Emer Currie
Dublin West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I wish to begin by recognising the substantial work undertaken by the Government-led shared island initiative, the ESRI, academics and opinion leaders. Without that work, we simply could not have a debate of this quality.”
“This is not simply about replacing old buildings; this is about building a modern educational campus that reflects the needs and the wishes of the families in Dublin 7 and Dublin 15 for generations to come. The community has waited long enough.”
“Rather than simply replacing the existing buildings, they have come together with an ambitious proposal to create one educational campus on the existing site. This project has the potential to be one of the most significant primary school developments in the State. However, the project has been stalled at stage 2a since 2024.”
“Many of the economic gaps that will likely be highlighted in the wider debate as barriers to unification - productivity, earnings, disposable income, tax revenue and educational attainment - are not as inevitable as some would like us to believe.”
“However, Northern Ireland has outperformed many UK regions since Brexit, helped by the competitive advantage created through dual access to the UK and EU goods markets under the Windsor Framework. More recent research suggests the productivity gap is narrowing.”
“If you believe in a united Ireland, then making Northern Ireland more prosperous, a better place to live and a more attractive proposition for the people who are undecided about how they would vote in this referendum should not be a secondary objective; it should be central to achieving a united Ireland.”
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“I am not sure if the Minister is aware but we have planning guidelines from 2001 where for every 75 dwellings that are built, 20 childcare places are also to be provided. If it was happening, I do not think we would have the problems we have regarding childcare. Sometimes it works. I am sure the Minister has seen that in his own constituency. However, sometimes the builders are exempt or facilities are built but are never opened. I am looking for some realistic and affordable supports for the likes of community crèches and smaller crèches to make that happen.”
“At Danu Community Special School the actual staffing team includes 60 people - teachers, SNAs, bus escorts, a caretaker, a secretary and a part-time cleaner. Every member of staff in a special school is the responsibility of the leadership team, and these leaders deserve more support. Much progress has been made. Naming the outstanding challenges is the first step to tackling those challenges and achieving even more progress.”
“While 15,000 special education teachers are supporting students in mainstream schools, children with dyslexia still need more targeted interventions. I acknowledge the amazing work of teachers. We face a national challenge in recruiting and retaining teachers in special education settings. I believe teachers deserve an allowance that recognises both the choice they make to work in a rewarding but demanding environment, and the additional training required, particularly in special schools where they need to deliver three curricula - primary, junior cycle and senior cycle. Supporting teachers also means supporting principals. There are principals and deputy principals in special schools all over the country whose salary is based on the NCSE allocation of eight teachers, not the full team they manage.”
“These actions will make a difference. Nationally, 399 special classes have been sanctioned for the 2025 school year. This level of investment is welcome, but we know that every year brings a deeply stressful period for families trying to secure an appropriate school place. That uncertainty must be avoided. The only way to break this annual cycle is through forward planning and systemic change in that regard. We need a five-year strategic approach to ensure special school and class places are delivered on time and aligned with the projected 5% of students requiring special education supports. I firmly believe that if we have a policy of opening special classes it should include reading classes for children with severe dyslexia. I welcome the Minister of State's acknowledgement that expanding reading classes would be a positive step.”
“The experience of schools is that we could better recognise the number of children born in Ireland who may not have English as their first language, and children who require ongoing support. Expanding EAL support will help more children access education fully and confidently. Some 90% of students in St Luke's National School in Tyrrelstown speak a language other than English but they have received just one EAL teacher for every 146 children. Powerstown Educate Together National School has children from 64 countries speaking 57 languages, yet this school has no allocated EAL teacher. It is important to commend the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, in working with me and parents to establish a task force for children with additional needs in Dublin 15, and supporting local principals through the common applications trial.”
“I hope revisions to DEIS will consider eligibility criteria. I welcome the Minister's intention to establish a new DEIS Plus scheme to support schools with the highest concentration of educational disadvantage to improve educational outcomes, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The teaching of English as an additional language, EAL, is of significant value in communities I represent. I appreciate the investment and pressure on demand in recent years, particularly supporting Ukrainian children in schools. Future allocation policy must continue to evolve to reflect actual need. It is currently based on pupils who have arrived in Ireland in the last two years, those with less than three years EAL support, or who register less than a B1 in an English proficiency test.”
“I welcome the opportunity to share time with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to discuss how the Government is tackling educational disadvantage. I also welcome her openness about challenges that remain to be tackled as we work to ensure no child is left behind on their educational journey. Last month, the Minister and I visited St. Philip the Apostle Junior National School in Mountview, to mark the extension of the hot school meals programme to another 713 schools, meaning more than 550,000 children across the country now benefit. Nearly 1 million students now have access to free schoolbooks. These universal supports are invaluable. However, there are many schools where more targeted supports are needed, including in areas such as Tyrrelstown and Powerstown where schools are not currently included in the DEIS programme.”
“I refer to Springboard and the model we use for clinical psychologists, who get 60% of their studies funded and get paid for their placements. Other countries provide forgiveness on student loans.”
“I acknowledge the additional places and the work of the Tánaiste and of the former Minister in the Department, Deputy O'Donovan, in this area. However, I am really talking about long-term workforce planning and how it needs to be linked with collaboration and shared data. For instance, the Disability Capacity Review to 2032, published by the HSE, states that 3.5% of the child population require special input from CDNTs. The Joint Committee on Autism's report speaks about the overall need to tackle unmet need. The Department of Education is using figures such as 5%. Does the Minister agree that collaboration across these Departments is essential? Are we using levers used in other models to incentivise people to take up places in this area?”
“What engagement is taking place with the Department of Health to increase the number of places across OT, SLT, physio, psychology, social work and nursing to ensure these numbers match the numbers of clinical placements? Is engagement taking place with the Department of disability to ensure the number of clinical placements will meet current and future needs? What consultation is there with professional bodies about a long-term workforce planning strategy?”
“While there are issues with how our public services are designed, the greatest barrier disabled people face in accessing appropriate services is resourcing and understaffing across assessment of needs, therapeutic and clinical services, medical services and education services, all of which are necessary if our disabled community are to lead full lives with the experiences and opportunities they deserve. We need a pipeline of therapists for the future based on shared projections across health, disability and education. The programme for Government commits to doubling the number of college places in this area and delivering a workforce plan to meet both immediate and long-term needs.”
“I am asking for an update on the expansion of third level course places for therapies in the disability sector and the Minister's role in the workforce planning of therapists needed in children's disability network teams, CDNTs, primary care teams and schools. There has been much focus this week on assessments of need. The programme for Government and the report of the Joint Committee on Autism are clear in their recommendations.”
“I refer to the local independent provider who has not raised her fees in eight years and is struggling to survive and who was granted an increase of just €4 per month when others in the area charge €200 to €300 more, and to the parent who was on enhanced subsidies, not universal subsidies, whose fees were increased overall last year. The programme for Government recognises these challenges-----”
“I am the first to say there has been progress, but serious issues remain with capacity, access and core funding that need to be fixed. Today, I am hosting local childcare providers and parents in the audiovisual room. We will focus on a payscale that reflects qualifications and expertise, pressures they are facing with recruitment, making core funding work, especially for small providers and how paperwork and bureaucracy are suffocating the sector. There are major holes for parents and providers in the fee adjustment that was introduced last year.”
“The longer we wait, the more we miss out on the delivery of new childcare facilities in line with the delivery of new housing. Will the Taoiseach give an update on these interlinked issues, the review of local guidelines, Government plans for State-led childcare and the potential for a new State building scheme for children, parents and the economy?”
“Under planning authority guidelines for childcare facilities from 2001, 20 childcare places should be delivered for every 75 new dwellings but that scale of delivery is not happening because developers are allowed to claim that a new facility is not required, even in areas of overwhelming need such as Dublin West, or a developer is only required to provide a shell of a building, often resulting in buildings that are not fit for purpose or are hopelessly expensive and regular childcare providers cannot purchase them. Some of them have lain empty for years in my constituency even though providers are crying out for space. Those guidelines fall across the two Departments of housing and children. We were previously promised a review and we are still waiting.”
“The private sector has played a vital role for years in delivering childcare in our communities but reliance on the private sector alone will never deliver the capacity we need for children's early learning and to enable parents, primarily women, to stay in work. A sum of €45 million has been allocated under the NDP for additional capacity in childcare over the last three years. The education capital budget for 2025 alone was €1.4 billion. That is €45 million versus €1,400 million. If we are serious about changing the delivery of childcare places for local communities, our ambition should be reflected in the upcoming review of the national development plan. We have a model for building childcare facilities already, but it is not working.”
“There is not a week that goes by that I am not contacted by a parent seeking access to childcare. On Monday, 1,500 new childcare places were announced nationally, funded under the national development plan's building blocks extension grant scheme. These places, at a cost of €25 million, include 18 much-needed places in Dublin West. This Government is delivering but it needs to keep delivering. Given the scale of unmet need, 18 places are a drop in the ocean. The programme for Government commits to providing capital investment to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities. To do that at scale and to achieve value for money, I believe we need a new State building scheme specifically for childcare, something that does for childcare facilities what design and build has done for school buildings.”
“Can the Taoiseach advise me whether the programme for Government commitment to review these schemes will bring urban villages under the criteria for community-led regeneration and renewal?”
“I fear Dublin’s urban and suburban villages are getting left behind. As I raised with the Taoiseach previously, out of 150 new gardaí in March, just four came to the K district. The vast majority went to the city centre. The K district is one of the busiest policing districts in the country. Our Dublin West villages are too small for the Town Centre First policy and too big for the town and village renewal scheme, which is funded by the rural regeneration and development fund, yet places like Castleknock and Blanchardstown have just as much of a sense of place as Balbriggan and Celbridge. They are just as deserving when it comes to tackling vacancy and dereliction and ensuring the vibrancy of our main streets, and just as worthy when it comes to promoting heritage assets.”
“However, it is only €4 million. Not all solutions are going to fall neatly under existing funding streams. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that the new regulations will take that into account?”
“The Minister for Justice has assured this House that his Department is finalising the regulations necessary for the local community safety partnerships to function. We really need to get them up and running as soon as possible. Dublin West is a big place. Key to the effectiveness of the local community safety partnerships is that they are indeed local. The problems facing Clonsilla are very different from those facing Corduff. Local communities have to be able to identify and solve those problems. I urge the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice to ensure there is flexibility to set up subgroups for specific local villages like Ongar, Tyrellstown, Clonsilla, Carpenterstown and so on. There is a budget behind this work. The community safety fund is a brilliant initiative putting the proceeds from crime back into communities.”
“I too am raising the local community safety partnerships. I believe they have the potential to truly impact community safety if they are implemented in a way that brings the right and relevant local stakeholders around the table and supports specific strategies for specific areas. Too big, and we will not address local problems; too small and it becomes hard to manage. When will see the local community safety partnerships up and running in Dublin West?”
“The centre at Maple House alone has seen a 22.5% increase in its waiting list in just over a year, showing that demand is not just sustained, but accelerating. I ask the Minister of State to expand capacity, to recruit more testers, to extend opening hours, if needed, to put an end to the profiteering by some in securing cancellations and to ensure that people can access driving tests in a timely and fair way. We need a system that puts road safety and the integrity of driver behaviour first.”
“The mixed messages to learner drivers need to end. The loophole whereby learner drivers can apply for a driving test but not take it and then keep driving with a provisional licence must be closed without further delay. Even though there is no excuse for unaccompanied learner drivers being on the road, a sluggish driver testing system, a culture that turns a blind eye and half-hearted penalties add to the practice. Last week, it was reported in the news that our local driver testing centre in Mulhuddart had a waiting period of 28 weeks, which is very close to the current national average. However, people contacting my office say it is closer to 40 weeks. We gained a testing centre at Maple House but lost the centre at the Carlton Hotel and have seen a 54% increase in our waiting list since the end of 2022.”
“Last year, nearly 19,000 vehicles were seized by An Garda Síochána for being uninsured following the introduction of the new Irish motor insurance database. That is a positive development that makes our roads safer. In comparison, gardaí seized approximately 5,000 vehicles from unaccompanied learner drivers even though there are approximately 370,000 learner permits in the State according to the RSA and an Aviva Insurance survey this year found that 28% of motorists had driven unaccompanied on a learner permit while only 36% of drivers said they had never done so and did not know someone who had. We need the same level of commitment in clamping down on unaccompanied learner drivers. Fourteen unaccompanied learner drivers were involved in collisions in 2023. Fines of €160 and two penalty points are simply not enough.”
“There should be age-appropriate lessons on civil rights, the devastation of violence now and for generations, living with opposing ideologies and narratives and the role of dialogue. Those legendary laureates, Hume and Trimble, whose busts stand proudly in the Oireachtas, are no longer with us. Neither are several of the architects of the agreement. Their legacy must live on, however. The Good Friday Agreement is often referred to as a living document and so it should be but, to remain a living, breathing framework for peace and reconciliation that governs, as it should, the totality of relationships across these islands, new energy must continually be invested in it. That should involve giving the Good Friday Agreement more prominence in our schools.”
“The Good Friday Agreement is now 27 years old. I will resurrect some research conducted around the 25th anniversary by Behaviour and Attitudes for The Sunday Times . It highlighted the attitudes of young people, including the ceasefire babies who grew up in peaceful times although very much still dealing with the legacy of conflict, paramilitarism and divided communities. Half of those 18- to 34-year-olds said they did not fully understand the history of the Troubles, 42% said they did and 8% said they did not know. It strikes me that the Good Friday Agreement should have more prominence in our primary and secondary schools not just as a history lesson, but as a living, breathing framework for peace and reconciliation on our island and beyond.”
“The IAA is collaborating with Maynooth University and Dublin City Council on a drone innovation partnership that will inform the development of an unmanned traffic system in the Dublin city region. Fingal County Council needs to be part of that. Other councils should be part of it too. The U-space approach needs to be prioritised. This is not about curbing innovation. It is about building the right regulatory foundation so that innovation can grow with public confidence and local support. However, that is not happening. We need to take a consumer-friendly approach to engaging with and consulting the public on issues like this in order to make it relatable, relevant and explainable to residents who have legitimate concerns about noise and intrusiveness.”
“The Minister of State's response proves my point. I thank him for it. This is heavy on regulation rather than on the rights of residents and communities. The language used is not at all consumer-friendly. Meanwhile, we are seeing the fast development, growth and expansion of these deliveries and services and they are impacting communities. We have to make sure the regulations and public information are keeping pace with that innovation. The national policy framework currently in development needs to be launched. This framework needs to be consumer-friendly. U-space services are the critical part of this because it gets down to the nitty-gritty of flight paths over housing estates. The Minister of State indicated that he does not see this as being fully envisaged until 2030. That will be too late.”
“A national public awareness campaign on the role and responsibilities of the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, and the rights of residents is necessary. We also need a clear distinction between the role of the planning authority and the IAA, and the establishment of a U-space, an unmanned traffic management system. This would allow authorities to define controlled flight zones, schedule flight times over residential areas and ensure that drones are safely and responsibly integrated into shared airspace.”
“The first-hand experience of nearby residents must be taken into account as we move forward with developing a clear framework for commercial drone operations. It is essential that we do not let innovation outpace regulation. Some have that said drones are completely unregulated, but that is not true. Two EU regulations currently apply. One governs how drones are operated by weight and the other sets technical and safety standards for the drones. However, they focus on aviation safety and risk and do not take into consideration the needs of communities and residents who do not know who to contact to raise concerns or make a noise complaint. In addition, they do not know what their rights are. The national policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems currently in development needs to be launched.”
“When we knock on the doors of houses like we do when we are canvassing and spend a significant time in an estate, it is possible to experience a snapshot of what residents inside that 3 km radius are now living with. It is a near continuous hum of drones overhead. Some liken it to the noise of a lawnmower. It is fine every now and again right beside you, but not all the time above you. We are used to the noise of passing traffic or a passing train during the day. Rather than asking them, are we really telling residents that they must accept this change in their environment, this disruption and, to some, this intrusion without debate or public consultation? Currently, our planning and regulatory system does not support that.”
“It looks like it is here to stay and therefore demands our attention from a planning and regulatory perspective. While business innovation is welcome, as are the potential reduction in carbon emissions and the timely delivery of medicine and medical equipment, it brings to the fore issues we cannot ignore. These include protecting the public's privacy, ensuring safety and managing the day-to-day impact on people's lives, especially in densely populated areas. It is important that we support innovation while addressing the very real concerns of local communities, like noise pollution. The noise levels of drones in Dublin West can reach 60 dB to 65 dB above WHO recommendations for daily noise exposure. There are flight paths over residential areas.”
“We have seen the rapid growth of commercial drone activity in Ireland, especially in my constituency of Dublin West. Manna Drone Delivery has been piloting a delivery service from a local base in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and another site in the vicinity at junction six at the M50, which is the subject of some dispute. The company completes more than 300 deliveries daily within a radius of 3 km. The company has stated that by this summer its services will expand to cover around 500,000 residents across Dublin, with plans for ten drone bases citywide by the end of the year. Potentially, these will serve up to 1 million people. This is no longer a trial or a novelty. It represents a significant modal shift in how goods and services are being delivered in our communities.”
“I am asking him today to give those local business owners a prominent voice in that process, to include a three-week consultation period and to invite them to have their say. If he listens directly to local small businesses, they will tell him where the real cost pressures are, especially the many publicly imposed charges and levies that they face. Not all independent, enterprising local businesses are represented by industry bodies, but they are just as important for jobs and for vibrancy.”
“When the current Tánaiste was Taoiseach, he visited Castleknock village to hear directly from our local businesses about the cost of doing business. Since then, some of our vacant units have been sold or leased, and we look forward to them all opening. However, last Friday another business closed, which had been operating for more than 20 years. As a community we want our village stores, salons, cafés and restaurants to succeed and thrive. The Tánaiste is delivering on the commitments he made that day by reducing VAT for hospitality and hairdressing, and cutting the cumulative cost of business and regulations through the establishment of a cost-of-business advisory forum.”
“Does the Tánaiste have an update on the action plan in the programme for Government to build an affordable and accessible early childhood education and care system that includes State-led facilities, must be based on partnership, including with our experienced and trusted providers, but must also be bold in ambition?”
“The programme for Government recognises the need to work in partnership with private childcare providers to make core funding work as well as taking the critical step into State-led childcare. The three main issues the Government needs to tackle are staffing, accessibility and affordability. The truth, as the Tánaiste knows, is that reliance on the private sector alone will never deliver the childcare capacity we need in communities, which is essential for workforce participation by women and equitable access to early learning and care. On May Day of all days, we also need to adequately recognise the role of our childcare workers.”
“That means supporting more builders, encouraging more accessible financing and reducing reliance on State support. These are practical solutions. We have land, plans and solutions. What we need now is ambition and urgent action.”
“While we are talking about density, we must also recognise the economic realities of housing development. High-density projects are necessary, especially near major transport hubs, but we must acknowledge that funding for those large-scale apartment developments is complicated. Few developers can execute them at scale and there is an over-reliance now on State intervention. That is not sustainable. Even when homes are built, purchasing them remains out of reach for many. They are seeing development in their communities but they cannot access those homes. Planning must prioritise viability, not just density targets. We can still meet our compact urban guidelines while allowing greater variety in housing solutions and sustainable planning.”
“Yes, the challenges are real. Land ownership there is diverse and there are existing institutions, such as Dunsink Observatory, the Teagasc food research centre, the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Cappagh, Elmgreen Golf Club and the former Dunsink landfill. These should not be reasons for any more delay. They should be factors that are actively addressed. If housing is truly a priority, then we must move forward with national funding access, strategic planning, infrastructure activation and ambition. This must be treated as urgent. Fingal County Council needs to bring all stakeholders, including Uisce Éireann and the ESB, to the table immediately and maintain consistent engagement until these lands are activated. We need to stop asking what can be done in ten to 15 years and start asking what can be done today.”
“Without clear direction, they cannot move forward effectively. I am sure the Minister of State is aware of Dunsink, the long-standing, 1,000-acre strategic land bank in Dublin West bordering Castleknock, Ashtown and Finglas. Approximately 10,000 homes could be built there. It is the last major undeveloped land inside the M50. It must not remain just another potential solution; it must become a reality now. The urban regeneration and development funding has already supported a feasibility study on transport showing the site's potential, yet Dunsink continues to be talked about like a distant prospect. That cannot continue. The Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 suggests regeneration could take longer, maybe more than 20 years. That is simply not acceptable. We do not have two decades to wait while demand spirals out of control.”
“If they can work on multiple sites simultaneously, their skills and resources will be fully utilised instead of being wasted by bureaucratic bottlenecks. We must also take a serious look at planning permissions that are set to expire despite no substantial work having been done. Complex developments face unique challenges such as funding delays, rising interest rates and logistical hurdles. Banks will not release funding unless developers have sufficient time to complete their projects, for instance. If we do nothing, we risk losing between 50,000 to 100,000 approved homes, I am told, simply because time runs out on permissions. That would be an indefensible failure. Local authorities need clarity on enabling infrastructure beyond the serviced sites fund or urban regeneration and development fund.”
“I welcome the new planning framework recognising the need to reflect changes since 2018. Back then, it was an innovative plan. Today, we must double its ambition. Setting objectives is one thing, but delivering them is another. We speak of building 50,000 homes per year until 2040. That is achievable, but it demands radical change in efficiency and execution. People are asking about housing now, not just in the future. This morning, I met fifth year students from Mount Sackville school in Castleknock. Their biggest concern is where they will live in the next five to ten years. It is not an abstract worry; it is a real, pressing issue. More land must be zoned. Builders should not be forced to sit on stalled projects with no alternatives.”
“It is located right beside the train station and near the Navan Road, with public transport connections all over Dublin West. Allocating 150 of those cost-rental homes to essential workers would be hugely positive and beneficial for the entire community. I have been told that a legal and policy framework is being developed by the Department of housing. Will the Taoiseach provide an update on that commitment and on the timings? Will he reiterate the need for progress and support the inclusion of Rathborne Wharf in the initiative. The homes in question will be ready in 2027.”
“I wish to ask about the programme for Government commitment to earmark cost-rental units for key local workers like gardaí, teachers and nurses. We heard it at the GRA conference yesterday and at teacher conferences over Easter - housing is a key recruitment and retention issue. They need to be able to secure affordable accommodation that is accessible to the communities they serve. We already have some cost-rental unit projects in Dublin West and they are proving very popular in Hansfield, Churchfields, Mulhuddart and Hollywoodrath. There is an opportunity here involving a development in Ashtown called Rathborne Wharf that is under construction, with 326 social houses and 399 cost-rental homes funded through CALF and CREEL.”
“This does not take into consideration one of the problems with our admissions policies, whereby some deal with catchments while others deal with feeder schools. Many of the children in the area are in feeder schools.”
“I thank the Minister. The truth of the matter is that parents go through a rollercoaster to secure a school place in Dublin West. There are lengthy waiting lists that have to drop in order for children to attend school and it is very stressful. A new secondary school in Hollywoodrath is excellent news for the Blanchardstown and Mulhuddart school areas but not when it is at the expense of the new school that opened in Barnwell, Hansfield. We need both schools. I do not trust the figures from the Department that justify this move. The Department states there is significant movement across the school areas, with 60% of students leaving the Blanchardstown and Mulhuddart areas to go to other school areas, with 33% leaving the Blanchardstown school area.”
“I thank the Minister. Yes, we have our trial in Dublin 15 and I commend the principals on it. There are 13 schools involved but with the support of the Department, it can be scaled up. The trial done for secondary schools is being run independently, and with the Department's involvement it can be piloted in other areas, such as Dublin West, as a project. As I have said, when it comes to the common applications process we still need sufficient places. Will the Minister give an update on the autism classes for September 2025? Five primary school classes and four secondary school classes have been approved. We have another emerging issue in Dublin West, whereby parents might secure a place but the modular buildings have not been put in place for the school year. I would particularly like an update on Danu Community Special School.”