Dara Calleary
Mayo · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Agriculture is the backbone. We have all been in the Mansion House today, or everyone has said they were anyway. Energy security is key and crucial. Everybody wants energy security but nobody wants wind energy. We have to strike a balance and get a real discussion, but food security is most important.”
“While we have gaps there, we are addressing them. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has announced the minor injury units, which will take the pressure off major hospitals and ensure services are available.”
“Recent figures from the CSO show that there is a 5.8% increase in the number of people living in rural areas between 2016 and 2022. In areas classified as highly rural and remote, the increase was 6.4%.”
“Enterprise Ireland is investing in Irish-owned, Irish-founded companies. Similarly, 59% of IDA investments were located outside the Dublin region. We will continue to work, looking at the progress we can make through the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and, as Senator O'Loughlin said, through supporting our local enterprise offices.”
“That is something we do daily and they are used where is necessary. The plan will be supported by ambitious, clear, practical and measurable actions. I have spoken to some of the funding programmes available within my Department.”
“Táim tar éis cuairt a thabhairt ar gach ceantar Gaeltachta chun plé fairsing a dhéanamh leis na pobail sin chun a fháil amach uathu féin cén cineál tacaíochta ar féidir a chur ar fáil dóibh chun cabhrú leo. Táim chun leanúint ar aghaidh leis an obair sin sa bhuiséad le teacht agus na buiséid eile.”
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“Tabharfaidh sé seo ar fad cinnteacht don bhForas Teanga agus do na heagraíochta agus grúpaí pobail ar fud an oileáin a bhaineann tairbhe as na scéimeanna tacaíochta agus maoinithe a chuirtear ar fáil.”
“Anuas air seo, cuimsítear sna pleananna gnó go mbeidh maoiniú imfhálaithe á chur ar fáil ag mo Roinn don fhoras agus don ghníomhaireacht le cláir agus gníomhaíochtaí ar leith a reachtáil in 2026. Cuimsíonn sé seo an maoiniú breise a fuair mé mar chuid de bhuiséad 2026. Tá áthas orm a fhógairt go n-ardófar maoiniú chlár na leabhar Gaeilge go €2 milliún in 2026, an leibhéal is airde riamh. Chomh maith leis sin, cuirfear maoiniú breise os cionn €2 milliún ar fáil do chláir agus do ghníomhaíochtaí eile Fhoras na Gaeilge in 2026. Cuirfear €200,000 ar fáil do Ghníomhaireacht na hUltaise do thograí bainteach le gníomhaíochtaí ar leith i gContaetha Dhún na nGall, Mhuineacháin agus an Chabháin, agus níos faide ó dheas de réir a chéile.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Tabharfaidh mé seans dó a breath a fháil. Is í an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas a cheadaíonn buiséid bhliantúla na gComhlachtaí Forfheidhmithe Thuaidh Theas, an Foras Teanga san áireamh. Cuireann Rialtas na hÉireann 75% de bhuiséad Fhoras na Gaeilge ar fáil agus tagann an 25% eile ó Fheidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann, de réir an chóimheas maoinithe a aontaíodh nuair a bunaíodh an Foras Teanga. D'fhreastail mé ar chruinniú de chuid an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas i gCampas Síochána Mhuineacháin inné, an 3 Nollaig, inar aontaíodh pleananna gnó agus buiséid 2026 d'Fhoras na Gaeilge agus do Ghníomhaireacht na hUltaise. Mar thoradh air seo, cuirfear maoiniú comhaontaithe de €20 milliún ar fáil d'Fhoras na Gaeilge agus do Ghníomhaireacht na hUltaise in 2026.”
“If there are suggestions or proposals similar to those the Deputy has, every Deputy should try to make those and we will incorporate the views of Oireachtas Members into the document. It is the scaffolding document on which we will build projects and funding programmes over the next five years.”
“Absolutely. We did try to provide that information, but that feedback is coming back to me quite often, so we will consider a one-stop shop for that information. I acknowledge that it is predominantly volunteers who organise these festivals. These are people who are very busy elsewhere in their lives and are probably involved in multiple other organisations in their communities at the same time. We will try to ensure we have a one-stop shop to provide the information. I wish to bring the attention of every Deputy here this morning to the fact we are finalising the current consultation on Our Rural Future, which is our scaffolding document for rural policy. The final date for submissions is 12 December, which is tomorrow week, and I encourage all Deputies to look at the current draft and to input into that review.”
“We are more than happy to assist with capital funding through the LEADER programme, but given the existing level of support through Fáilte Ireland and other organisations, I have no plans to look at this proposal further at this point.”
“I absolutely appreciate the role of any festival or gathering in any rural community. That is why we support the rural shows to the extent of €1 million right across the country, with over 130 of them. Fáilte Ireland, which is the predominant domestic tourism development agency, has a range of schemes in place for supporting local festivals and local community events, as do the local authorities. As I said, the LEADER programme supports festivals. There is one in Portlaoise and others in Ballinakill, Cullahill and Spink, across the Deputy's county. The LEADER programme has a very good track record of supporting festivals across County Laois. I know there are a number of local authorities around the country that provide current funding for festivals in local areas as well.”
“In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, the proposed activity must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved LEADER local development strategy and comply with the EU regulations and operating rules. The programme is administered by the local action groups, LAGs, across the country. Prospective applicants organising festivals should contact their relevant LAG. Moving to the local enhancement programme, which is run by the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and me, this programme provides small capital grants to community and voluntary groups to improve facilities or purchase equipment. This may support groups that help run local festivals. We are finalising local enhancement programme for 2026 and will announce details of the new programme imminently.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question. My Department implements a wide range of schemes and supports that are available to community organisations and groups across the country. While my Department does not have a scheme specifically for community or homecoming festivals, there may be an avenue of support under the LEADER programme or potentially the local enhancement programme. In respect of the LEADER programme, in line with the programme for Government, LEADER has a strong focus on rural tourism and funding has been made available under the programme for festivals and local tourism initiatives. For example, I am sure the Deputy will be well aware of the Old Fort Quarter festival, which has been run very successfully in Portlaoise in recent years. That has received funding from LEADER.”
“Beimid ar ais ag an mBille go luath san earrach. Roimh an mBille sin, tá mé ag obair leis an údarás. Níl mé i mo shuí ansin. Tá mé ag obair chun go mbeidh tuiscint idir mé féin agus an t-údarás faoi stádas pleanála na talún atá aige i ngach chuid den Ghaeltacht. Níl aon fhadhb agam cumhachtaí a thabhairt don údarás don talamh atá aige ag an bpointe seo ach tá sé tábhachtach go dtuigfimid céard é stádas na talún sin ag an bpointe seo agus cén athruithe atá déanta. Níl aon phointe cumhacht a thabhairt don údarás murar féidir leis an chumhacht sin a úsáid mar gheall ar chúrsaí pleanála nó aon rialachán a bheidh ar an talamh sin. Táim sásta é sin a phlé leis an Teachta Ó Snodaigh nó leis an Teachta McGuinness i rith mí Eanáir chun go mbeidh tuiscint ar an sórt treo ina bhfuilimid ag dul.”
“Beidh cruinniú eile agam i mí Eanáir chun brú a chur orthu, mar údaráis áitiúla pleanála, chun obair a dhéanamh ar an bpíosa seo. Tá na Gaeltachtaí atá i limistéir na n-údarás áitiúil sin thar a bheith tábhachtach. Caithfidh na húdaráis áitiúla, na comhairlí contae, an tábhacht sin a thuiscint. Ag an bpointe seo, tá deis leis an athbhreithniú maidir le rezoning atá ar siúl ag an bpointe seo. Tá súil agam go dtapóidh siad an deis sin.”
“Ar an gcéad dul síos, is é seo an fáth go bhfuil an Bille nua faoi ligean tithíochta gearrthéarmach chomh tábhachtach is atá sé. Beidh treoirlínte ag na húdaráis áitiúla. Aontaím leis an Teachta go bhfuil brú ní hamháin ar chúrsaí tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht, ach ar an teanga. Táimid ag obair ar a lán rudaí ach níl sé simplí. Caithfimid a admháil nach bhfuil sé simplí. Táim ag bualadh leis an údarás chun obair leis maidir leis an talamh atá aige ag an bpointe seo agus chun a fháil amach an bhfuil an talamh sin ullamh le haghaidh tithíocht, ní hamháin ó thaobh seirbhísí ach ó thaobh pleanála freisin. Beidh muid ag déanamh na hoibre sin leis an údarás. Tá ról mór ag na húdaráis áitiúla, na comhairlí contae, maidir leis seo freisin. Tá mé tar éis cúpla cruinniú a bheith agam le príomhfheidhmeannaigh na gcomhairlí contae sin.”
“Ó thaobh lóistín turasóireachta gearrthéarmach de, cuirfidh an Bille um ligean gearrthéarmach agus turasóireacht bonn reachtúil ar chóras nua clárúcháin le haghaidh ligean gearrthéarmach in Éirinn. Ní dhéanfaidh an Bille seo aon athrú ar na riachtanais phleanála atá ann cheana féin le haghaidh ligean gearrthéarmach in Éirinn, ach cabhróidh sé leis na húdaráis áitiúla na riachtanais phleanála atá ann cheana a chur i bhfeidhm ar bhonn níos éifeachtaí. Cabhróidh an Bille seo chomh maith le soiléireacht a thabhairt faoin gcuid seo de thionscal na turasóireachta agus chun a chinntiú go bhfuil sé ag feidhmiú ar bhonn inbhuanaithe.”
“Tá an méid atá geallta i bplean tithíochta an Rialtais don Ghaeltacht soiléir. Anuas ar na scéimeanna tacaíochta náisiúnta a bheidh ar fáil don phobal i gcoitinne, tá sé geallta go bhfoilseofar ráiteas náisiúnta pleanála don Ghaeltacht sa chéad leath de 2027 agus go n-oibreoidh Údarás na Gaeltachta i gcomhar le hUisce Éireann agus na húdaráis áitiúla chun na féidearthachtaí a bhaineann le suíomhanna seirbhísithe a bheadh feiliúnach do thithíocht a fhiosrú. Anuas air sin, tabharfaidh an Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024 cumhachtaí nua d'Údarás na Gaeltachta talamh a chur ar fáil ó phunann maoine na heagraíochta le haghaidh tithíochta do chainteoirí Gaeilge i gceantair Ghaeltachta.”
“Tuigim go maith na dúshláin atá ann i gceantair Ghaeltachta tithíocht a chur ar fáil ar phraghas réasúnta do dhaoine áitiúla. Is dúshlán é seo a ghabhann níos leithne ná an Ghaeltacht féin ach tuigim go mór an brú atá ar cheantair Ghaeltachta. Agus é sin ráite, níl sé i gceist ag mo Roinn ag an bpointe seo na scéimeanna tithíochta faoi Achtanna na dTithe (Gaeltachta), a cuireadh ar athló roinnt blianta ó shin, a thabhairt ar ais. Ó cuireadh na scéimeanna sin ar athló, tá scéimeanna eile bunaithe ag an Rialtas le tacú leo siúd atá ag iarraidh tithe a cheannach nó a thógáil. Mar go bhfuil na tacaíochtaí atá ar fáil faoi na scéimeanna nua seo níos flaithiúla ó thaobh airgid de ná na scéimeanna tithíochta faoi Achtanna na dTithe (Gaeltachta), is é tuairim mheáite mo Roinne nach bhfuil gá iad a athsheoladh ag an bpointe seo.”
“Beimid ag plé na gcleachtaí ón athbhreithniú le hAirí eile, ní hamháin i mo Roinn féin. Tá suim mhór agam sa phróiseas seo. Tá suim mhór agam cleachtaí a fhoghlaim as an obair atá déanta go dtí seo agus leanúint ar aghaidh leis na hoifigigh phleanála teanga, na ceanneagraíochtaí agus ceanneagraíochtaí breise freisin.”
“Mar a dúirt mé sa fhreagra, tá an t-uafás oibre ar siúl ag na hoifigigh phleanála teanga. Baineann cuid den scéal agus fuinnimh atá sa teanga lena gcuid oibre. Tá siad an-láidir sa scéal sin. Tuigim go mór an brú atá orthu agus ar na ceanneagraíochtaí, ach tá muid ag foghlaim agus muid ag cur an clár seo ar siúl sa tír. As an bhfoghlaim agus an cleachtadh sin, beimid in ann rudaí a dhéanamh níos fearr. Tuigim an brú atá ar na hoifigigh phleanála teanga agus na ceanneagraíochtaí, go háirithe ó thaobh oifigigh pleanála teanga a chóiméad. Tuigim freisin na fadhbanna atá ann ó thaobh tithíochta de. Tá siad go léir ceangailte agus tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil tuiscint ar an gceangal sin, ní hamháin ag mo Roinn – cé go bhfuil sé sin tábhachtach – ach ag Ranna eile, lena n-áirítear na Ranna oideachais agus tithíochta.”
“Tá mé ag obair le hoifigigh na Roinne ar an moill agus bhí cruinniú ag oifigigh mo Roinne ar thaobh Oireachtas na Samhna i mBéal Feirste leis na hoifigigh phleanála teanga chun cúrsaí a phlé, idir cúrsaí buiséid agus eile.”
“Tá brón orm nach raibh seans agam mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as a chuid oibre mar oifigeach pleanála teanga. Mar a dúirt mé, tá sé i gceist go mbeidh na pleananna atá in éag cheana féin, nó iad siúd a bheidh ag dul in éag idir seo agus deireadh na bliana seo, bailí go deireadh na bliana 2027 nó go dtí go n-aontófar pleananna nua, cibé acu is luaithe. Beidh aon phlean a théann in éag tar éis dheireadh mhí na Nollag 2025 bailí go ceann dhá bhliain tar éis dó dul in éag nó go dtí go n-aontófar plean nua, cibé acu is luaithe. Tuigim go bhfuil moill ann agus tá muid ag dul i ngleic leis an moill sin. Beidh €3 milliún bhreise sa bhuiséad le haghaidh an phróisis pleanála in 2026.”
“Is iad na hoifigigh phleanála teanga atá freagrach as cur i bhfeidhm bhearta an phlean teanga faoina gcúram. Cuireann siad an Ghaeilge chun cinn, eagraíonn siad imeachtaí cultúrtha, cuireann siad acmhainní agus tacaíochtaí ar fáil d'fhoghlaimeoirí, agus bíonn siad rannpháirteach leis an bpobal agus na heagraíochtaí Gaeilge a bhíonn ag obair sna ceantair phleanála teanga. Tá sé i gceist go mbeidh na pleananna atá in éag cheana féin nó a bheidh ag dul in éag idir seo agus deireadh 2025 bailí go deireadh na bliana 2027 nó go dtí go n-aontófar pleananna nua, cibé acu is luaithe. Beidh aon phlean a théann in éag tar éis an 31 Nollaig 2025 bailí go ceann bhliain tar éis dó dul in éag nó go dtí go n-aontófar plean nua, cibé acu is luaithe.”
“Mar chuid den mhaoiniú sin, ceadaítear do na ceanneagraíochtaí OPT amháin, nó beirt i gcásanna áirithe, a fhostú. Faoi láthair, tá ceadanna in áit le 35 OPT a fhostú sna 26 LPT agus dhá BSG. Faoi scáth Fhoras na Gaeilge, tá seacht mbaile seirbhíse Gaeltachta taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht agus trí líonra Gaeilge ag feidhmiú. Anuas air sin, tá feidhmiú dhá líonra Gaeilge neamhreachtúil á mhaoiniú ag Foras na Gaeilge ar an taobh ó thuaidh den Teorainn, is iad sin, Carn Tóchair agus iarthar Bhéal Feirste. Tá ról lárnach ag na hoifigigh phleanála teanga sa phróiseas pleanála teanga. Tá na hoifigigh phleanála teanga fostaithe ag na ceanneagraíochtaí éagsúla, ní hamháin sa limistéir phleanála teanga Ghaeltachta ach i mbailte seirbhíse Gaeltachta agus líonraí Gaeilge araon.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Is é an sprioc atá leis an bpróiseas pleanála teanga ná an Ghaeilge a láidriú mar theanga phobail. Déantar é seo trí phleananna teanga a fheidhmiú i limistéir aitheanta a chuirfidh le húsáid na Gaeilge i réimsí áirithe sa phobal, mar shampla, sa teaghlach, i measc na hóige, sa chóras oideachais, san earnáil ghnó agus san earnáil phoiblí. Cuirtear tacaíocht ar fáil do na pobail leis na pleananna sin a chur i bhfeidhm agus fostaítear oifigigh phleanála teanga, OPT, le tabhairt faoin obair sin. Ceadaítear maoiniú ar bhonn bliantúil do 29 ceanneagraíochta pleanála teanga leis na pleananna teanga atá faofa do 26 limistéar pleanála teanga, LPT, agus dhá bhaile seirbhíse Gaeltachta, BSG, a fheidhmiú faoi scáth Údarás na Gaeltachta.”
“With the permission of the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, I would like to thank the officials in the Department for their work on this social welfare Bill, in particular the officials who are implementing it as we speak across the country in terms of investing €28.9 billion next year in our social welfare funds. I want to put on record my thanks to every one of those officials both at Department headquarters and across the country who are investing this money as we speak.”
“That will bring full clarity to the fees and will show the benefits of auto-enrolment and My Future Fund in terms of the number of people to whom we are bringing much lower fees than are available in any other space in this market. In respect of other products, we have drawn attention to that and have done a lot of work on it. We will also be bringing further regulations forward next week. In bringing attention, as has come back in the feedback, we have given many workers the information they needed to highlight this and to see they were being offered a lesser product than My Future Fund.”
“I would draw the Deputy's attention to section 74 of the Act, which requires the investment managers to invest participants' contributions - the same people we are talking about - in the best long-term interests of the participants. We share the same thing. The function of NAERSA includes arranging for the investment of contributions. The board of NAERSA will have an oversight role in ensuring that this function, as set out in section 74, requires investment managers to invest participants' contributions in the long-term interests of the participants. That is the function. The board has a duty to make sure it is performed appropriately. I have confidence in relation to that. My apologies, as I meant to update the Deputy. We will be bringing a memo to the Cabinet next week in relation to the fees.”
“Next week, we will be launching further details on that and we are continuing an extensive promotional campaign in this space around building people's awareness of My Future Fund. The notion that we are not prepared does not stand up to any fair or appropriate scrutiny.”
“Additionally, the investment rules of the scheme, which are set out in section 74 of the Act, require the investment managers to invest participants' contributions in the best long-term interests of the participants. Given that the function of NAERSA includes arranging for the investment of contributions, the board of NAERSA will have an oversight role here in ensuring that the function is performed appropriately. Therefore, the inclusion of wording in section 10 requiring the board of NAERSA to act with fiduciary responsibility to participants is not required, as the intent of this wording is already provided for in this legislation. In relation to preparedness, as the Deputy knows, this week we have launched the employers' portal of My Future Fund. Employers are signing up as we speak.”
“Section 10(2) also requires the board to have oversight of the performance of NAERSA's functions, which are set out in section 9 of the Act. Section 9(2) of the auto-enrolment Act mandates NAERSA to perform its function in a manner that operates in the best interests of the participants, which provides for the management of participants' retirement savings with appropriate care and judgment. The intent of this wording is similar to the wording in Deputy Hayes's amendment, in that fiduciary responsibility means acting in the best interests of participants. Moreover, section 11 of the Act provides that the duties of members of the board and the performance of their functions shall be owed by them to the authority and the authority alone.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as na leasuithe agus as an seans an Bille tábhachtach seo a phlé. I gcomhthéacs na leasaithe ón Teachta Hayes, ní bheidh mé ag glacadh leis an leasú seo. I will not be accepting the amendment. I absolutely reject the Deputy's assertion that we are not prepared for the launch of My Future Fund. In respect of the amendment, section 10 of the auto-enrolment Act relates to the establishment of the board of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, NAERSA. Section 10(2) charges the board with ring-fenced responsibilities that relate specifically to its oversight role in the overall management of NAERSA and the automatic enrolment system. This includes arrangements relating to the delivery of the statement of strategy, the annual plan and the performance of the chief executive officer.”
“That is if people are not held to account for what homeowners have been put through, the distress, including mental distress. We cannot allow it to happen again for the quality of our building standards and confidence in them. We just simply cannot allow it to happen again and allow people to get away with it in the way they seem to have to date.”
“It needlessly adds to the difficult challenges that are being faced. I ask that resources be put in to find the communication that is necessary in order to give people some sort of sense of where they are at. It is important we get the Bill passed quickly. Some people are waiting for payments and the Minster is aware of concerns around that. However, we need to know why and we still really have not progressed that. How is it that one house has it and the neighbouring house can have been constructed at a relatively similar time and not have any situation or pyrite? We need to try to get an understanding of that because if we do not, we will be here again in two, three, four, 20, 25 or 30 years looking at a similar scandal.”
“I put on record my thanks - I know Deputy Conway-Walsh, as somebody who works on this every day, will agree - to Mayo County Council and, in particular, to Ms Clodagh Gleeson, an official in Mayo County Council who is an example to every single public and civil servant in this country as to how to get people through the most extraordinary and difficult of situations, how to show empathy and understanding, and to keep in touch with people even when dealing with a scheme that may be difficult. I commend her approach and her empathy for families. The appeals process is clearly not working. Far greater clarity needs to be brought to that process. People stuck in the process are not being given the information as to where it is at, which adds to the sense of stress and distress.”
“I would ask for that measure to be introduced without delay and without extra regulation tying it up. I welcome the amendment in relation to adjacent dwellings. This has been a major bugbear in respect of the scheme to date. I also welcome the fact ancillary grants are being taken outside of the cap. We need a one-stop shop to manage all of this. The processes to manage separately the defective concrete blocks, DCB, grant and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, grant are putting people through too much stress.”
“It is important that we begin that process and stand up that inquiry. I welcome the changes proposed in the ministerial amendment in relation to semi-detached houses. The position until now has been that where there are two owners of houses attached to one another, one might be approved whereas the person in the next house might not be approved. The person who is approved might proceed with construction and actually lose space in their existing house so as not to affect the house that was not proceeding. It made no sense that two houses that were inevitably going to proceed at some stage and would have to be reconstructed if they had pyrite were going to be done separately under two separate systems. This was also an extra expense, not just on the families but also on the State. I welcome the fact that common sense has prevailed.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire agus an Roinn as ucht an Bhille seo a fhoilsiú. I welcome the publication of the Bill. I agree with everyone else. Deputy Conway-Walsh and I have worked with families on this issue. It has caused huge distress, and that does not only apply in the past tense because it is still causing massive distress. This process is being accentuated. I want to make a number of suggestions to follow up on conversations I have had with the Minister around this issue. First is the question of how. How did all this happen? That is being forgotten. We need to provide answers to people as to how this happened, and as to how it happened in such a random manner for many people. A guarantee was given that there would be an inquiry into all of this so we can learn and do not put future families through this process.”
“We have already provided debate opportunities in the House. We have provided guidance in the audiovisual room. We are providing more technical guidance for Deputies and Senators in relation to auto-enrolment so that they can provide information in their constituencies. I would direct every Deputy to gov.ie/auto-enrolment where there are videos and supports in place for all organisations to give people an idea of what is coming and the kind of work that will be involved. It is my intention that work will be minimised for employers, in particular.”
“They were advised early this year to ensure that groups and funding was properly in place. Within our Department, we have provided extra money for groups such as the rural social scheme, RSS, Tús and CE to ensure that auto-enrolment is covered. However, that is an ongoing communication in place with all the Departments and one that we discussed earlier.”
“I thank Deputies McCormack and Butterly for their questions. It is our intention to keep it simple. That is coming from the feedback that was under way for seven years now. We have started a strawman consultation. Employers have asked us to keep it simple and to keep the administration costs as minimal as possible. Most importantly for the approximately 750,000 people, they will have access to their money because for each person in My Future Fund, it is their money and not the State's money. They will see the top up from their employer and the State contribution and have access to that. I have no doubt there will be teething problems. There is going to be but we are trying to minimise those and get information to people inasmuch as we can. On Deputy Butterly's question, we have advised other Departments that auto-enrolment is starting.”
“It is important to note that, unlike other pension schemes, employers will have very little to do to facilitate auto-enrolment being implemented because the new State agency, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, NAERSA, has been established to oversee and operate the system which will include taking care of all the administrative processes around auto-enrolment, contribution collection, investment and providing access to accounts and information.”
“We have also made a wealth of information available through our AE hub at gov.ie/auto-enrolment and brought this to the attention of all the representative organisations. This material includes a large range of YouTube videos to explain the system and how it will work. More than 300,000 companies are registered with the Companies Registration Office. They were issued a My Future Fund mailshot in April this year. The Department will be writing to all companies and tax agents that are registered on the Revenue ROS system in early December. That mailshot will be supported by the NAERSA contact centre.”
“Over the past 18 months we have hosted thousands of employers and related professions through many webinars, conferences and in-person stakeholder meetings, with more planned over the coming weeks. We have also implemented an extensive advertising campaign aimed specifically at employers to show them how easy it will be to implement auto-enrolment. In fact, it is as easy as enabling a health insurance or credit union deduction. Separately, over the past year, my team in the Department has worked incredibly hard and held weekly project meetings with payroll providers who provide payroll services to many employers. We have worked closely with them to ensure that deductions can be implemented in a streamlined manner.”
“I thank Deputy McCormack, and Deputy Brennan for tabling this question. The implementation of My Future Fund from 1 January 2026 will fulfil a key programme for Government commitment to ensure that more than 750,000 workers are brought into a retirement savings scheme for the first time, giving those workers more security in their retirement. There has been extensive engagement with employers and representative organisations from the very outset, including during the early design phase of My Future Fund. The phasing of the roll-out, the incremental approach to levying contributions was, for example, specifically designed in response to employer feedback.”
“The offices in the relevant areas are being given resources to deal with this quickly and, most importantly, as they always do, empathetically, particularly given the circumstances of this and to ensure we get decisions turned around quickly. We have done 45 urgent-need payments and 56 jobseekers' claims. That gives a sense of the focus and attention this is getting within the Department.”
“I thank both Deputies. As I said in relation to the franchisees, the self-employed and the employees of contractors of Fastway, they can apply for jobseekers' payment immediately. We have processed and awarded 56 claims already in relation to that group of people. The work my Department team is doing at the moment is working with receivers, getting records of who is an employee and who is not and who is a franchisee, and getting that level of detail. That has been under way since the company entered into receivership. I thank the staff in my Department who are working on that team. They engaged with this immediately when this issue arose. That team is in place.”
“Every Intreo office and local employment office in the areas most affected have processes in place to deal with them efficiently and quickly. If there are specific cases the Deputy wants to raise, the team in the Department is more than happy to engage with him or any other Member of the Oireachtas directly in relation to that.”
“I am listening to concerns directly through the Deputy, Deputy Conway-Walsh and many other Deputies. I have met workers myself in my own constituency. That is why we have put the processes in place that have ensured 45 urgent needs payments have been made and 56 jobseeker's claims have been awarded. The offices are available to the Deputy to process any specific claims he has. I absolutely agree with him about the pressure this is putting on employees and franchise holders. I want to ensure that the supports we can make available at this time can be made available, albeit there is a redundancy process under way. I do not want to see people without an income at any time of the year, but particularly at this time of year. That is why we set up a dedicated team to deal with Fastway workers.”
“I assure the Deputy that, in the interim and if immediate financial support is needed, it will be made available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. As of yesterday, 45 supplementary welfare allowance scheme urgent needs payments had been issued to people in this situation with Fastway. Other people affected, including the self-employed and franchise and direct employees of contractors, can apply for jobseeker's immediately. As of yesterday, 56 jobseekers' claims had been awarded to people in this regard. My Department has established a dedicated team to work closely with the Fastway liquidators, workers and their representatives to provide guidance, ensure efficient processing of claims and provide opportunities to resolve any queries collectively, where possible.”
“There is no statutory restriction on employees taking up alternative or additional employment during the consultation or receivership period, provided they do not formally resign from their current employment. Accepting other work does not affect an employee's statutory redundancy entitlement as long as the employment contract with their original employer is still in place. Employees should not apply for jobseeker's payments during the consultation period, as they remain employees until employment terminates. Applying prematurely could affect entitlements under redundancy and insolvency payments schemes. Once the consultation period ends and the employment is formally terminated, affected employees may apply for jobseeker's payments.”
“I thank the Deputy. I also thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for tabling the question and her engagement over recent days about the Fastway workers. All of our thoughts are with the workers affected by this receivership. It is very concerning for all of them and I assure Deputy Guirke that my Department's priority is to support all the workers who are affected and ensure they receive their statutory entitlements and appropriate income supports in a timely manner. When a company enters receivership, employees are typically placed into a statutory consultation period lasting 30 days. An employee remains in employment during the 30-day consultation period. They continue to accrue an entitlement to wages and holiday pay. That can then be claimed via the insolvency payments scheme if they are unpaid due to the employer's insolvency.”
“I continue to work with the chief appeals officer, who has put in huge effort, along with the appeals office generally, to try to get these backlogs reduced. Up to the end of quarter 3, we had 29,751 appeals registered. We have reduced the processing times for those appeals. While the volume continues to grow, I want to focus on reducing the processing times as much as we can.”