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DÁIL ÉIREANN · FORMER

Catherine Callaghan

Carlow-Kilkenny · Fine Gael · Ireland

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Quite rightly, as the Minister pointed out, the Presidency has highlighted both the importance of international co-operation and the reality that Ireland cannot currently provide every aspect of its own defence and security requirements. However, let us be fair about that.

SITTING OF 2026-07-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

I thank the Minister and fully support that. Ireland's reputation overseas has been built not only on the professionalism of our peacekeepers but also on the confidence serving personnel and their families have had in the supports and protections associated with overseas UN service.

SITTING OF 2026-07-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

I agree that the maritime security strategy is a great document. One of the lessons of recent years is that threats to national security no longer come solely in conventional military forms.

SITTING OF 2026-07-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

I welcome the Minister's response. As someone who has served overseas, I recognise, as the Minister mentioned, that the future of peace support operations may look very different to those that have shaped previous peacekeepers, like me. Looking ahead, does the Minister see Ireland's overseas contribution remaining focused?

SITTING OF 2026-07-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

With that in mind, what capabilities does Government believe the Defence Forces will require over the next decade to fulfil those missions effectively?

SITTING OF 2026-07-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

While the Minister has outlined some specific capability gaps there in terms of increasing the number of ships and helicopters, technology, etc., does she believe that will help us become less dependent on others and more resilient in our own right? Does the Minister have a timeline for when those capability gaps can be closed?

SITTING OF 2026-07-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

The complete record

Every one of 277 lines we hold for Catherine Callaghan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 6.

  1. To conclude, I warmly welcome the Government’s work to increase the capacity of the justice system and I commend the provisions of this Bill, which aims to build upon the proven success of phase 1 to further improve the efficiency of our courts system. The Government has shown real ambition in improving the everyday operation of justice in Ireland, and I look forward to engaging with the justice sector on future developments of the system.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  2. The Government has shown a willingness to act when it comes to providing a future plan for the justice system, and I have no doubt that as that plan is enacted, further consideration will be giving to the supplementary staffing requirements that go alongside an increase in the numbers of judges. I also welcome the Bill’s intention to amend the Street and House to House Collections Act 1962, the Child Care Act 1991 and the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, to repeal certain provisions of the Family Courts Act 2024, and to provide for related matters. These technical amendments are important measures that will improve these Acts’ operation and provide clarity on points of contention.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  3. While this will no doubt be welcome and will go a long way towards improving how justice is administered in Ireland, we must remember that this Bill is a step in the right direction, but there is still more to be done. The JPWG report concludes, “Additional numbers in further phases should be determined by a review in 2025 of judicial needs up to 2028." Indeed, it has been noted by those in the judicial profession that increasing the number of judges is not the answer to all workload challenges and must take place alongside broader reforms of the justice system, as proposed by the reports above.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  4. As well as this, the cancellation of District Court sittings was largely eliminated by the beginning of last year, there was a 17% increase in Circuit Court sittings around the country and waiting times for judicial review in the High Court dropped from 13 weeks to three weeks. Clearly, therefore, the changes made under the 2023 Act worked to greatly increase the capacity of the system to the extent that by the beginning of last year, as many as 12 Central Criminal Court jury trials were running concurrently, which was an all-time high. This Bill then, which aims to add 20 judges to the courts system, does so on the back of an enormous amount of positive evidence.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  5. In real terms, this translated to delays in Ireland’s judicial system, and in the past has worked to slow down the work of the system. As we know, justice delayed is justice denied. However, in response to these findings, both this Government and its predecessor chose to act decisively, committing to an increase in judge numbers from 173 to 217 over two phases. The first phase, enacted when An Tánaiste was serving as the Minister for Justice in 2023, created 24 new judges and brought with it immediate benefits. These included a reduction in the backlog of criminal summonses awaiting scheduling from over 61,000 at the start of 2023 to just over 7,000 by mid-2024.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  6. I welcome the contributions that have been made on this important Bill so far this afternoon. I commend the vision and efficiency that the Government has shown in progressing this Bill, which will fulfil the second phase of a multiyear plan to increase the number of judges. While those who work to administer justice in Ireland are among the hardest working individuals in the country, by increasing the number of judges available to hear cases, we can provide a further boost to their efforts. Recent reports from the Council of Europe’s European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice, as well as the judicial planning working group, JPWG, found that Ireland had the lowest per capita number of judges in the EU, at 3.3 per 100,000 inhabitants. This compares with a European average of 22.2.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  7. I am very happy progress is being made on developer-led infrastructure in terms of water and wastewater treatment for smaller developments but will the Tánaiste please ensure that Uisce Éireann moves as fast as developers do? There are significant water restrictions in Castlecomer in my constituency due to the lack of water capacity. Uisce Éireann has a plan to upgrade the plant, which I welcome, but it is not due to be completed until the end of 2029. That is an intolerable delay for residents and an impediment to businesses and families who would like to build a home in Comer. Will the Tánaiste please ensure this Government uses every lever at its disposal to ensure water plant upgrades in Castelcomer are expedited?

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  8. There is no doubt that in a small nation like ours the opportunities for economies of scale in procurement are greatly increased by us joining other defence forces across the EU for procurement purposes. As the Tánaiste has said, we get better value for the State's money and equipment can be delivered more quickly too. What measures is Ireland taking to ensure our SMEs are promoted to other member states as being open for business and part of SAFE procurement options to ensure Irish SMEs have the opportunity to join international consortiums and secure opportunities in high value sectors?

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  9. I thank the Tánaiste. That is very reassuring to hear. The logic of creating the SAFE regulation was to ensure EU money stayed in the EU to support and encourage European enterprises to be developed with the long-term goal being to strengthen Europe's industrial and technological base. At a recent defence committee meeting, the Department of Defence said that out of the €340 billion spent on defence purchases by European countries, 80% of that went outside the EU. It is to be applauded, therefore, that the EU is working in this way to ensure our industries and economies will benefit from the necessary increase in defence spending across the Union.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  10. It would have really bolstered Ireland's commitment to European solidarity and security, especially in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine and increasing threats to our critical infrastructure, including undersea cables that are vital to Ireland and the EU's digital economy, but also to our democracy.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  11. I thank the Tánaiste for his response. It is very important to acknowledge the marked increase in our defence budget. We are making good progress and it is really important that this momentum should continue. I mention the second part of the SAFE regulation, which is the loan. One way I would have liked to have seen this momentum continue was through availing of the SAFE loan. It was a loan that was very competitively priced and had a long maturity and for me it is a missed opportunity. I understand fully the logic of not wanting to borrow money when we have a very healthy surplus thanks to the work and commitment of the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Chambers, but this loan had other advantages too.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-06 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  12. This will be a welcome relief to hoteliers and local communities, and will also be cheaper in the long run. I commend the former Minister for justice, Deputy McEntee, and the current Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, on their work to streamline Ireland's international protection processing service. I also acknowledge the ambition and efforts of the Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Brophy. The best way of lowering the temperature when it comes to debating immigration is to focus on the delivery of a robust, fair and firm system, and the international protection Bill is a key component of that delivery. While a lot has been done, we all know that there is much more to do. I welcome the Government's determination in getting this work done.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-05 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  13. While debating the issue recently on KCLR, I outlined my view that the best way of challenging those sections of society that engage in hateful and divisive rhetoric on the issue is by continuing to deliver a firm but fair migration system that recognises people's right to stay here but also deals robustly with cases of people who do not have that right. That is why the Government is bringing forward the international protection Bill. This new legislation will bring important changes, which will streamline the decisions process, as well as the returns process, and will provide new institutional arrangements for international protection decisions and appeals. The Bill also signals the Government's intention to shift away from the emergency use of hotels, with a preference now expressed for facilities on State-owned land.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-05 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  14. Through September of this year, the total number of applicants had reduced by 38.5%. In addition, enforcement had significantly stepped up, with an increase of 105% on the same period in 2024. However, while this progress is being made, it is important that we recognise, and indeed challenge, the increasingly hostile online commentary that has grown up regarding immigration in Ireland. The claim that migrants coming to Ireland are unvetted is entirely false. All international protection applicants have their fingerprints and photographs taken and these are checked against EU databases. Of course, we must also recognise there are many communities throughout the country who have legitimate concerns about migration, which we must address by having sensible, honest and rational discussions with local communities.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-05 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  15. I welcome the opportunity to make a contribution on the topic of international protection processing and enforcement. It is an area in which, in spite of enormous challenges, the Government has made sustained progress in the right direction. It is critical to point out at the outset that migrants make an immense contribution to Irish society. People are welcome to come here, work, study and join family so long as they do so legally, as the vast majority do. Migrants' presence here in Ireland contributes to a rich and culturally diverse society that we should all value. Amidst an unprecedented number of arrivals in recent years, the Government has ramped up staffing levels in the International Protection Office, IPO, showing a real commitment to speeding up the international protection process and improving effectiveness and efficiency.

    SITTING OF 2025-11-05 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  16. In particular, I would like to mention Carlow Mental Health Association of which I was a committee member for many years. It ran a Mensana Festival two years ago that was exclusively focused on talking about men's health and well-being. I want to give the association a shoutout for all its hard work. I know there are now more counselling supports available for men and I once again would like to congratulate and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for ensuring that the €2 million allocated in budget 2025 will now be rolled out year on year. Work is being done on initiatives that destigmatise men's mental health in Ireland. I commend the Minister of State for ensuring that we have the six-week mental health promotion, entitled "Minding Your Wellbeing".

    SITTING OF 2025-10-22 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  17. Carlow County Council has been very proactive in this regard. It launched a farmers well-being initiative in 2024, which continues this year. This is highlighting the health and well-being challenges faced by members of the farming community. Last year, 340 local farmers were engaged in conversations on farm succession, will making, gambling addiction, time management and farm safety. It is important that men and farmers feel able to openly discuss their well-being and their mental health as well. Elsewhere, the National Centre for Men's Health is based in SETU in Carlow and is led by Dr. Noel Richardson. It is important to highlight the hard work of local community organisations and initiatives that have innovative approaches to men's mental health.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-22 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  18. I welcome the contributions on the topic of men's health. To hear that this may be the first time in the history of the Dáil that this issue has been discussed on its own is a good sign of the direction we are travelling in. I want to thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for all her work on mental health and men's mental health in particular. I was recently at an event in Carlow, as was the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor. It was really heartening to see such a strong light being shone on men's mental health and men's health and well-being in general by both of those fine politicians. I thank them for doing that in Carlow. In my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, I am proud to say that communities recognise how vitally important it is that we address the challenges facing men's health and well-being.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-22 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  19. Ballon Meats made a submission to the review but to use its own words, Ballon Meats is now in dire straits. It has already closed its pig processing line as it could not staff it and if it cannot get work permits soon, its sheep processing line will be next to close. I appeal to the Tánaiste to work with the Minister to ensure that small independent family-owned and family-run meat processing plants like Ballon Meats are supported by increasing the quota of work permits for skilled workers in the meat processing industry.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  20. Ballon Meats is a family-run independent meat processing factory that has been operating since 1977. It provides a vital service to local farmers across my locality - Ballon, Fenagh, Kildavin, Rathoe, Myshall and Tullow - as well as employing local people. It faces a challenge at the moment and needs our help. It needs more skilled workers. Despite having advertised locally and across the EU, it has not managed to receive a single application. It identified a number of skilled workers outside the EU, but it was unsuccessful in getting the required permits as the quota had been fulfilled before its applications were considered. I strongly acknowledge the work of the Minister, Peter Burke, in undertaking a review of the critical skills occupational list and the eligible occupational list. I welcome this initiative.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-16 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  21. I also welcome the largest ever increase in the carer’s allowance income disregard from July 2026 and the Government taking another stride towards the removal of the means test in the lifetime of this Government, as was a commitment in the programme for Government, as well as the €20 increase in domiciliary care allowance per week. In relation to the future, I welcome the introduction of My Future Fund, which will help almost 750,000 people save for their retirement. I also look forward to working with my fellow Oireachtas colleagues towards achieving all of the commitments made in the programme for Government over the lifetime of this Government.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  22. As we all know, housing is the number one challenge facing people in Ireland today and a central means of addressing that challenge is through tackling vacancy and dereliction. Therefore I was delighted to see that the living city initiative will provide supports for the enhancement of older housing and commercial properties in Kilkenny, with the increased scope of the initiative to include residential properties built before 1975. With these measures, the Government has shown that it is serious about ending dereliction in our cities.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  23. I am hopeful that part of the biggest-ever defence budget will go towards resourcing the JCDC to ensure our Defence Forces possess operational cyber capabilities in our modern world, a world where cyberattacks are increasing in frequency, complexity and destructiveness and can compromise critical infrastructure without any hindrance across geographical borders. That is the threat we face as a nation and that is the reason we need robust cybersecurity and resilience. Therefore the increase in budget of over 50%, to €12 million, for the National Cyber Security Centre is definitely welcome and needed and the further investment of €3 million to establish a new statutory national security authority to ensure the State has a comprehensive security clearance regime in line with EU and international obligations is reassuring to see.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  24. That is an extra €60 million, which is welcome and means we are on track to meet the level of ambition 2 by 2028, as recommended by the Commission on Defence Forces. The major challenge, however, will be the additional 4,000 personnel who are required to reach the 11,500 for level of ambition 2. I look forward to working with an Tánaiste and this Government to ensure we continue to invest in recruitment and retention initiatives in terms of specialist pay and a better arrangement for post-2013 personnel, and I will continue to push for addressing the gap in cadets' pay to ensure Óglaigh na hÉireann is supported to fill out right to the edges of its potential and get the full opportunity to do what it does best – protect and defend our State. One cannot speak about defence without speaking also about national security.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  25. The pupil-teacher ratio is also in need of attention, but it is year one of five. Carlow-Kilkenny is a great farming constituency with a strong tradition of tillage farming, and the budget of €50 million is desperately needed. Of course, we would have liked more. I look forward to seeing the outcome of the Minister, Deputy Heydon’s consultation with farm organisations to see how it is invested most efficiently and effectively for the sector. I thank the Minister for his work in preparing the TB eradication plans which enabled him to secure the €85 million for TB measures. The rollover of the various tax reliefs for farmers for four years is also very welcome and positive. The budget has provided for the largest defence budget spending in the history of the State, at €1.49 billion.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  26. As a former SNA, I am heartened to see provision for an additional 1,717 new SNAs and more than 1,000 new teaching posts, with the majority of those, at 860, being in the area of special education. The further roll-out of OTs and therapists in special schools will take significant worry and stress from parents, as well as ensuring our children in special schools receive the regular therapies they require without missing excessive amounts of school time. The €16.5 million DEIS plus plan will make education more accessible to many children in disadvantaged areas and circumstances. The increase in student capitation fee, which I called for in the Chamber, is most welcome. I recognise it is a little shy of the €75 per child in primary schools that was asked for but, as I say, this is year one of a five-year plan.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  27. Budget 2026 is about protecting and supporting jobs in the face of turbulent economic headwinds. As the first of five budgets that will be delivered over the lifetime of this Government, of course we cannot achieve everything we wish to at once and there will always be more that we can do. However, the permanent incremental measures that are outlined in this budget will go a long way towards providing the structural supports that our economy needs to weather any potential storms. This is a budget designed to keep us economically safe, to provide real supports to ensure more homes are built and to put greater protections in place for the most vulnerable to ensure those who have the least benefit the most.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  28. It is really important links to An Garda Síochána such as the See Something, Say Something initiative provide a means of ensuring the Garda and local communities feel connected. Many people in Carlow and Kilkenny will recall a time where practically every village had a local garda. We know that time has passed, but using a service such as this we can re-establish the presence of An Garda Síochána in the day-to-day rhythms of rural life in Ireland. Even if people never use this service, knowing it is there provides significant comfort, security agus síocháin to our citizens. What steps will the Minister be able to take to ensure See Something, Say Something is rolled out as soon as possible to constituents in Carlow and Kilkenny?

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  29. I thank the Minister. As already outlined, the initiative has been enormously successful. While I commend the Minister's ambition in expanding community policing across the country it is important to note there is still a real need for more community gardaí in our rural towns and villages who are as visible and contactable as possible, as far as the people they serve are concerned. Of the most recent graduate class from Templemore, only one has been stationed in Carlow, with zero new graduates coming to Kilkenny. That said, I accept there is another class graduating from Templemore next week and Garda numbers are being built up across the country and it is important to acknowledge that.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  30. The Minister can therefore imagine why I would like to see this initiative effectively rolled out to my constituents, and indeed to the Leas-Cheann Comhairle’s as well, in Carlow and Kilkenny. According to the Meath experience of the initiative, it seems the local community safety partnerships are seen as the best way to roll out the initiative at present. The LCSPs in Carlow and Kilkenny should be coming online at the end of the month and I wonder whether the Minister would support a call to see this initiative being made an early priority for all local community safety partnerships.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  31. I thank the Minister very much for his answer. As he says, See Something, Say Something is a really good initiative. The national roll-out of it is committed to in the programme for Government. It is a community initiative which enables the public to text details of illegal dumping, antisocial behaviour and other incidents directly to the authorities, as the Minister said. It is designed to support crime prevention and community safety. The initiative has been warmly received in all the locations it has been introduced in so far, with An Garda Síochána in Louth in particular noting that the service provided a welcome means of communicating with the public and with enhancing the services ongoing community engagement.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  32. Is he confident that their collective cyber-resilience is sufficient to ensure that the proposed new national cybersecurity strategy will effectively protect the State and its agencies from nation state actors, for example, Russian military hackers and cybercriminal adversaries, those groups that are financially motivated to carry out cyberattacks for profit, of which Wizard Spider, which was responsible for the HSE attack, is a prime example.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  33. In the Department of justice, we know An Garda Síochána leads the domestic intelligence and national security operations, while the NCSE manages cybersecurity. In the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces handle external and military intelligence. In the Department of the Taoiseach, the national security secretariat provides strategic oversight and co-ordination. Will the Minister please outline the current level of collaboration between these three Departments?

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  34. I recently had a quick look at the Defence Forces' cyberdefence strategy for 2024 to 2027, and I was very impressed by their ambition to ensure that their strategy delivered cyber capabilities that could prevent, monitor, detect, defend against and recover from cyberattacks. Does the overall national cybersecurity strategy that is being currently developed have the same ambition for collective resilience? Will it be ready by the end of 2025?

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  35. I thank the Minister for his answer. As we all know and as he said, cyber-resilience is really critical in this modern world. We need robust cybersecurity to protect our digital systems and data from unauthorised access and misuse and from theft and damage due to the increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Cyberattacks are increasing in frequency, complexity and destructiveness and can compromise our critical infrastructure across geographical borders without even being present in this jurisdiction. That is the real threat that we are facing as a nation. The national cybersecurity strategy the Minister outlined is the vision and the roadmap for how to effectively enhance cybersecurity and resilience across public bodies, essential services, businesses and households.

    SITTING OF 2025-10-09 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  36. Will the Taoiseach please commit to doing everything he can to ensure Uisce Éireann prioritises the upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant in Mortarstown, County Carlow?

    SITTING OF 2025-09-30 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  37. Carlow town is a vibrant and expanding university town. To sustain and build upon that status, it is essential the student experience in Carlow be supported by the provision of adequate student accommodation, a key commitment outlined in the programme for Government. The proposed upgrade of Mortarstown wastewater treatment plant is the key to unlocking the provision of student accommodation in Carlow as the upgrade would deliver capacity for a further 22,000 units. This plant upgrade would not only ensure more student accommodation is developed for our thriving university, SETU, but it would also improve water quality in the River Barrow. This is a matter of matching local ambition with political will.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-30 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  38. Can the Minister please ensure that sufficient funding is provided in budget 2026 to the Minister for education to ensure she can implement these measures in line with the programme for Government?

    SITTING OF 2025-09-24 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  39. I sat in my office in Carlow town last night until almost 9.30 p.m. with two primary school principals who tell me they lie awake at night wondering how they are going to pay the constantly increasing costs of running their schools. They, along with the multiple emails and calls I have received from across Carlow and Kilkenny from teachers and parents alike, have four simple asks: to increase the capitation fee for primary school principals; to reduce the teacher-pupil ratio; to roll out the small-school projects that we all agree have been a huge success in small schools nationally, such as Glynn National School in County Carlow; and to make the SEN co-ordinator a role in its own right. They are all asks that are included in the programme for Government.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-24 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  40. I once again applaud the Minister of State's ambition to ensure that, subject to resources, a much closer alignment between students securing school places and the decisions on their applications for school transport. I would love to see the over-70s rule being looked at by Bus Éireann. I would also like to see the deadlines for applications and payment happening earlier in the school year. If the latter happens, families would not be faced with the avoidable stress and uncertainty about how their children are going to get to school and how hard-pressed working parents are going to facilitate dropping their children off and collecting them from school. I thank the Minister of State for all the work he is doing. Please continue with the ambition and particularly with a further focus on rural school transport.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-23 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  41. I am glad to say that additional capacity was provided on the route from Grange, or Killerig Cross, to Knockbeg, but parents did not know about that until the bus and the second bus departed on Monday last. They were still driving their children to school. The bus tickets were issued after the bus had already come into service. I am very grateful to the Department and to the Minister of State, with whom I engaged several times regarding that bus route. I am thankful for that additional capacity, as are the parents. They no longer need to take annual leave in order to bring their children to school. To sum up, I would like to see a follow-through.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-23 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  42. Children and families in rural areas are further disadvantaged because we do not have the option of a public transport system. However, I wish to recognise what the State does provide. It provides, on the whole, a seat for every child on a bus to their nearest secondary school. That is to be applauded, but it does not reflect what modern school-going patterns are like. There needs to be an evolution in this regard. Having said that, I recognise what the Department of education and the State provide. I know parents who have been trying to get buses for the routes between Ballon and Bunclody, Rathvilly and Tullow and Grange and Knockbeg. We have been asking for additional capacity.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-23 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  43. A 71-year-old cannot drive a taxi on behalf of Bus Éireann to school but he or she can drive a particular child to swimming from his or her school later the same day. I would like that rule to be changed by Bus Éireann and the rule that prevents over-70s driving buses. It would be good if we could get a quicker response in the context of the allocation of additional seats. Let us look at it, if we can, on a multi-annual basis, even though I appreciate that is not all down to the Department of education or, indeed, Bus Éireann. We need engagement with the schools. We also needs parents to decide quicker which school they would like their child to go to, particularly when it comes to secondary school, in order that we have a lengthier timeline when it comes to arranging the provision of school buses and bus tickets.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-23 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  44. I know parents who had to take annual leave in order to get their children to school. The Minister of State has mentioned this matter, and I applaud his ambition. However, I would love if we could ensure that, from next year and going forward, there would be more of an alignment when it comes to students being informed about their school places and about whether they have places on school transport. That is going to be really important. Deputy Keogh mentioned the over-70s rule that exists in Bus Éireann regarding drivers. As a former SNA, I found out to my surprise this year that this rule also applies to people driving cars or taxies who bring children with special educational needs to school.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-23 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  45. I will add to what Deputy Keogh and many others have said about school transport in rural areas. The same thing seems to happen every year. I commend the Minister of State on the work he has done. The additional 8,000 bus seats that have been delivered this year are very welcome. Many of the difficulties I have dealt with across Carlow and Kilkenny relate to the allocation of concessionary tickets. There is a requirement to have a bit more transparency as to how the allocation of these tickets is decided upon. Many distraught parents came to me in the week school was returning because they discovered that their child who had a ticket all their school life is starting leaving certificate year and no longer has one. This causes stress and turmoil within a household.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-23 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  46. However, to date, no organisation with a base in Carlow or Kilkenny has received any funding under the terms of the scheme. On their behalf, I commend the Minister of State on his work to date in the most important area and to encourage him to please continue to be as ambitious as he is in this regard to expand CEIGS funding further.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-18 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  47. That is music to my ears. I am glad to hear that. I wish to follow up on the Minister of State's point. There has been a large degree of support from the local authorities in Carlow and Kilkenny and they have been proactive with circular economy initiatives. For example, Carlow County Council recently completed a survey of businesses in the county to assess attitudes towards the circular economy and to inform future policy with regards to circularity in the county. Kilkenny County Council adopted a waste action plan from 2024 to 2030 showcasing the centrality of waste management and the circular economy initiatives within its area. That showcases a desire to promote the circular economy locally. As the Minister of State outlined, greater funding opportunities for community enterprises will absolutely align with the goals.

    SITTING OF 2025-09-18 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  48. While funding remains at a constant level, it is hard for these types of firms to make their case against commercial start-ups with large economic potential. Is consideration being given to expanding the grants going forward?

    SITTING OF 2025-09-18 · READ THE OFFICIAL REPORT

  49. While these commercial start-up contributions to the industrial transition to circularity are welcome, and indeed, go a long way to making the changes in mindset that the Minister of State has outlined his answer, there are non-profit social enterprises, such as ones I have visited in County Carlow,: the Be Kind Project, supported by Carlow County Development Partnership and the proposed midlands food retribution hub, which is a joint collaboration between Kilkenny LEADER Partnership and the Clean Technology Centre. They are just two local community enterprises in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny that could benefit not only from the CEIGS, but could also spread awareness of the circularity principles in their communities.

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  50. I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the funding that has been spent in this important area. In the most recent round of funding, small commercial start-ups and SMEs dominated the list of companies that had been awarded funding with only two, The Rediscovery Centre and We Make Good, accurately described as community enterprises.

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