Charlie McConalogue
Donegal · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“There are indications that the opt-out mechanism for the text and data mining exception is not working well in practice. Evidence gathered by the Danish Presidency showed that some activity is taking place on the licensing of works for AI, but that it is uneven across member states and subsectors of the creative sector.”
“The proposal involved the development of grass pitches, an Astroturf facility, flood-lighting and dressing rooms. The Football Association of Ireland wrote to my Department in 2023 stating that it no longer intended to proceed with the LSSIF-funded centre of excellence in Glanmire.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The programme for Government commits to maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there are lower than average participation levels.”
“This is Ireland's first national strategy for diabetes and it sets out recommendations for action in relation to type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy and paediatric diabetes. The strategy marks a major milestone in diabetes care in Ireland and represents the development of a unified approach to its delivery.”
“It is anticipated that the final business case will be submitted shortly to my Department. In relation to the site in Glanmire, my Department has been informed that the property has now been leased to Riverstown Football Club by Cork County Council.”
“The structure of that payment, which was agreed between An Post and the postmasters, is designed to maintain and strengthen our post office network and to keep it sustainable, taking into account the number of post offices in an area, the distance to the next nearest post office and the rural nature versus the population base that it migh…”
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“I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am glad to be able to update her on behalf of the Department on appropriate commemorative funding programmes available through the commemorations unit of the Department. She laid out very well the background and history to this event. I encourage her to engage further with the commemorative unit in the Department after this. There are four pillars through which historical events can be marked and remembered including State commemoration, artistic expression, historical analysis and community-led commemorations. The State has adopted a facilitative and partnership approach to commemorations whereby support is provided by the Department to key stakeholders and project partners for the delivery of commemorative events and initiatives.”
“I will certainly relay the Senator's contribution and the issues she has raised to the Minister for education. I know and very much understand the value of SNAs. It is something the Government very much prioritises, which is why we have seen an across-the-board increase in the number of SNAs every year. It poses significant challenges for a school when there are changes, reviews and adjustments. It is important that each school engages with the NCSE regarding its concerns to ensure they are fully considered and communicated. There is also an appeals process. I will certainly report back on the Senator's contribution and relay the concerns she has raised to the Minister for education, Deputy Naughton.”
“Assuming no change to SNA allocations in the meantime, eligible SNAs in standard posts, both full-time and part-time, who opt for redeployment, may be redeployed to a new post in September 2026. The Department of Education and Youth and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality, where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.”
“This is among the reasons the Department is working with the NCSE to develop an SNA redeployment scheme. This important policy initiative, which is in the final stages of development, will ensure that, as far as possible, competent, knowledgeable and experienced SNAs are retained in our schools. The SNA redeployment scheme is being implemented for the 2025-26 school year, providing an opportunity for the redeployment of SNAs as the need arises for the start of the 2026-27 school year. It is important to note that SNAs in surplus posts identified through the NCSE’s SNA review process will remain in the relevant school for the rest of the 2025-26 academic year.”
“The NCSE reviews of SNA allocation in schools across the country involve a very detailed examination of the care needs in all settings within the continuum of provision in a school in order to ensure that SNAs are allocated to schools to support students who have the greatest level of significant care needs. A school that is not satisfied with the outcome of its SNA review may avail of the NCSE’s internal appeal mechanism, and full details are available on the NCSE website. In addition, the NCSE remains available to schools to provide advice on the deployment of their SNA allocation. The NCSE allocation and review processes are essential to ensure SNA support is provided where it is most needed. The Department of Education and Youth is mindful of the impact of a reduction in allocation on SNAs personally.”
“By the end of the 2026-27 school year, there will be close to 25,000 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. They play a key role in supporting children and young people with care needs as part of a whole-school approach, which also includes almost 22,000 special education teachers across the country. There are many reasons that the level of need for SNA support in schools may fluctuate, including falling enrolments, reduced or increased care needs and changing demographics as children move from primary to post-primary schools.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential, and the programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The NCSE has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision and care support for children and young people with special educational needs in our schools, including the allocation of SNA support to schools. Reflecting the central role that SNAs play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools, the Department of Education and Youth has been steadily building the level of SNA support in our education system. The number of SNAs allocated to schools nationally has increased by 45% since the 2020-21 school year.”
“I have no doubt, given his advocacy on this, that the Senator will continue to work closely with the health services locally and the Minister, Deputy Foley, nationally to make sure delivery of the new respite centre will progress in the best possible timeframe and ensuring in the meantime that a service is provided on an interim basis. I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this matter this morning.”
“I thank Senator Gallagher again for raising this matter. It will help bring clarity on the interim arrangements in place. I know from speaking to the Minister, Deputy Foley, before I took this on her behalf this morning, that the Senator has been working very closely with her and she wants to relay that both of you will continue to do that with other public representatives in the area as well. This provides the clarity on the interim arrangements, which are really important for families availing of these respite services.”
“Most recently, funding has been provided to Rehab Care for a new day service premises in Monaghan town which is open and operational.”
“In relation to day services, there is an identified need for capital investment in adult day services nationally and in the Cavan and Monaghan area with a number of projects currently progressing through capital programmes. Although day service providers continue to experience capacity pressures year on year in respect of accommodating new school leavers or adults who have completed their rehabilitative training programme, all required placements were secured for those adults identified through the 2024 school and rehabilitative training leavers process. In respect of the school leavers and rehabilitative training leavers identified for 2025, all adults have secured a day service placement and commenced in their respective day services in September 2025.”
“The HSE further advises that HSE disability services in the Cavan-Monaghan integrated health area, in conjunction with HSE capital and estates Dublin north east, prepared capital submission documents for the national HSE capital and property steering committee to seek approval and funding to provide for a stand-alone respite centre for adults with an intellectual disability in County Cavan. This development, if approved and funding allocated, would ensure that there are stand-alone residential respite centres for adults in both Cavan and Monaghan, as well as stand-alone residential respite centres for children in each county, in addition to a bespoke, dedicated respite centre for adults with physical and sensory disabilities from both counties Cavan and Monaghan.”
“In relation to the Senator’s specific query, I can advise that the disability services in the Cavan-Monaghan integrated health area have secured a commitment for funding for Rainbow Lodge children’s respite service for a period of two years from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2026, pending the development of the new HSE facility. The location of the interim children’s respite centre for Monaghan is at Urbalkirk, approximately 8 km from Monaghan town. The Talbot Group operates the service under a service arrangement with the HSE. I can also confirm that recurring funding has been received for this respite centre until the new development is opened.”
“I thank Senator Gallagher for raising what is an important issue for him, for the public and for those availing of respite services in County Monaghan. I am happy to take this matter this morning on behalf of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Deputy Norma Foley. She thanks Senator Gallagher for raising this and offering me the opportunity to respond on her behalf. Respite services are a vital support, and being cognisant of the significant unmet need in this area, the Government has provided substantial additional funding over the last few years in order to expand all forms of respite nationally. This includes overnight services, day provision and many different forms of alternative respite like after-school clubs and summer camps.”
“There was only one response to the tender, it met the minimum requirements and there were legal obligations around that. We now have to work collectively to make sure the investment we are making in terms of spending taxpayers' money on this service, and rightly so, best meets the needs of the people we represent. The Minister is committed to meeting with the cancer group next week and to meeting and continuing to engage with all of us to find a way forward here.”
“The Department did that following legal advice. From a Government point of view, there is very significant funding for the public service obligation, and rightly so. We fund and have a wonderful airport in Carrickfinn but we have to make sure the flights available best serve the public and connectivity from Donegal to Dublin, given all of the other challenges we have. The objective now, which we all discussed yesterday when we met with the Secretary General, is to find ways to have the afternoon flight restored and have the issue of the aeroplane overnighting in Carrickfinn considered and addressed. The Department is working within a legal framework. There was no change in the tender that went out this time compared with the tender that went out the previous time. What changed was the response.”
“Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher and I, along with Deputy Doherty and all the other Oireachtas Members from the county, are at one on this in terms of trying to find a way forward and make sure there are flight times in place that suit and meet the needs of the people of our county. Deputy Doherty will see from the response how this evolved. We both heard at yesterday's meeting that the tender that was issued was the same as the previous tender. There was no change but what came in as a result of that tender was different. As the response I outlined shows, there was only one applicant for the tender and it met the minimum specifications of the tender. As outlined, the reason the Department signed the contract was to ensure there would not be a discontinuation of flights from the county and a service would continue to be in place.”
“We are fortunate to have an exceptionally good airport. It is important that we make sure, through the public service obligation, that it is utilised in a way that provides the best possible service to the people of our county. We all need to work together to find an appropriate way forward now.”
“As Deputy Doherty knows, the Minister has listened to the concerns conveyed to him by all of all Members from the county, including Deputies Pat the Cope Gallagher, Doherty, Mac Lochlainn and Ward and our Senators in the county, and particularly those raised by members of the Donegal Cancer Flights and Services Group who met with the Secretary General yesterday. The Minister is considering what more might be possible to meet the demands of the users of the air service and to facilitate them. The Minister for Transport has also committed to meet with the Donegal Cancer Flights and Services Group and will continue to engage. We know from our meeting yesterday that this was discussed in detail. The objective now has to be to find a way to make sure the flight times that are available meet the needs of the people from our county.”
“Only one tender submission was received and this met the minimum requirements set out in the request for tender, which was published by the Department following consultation with Donegal Airport. In the absence of any competition to operate this service, and having taken legal advice, the Department's priority had been to execute the contract in order to safeguard services beyond 25 February. This was vital to ensure that the people, particularly critical care patients, could book flights for travel beyond 25 February as soon as possible. I am sure the House will appreciate that in the absence of any option to extend the current contract, any alternative from the Department's perspective would clearly have imposed a consequent risk to the continuation of this air service route.”
“This process formally concluded on 10 February, with the award of a contract to Emerald Airlines. While the new contract continues to provide for a daily return service from Donegal to Dublin, with an early morning departure from Donegal and an evening return from Dublin, two specific changes to the service have been proposed by the service provider under the new contract which have raised concerns for people in our county. The first concern is around the fact that the aircraft will no longer be based in Donegal Airport, as the Deputy knows, and the second is around the changes to the schedule, where the afternoon flight from Donegal has been replaced with an evening service departing from Donegal Airport. As I mentioned, a public procurement process was undertaken and the market responded to that.”
“The Government very much recognises the important social and economic role that this service plays and, more broadly, in providing people and businesses in the north west with daily connectivity to Dublin, as well as further international connectivity via Dublin Airport. The Government is fully committed to maintaining connectivity to the north west by continuing to provide an Exchequer-funded public service obligation, PSO, air service on this route, which also supports inward tourism and regional economic development. The current public service obligation air service contract on this route expires on 25 February. To ensure continuity of services beyond this date, the Department of Transport conducted a public procurement process in line with the requirements of the EU regulation.”
“I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this important matter for our county on the floor of the Dáil. I am glad to be taking it on behalf of the Minister for Transport who has been in London since yesterday meeting Cabinet counterparts in the British Government. I have been authorised to take this Topical Issue on his behalf and a number of other Topical Issues on behalf of a number of other Ministers who are not in the country today. Both Deputy Doherty and I attended the meeting yesterday with the Secretary General in the Department and representatives of the cancer committee from Donegal, who travelled down on a plane yesterday to make their case very strongly to the Government in relation to the importance of this flight and the importance of a schedule that meets the needs of the public in our county.”
“In light of the findings from the road safety audit, Kildare County Council will look to implement the recommendations in a timely manner to ensure the scheme adheres to the best safety practices. I trust this clarifies the position on the project for Deputy Wall today. Certainly I will relay back to the Minister for Transport the very clear outline Deputy Wall has given on how this has developed, the frustrations locally and the challenges there have been from a safety point of view. Obviously, the bottom line is that it is a pilot and it is to be learned from. It is also very important that what is being built is safe and that all of the considerations and findings of the audit are taken fully into account. I will ask Minister for Transport to continue to liaise with Deputy Wall on behalf of the local community on how things evolve.”
“Deputy Wall will appreciate that it is critical that we do, and are able to, offer a real alternative to people in different parts of the country to ensure they can walk and travel in a safe environment. This is why there was and is a necessity for pilots such as the Moone to Timolin scheme. I acknowledge that the novel nature of the pilot has caused concerns and frustrations, as have been very clearly articulated and represented by Deputy Wall here today on the floor of the Dáil. I assure him the pilot is important and that the lessons from the scheme will inform the approach taken to the design and delivery of future road space reallocation schemes.”
“The information gleaned from the Moone to Timolin pilot will help inform the future roll-out of active travel infrastructure on the national cycle network, with the ultimate aim of connecting more people, businesses and communities in a sustainable and safe manner.”
“The audit highlighted 22 features that should be changed to improve the safety of the scheme and minimise accident occurrence. These include recommendations to calm traffic, reducing the carriage width in certain areas, increasing the visibility of kerbs, as well as ensuring that the shared walk and cycle lanes are kept clear of excessive leaves and are clearly marked. Nineteen of the recommendations have been accepted by Kildare County Council. Alternatives to the remaining three recommendations have been accepted by the independent auditors. This evaluation has taken place in a timely manner and Kildare County Council has committed to addressing the recommendations. Continually improving road safety for all users is the cornerstone of infrastructure delivery.”
“Arising from this meeting, certain amendments were made to the scheme where it was feasible to do so. Changes included adjusting road markings to provide better guidance and amending the transition points between separation treatments to increase visibility, as well as making greater provision for pedestrian use on a short section of the route. This engagement signalled a genuine commitment to working with the local community in delivering a safer environment for vulnerable road users. Construction works on the pilot concluded in December. Following construction, as is good practice, an independent road safety audit was carried out on the Moone to Timolin scheme. The purpose of this audit was to identify any features of the scheme that could be removed or modified to improve safety.”
“The width of the road offered the opportunity to trial different road separation treatments along its length. The objective of this pilot is to evaluate the effectiveness of various segregation options for potential roll-out across the wider national cycle network. The impact on cyclists, pedestrians and motorists will be considered. This pilot went through the relevant planning process in 2024, with public feedback sought following the publication of the proposed traffic calming measures by Kildare County Council. Construction works commenced in July 2025. Concerns from the local community were raised during construction. Representatives from Kildare County Council and TII met residents and the farming community in early September to hear their feedback.”
“It will provide an excellent level of connectivity nationally and help to support our commitment to reduce transport emissions by 50% by the end of the decade. For road safety reasons and cyclist comfort and confidence, the national cycle network plan emphasises the importance of physical segregation between cyclists and motorists on busier roads. The reallocation of road space on intercity and intertown roads for segregated cycle facilities is a relatively novel concept in an Irish context. For this reason, it is prudent to pilot and assess various segregation techniques in situ to inform potential use in future projects. The Moone to Timolin scheme is such a pilot. It consists of approximately 3 km of declassified national road on the R448.”
“I thank Deputy Wall for raising this matter today. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter with Members of the House on behalf of the Minister for Transport and to provide an update on this pilot scheme in County Kildare. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national cycle network. The national cycle network was published in 2024 and identified core cycling corridors around the country which, when delivered, will help increase cycling rates among residents, leisure users and tourists alike. The ambition of the national cycle network is significant. It is composed of 85 corridors connecting over 200 settlements, with a combined population of over 2.8 million people.”
“As I mentioned, the Department will continue to work closely with the patrons and schools to ensure that all pupils in north Kildare receive an offer of a school place. I will update the Minister on the challenges and pressures and the Deputy's contribution for her to consider and for her officials to work on further.”
“Furthermore, the Department’s national development plan sectoral investment plan, which runs from 2026 to 2030, involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. Of the total €7.5 billion investment, it is envisaged that approximately €5 billion will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across large-scale and additional accommodation, as well as the modular and annual September accommodation needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027, there will be construction work at approximately 10% of the school estate. These projects, when completed, will provide about 57,000 additional and modernised school places, with a strong special educational need focus in all of the projects.”
“I will relay to the Minister for education the Deputy's comments and the representations she has made on this issue on the floor of the Dáil today. To touch further on the assessment of need and demand for school places in a school area, the Department uses data from a range of sources, including child benefit data, enrolments and information on new residential developments, to plan for school place needs. As has been outlined, there has been significant investment made in school infrastructure across County Kildare, and the Department is continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools.”
“In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998. As the Deputy will be aware, the apply to school pilot was introduced to simplify and improve the admissions process for post-primary schools in five pilot areas, including Celbridge. The roll-out of the pilot represents a significant step towards improving the school admissions system and delivering on the programme for Government commitment to introduce a nationwide common application system. While the apply to school system facilitates the submission of a common applications system for parents, the individual schools retain responsibility for issuing offers based on these applications in accordance with their published admissions policy.”
“On foot of this engagement, Maynooth Community College has increased its first-year intake by an additional class group relative to what was indicated on its admissions notice for 2026-27. The Deputy will appreciate that the nature of the admissions processes is quite complex. As a result, there can be multiple iterations of offers. For 2025, based on data supplied by schools, it is estimated that there were over 4,200 first-year places available in County Kildare, with around 3,794 sixth-class pupils in the area. On this basis, the Department estimates a surplus capacity of approximately 400 places, or around 9%. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.”
“Since 2020, the Department has invested over €397 million in school infrastructure across County Kildare. The Department is continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools in order to ensure that every child in the State has access to a school place. In the context of post-primary enrolment pressures in north Kildare, the Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2026-27 school year in certain areas. The data sharing arrangements that were in place for the 2025-26 admissions process have been put in place again for the 2026-27 admissions process in school planning areas that are experiencing enrolment pressures, including areas in north Kildare. The admissions data provided by schools allows the Department to analyse duplicate applications as there can be significant overlaps in areas.”
“I thank Deputy Cronin for raising this matter. It gives me an opportunity to set out for the House, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, the position with regard to long waiting lists for post-primary school places across north Kildare. I assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post-primary level, including those with special educational needs, is an absolute priority of the Department. While the Department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note that enrolment pressures can be driven by duplications of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors.”
“The way forward here is for the school to examine the opportunity of an appeal, no doubt working with the Deputy to see how that could best be put forward. It can also make the case to the Department concerning how that emergency works money should be considered as contributing to the downpipe work as well to see if that can somehow be made to meet the criteria to be approved. I thank the Deputy again for raising the matter. I will faithfully report back to the Minister on the debate and on the Deputy's requests and representations.”
“I will certainly relay the points the Deputy made back to the Minister. The response I have been given outlines the difference between the emergency works scheme in terms of the criteria to qualify for it and for the summer works scheme. The Department is making the case that the downpipe issue is a matter that would qualify for the summer work scheme as opposed to the emergency works scheme, even though, as should always be the case, it would appear that the school is achieving very good value here in relation to the electrical works contract, the cost of which is coming in under the amount allocated via the emergency works scheme. If the two issues in terms of the downpipe and its impact on the capacity to effectively carry out the work in relation to the electrics are related, they should certainly be presented alongside each other.”
“Assessing the response from the Minister, I know the new application did not meet the criteria for emergency works. There is an opportunity for the school to appeal. The key point Deputy Geoghegan is making is that he is very much of the view, based, I am sure, on his visit to the school, that the two issues are related and that to do one is not feasible without doing the other. I am sure this would be the key point as the basis of any appeal open to the school. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I know he will be coming back with a further response. I will certainly be relaying the fact that he raised this issue and the points he made to the Minister. I have no doubt that the Minister will liaise with him to see if there is a way forward.”
“With all emergency works scheme applications, the emergency works team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required, and will keep the school informed throughout the process. In November 2023, the school in question submitted an application for funding for roof works under the emergency works scheme. The Department sought further information from the school in a number of queries in November of that year but due to the passage of time and having received no response from the school to the queries, the application was closed off. I understand the school is also in contact with the Department of Education and Youth in regard to a current issue and I will ask the Minister, Deputy Naughton, to provide an update on this matter directly to Deputy Geoghegan.”
“Unfortunately, the school's original application was refused as the application did not fit the remit of the emergency works scheme, that being the scope of works that was presented did not meet the criteria of sudden and unforeseen. However, the option remains open to the school to appeal this decision. Appeals will only be considered if additional relevant information that was not provided as part of the original application is provided to the Department. The school in question had other emergency works applications approved in the past 12 months. In August of last year, the school was approved funding for electrical installation, emergency lighting and a fire alarm. This project is currently with the school to progress further.”
“An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected, would prevent the school or part thereof from opening. The emergency works scheme operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to address the emergency situation. The scheme is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under a summer works scheme. The new climate action summer works scheme approved 297 applications in November 2025. The school in question submitted an application for funding under the emergency works scheme for roof works on 1 October 2025, with a decision issuing by the Department on 8 October 2025.”
“I am responding on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to discuss the role of the Department of Education and Youth’s emergency works scheme. The purpose of the emergency works scheme is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies or to providing funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special needs. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.”
“As people can see from the outline I provided that we have been acting very promptly. I do not believe it could have been done in a shorter timeframe. NewERA had to do its assessment, look at the fund and the request relating to it and make recommendations to the various Ministers. As soon as I got it, I signed off on it. It has gone to the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and I have no doubt he will act very promptly. Our objective is to get this applied as soon as possible. We understand that it is very important.”
“I have no doubt that the Minister, Deputy Chambers, will do the same and will be considering it now, particularly as it has been with him for the past week or so.”
“It then came to me with a recommendation for approval and I signed off within a day or two - on the day I received it or the day after certainly - as did the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan. Over a week or so ago, it went to the Minister for public expenditure. It has, therefore, only been with him for that length of time. I have no doubt he will deal with it expeditiously. There has not been any dragging of feet on the Government's part in relation to the timelines. It was agreed with the unions at the end of September and it came to us at the end of October. We asked NewERA to do carry out an assessment and advise us, and we are now expediting the matter. I fully understand the importance for people of having their pensions and getting their increases. I am very conscious of that. We are acting as expeditiously as we possibly can.”
“I thank Deputies Byrne and Guirke. I have outlined the timelines. While these pension increases were to apply with regard to An Post from 1 January 2025, the agreement relating to the increase was not agreed between the unions and An Post until September 2025. It was only at that point that it was agreed. The agreement went to the Department at the end of October, as has been outlined. Governance mechanisms and the need to make appropriate decisions require that the Department must engage with NewERA because there has to be an assessment in order to identify whether it is appropriate. We referred the agreement to NewERA at the end of October and we got it back in the past number of weeks.”
“It is important to note that the pension increases cannot be considered agreed or implemented until such time as ministerial approval from both Departments has been obtained. It should be recognised that the time taken for the pension approval process is necessary to ensure that robust governance procedures are in place, that the code of practice is complied with and the relevant legislation is adhered to.”