Catherine Callaghan
Carlow-Kilkenny · Fine Gael · Ireland
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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?”
“With that in mind, what capabilities does Government believe the Defence Forces will require over the next decade to fulfil those missions effectively?”
“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?”
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“On their behalf and on behalf of their families, I ask the Tánaiste to continue to liaise with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to seek an increase in cadets' pay to bring it in line. As the system currently stands, it takes up to five years for a cadet's salary to equalise with non-commissioned soldiers in an instance where both military personnel begin their service on the same day and are both similarly trained and qualified.”
“I thank the Tánaiste, and I am happy to hear that it is with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. I implore him to follow that matter up with the Department, as neither the conciliation and arbitration scheme or national pay talks are going to address this low pay, given the no cost increasing caveat in the national pay deals, as he mentioned. Therefore, some political will is required here to address the matter. Local bargaining is not going to be enough. In the spirit of fair pay for a fair day's work, let us be very clear: our members of the Defence Forces do not just do any old job. They serve this country and bring honour to this country both here and abroad.”
“I understand the points the Tánaiste outlined but in this post-2013 era of career average earnings and pensions, these cadets are getting penalised on the double in their current pay and future pensions. As we all know, cadets can now join up to the age of 39 so it is conceivable that they have families and mortgages. A business case was prepared by the Defence Forces on foot of a motion asking for this to be looked at. Can the Tánaiste please confirm if this case has been progressed?”
“I thank the Tánaiste. I acknowledge his work to date on improving pay and conditions, some of which he has outlined such as quite rightly increasing pay for three-star privates and reforming the apprenticeship pathway so that technical staff beginning their careers in the Defence Forces correspond with three-star privates after six months. The Tánaiste has also overseen the introduction of the instructor's allowance and established a service commitment scheme for our air traffic controllers in the Air Corps. These are all developments that should quite rightly be applauded. However, at present, everyone else in the Defence Forces is on approximately €43,000 after six months but cadets remain on the €25,000.”
“In the interests of equity, will the Tánaiste seek an increase in the starting pay of cadets to bring it line with the starting pay of a three-star private, as both are similarly trained and qualified?”
“The programme for Government has many commendable commitments to support apprentices which, as a former apprentice myself, I welcome. Today, I wish to discuss the disparity in off-the-job training allowances that are currently being paid to metal fabrication apprentices. If two metal fabrication apprentices are doing the exact same training but one is working for a company that is registered as an engineering company, in phase 6 - the off-the-job phase - his or her training allowance is up to €235 per week less than his or her counterpart on the exact same course who is working for what is classified as a construction company. This disparity is because engineering company metal fabrication apprentices are being paid according to 2016 rates, whereas construction company apprentices are paid according to 2025 rates.”
“We need to hold firm and work together as a House and in the European Union to demand a lasting ceasefire, the flow of humanitarian aid, the return of hostages and the passing of the most effective occupied territories Bill and that we work towards a two-state solution.”
“Their presence will continue to provide the much-needed stability that is required in that very fragile security situation in southern Lebanon. Bilaterally and at a multilateral level, Ireland has repeatedly called on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law. In that way, the deliberate targeting of UNIFIL personnel or installations is a violation of international humanitarian law. Ireland, the EU and our international partners have been clear that there can be no forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza or occupation of the strip by Israel. We need to keep pushing.”
“While it is true that in May, the Irish Government approved the continued participation of the Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL for a further period of 12 months, if UNIFIL's UN mandate is not renewed when it expires on 31 August, which is by no means guaranteed as the US has a veto it could use if it so wishes, as Irish law stands, our Irish troops will have to immediately depart the UNIFIL mission. This is solely due to the requirement for Ireland to request permission from the US, the UK, France, Russia and China regarding where our peacekeeping troops are deployed. Meanwhile, the other troops that are part of the UNIFIL mission can continue. They may decide to continue and remain in a different capacity as peacekeepers in Lebanon with the consent of the host nation of Lebanon.”
“It is important that Ireland encourages the steps being taken by the Lebanese Government to reform Lebanon's economy and to continue the reconstruction of Lebanon. I am glad to see that Ireland and the EU are committed to supporting this work. I am deeply concerned about the safety of our troops in the region. Speculation about UNIFIL's mandate renewal is not helpful and potentially endangers our troops, particularly in the context of heightened tension in the region.”
“I cannot speak about the Middle East without talking about the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon, including ongoing Hezbollah activity and the continuing Israeli strikes and infringements of Lebanon's airspace in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. All sides must meet their commitments under the ceasefire agreement. Ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon also undermine the legitimacy of President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam as they continue to assert the primacy of the Lebanese State. It is important to commend the Lebanese Government on its efforts to deploy the Lebanese armed forces into the south and exert a monopoly of force throughout the country. Israel's continued occupation of parts of Lebanon breaches international law.”
“We need to keep making our voice heard in Europe so that our European counterparts can add their voice to ours and ensure we are heard and that we as a group of European countries together call on Israel to immediately lift its blockade of humanitarian and commercial supplies for Gaza and allow the resumption of unimpeded humanitarian aid. I share the UN's concerns that Israel's new model for delivering aid into Gaza through private contractors - the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - is not operating in accordance with humanitarian principles. Hundreds of people have been killed while trying to collect food. UNRWA has described the model as degrading and humiliating and said it is putting lives in danger. We need European countries to join us and urge them to act to call out what is happening in Gaza for what it is - genocide.”
“What is paramount is that we ensure this Bill is enforceable and the most effective legislation it can be. Adherence to any advice from the Attorney General is of critical importance. We are the only country in Europe to draft legislation of this type, and I am hopeful, once it is passed into law, that other countries across Europe will be inspired to do the same. I support the Taoiseach's call on all parties in this House to work with their equivalent parties across Europe and encourage them to speak with their governments to do as we have done and enact domestic legislation to place sanctions on Israel in response to the genocidal acts it is committing.”
“To echo what all the speakers have stated today, the ongoing genocide in the Middle East is abhorrent. Innocent civilians are being starved to death. Parents have no baby formula for their infants. This is happening in our world today. While I acknowledge the Government's work so far, we need to keep the pressure on. I hear from concerned people every day across counties Carlow and Kilkenny who are, quite rightly, horrified by what is happening in Gaza. They are urging us, as a country and a Government, to do more, to push harder and to pass the occupied territories Bill - now called the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill - and include services in it, which I am not opposed to.”
“I know for a fact it is something that we in Fine Gael negotiated to be in the programme for Government. Now is not the time to row back on commitments made during the previous election and by this Government. How can the Minister justify increasing the student contribution fee for hard-pressed parents?”
“I speak today about the cost of third level education in Ireland. The programme for Government states the Government will reform SUSI to better meet the needs of students and their families. This is something I welcome and I urge the Government to take action on it from this year onwards. My question today relates to the discontinuation of the reduction in the student contribution fee. Since the Minister, Deputy Lawless, made the announcement at the weekend, my phone has been hopping with parents and students throughout my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny worried and anxious about how they will find an additional €1,000 to put towards their student contribution fee in two months' time. Making education more accessible to hard-pressed parents is something I campaigned very strongly on during the general election.”
“Anecdotally, wildlife is being disturbed with the development of mass areas of solar farms and many believe that this could be contributing to the marked increase we see in TB cases throughout the country. In my locality, a farmer who has not had TB on his land in more than 30 years recently lost more than a quarter of his herd to it. Will the Tánaiste let me know when we will see solar and wind farms being regulated?”
“I wish to highlight something that is happening across County Carlow, namely, the proliferation of solar farms. To be clear, neither I nor anyone I know in Carlow is against renewable energy regeneration, nor are we against our neighbours and friends who make a living from having wind or solar farms on their lands. In the area surrounding Rathoe village, though, there will potentially soon be in excess of 1,000 acres of solar farms. We are not saying that solar or wind farms should not exist. We are just saying that we need regulation. The programme for Government commits to completing the second phase of the land use review, which aims to balance environmental, social and economic considerations.”
“The infrastructural needs of both counties, which I have outlined, must be met if we are to fulfil the programme for Government target of delivering more than 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030.”
“Snoddy's Road in Carlow town, for example, has been partially completed. All that is required to complete the project and unlock the land that has potential for housing is a further 800 m stretch. There are already footpaths and street lighting. Another example is the proposed Tullow ring road, which would unlock housing development potential in an area that already has sufficient wastewater capacity. I have already asked the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, to include the ring roads for Carlow town, Kilkenny city and Tullow in the national development plan in order to secure the much-needed funding for those projects, which can only go to enhance and develop counties Carlow and Kilkenny, and provide more housing, as we go forward.”
“For example, a proposed development in The Rower of approximately seven to ten homes, for which planning permission was given, cannot proceed due to the lack of wastewater capacity. Allowing for developer-led provision would be done under the strict regulation and guidelines of Uisce Éireann. This, in turn, would take the pressure off the system, and off Uisce Éireann, and free up more moves in a quicker timeframe. We must recognise the good work the people in Uisce Éireann are doing locally and give them the support they need to drive on services and infrastructure delivery. Without doubt, further investment is needed in the organisation. That funding must be ring-fenced for use specifically in providing new housing in the future. We also need more investment in roads to access and unlock potential sites for home building.”
“We have future-proofed capacity for many more houses in both of those towns, which are the second- and third-largest settlements in the county. However, in Carlow town, which is a university town, I am reliably informed it will be quarter 1 of 2031 before wastewater services provide capacity for the houses developers are ready to construct in the town. We also need more student accommodation in Carlow town to help sustain our thriving university. The programme for Government commits to bringing Uisce Éireann, local authority planners and developers together at the start of a project to ensure the smooth running of the development. However, this provision is for developments of 100 or more homes. In my constituency, it is smaller developments that are struggling the most to get connected.”
“Carlow-Kilkenny has much to offer in terms of amenities, education and jobs but we have a difficulty with providing houses for the people who would love to live there. Some of the difficulty relates to the provision of water and wastewater treatment plants and road infrastructure. Developer-led infrastructure provision and investing in services is the only way we will move forward. It is imperative that we make provision in this regard. In County Kilkenny, not a single housing development can currently be built in The Rower, Inistioge, Toher, Mullinavat or Graiguenamanagh. This is simply due to the lack of wastewater services. I balance this by noting that in parts of Tullow and Muine Bheag in County Carlow, great work has been done by Uisce Éireann and Carlow County Council.”
“As always, I cannot mention UNIFIL without mentioning Private Sean Rooney. Can we please ensure that we keep applying pressure to ensure his killers are brought to justice?”
“As it does every year, the UN today, 29 May, marks the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. This day serves to honour their dedication, bravery and sacrifice, and I pay particular tribute to the Irishmen and Irishwomen who have served, and continue to serve, our country with distinction and honour at home and internationally. As the Tánaiste knows, Irish peacekeeping began in 1958 and Ireland currently has the longest unbroken peacekeeping record of any country in the world. This year's theme for the International Day of UN Peacekeepers is the future of peacekeeping, which reflects the evolving nature of peace operations in a complex world. With that in mind, will the Tánaiste update the House as to Ireland's continuation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL?”
“Israel's suggestion that it will continue to occupy parts of Lebanon - let me be very clear on this - is a breach of international law. Communities on both sides of the blue line must be allowed to return to their homes in safety. We also need to see a massive surge of humanitarian aid and assistance into southern Lebanon. I encourage the steps that are being taken by Prime Minister Salam's government to reform Lebanon's economy and towards Lebanon's reconstruction. I would like to see Ireland and the EU remaining committed to supporting this work.”
“Underpinning all of the above, we need to stay consistent and strong, we need to keep pushing and we need to keep calling out Israel. We need action now. I cannot finish my statement without mentioning our serving personnel in Lebanon, which is obviously very close to Gaza. As a former peacekeeper who spent some time in Israel, I remain concerned about the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon and our serving men and women of the Defence Forces, including the ongoing Hezbollah planning and the continuing Israeli strikes and overflights into Lebanon and Beirut. I urge all sides to meet their commitments under the ceasefire agreement. I commend the Lebanese Government on its efforts to deploy the Lebanese armed forces in the south to achieve a monopoly of force throughout the country.”
“We now have two avenues for progress that I would like to see progressed. These are to take action in Ireland to pass the occupied territories Bill and, as a result of the decision on Tuesday, we now have an ability at EU level for speedy action. We need to see action. I believe that we are stronger together and that action at EU level will be far more impactful than anything we can do on our own domestically. We need to strengthen our action. I thank the Government and the Tánaiste for his being so consistent in his messaging, in his calls for a cessation of violence in Gaza, for the release of hostages, for the free flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the need to work together towards a two-state solution.”
“I commend the Government on continuing to be consistent in its calls for the cessation of violence, the release of hostages and the supply of vital humanitarian aid, and its desire for dialogue in reaching a two-state solution. We now need the European Commission to act with speed on the position of a clear majority of members. We need to see a timeline for action. We need that to happen quickly. We do not have time. The innocent women and children of Gaza do not have time, as there is clearly an urgency to this, considering the worsening situation on the ground in Gaza. The situation on the ground has become immeasurably worse, with catastrophic consequences for the civilian population and a clear and present danger of famine. We continue to witness appalling scenes in Gaza but we can take action.”
“We need to see a surge in vital humanitarian aid into and throughout Gaza. I am here to represent the many constituents of Carlow-Kilkenny who have urged me time and time again, in countless numbers of phone calls, text messages and emails, to urge the Government to take action, to stay strong and to keep pushing for what we all know is right, which is a cessation of violence in Gaza, the return of hostages, the immediate supply of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza and the enactment of the occupied territories Bill. I welcome the news that the Tánaiste is bringing a memo to the Cabinet on that Bill next week. Ireland and Spain called for the review of the Israeli association agreement in February 2024 but did not get the support they needed at that time.”
“There is no doubt this is a significant and important decision that reflects the grave concerns shared by member states regarding the ongoing military operations by Israel and the blockade of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. It is important to see the EU agree on the need to send a strong signal to Israel to reverse course, to halt its military operations and to lift the blockade on life-saving aid. Children are in grave danger of dying of hunger. I cannot believe I am using those words in real time in the Chamber, and that I am not speaking about some historical horror. This is happening now, in real time, in your world, my world and our world. As parliamentarians, we have a duty to act. I cannot stress this more strongly: we need an immediate cessation of hostilities. We need the release of all remaining hostages.”
“As a mother and a human being, this is heartbreaking. This is wrong. I know the Government has consistently called for a cessation of violence, the release of hostages and the supply of aid, and is working towards a two-state solution, but we need to see more action. We need our friends in Europe and beyond to stand with us, to call out what is wrong and to demand that Israel stops what it is doing, and the horror it is inflicting on the people of Gaza, who are experiencing unimaginable suffering at the hands of Israel. They are innocent Palestinian men, women and children. I am heartened by yesterday's announcement that the EU will conduct a review of the EU association agreement with Israel after the majority of member states supported a proposal to do so at yesterday's meeting of EU foreign ministers.”
“Like every Member, I am horrified at what is currently unfolding, and has been for months, before our eyes in Gaza. On Sunday, there was a little hope with the Israeli statement, which stated it would allow some aid to cross the border into Gaza. However, with this morning's news from the UN that no aid has reached any civilian in Gaza yet, I just could not sleep last night thinking of the little children, like my own little children, who are in danger of dying from hunger in 2025, in a world where there is an abundance of food, simply because of the brutality of the actions of Israel. As the Tánaiste said, what is happening in Israel goes against our humanity. It goes against the strongly held values of the people of Ireland. It goes against all of our desire for peace, stability and security.”
“However, there is a massive impediment to this development and that is the lack of access to potential sites for home building due to the need for more investment in our roads in Carlow and Kilkenny. Will the Taoiseach ensure that three roads in my constituency - the Tullow town ring road, the Carlow town ring road and the Kilkenny city ring road - are included in the national development plan?”
“I would like to shine a light on the dire need for an increased roads budget in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. The programme for Government states that the Government will invest in all road projects in the current national development plan, NDP, and consider additional important road projects as part of the NDP review. We all know we are in the midst of a housing crisis. Across Carlow town and county, we have builders and developers lining up to help us in that regard. There are landowners who would happily sell to a developer to help their towns and villages to create homes. We also have people willing to purchase homes in Carlow town and county to make Carlow a place where they want to live, work and raise a family.”
“Having said all that, we also need to continue our focus on recruitment and retention strategies. There is no doubt that addressing the problems within the assessment of need process is a challenging piece of work. It requires a well thought out and comprehensive plan to ensure all aspects of the system are examined and, where necessary, improved and fixed. We owe it to the children of Ireland and their families. They are relying on us to put in place a sustainable assessment of need system that works. I will be working for the constituents of Carlow-Kilkenny to ensure the commitments made in the programme for Government are fulfilled. We need to do better for parents and for our children.”
“I welcome the €3.2 billion which has been allocated for the HSE disability services this year, which marks an 11.5% increase in funding on last year and an overall increase of €1.2 billion since 2020. While it is a significant increase in funding, there are nonetheless significant pressures facing the sector which need to be examined, understood and rectified. I would like to see collaborative efforts across the Departments for that to happen. I welcome the news that the Department of disability will work closely with the Department of Health on resourcing disability; with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on expanding the pipeline for further therapists; and with the Department of Education and Youth on the development of the national therapy service in education.”
“While I am conscious of the challenges and strains facing the health and social care sector when it comes to recruitment and retention, we must ensure our disability services are appropriately and adequately resourced and staffed to meet the needs of people with disabilities in Ireland. I look forward to the development of the dedicated disability workforce strategy that has been referenced to meet the growing service demands and address recruitment and retention challenges across the specialist disability services. Even the increased capacity and enhanced service delivery in the disability service will not be possible, however, unless we ensure there are proper resources in place to service these ambitions.”
“While that will take time, we must ensure any changes introduced are effective and can be sustained over time. This means that whenever an application for an assessment of need is submitted, it is dealt with promptly and within the statutory timeframes. Every week I hear from far too many constituents across Carlow and Kilkenny who are waiting for an assessment of need. One parent in my community has been in touch with the CDNT in Carlow seeking support for her young daughter. She contacted the CDNT initially in September 2024. After waiting for five months, she received a response informing her that although her daughter needs an assessment of need, due to staff shortages, she would be waiting for four years for that assessment to happen. This is wholly unacceptable. We need to address our staffing issues.”
“I call on the Government to remain fully focused on delivering on the commitments made in the programme for Government. As a backbench TD, I must continue to push for these measures as a priority for the constituents of Carlow-Kilkenny. We urgently need to make much-needed reforms to the current assessment of need process. Children and families are waiting far too long, which is having knock-on consequences for their well-being and family life. Simply continuing to do the same thing and hoping to get a different result is not an acceptable option for me, nor should it be for the Government. The primary focus must be on identifying the delays and blockages which are causing these growing waiting lists for assessment of need. We need to find the most effective solution to these blockages.”
“Disability is something that touches most of our lives. We all know someone who is living with a disability or is caring for someone with a disability, be that a seen or unseen disability. This lived experience should be what directs policy. It is people living with disabilities, or those who care for them, who know best what we need to change and how we can improve. I call on the Government to expand and invest in services. It is imperative we invest in disabilities at the same time as reforming how disability services are delivered. As a former SNA, I stress how important it is to continue the roll-out of therapists in special schools and, furthermore, to expand it to mainstream schools also. This is perhaps the number-one ask from parents who have been in contact with my office.”
“My question is also about Private Seán Rooney. As the Tánaiste knows, I have a special interest in the Middle East and in peacekeeping as a former UN peacekeeper. I travelled that road from Tibnin to Beirut Airport as Private Seán Rooney did. Can the Tánaiste provide us with an update on his recent trip to Lebanon? He outlined it to Deputy Ó Murchú, but if he has something else to add, I would be very grateful to hear it.”
“Our schools would not function without secretaries and caretakers. Will the Tánaiste please support the calls from schools to give pension parity to school secretaries and school caretakers?”
“I urge the Government to support calls for pension parity in our schools. The current lack of parity is adversely affecting our school secretaries and caretakers. All parents and caregivers know the vital role our school secretaries play in schools. In the school I worked in as a SNA, our secretary is known by pupils and staff alike as Super Sue because she, like all school secretaries I know, including Nuala and Mary as well as Bernie in Kildavin are at the centre of the smooth running of a school. Likewise, caretakers like Johnny, Pat and Dick in Ballon, keep our school grounds and buildings safe and secure and are often the unseen workers in schools, as the nature of their work is often behind the scenes, but they are also critical members of school staff and deserve to be remunerated as such.”
“It needs to be sorted out and the Department of housing and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform need to put more pressure on Uisce Éireann to recognise the urgency here. Quarter 1 of 2031 - tá sé sin dochreidte.”
“I am asking the Department of housing to please send a strong message to Uisce Éireann and to make it loud and clear, whether it is water supply or treatment, that if we are serious about providing homes in our country and making Ireland the best place in Europe to live, work, raise a family and run a business, we need to have this infrastructure in place. Uisce Éireann is dragging its feet and I am asking the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to hold it to account and to get it to do the work which needs to be done, the work the Government has up put the funding for. It is not good enough for Carlow, it is not good enough for Kilkenny and it is not good enough for Ireland.”
“Here we have developers with a solution and with the desire to work with Uisce Éireann, which, let us not forget, has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services, planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. I know that under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 neither the Minister for housing, the Department of housing or the Minister, Deputy Chambers, or his Department have an operational function in the matter I am referring to, or indeed a function in the prioritisation of projects, etc., but they do provide the budget. It is a significant budget of €2.2 billion, in my understanding, with more to come through Apple funding, etc.”
“These are the fundamental questions that need to be answered soon, given the scale of development waiting on this infrastructure upgrade. I have not even mentioned the ongoing need for student accommodation in Carlow, which is a thriving university town. There is speculation locally regarding plans for 600 student beds to be delivered in two locations close to the university, but how will that happen, given the lack of wastewater infrastructure? A person who has purchased a parcel of land at Green Road hopes to develop up to 50-plus residential units but that will not happen either if the 2031 timeline stands. Everyone knows how detrimental to our society the lack of adequate housing is.”
“It said the upgrade project was at a detailed design stage and the estimated completion date for the upgrade was quarter 1 of 2031, although that is subject to change. The developer, himself a quantity surveyor, QS, said that six years seemed a bit excessive for a treatment plant upgrade. I am no QS but I would go a bit stronger than that and say that a six-year timeframe, which is subject to change, is scandalous. What is going on? I need clarification from the Minister on how Irish Water intends to handle this issue in Carlow, especially with regard to the land availability for capacity expansion and the timeline for such a solution. Does Irish Water have a solid plan to increase the capacity in a timely manner? Does it have the necessary lands? When could the tender process for this expansion start?”
“We have, as I said, many hardworking builders who are willing and are actively seeking the chance to put their shoulders to the wheel and deliver housing. They are being hindered in delivering on that desire by the lack of water and wastewater infrastructure across the country. On 2 April, just last week, a developer in Carlow received a letter from Uisce Éireann in response to a pre-connection inquiry made by that developer. The inquiry related to a water and wastewater connection in Mortarstown for a development of approximately 48 houses. In response, Uisce Éireann said that in order to accommodate the proposed development, an upgrade of Carlow wastewater treatment plant was required.”