Jack Chambers
Dublin West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We have been clear about the absolute necessity to protect the huge ecosystem of digital and infrastructure investment in Ireland over the past ten to 20 years. Part of that has been the wider and ongoing discussion on the security of subsea cables.”
“Progress in achieving balanced regional development and detailing the delivery of the NDP is monitored through regular updates on the capital investment tracker and the MyProjectIreland interactive map viewer.”
“The tax strategy group examines the different options that are available to the Government during the summer. That informs the respective tax package that will advance. We have to honest about the measures we take in terms of taxation. They have to be sustainable and affordable in the long term. USC brings in about €5.5 billion per year.”
“I am not privy to the interaction the Deputy had with the Minister for housing on this, but the Local Government Fund distributes the respective funding across different local authorities, and Galway County Council and Galway City Council would receive allocations through that. I was clear in my initial response to Deputy O'Hara.”
“My Department has taken a proactive and co-ordinated approach to supporting the responsible and effective adoption of AI across the public service.”
“More broadly, the achievement of balanced regional development is a key priority of this Government and is at the heart of Project Ireland 2040, which includes the national planning framework, which sets out the wider spatial strategy for the next 20 years, along with the national development plan, NDP.”
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“We share those objectives, particularly when we have the wider uncertainty. We need to provide for that growth and opportunity for the future. We will be able to set out further detail next week.”
“I share that objective. That is why giving that additional scope to Ministers across their respective policy areas to invest in critical infrastructure is essential as part of the national development plan. We are at a point of significant economic uncertainty and this Government is clearly setting out that we want to seriously increase our overall investment in critical infrastructure, which will provide the growth, prosperity and jobs for the future. We know that housing, energy, water and transport in particular are areas requiring that additional investment. There are other areas that require the additionality to provide for critical services and social infrastructure across communities in Ireland. That is also part of the wider process in terms of the national development plan.”
“The overall process on the national development plan is continuing. We have approximately €20 billion to allocate across critical areas in our economy. We know with the Department of housing that continued investment in public infrastructure for housing is central to this process. We have set out the priority areas of housing, energy, transport and water infrastructure in particular. That will give Ministers across many areas additional head room to invest in infrastructure across our economy. We are continuing that process this week, so I cannot give an individual breakdown of what that will mean. It is just to say this will allow a lot of Ministers to increase the overall spend vis-à-vis the baseline allocations they were given in the previous national development plan process.”
“This reflects spending on budget priorities in areas such as increased social protection weekly rates, teaching posts and health sector investment. Investment in 2025 builds on the additional funding provided over recent years, which is delivering record levels of capital investment and public services to a growing and changing population. It is continuing the delivery of vital infrastructure needed to support our future economic and social progress.”
“The majority of Vote groups remain in line with profile at an overall level. Compared with this time last year, spending is €3.8 billion or 8.2% higher than the end of June 2024 position. This level of spending demonstrates sustained high level of investment in the delivery of public services and infrastructure. Year-on-year capital spending levels have increased substantially, with capital spending of €5.8 billion, up 22.5% or €1.1 billion. There are substantial increases in key capital spending Departments such as the Department of housing, where spending is up 36% year on year, health, which is up €200 million, or 92%, and transport, which is up 20% over June 2024. Current spending of €45.1 billion has increased by €2.8 billion or 6.5% year on year.”
“I thank Deputy Farrell. Some €106.4 billion in gross voted funding is being provided in 2025 to deliver on Government priorities and commitments. This significant level of investment reflects the priorities of budget 2025 and this Government’s commitment to deliver continued improvements in our infrastructure and enhance our existing public services to build a stronger future. End of June expenditure figures were published earlier this month in the Fiscal Monitor. Total gross voted expenditure for the first half of the year amounted to €50.9 billion. While spending is slightly higher than expected for the first half of the year with an overspend of €0.3 billion or 0.7% compared to profiles, the overall position is broadly in line with the amount profiled by Departments to be spent by the end of June.”
“We will try to find out who within government has received the particular business case, or which Government Department, and indeed under what funding scheme it is proposed to support that particular project of an integrated services hub. We always welcome any initiative of local authorities, or indeed local communities, to provide rounded supports and services for vulnerable people in our community. We have countless examples of it happening in Dublin and it is positive to see such initiatives being proposed in Cork. I will ask whatever line Department to which it is being submitted to evaluate it and come back to the Deputy with a position.”
“As the Deputy is aware, the Department of education fully appreciates that costs and funding can pose an issue for schools. It is constantly working to address this with enhanced financial supports which were advanced in budget 2025 for this year. Schools in any financial difficulty are asked to engage with the financial support services unit. I know that a priority for the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is to continue to improve the capitation grant in schools, for example. That is something that we worked to improve over series of years and is something that we will engage with over the coming weeks.”
“-----but I will ask the Minister and Bus Éireann to respond to the Deputy's specific needs. There is an ongoing engagement through the summer to ensure they provide the appropriate school transport services, which are of huge importance to counties across Ireland.”
“I appreciate the urgency of forward planning when it comes to school transport. Extensive work has been undertaken between the Department of education, Bus Éireann and other delivery partners to support that in communities across Ireland. I do not know the specifics behind what is happening in the Deputy's own constituency-----”
“First, what happened was a shocking incident for everyone present in Carlow. I am limited in what I can say relating to these matters, some of which continue to go through the legal process. I can ask the Minister for justice to respond to the specific question the Deputy raised following the "This Week" programme. He will be in a better position to give the Deputy any detail or informed information on it.”
“I regret that crime has had a serious impact on the local community in the last 12 months. I engage with the OPW regularly and I will ask for an update on Castletroy Garda station. I will revert to the Deputy on it.”
“The Minister of State is trying to advance and commence some of these schemes, which I know are of pressing need to communities that are worried, particularly as we enter the winter period when there will be a considerable concern about rainfall.”
“I appreciate the urgency of this for residents in Midleton and throughout east Cork. I was there with Deputies O'Sullivan and O'Connor after the storm nearly two years ago. A priority for the Government with regard to broader infrastructure more generally and for flood relief schemes in particular is how we can shorten the project life cycle. In many instances, flood schemes are taking far too long. The Minister of State, Deputy Moran, is leading on that work, but is also seeking to prioritise flood relief schemes around the new national development plan review, which is being undertaken. I will ask him to respond to the Deputy on the specifics relating to the schemes he mentioned. It is an absolute priority.”
“I can ask him to send the Deputy some of the detail regarding the additional measures he proposes to take with regard to the bovine TB programme to try to tackle the current rates of TB, which is a serious issue across the farming community.”
“I am acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown and the associated hardship, as the Deputy said, for many farm families. TB disease levels in recent years have continued to increase. Over a 12-month period, a herd incidence of 6.43% has been recorded, with more than 43,000 reactors. That is a serious deterioration in the situation which we cannot allow to continue. That is why the Minister, Deputy Heydon, met with all of the key stakeholders in recent weeks and held a further meeting with farming bodies. He wants to advance proposals to try to address this in partnership with farm families and farm organisations.”
“I appreciate that. We are committed to continued investment in special education in terms of staffing and, in many instances, the need for new buildings for special classrooms. I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to respond to Deputy Carthy on the specific case.”
“I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, as I did with regard to Deputy Paul Murphy earlier, to respond on the specific case Deputy Carthy has referenced. Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated, which will bring to 23,000 the number of SNAs in our schools.”
“I thank Deputy Carthy and I appreciate and agree on how essential an SNA is to any individual with additional needs in the classroom. I am not sure whether the school Deputy Carthy has referenced has appealed the particular allocation this year to the NCSE.”
“I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn. I know the Minister met various stakeholders in Donegal in May, including representatives from the action group and many representatives on the council. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to set out the specific timeline relating to legislation and give Deputy Mac Lochlainn a specific answer to his question.”
“I thank Deputy Callaghan and I appreciate the question she has raised. As she has heard from the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, this will be considered in the context of budget 2026. All of us as a collective Government - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independent Deputies - will work on strengthening the affordability of public services as a core priority. We want to make permanent changes to some of the costs that exist for students throughout the country.”
“There has been ongoing work across government relating to the lessons from Storm Éowyn and the recovery efforts. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, who is here, has been prioritising the outcome of this in terms of his submission to the national development plan and how we build more resilience into our public infrastructure, whether that is in communications, community infrastructure or energy infrastructure. Every Minister has been extensively engaged on the specific lessons from the impact of Storm Éowyn. I will ask some of the Ministers who have been centrally involved to respond to Deputy Connolly on what actions they have taken. It has been a constant focus of work since the storm occurred in late January.”
“As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is committed to significantly improving the processing times for international protection applications and bringing the appeals component back to the Department of justice in order to streamline the process. Next year, progress on the EU migration pact will make a difference in terms of the timeframes around processing. I cannot comment on the specifics the Deputy referenced in terms of Citywest. I will ask the Minister for justice to respond on the specific circumstances the Deputy referenced. It is obviously a sensitive matter. I will not pre-empt what he says.”
“As the Deputy can appreciate, I am not familiar with the specific school he referenced or what has occurred relating to SNAs, apart from stating that the overall number of SNAs will continue to increase nationally, along with the support we are providing for special education through the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, around school buildings, teachers, SNAs and other supports in schools. I will ask the Minister for education to respond to the Deputy on the specific case he referenced. There are review mechanisms, through engagement with the NCSE and others, on SNA allocations. I will ask that the engagement take place.”
“I will allow the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to set out the specific representations that have been made at official or ministerial level. As the Deputy knows, a new ambassador arrived this week. The Minister met him this week and will be able to comment on his direct discussions with the US administration. The Ireland-US relationship is and continues to be important. I acknowledge the plight of residents and Irish citizens who live in the US and we are continuing diplomatic efforts for the undocumented Irish who live in the US. That is part of our wider engagement with the US Administration. I will ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to respond on the specific diplomatic efforts that have been made regarding what the Deputy referenced today.”
“I acknowledge the urgent local need to advance these particular projects and also the fact that they have full planning permission. The Department of housing is now working with the National Development Finance Agency and all the local authorities to see how we can advance these projects through an alternative delivery strategy. They are also reviewing future public-private partnerships bundles so that we can deliver social homes at a better unit cost and deliver more of them with the overall Exchequer allocation that is made in the medium term. I will reflect on what the Deputy said and pass on his comments to the Minister, Deputy Browne, who is keen to advance these units with the delivery partners and local authorities.”
“We are cognisant of the local need. That is why there is an urgency in the Department of housing to work with the delivery partners on how we can identify an alternative procurement and delivery strategy to deliver much-needed homes in the Deputy’s community.”
“The Department is also initiating a review of future social housing through bundles to consider all options and determine the optimal procurement and delivery strategy for the Exchequer. I acknowledge the need in the Deputy’s community and the fact that these projects have received planning permission. However, when the cost per unit escalates to €1 million per home it will have knock-on consequences for other social housing projects down the line, both this year and in future years, in the context of the overall allocation for social housing. We need to maximise the delivery of supply in how we manage the social housing allocation in total. Part of that has been reflected in the Government's response of making increased provision for social and affordable homes as an in-year budgetary decision this year.”
“The Department of housing, with the Minister for housing’s approval, decided not to proceed to award the contract for social housing bundle 3 through a public-private partnership. The basis for that decision was that the cost per unit was more than €1 million and almost double the cost of similar units delivered in 2020. Unit costs at that scale would not be compatible with the overall delivery of what we need in our social housing targets. The Government and the relevant local authorities remain absolutely committed to delivering the social housing that the bundle was being designed to provide for. The Department of housing is now working with its programme leaders, the National Development Finance Agency and the four local authorities, to urgently advance these projects through an alternative procurement and delivery strategy.”
“As I said previously, we need to build more momentum to have more light rail in some of our urban areas compared with recent years where its development has been of a stop-start nature. It is an effective way of delivering public transport, as we have seen in Dublin. It will be considered in the context of the national development plan.”
“I think we all share the objectives of significantly improving transport infrastructure for Galway city. The work that has been undertaken around the feasibility study for light rail is important in that context. The National Transport Authority is considering that with the two relevant councils. There has been significant investment in Ceannt Station, as the Deputy knows, to try to improve connectivity for commuters. In Oranmore and elsewhere, there has been investment and upgrades and significant work has been undertaken related to BusConnects in Galway. I welcome the work that has been undertaken around the feasibility study for light rail in particular.”
“As a Government, with our prioritisation of transport infrastructure, we want to make real progress on some of the projects that can be started quickly but also to set out the longer term position on transport strategy and what can be delivered for Galway and the broader west of Ireland region over the coming period.”
“The NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, need to work on that in terms of the respective metropolitan area transport strategies. There is a lot of interest in the development of the ring road in Galway for its citizens and the people Deputy Connolly represents. There are also people in Galway who want to see light rail developed as an option in the urban sphere. Congestion is a serious issue. When I canvassed in Galway on many occasions last year, public transport and the ring road accounted for probably 50% of the issues raised on the door by the many people I engaged with.”
“What we are doing in the NDP is prioritising transport infrastructure more generally. This will involve a serious uplift in investment in transport infrastructure over the next five years and the setting out of a longer term position to provide confidence in the development of public transport infrastructure in our cities, between our towns and within our regions. The metropolitan area transport strategy will help inform what is possible in the short to medium term. I know it is being progressed by the two relevant councils. I am open to that engagement as Minister. Light rail in Dublin and other parts of the country has been of a stop-start nature. It is an effective way of delivering public transport in urban areas and we need to have a better pipeline of light rail over the longer term.”
“I am familiar with the serious congestion in Galway city and the broader Galway region. As the Deputy knows, the National Transport Authority, NTA, has been developing the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy to inform what is possible for the future in the context of public transport but also road infrastructure in the Galway region, in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. Part of the development of this metropolitan area transport strategy necessitated the mode-specific analysis being undertaken for a light rail feasibility study and the strategic roads feasibility study. The light rail feasibility study was published by the NTA on 30 October 2024. The backdrop is the ongoing consideration of the ring road, with which the Deputy is familiar. I know the demand within Galway city for light rail.”
“The programme for Government is centrally important and informs all Ministers in how they negotiate in any budget. What is referenced in the programme for Government relating to students and third level will inform the Minister's budgetary negotiation. What happened in previous years when temporary one-off measures were taken was that they were taken in the aftermath of the start of an academic year. Whatever decisions are made in the context of the budget around reducing the cost of education will be deducted through an academic year if a decision is made on that. This is what has happened in previous years when it came to temporary one-off or cost-of-living packages. What we are saying is that the budget will inform what measures are taken relating to student contribution fees, SUSI grants and reckonable income.”
“It is important, across every measure in Government, that we set out the overall allocation that will inform tax and expenditure policy for next year. We will engage in good faith with all our ministerial colleagues around their priorities. Obviously, affordability in education is one of them, which is understood fully by everybody in Government. It is through the budgetary decisions we take that we will set out what the fee threshold will be next year. That was the same in previous years when we had a cost-of-living package and a permanent package. What we are saying this year is that we want the measures we take to be taken on a permanent and sustained basis. It is on that basis that we are engaging in budgetary negotiations.”
“This is the way annualised budgeting has worked for many years and the Deputy should not dismiss that. What we have said very clearly is that we will move away from one-off temporary measures. What that meant last year was the measures taken relating to third level fees were temporary. We are approaching it this year in the context of seeing how we can provide continued and permanent changes for next year. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is looking at that in the context of SUSI grants, reckonable income and the student contribution fee. That is what we are saying to people. It is around budget 2026 that we will set out what measures will be taken for next year. That is how we are engaging in this. It is unfair to just dismiss that by referencing politics and whatever else the Deputy said. That is unfair on the budgetary process.”
“The Deputy just dismissing this and saying we should have ad hoc decisions on measures taken every week is not the appropriate way to run the budgetary process. What I said very clearly yesterday and again today was that we acknowledged the pressure many families and students faced. That is absolutely understood by everyone in the Government. What we have said we will do around the budgetary process in the coming period is examine the cost-of-education paper, on which the Minister is working. This will inform the ongoing negotiation as part of budget 2026. In that budget, we will take decisions on how we can support continued affordability of public services. A key part of that is further and higher education. We are saying that we will do that within the confines of what we set out on budget day.”
“Central to the new national development plan will be an increased allocation that is all focused on housing. Our central and number one focus as a Government is driving the supply of thousands of new homes right across our country, but this requires reforming how systems operate. The Deputy is just asking for additional allocations, but we need to change some of the systems that are currently-----”
“-----and the measures the Minister, Deputy Browne, has taken to cut through some of the bureaucracy that exists around the four-stage approval process and reform that. He has taken a series of measures that will increase the supply of social and affordable homes.”
“Turning to the question regarding the tenant in situ scheme, one of the first measures we took as a Government was to provide €325 million in 2025 for local authorities to buy second-hand properties, with a particular focus on tenant in situ acquisitions. This is an important part of the overall allocation for 2025. Separately, I am working with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on the national development plan. Central to that will be a focus on housing supply in our economy. It will not only be concerned with providing direct subsidies for housing, but also with how we can invest in our water and wastewater infrastructure, in our grid and in our transport infrastructure to drive the overall supply of homes.”
“Therefore, I absolutely reject what the Deputy said relating to the series of measures that the Minister, Deputy Browne, has taken and that will cumulatively make a difference in driving the supply of housing across our economy. In terms of the issue of homelessness, all of us in government are disappointed by the increase in the figures we have seen, but we know that the real solution to trying to reduce homelessness is to increase the supply of social and affordable homes. It is in this context that there has been a concentrated effort on preventions and exits. This has been reflected in the figures from quarter 1 of 2025. Nationwide, 642 households, including 850 adults and 369 families, were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created, for example, in quarter 1.”
“He has established An Coimisiún Pleanála, three-year planning permission extensions are being made in certain cases and he has revised the national planning framework to ensure we have more zoned land to try to increase the supply of homes across our economy. The heads of the Bill on reforming short-term lettings has been agreed. This will help to release thousands of units for long-term use. He has also extended the first homes scheme to 2027, agreed the new housing activation office to try to co-ordinate the supply of homes across local authorities and secured €750 million in additional funding for more social, affordable and cost-rental homes, alongside a significant programme of acquisitions.”
“I absolutely reject what Deputy Bacik set out there concerning the Minister, Deputy Browne. If we look at the series of actions and reforms he has undertaken in recent weeks, I think a significant difference will be made in driving housing supply, private and public, in our economy. He has reformed and streamlined the approval process for new-build social housing projects this week, making a real difference in respect of streamlining the process to try to drive the approvals for social housing across our economy. He has brought through significant reforms and an expansion of the remit of the Land Development Agency, which is to drive the supply of social and affordable housing right across Ireland.”
“What I have said very clearly is that the outlook will be informed by what we agree as part of budget 2026. This is the hypocrisy of Sinn Féin when it comes to third level fees. In the North, the then Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, was not at the time ruling out hikes in student fees.”
“That is the medium-term expenditure framework that we will set out in the coming weeks. That will form the basis of the broader negotiation.”
“That is why we are undertaking careful work within the Government to set out what is possible in terms of the interplay between current and capital expenditure and the changes we will make from a tax perspective. As a Government, we are saying that the measures we will take for 2026 and onwards will be taken in a budgetary context. We are not taking ad hoc decisions in early July when there is a process to be undertaken. That goes for all my Government colleagues, across the board. We are cognisant of the pressures that families face, including in respect of third level fees but also in respect of the cost of education at primary and secondary levels, the continuing cost of childcare and the cost of a whole range of services. We want to strengthen public services and make them more affordable.”
“The work the Minister is doing now in developing the options paper on the cost of education and considering what are the best measures he can take in the context of budget 2026 to support students and households will form the basis of his discussions on the budget. We have said that the work over the coming weeks will inform the overall allocation, which will be made available in the context of current expenditure. However, we have had a series of interventions over recent years. The average rate of expenditure increase has been 9% in recent years. We have uncertainty around us and need to be careful about the broader economic and budgetary context.”
“Work around that is happening across the Government, with different Ministers setting out their priorities in the context of the budget negotiation process. I will be engaging with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, in that context following the summer economic statement and the publication of the national development plan. One element of the cost for students is the student contribution fee, but other elements can help the affordability for students. Those include the grants from Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, income thresholds and reckonable income when it comes to the wider grant system we have across the further and higher education sector.”