living challenges. We are acutely aware of issues around rising prices on Irish households and our policies are very much focused on the data we have, notwithstanding the series of very challenging external developments.”
“It is also important to highlight the Government's continuing commitment to fair wages for the lowest paid workers in our economy, and we have seen real progress made by raising the national minimum wage in recent years by way of substantial increases. Since 2020, the national minimum wage has increased by 40% from €10.10 to today’s rate of €14.15 an hour, the second highest in the EU. Over the past number of years, these increases in the minimum wage were well ahead of inflation and have brought about substantial real wage growth for the lowest paid workers in our economy. With regard to some of the other motions around wealth tax, we do have a number of cases where wealth in Ireland is taxed.”
“With regard to the disability sector, I assure the House that improving outcomes for disabled people is a top priority for this Government. Our determination to achieve this is reflected in the key programme for Government commitment to introduce a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment. That will be provided through a dedicated disability unit that has been established through the Department of An Taoiseach. Progress will also be monitored and driven by the Cabinet committee on children, disability and education. We know that addressing the cost of disability is not a question of income support alone. The delivery of, and access to, services are important and key to this.”
“The budget package included the largest child support payment increase in the history of the State for primary social welfare recipients bringing the total annual value of the child support payment to €3,016 for each child under 12 and €4,056 for each child aged 12 and over. A second targeted tier of child benefit is being examined by the Department of Social Protection as a possible approach to reduce child poverty but existing schemes like the child support payment and the working family payment are also available to achieve this end. The Department of Social Protection is currently developing a successor strategy to the roadmap for social inclusion, which is the national poverty reduction strategy, for the period from 2026 to 2030.”
“At the heart of these new measures are across-the-board social welfare increases effective from last month to our pensioners and people of working age with core rates increasing by €10 - a level that more than matches inflation. The increase of €10 in the standard rate is equivalent this year to about 4.1% compared with the CSO’s latest annual inflation rate of 2.8% to December. For pensioners, the increase is about 3.5%, which, again, is ahead of inflation. These increases follow on from the increase in payment rates last year that were also above the rate of inflation. The measures contained in budget 2026 were designed to support the most vulnerable in our society.”
“A further record allocation of €340 million has been committed to the warmer homes scheme, which provides fully-funded energy upgrades for low-income homes at risk of energy poverty. While I have just outlined specific supports that were introduced as part of budget 2026 in response to concerns about energy costs and prices, I welcome the opportunity to discuss the wider social protection elements of this important aspect. This year, the Department of Social Protection will spend €25.9 billion in social welfare expenditure supporting pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, jobseekers and families in every parish across our country. This expenditure will make a real difference to communities across the country. Over €1.15 billion of this sum is for new measures.”
“The CRU continues to have a range of customer protection measures in place, including a moratorium on disconnections for vulnerable customers, protections for those on financial hardship meters, minimum debt repayment periods and promotion of the vulnerable customer register. The Government also prioritised measures that reduce energy costs in the long run such as the landmark €3.5 billion investment in Ireland's electricity grid infrastructure approved by the Government in July 2025. This represents the largest single investment in the country's electricity network in the history of the State. A record capital allocation of €640 million has been provided for SEAI’s residential and community energy upgrade schemes this year.”
“While previously, electricity credits played an important role, this measure at a cost in excess of €3.3 billion is neither fiscally sustainable nor did it provide long-term benefit. As part of budget 2026, the Government took action and provided significant supports to enhance energy affordability, including an increase to the fuel allowance, as well as broadened eligibility for the payment; an extension of the reduced VAT rate of 9%, which is applied to gas and electricity to 2030; a continuation of the €400 income tax disregard for certain profits arising from the microgeneration of electricity for a further three years to the end of 2028; and an extension of the accelerated capital allowances scheme for energy-efficient equipment for businesses to 2030.”
“While the annual rate of inflation last year averaged 2.1%, which is down from a peak rate of 8.1% in 2021, we have seen food prices as a source of inflationary pressure. This is reflecting market conditions, an integrated supply chain and prices for agricultural inputs such as fuel, feed and fertiliser. It is important to note that food price inflation averaged 3 9% in 2025, which is down from 9.8% in 2023. On the issue of energy costs and prices, it is the case that a suite of measures was introduced in recent years to help households and businesses deal with the rising cost of energy. This included €1,500 in electricity credits to all households through the emergency costs benefit scheme at a cost of €3.3 billion. This universal measure provided valuable on-bill support to nearly 2.3 million households.”
“Despite all of this, our economy has continued to grow and thrive with record numbers of people in work - over 2.8 million people went to work this morning - and record rates of labour market activity. Today's labour market numbers confirmed this. The unemployment rate in January of this year stood at 4.7%. Incomes have risen and continue to rise while inflation has fallen and is expected to remain at close to 2% this year. Nonetheless, several of the issues raised in the motion centre on prices and costs. We fully acknowledge the challenges posed by high inflation and high costs for our consumers and the enterprise sector. I also accept that inflation hits the least well-off the hardest. That is why the Government has been so proactive in introducing cost-of-living packages and attempting to ease burdens on households and businesses.”
“I will set out tonight the progress the Government is making in tackling prices and the areas raised in the motion. The proposals in the motion are wide-ranging and extremely diverse cutting across several Departments. It addresses so many areas and issues that I cannot hope to cover them all in any depth this evening but I will do my utmost to address several of them. At the outset, it is important for me to highlight the performance of the Irish economy over the past few years. The economy has proven to be remarkably resilient in the face of a series of unprecedented shocks from Brexit to the pandemic to the war in Europe. Furthermore, the geopolitical environment has perhaps never been as uncertain and turbulent as it is today.”
“I express my deepest sympathies to those affected today in such a tragic event. My heart goes out to the families affected and those who were seriously injured. I also acknowledge all the first responders who worked at the scene I am pleased to be here to discuss a Private Members' motion that attempts to address a number of issues to do with the cost of living in Ireland. The Government opposes this motion. I assure the House that the Government is acutely aware of the impact of rising prices and costs on Irish households and businesses. Our proposed amendment to the motion will confirm this. The areas raised in the motion are complex. We have to make sure that we do not do anything that might harm employment opportunities or have any unintended consequences for investment.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is acutely aware of, and concerned about, the impact of rising prices on Irish households, and it is also aware of the high cost of energy prices and the wider impact of the cost of doing business for firms, particularly small firms; — in relation to Irish households, the Government has already taken the following measures; — €28.9 billion will be spent on social protection in 2026, including over €1.15 billion of new measures targeted to assist the most vulnerable in our society with the cost of living; — the supports provided in the budget package helps vulnerable households with the cost of energy bills, such as an increase in the Fuel Allowance scheme and extended eligibility to recipients of the Working Family Payment (WFP); — the increase of €10 in weekly social welfare primary payments is equivalent to approximately 4.1 per cent, and for pensions the increase is about 3.5 per cent, both above the rate of inflation; and — these increases follow on from the increase in payment rates in Budget 2025 that were also above the rate of inflation; recognises, with regard to disability: — that a Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability is being organised by the Department of Social Protection, and will involve disabled people and their advocates, as well as other Government Departments'; and — a public consultation process on how a cost of disability can best be delivered will be launched shortly; further notes, a second targeted tier of child benefit is being examined as a possible approach to reduce child poverty, but existing schemes like the Child Support Payment and the WFP are also available to achieve this end; further notes, in relation to energy prices, that: — Ireland has the twelfth highest electricity prices among the European Union (EU)-27, when adjusted for purchasing power parity according to Eurostat (H1 2025), and in nominal terms, Ireland ranks fifth for household electricity prices and eighth for gas prices among EU states; — electricity and gas markets in Ireland are commercial, liberalised, and competitive, the position of successive Governments is that competitive energy markets result in greater choice for consumers and businesses, in terms of suppliers, products and prices, and price setting by electricity suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned; — retail prices are influenced by several factors, including wholesale energy prices and supplier hedging, in Ireland, our long-standing reliance on fossil fuels, specifically gas, for electricity generation, has been a driver of higher energy costs, and furthermore, our geographical isolation, dispersed population, fossil fuel dependency and small market scale also influence prices and drive costs; — the Government has introduced a suite of measures over recent years to help households and businesses deal with the rising cost of energy, including €1,500 in electricity credits to all households through four Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Schemes, at a cost of €3.3 billion, this is in addition to one-off payments to support certain social protection payment recipients; and — the Government provides support for households through schemes, including, the Fuel Allowance, the Household Benefits Package and the Additional Needs Payment; affirms that: — as part of Budget 2026, the Government took action and provided significant supports to enhance energy affordability, including: — an increase to the Fuel Allowance as well as broadened eligibility for the payment; — an extension of the reduced Value Added Tax rate of 9 per cent, which is applied to gas and electricity to 2030; — a continuation of the €400 income tax disregard for certain profits arising from the micro-generation of electricity for a further three years to end 2028; and — an extension of the Accelerated Capital Allowances scheme for energy efficient equipment for businesses to 2030; — the Government is committed to taking decisive action to provide warmer, more comfortable homes, as part of our drive to support energy affordability, security, and sustainability, with over 60 per cent of total Government expenditure on residential retrofit over the period 2022-2025 was on homes at risk of energy poverty; — following approval at Cabinet last week, the Government has published a National Residential Retrofit Plan and an enhanced set of measures to increase the delivery and affordability of home energy upgrades, these measures will continue to make home energy upgrades more accessible and affordable and support more homes to be more sustainable and energy-efficient, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and lowering energy costs for households; — a record capital allocation of €640 million has been provided for Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland residential and community energy upgrade schemes this year, and a further €140 million has been provided for the Local Authority Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme; — the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) continues to have a range of customer protection measures in place including, a moratorium on disconnections for vulnerable customers, protections for those on financial hardship meters, minimum debt repayment periods and promotion of the vulnerable customer register; — the Government has also established the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses while delivering key renewable commitments and protecting security of supply and economic stability, and the NEAT Interim Report 2025 was published last November with an Energy Affordability Action Plan to be published in Q3 this year; — under the auspices of the NEAT, the CRU will lead on the Programme for Government commitment to 'commission an independent review into the speed and level of passthrough from wholesale prices to retail prices, with an additional assessment of the overall price dynamics and an overall focus on the competitiveness of the Irish economy'; — while electricity credits previously played an important role, it should be noted that, despite costing in excess of €3.3 billion, this measure did not permanently reduce the cost of electricity nor are they fiscally sustainable, therefore, the Government has prioritised measures which reduce energy costs in the long-run such as the €3.5 billion investment in Ireland's electricity grid infrastructure as part of the National Development Plan; and — the range of supports that were included in Budget 2026 are in line with the movement away from one-off measures, towards permanent supports with funding also provided to address structural issues such as retrofit and infrastructure; and in relation to the cost of doing business, notes that arising from the wider inflationary trends, Government has taken action to address fiscal and regulatory issues, including: — through the establishment of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum (the Forum), June 2025, and the publication of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, September 2025; — both of these actions deliver on the Programme for Government commitments to support small business, enterprise and industries and to develop Government policy which focuses on the economic areas that fall within our domestic sphere of influence; — the Forum's purpose is to critically examine issues that can lead to higher costs for business in Ireland and review associated regulatory and infrastructural issues that merit a changed approach, at present, there are 24 member organisations who represent a broad section of Ireland's enterprise sector, including, Small and Medium Enterprises and Multinational Corporations, who regularly contribute to the work of the Forum, alongside active engagement and dialogue with a variety of State Agencies, Regulators, and Government Departments; — the Forum members adopted a comprehensive thematic workplan in June, 2025 and since then have met to consider a series of themes: — Energy Costs and Security of Supply; — Insurance Costs; — Planning and Infrastructural Delivery; and — Water Services and Wastewater; — there are a number of remaining meetings scheduled for Q1 2026, and these will focus on legal costs and regulation, reporting and compliance; — the Forum is in the process of drafting the final report, with an indicative date to present the report to Government in Q1 2026; — also in August 2025, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) published an update to its 2023 high-level analysis of the grocery sector in Ireland, this analysis confirms that, while food prices have increased significantly in recent years in Ireland, competition is working effectively in the Irish grocery retail sector, notably, food price increases have generally remained below the EU average, which coincides with increasing competition in Ireland; and — the grocery retail sector remains a key market for the CCPC and it will continue to monitor and review the sector on a regular basis; and finally, in relation to the National Minimum Wage: — since 2020, an increase by 40 per cent, from €10.10 to today's rate of €14.15 an hour, following a €0.65 increase in Budget 2026, which amounts to an increase of 4.8 per cent; — in 2025, the minimum wage increased by over 6 per cent, following a significant uplift of 12 per cent, or €1.40 in the previous year; — these increases were and are well ahead of inflation and projected wage growth and have brought about substantial real wage growth for the lowest paid workers in our economy; and — our current rate of €14.15 an hour means that Ireland has the second highest minimum wage in the EU, second only to Luxembourg, and among the highest in the world, when adjusted for purchasing power standards, we have the fifth highest minimum wage in the EU.".”
“The Senator has raised many of those concerns here this morning and I am sure many other member states have other perspectives. There will be an updated text on any proposal and we will continue to engage with the EU Commission on the policy position. We will update the House on that.”
“The Senator referred to firearm proofing, which is really important and significant. There is an absence here in Ireland in regards to those 140,000 licences that are currently in existence. We are looking for further engagement with the NPWS in assessing its proposal from its perspective and indeed from its previous experience working on such an issue over wetlands. It is well informed by its expertise, but also its previous experience of attending and voting within the REACH committee on Ireland's position. The Department of agriculture and others are also best placed in regards to the proposed ban on the activity within their remit. We need a co-ordinated and coherent Irish position on the very diverse perspectives.”
“I thank the Senator for her interest and for bringing this into the Chamber this morning. What I can state here today is in regard to the interest and the progress within the EU Commission's proposal on the wide-span ban on lead in ammunition in the context of lead being toxic for human health and the environment. It is important again to stress that I do not have a policy responsibility in respect of the proposal and also I am not in a position here this morning to address the technical aspects of such a restriction. It is important that there is cross-governmental input in regards to the stakeholder engagement. The Department of justice also had an important role in regard to its advice on the implications for firearms legislation in regard to an alternative use.”
“To date, the draft on the proposed restrictions was discussed at confidential REACH committee meetings in February, April, June, October and December. Discussions on this matter are expected to continue at the February REACH committee meeting and potentially for some time into the future, until a draft proposal that is acceptable for the majority of EU member states is arrived at. As the Senator said, there are varying positions in regard to how this will play out over the coming months. There has been no call to date for any member state to call a vote on this matter. We will watch this very closely.”
“Our Department has the administrative co-ordinating role and, where the policy remit is not within my Department, as in the case for the proposed restriction on lead ammunition for mainly hunting or sports shooting, officials from the lead policy department for the REACH committee agenda item formulate the Irish position, and they attend and vote on behalf of Ireland. For example, officials from the National Parks and Wildlife Service attended and voted at the REACH committee meeting that dealt with similar restrictions on lead in gunshot on wetlands. The latest proposal is mainly in respect of ammunition for hunting. It is expected that officials from the NPWS will continue to lead in formulating the Ireland position on the draft EU proposal, attend the relevant REACH committee meetings and vote on the latest proposal.”
“Government and Heritage, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, and also the Department of justice. Officials from my Department continue to circulate to relevant Departments and agencies material received for REACH committee meetings where the agenda includes the draft restrictions on lead in ammunition. Ireland is represented on the REACH committee meetings for matters within the remit of the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Authority and agency under the aegis of our Department within enterprise, tourism and employment.”
“I thank Senator Eileen Lynch for raising this really important issue in regard to the EU proposal to restrict lead ammunition, mainly in respect of hunting and outdoor sports shooting. I also thank the National Parks and Wildlife Service for its excellent work to date in formulating Ireland's position on this. I want to make some initial points of clarification. While the EU proposal to restrict lead ammunition is not within the policy remit of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, my Department has an administrative co-ordinating role for the REACH committee. It is important to note that the breadth of this proposed restriction spans several Government Departments and agencies, including the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, the EPA, the Department of Housing, Local.”
“It affords high-leverage opportunities to engage directly with senior decision-makers, current clients and priority target companies. This is important at a time when strategic investment decisions are actively being shaped. That is a challenge we have endured in recent months, especially with the trade tariffs and the tension they bring between the EU and the US and to many other trade agreements. Hosting the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, involving a co-ordinated engagement between the Government, IDA Ireland and a flagship event involving some of the world's most influential companies, would deepen our senior relationships and reinforce confidence in Ireland. We certainly would like to see the proposal advance to a more concrete outcome that would support our economy, jobs, growth and competitiveness into the future.”
“I again thank the Deputy for raising this important topic. He has made his case very articulately and has demonstrated as well as anybody could the positive impact global international trade has had on this country in terms of our economic growth and our resilience over the past number of years. It is important that Ireland continues to have a presence at Davos. It underscores our position as a stable, pro-enterprise, pro-business and innovative economy and as a trusted partner for many large, powerful companies and for global leaders who want to engage with Ireland as they navigate technological changes, geopolitical challenges and talent transformation. From engaging with IDA Ireland within the Department, I know events like the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum are very important.”
“Were an approach to be made, it certainly would be considered by the Government. It would be important to reflect on such a proposal. There would be a number of factors to consider in staging such a large event, but Ireland has shown in the past that it is very much capable of managing major events. I have no doubt this would be the case again. The idea of Ireland hosting the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is reflective of our economic ranking. A recent article in The Economist referred to Ireland's position as a highly connected global economy that attracts investment, talent and ideas from every corner of the world. Those qualities will underpin any discussions we might have. Hosting the annual meeting would be an opportunity to promote our economic success.”
“I agree with the Deputy that when we hear people like the co-chair of the World Economic Forum mentioning Dublin when talking about alternative locations for the forum's annual meeting, it reflects the position of both Ireland and Dublin and how we are seen by many leaders as a place where global decision-makers are very comfortable. It also positions Dublin as a credible destination that offers stability, a strong regulatory environment and a genuinely international outlook. As well as the his work previously with Dublin City Council, as Lord Mayor of Dublin and speaking on behalf of the citizens of Dublin here in the Dáil, the Deputy is making a very pressing case for Dublin to host the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. However, it is important to state there has been no official contact by the forum with the Government.”
“The Taoiseach arrived in Davos yesterday and noted its importance as an opportunity to meet with international and business leaders to discuss how we can best work together to address geopolitical and economic challenges. As part of the Taoiseach's itinerary, he addressed the annual IDA Ireland dinner last night at the forum. Also in attendance at Davos is the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, who is engaging with many chief executives of multinational companies already operating in Ireland, CEOs of companies with potential to invest in Ireland in the future and international leaders. As the Deputy noted, Ireland continues to be seen as a really attractive location for FDI. That is reflected in IDA Ireland's most recent results, which show it secured 323 investments in 2025. This was the highest ever number and a 38% increase on 2024.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this Topical Issue and for outlining the position in terms of commentary regarding Ireland and Dublin in the press this week. The World Economic Forum is an independent international organisation that was founded back in 1971. The forum states that its mission is to improve the state of the world through public-private co-operation. As the Deputy outlined, the forum's annual meeting is one of a few global moments in which the most powerful government and company leaders and business executives convene in the same place with a shared focus on growth, innovation and long-term economic resilience and their impact on both global trade and investment opportunities.”
“It is important to bring these concerns to the floor of the Dáil. I will convey all of the Deputy’s points to the Minister, Deputy O’Brien.”
“We have to follow due process in regard to the responsibility of both the Minister for Transport and the Minister for public expenditure and reform following that period of consultation, which will be launched prior to the implementation of the new CIÉ pension scheme. It is a key focus of the Department to ensure all stakeholders endeavour to achieve this at the earliest possible opportunity while keeping in line with the appropriate processes and ensuring it is in compliance with the relevant regulations and statutory instruments to ensure all necessary approvals are given effect and all agreements are honoured. I thank the Deputy for bringing up this important matter. We all know people who have given enormous service to CIÉ over many decades and we want them to be supported in regard to their pension entitlements.”
“The Minister for Transport acknowledges the long-standing tradition within the CIÉ Group of ensuring the terms and conditions of employees, which include pension provisions, are negotiated collectively with the recognised trade unions. As I said, the Minister is responsible for policy and operational matters within transport. Pension schemes and provisions are the responsibility of CIÉ and its trusteed. However, the Minister is engaging proactively with all of the relevant stakeholders to progress this matter. I assure the Deputy that he is raising this important matter and securing the dual ministerial consent for the statutory instrument.”
“The Department of Transport must then submit that ministerial consent request to the Minister for public expenditure, infrastructure and public service reform for consideration. Following on from the dual ministerial review, under the Transport Act 1950, a statutory public consultation process is required regarding amendments to CIÉ pension schemes where any representations from interested parties will be considered. The Minister for Transport may therefore confirm, modify or reject an amending scheme in accordance with the process set out under the Transport Act. Under section 44 of the Transport Act 1950, CIÉ is required to publish notification of any proposed change to its superannuation schemes in Iris Oifigiúil and at its head office for a period of not less than 28 days.”
“Following on from this constructive and collaborative agreement, the Department of Transport is engaging with CIÉ as well as financial advisers at NewERA and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation on the next steps in progressing the agreement and bringing CIÉ pensions onto a more stable footing for the benefit of active and retired scheme members. In line with procedures laid out in the annex on remuneration and superannuation to the code of practice for the governance of State bodies 2016, as amended in Circular 16/2021, CIÉ must provide the Minister for Transport with a formal consent request in respect of any changes to the schemes.”
“Furthermore, no pension increases have been provided for the past 18 years due to the fragile funding position. Given the scale of the liability, CIÉ’s primary objective has been to close both defined benefit schemes to new entrants to protect the benefits of existing members and the solvency of the CIÉ Group and to establish a new defined contribution scheme. To this end, the Minister for Transport welcomed and commended the constructive and collaborative approach taken by the trade union group and CIÉ management in reaching agreement on a pathway forward to resolve this matter. The Minister has also acknowledged the positive outcome from the ballot held from 11 July to 15 August 2025 on the CIÉ pension proposal for both CIÉ pensions schemes.”
“The 1951 superannuation scheme is one of two defined benefit pension schemes operated by the CIÉ Group, the other being the regular wages staff scheme. Between the years of 2008 and 2022, neither scheme met the statutory minimum funding standard set by the Pensions Authority, which meant no pension increases could be granted during that period. While both schemes met the minimum funding standard at the end of 2023, they have grown increasingly costly, posing a serious financial risk to CIÉ. As of December 2024, the combined pension liability stood at €361 million, the largest of its kind in the State, rendering CIÉ technically insolvent. This situation is unsustainable and out of line with practice in other commercial semi-States where new employees are no longer admitted to defined benefit schemes.”
“I thank Deputy Kenny for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. From the outset, I would like to clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for both policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. As a commercial semi-State body, however, CIÉ is responsible for the provision of pension schemes for their employees - this is consistent with the pension arrangements of all other semi-State bodies. Issues in relation to CIÉ's pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ group and its employees. Decisions relating to the administration of CIÉ pension schemes, including pension increases, are a matter for the CIÉ board, guided by the relevant statutory instruments and actuarial advice.”
“This will also provide an additional opportunity to examine the potential to provide additional funding to additional projects, as the Deputy stated earlier, through the DART+ South West programme.”
“We will also see the redeployment of this fleet in a manner for Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority to decide on the basis of a range of factors and this has the potential for some of that fleet to be deployed to DART+ South West lines. That, indeed, will add additional capacity in advance in the infrastructure upgrades. To the Deputy's point that this is about funding, the Department will continue to explore opportunities for additional funding, including through funding streams such as the European Union Connecting Europe Facility, CEF, to complement national Exchequer funding. The NDP will again be reviewed around 2028 and updated at that point.”
“Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue this evening. I will relay the key important points that the Deputy raised to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. As I stated earlier, to recap some of the recent developments within the DART+ South West project, the NDP sectorial investment plan for transport was published in November last. It enables advancements of various elements of the DART+ programme, including DART+ West. The roll-out of the new DART+ fleet, which is currently undergoing safety testing, will progress from 2027 onwards and will allow the cascade of the existing train fleet to service new areas on the national rail network.”
“Finally, the new station for Spencer Dock, included as part of DART+ West, is a key node for future service integration supporting the operational flexibility required for DART+ South West, as several services will be terminated in the new station helping to address capacity issues around Connolly Station. The Department of Transport will continue to explore opportunities for additional funding, including through funding streams such as the European Union's Connecting Europe Facility, CEF, to complement national Exchequer funding, which may allow some projects to proceed to construction earlier than currently anticipated, including DART+ South West.”
“These include the new depot in the Maynooth-Kilcock area to be delivered as part of the DART+ West project, providing essential stabling and maintenance facilities for the expanded fleet for the entire DART+ programme which is a prerequisite for supporting a service pattern across the entire DART+ network, including DART+ South West. DART+ West will deliver the critical electrification of the city centre rail network and the necessary city centre capacity upgrades. This is a prerequisite for future trains coming from the DART+ South West to enter the city centre network at Glasnevin junction for the Phoenix Park tunnel on the electrified and capacity upgraded rail system. Also, upgrades delivered under DART+ West, such as re-signalling and electrification, are vital for accommodating increased frequency envisaged on the DART+ South West.”