Jim O'Callaghan
Dublin Bay South · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“This relates to section 69 of the Bill as passed by Dáil Éireann, which amends Schedule 5 to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to add the Courts Service to the Schedule.”
“The first four amendments in this group are minor drafting corrections. They corrected the wording in four places so that the Bill reads consistently. It is changing the word "references" to "a reference". They make no change to the substance or effect of the Bill.”
“The ARP scheme was introduced in July 2022 to recognise the generosity of members of the public who opened their houses, whether in their entirety or through the provision of a room, at their own expense to provide shelter to people displaced by the Ukraine war. The Department of Social Protection administers the scheme on my behalf.”
“I have no doubt it will be challenged, and I have to be able to convince a court, if it is being challenged, that this legislation weighs up conflicting interests and recognises there is a mechanism for somebody who has reformed himself to get off the register.”
“The scheme has been a lifeline for people from Ukraine displaced by the conflict, given high rental market rates and scarcity of rental accommodation.”
“I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in the first instance for presiding over these Stages of the legislation. I am very pleased that this legislation has been enacted. I want to thank a few people very briefly. I thank Deputy McAuliffe for introducing me to Jason Poole. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for her work on this issue in the Seanad.”
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“We will certainly take into account the proposals the Deputy has put forward. Ultimately, however, there has to be an obligation as well on the owner of the property to put the property back into use. Too many people have property that is derelict. They should put them back into use for the public.”
“We certainly do need to return all derelict properties to use, and preferably residential use. We all know the time it takes to construct new dwellings. If we have derelict dwellings in our towns and cities we need to get them back into use as quickly as possible. I cannot give a commitment in respect of the proposals the Deputy is making here this afternoon but, as I said, I will raise it with the relevant Ministers. It is, however, important to note some of the areas that have had the benefit of regeneration. A regeneration revamp on the Main Street of Carrick-on-Suir is expected to start at the end of 2026. It will also be a beneficiary of the €14.39 million under the town and village renewal fund. There is work being done. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring we have renewal within our towns and cities.”
“At the end of June over 13,700 vacant property refurbishments grant applications were received, there were almost 10,000 approvals, and over 2,800 grants were issued as refurbishment works were completed. This amounts to approximately €155 million paid out to support people in bringing empty dwellings back into use as homes. These are just some of the measures that are being effected at present. I will report back to the Ministers Donohoe and Browne the Deputy's proposal in respect of tax reliefs. Obviously these can be difficult to craft and sculpt for the purpose of legislation. I note the Deputy's suggestion that it should be limited to the specific property that needs to be brought back into use but it is something that will be given consideration by the Government.”
“The type of measures I am talking about are the vacant property refurbishment grant; the repair and leasing scheme; the €150 million urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, which is a revolving fund, for local authorities; the planning exemptions for conversion of vacant commercial properties; and full-time vacant home officers in every local authority across the country. From what the Deputy is saying about the towns and villages in his constituency, such as Clonmel and other towns and villages, it may not be the case that all those schemes have been availed of. I ask the Deputy to give consideration, or rather that the local authority in Tipperary give consideration, to availing of those schemes because they are very important. They are very useful and effective in responding to dereliction.”
“It is important to point out that we got new data today from the Central Statistics Office on vacancy and dereliction for the years 2022 and 2023. I am pleased to say they indicate a national vacancy rate of 3.3% at the end of 2023. This is a drop from what it was in 2022 when it was 3.6%. Vacancy appears to be declining based on the statistics that are available from the Central Statistics Office. I want the Deputy to be aware, and I know he is, that there are already a range of measures being taken by the Government to address vacancy and dereliction. It is my belief, and that of the Government, that they are having real success.”
“I thank Deputy Murphy very much for his question. I very much share his concerns about the impact that vacancy and dereliction can have on our towns and cities throughout the country. It can create the impression of a downturn in that area and this has an impact not just on the local community but in terms of the development of business in the area. I commend Deputy Murphy on coming forward with proposals in respect of tax reliefs and issues such as that. I cannot give the Deputy any assurance today on his proposals, and I know he would not expect me to, but I certainly will pass them on to the Ministers Donohoe and Browne, who are the relevant Ministers and who can appraise the Deputy's suggestion.”
“There are huge advantages that have been introduced into the education sector in schools by this Government and its predecessor and they need to be acknowledged by the Deputy. We acknowledge that there are schools that are under financial pressures but there is a mechanism for them to engage with the Department in respect of that. If there are schools that need to engage with the Department, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the unit in the Department will engage with them. They will provide schools with advice and support, if that support is available, to ensure the schools get through it.”
“The Government has put €200 million into ICT in schools. The minor works programme can be availed of for the purposes of works in schools. The summer works programme, which is very popular, ensures works can be done over a short period of time while schools are out on holiday.”
“It has been a game-changer for parents of schoolchildren. It has had a considerable role in reducing the pressures on them. I am conscious, as I know the Minister, Deputy McEntee is, that schools can face financial difficulties and that there are further financial burdens placed upon them. The capitation grant has increased, and we hope it will increase again. There are mechanisms through which schools in financial difficulty can get support by engaging with the financial support services unit within the Department. If schools in the Deputy's constituency of Cork North-Central have issues in terms of financial difficulty, I am sure they have already been in contact. If they have not, they should be in contact with the Department of education.”
“If a school is in financial difficulty, it should contact the Department of education. The financial support services unit within the Department will play a critical role in guiding schools through any financial difficulties. We have to take into account that the Government has in recent years provided free schoolbooks for children in primary schools and, indeed, in secondary schools now. That has been an extraordinary game-changer, if I can use a word that has been used with some frequency recently.”
“Budget 2025 delivered a permanent €30 million increase in capitation funding, which was a 12% rise on current standard and enhanced rates. That was on top of the 9.2% increase secured the previous year and the Minister is anxious to see that further supports are provided in this budget. From this September, this has brought capitation to €224 per primary pupil, as the Deputy said. Of course, there are secondary pupils as well. The capitation is €386 per post-primary student, with enhanced rates for pupils with special education needs and Traveller pupils. Schools received a €45 million cost-of-living payment in November 2024 to tackle rising energy and day-to-day running costs. The Department of education works very closely with schools that are in financial difficulty.”
“I thank Deputy O'Flynn for his question. As the budget approaches, many sectors in society will be anxious to ensure their sector gets taken care of in the budget. As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, the Government has a limited cake and that amount has to be spread out equitably across the different sectors. Regarding school funding and capitation, since 2020 schools have benefited from significant increases in capitation funding, additional teaching and SNA posts and enhanced school leadership supports. I know the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is doing her best to ensure the capitation improvement will increase. The Minister is doing a review of costs in schools to see whether we can bring them down. It is important to point out that a huge amount has been done to date and over previous budgets.”
“If a Member believes legislation should be introduced to change the law, they should come forward with that legislation. We need to be careful about vilifying grocers. There are a lot of grocers in Ireland that provide a lot of employment to people. Of course, they make profits. It is our job to ensure that their profits are not excessive and that we curtail them. The best way to do that is through the CCPC and engagement with the consumer protection entity. The more competition there is in the business, the more prices come down. Prices coming down benefits the consumer.”
“The entity that changes the law is the Oireachtas. Government proposes laws and has the advantage of the majority in the Houses of the Oireachtas but there is nothing stopping Opposition parties from bringing forward legislation that they believe will change the law. Motions are-----”
“It is obviously and necessarily going to be the case that whatever company their legislative proposal would engage with would have to apply across the board to all private companies. I will speak again to the relevant Ministers in respect of this. I am aware of the profits being made in the grocery sector but the Government is working on it issue and has engaged with the CCPC and will continue to do so. If the Deputy wants a legislative change I urge her and the Social Democrats to put forward amending legislation and the Government will give consideration to it.”
“In terms of the proposals the Deputy puts forward, she said the Social Democrats have been advocating that we require the grocery sector to publish profits. Bring forward legislation and the Government will examine it. Obviously, there are reasons certain companies are not required to publish profits, predominantly because they are private companies that are not required to publish information such as that. If the Social Democrats believe that should be changed, bring forward legislation in terms of what should be set out in the Companies Act and the Government will give consideration to it. It is obviously a complicated issue in terms of trying to intervene and impose obligations on certain companies that are involved in the grocery business as opposed to other companies that are involved elsewhere.”
“If the Deputy knows the programme for Government she will see that we committed in it to giving more powers to the CCPC. I know this has been prioritised in the Department of enterprise by Minister Burke and Ministers of State Dillon and Troy. The measures the Government is taking are designed to reduce the cost of groceries in Ireland. However, I have to say we have a very competitive grocery sector in Ireland. We will try to ensure through Government interaction with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission that prices are brought down and that the most competitive prices are available. We also need to recognise that people can get cheaper prices elsewhere and I urge people to engage in a competitive assessment of the prices that are available.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question. Her statement that the Government is doing nothing is not in fact correct. The Minister of State who has responsibility for this area and who has been engaging with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, is Minister Dillon, and he met representatives of the CCPC in June and has asked it to conduct an analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector with a view to determining whether there is evidence of excessive pricing. The CCPC is expected to report back in the coming weeks. This week, we saw another example of the work of the CCPC in protecting consumers. A warning letter was issued to the motor industry. We feel the powers of the CCPC should be strengthened further.”
“It is absolutely essential we have a secure form of energy for them. The Deputy is aware of what is happening as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequence of that from a European perspective. We cannot continue to fund President Putin and Europe cannot continue to fund President Putin by purchasing his fossil oil. A huge amount is being done. Minister O'Brien takes it extremely seriously. In terms of retrofitting, last year we hit an average of 1,000 retrofits per week. It is a huge achievement. In terms of greenways, there are many fine greenways around the country and more will be developed by Minister O'Brien. We are responding to the energy crisis. We are taking it extremely seriously and the fruits of our work are becoming apparent to the Irish public.”
“The Deputy is ignoring the great work being done on securing renewable energy in this country. As of last February, 48% of Ireland's power was powered by onshore wind. They are facts the Deputy simply cannot ignore. The Deputy also talked about how we need to ensure there is no LNG plant. We have to provide people in this country with energy security.”
“It is important that we do not start targeting one aspect of our economy for the purpose of presenting it as being the villain in terms of the cause of climate change. We need to recognise that climate change and the response to it will only be achieved through a co-ordinated agreed response from the Government in which society takes its part in and business plays its part as well. The Deputy also mentioned the issue of retrofitting. In my answer to Deputy McDonald, I highlighted the money that is available for retrofitting. That is a scheme that needs to be availed of by members of the public. The Government is backing it with money to ensure we can save on energy consumption.”
“Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 2% in 2024 compared with 2023 and decreased by 10.6% from 2021 to 2024 while the economy grew strongly. It is important to note that there has been considerable success achieved in the area of climate change. It is a demanding target to meet our emissions, but they are targets that the Government is committed to meeting and is making its best endeavours to ensure that we do meet them. Ireland is in a slightly different position to many European countries where they have not seen the same level of economic expansion and growth that we have. We have been able to combine that expansion while at the same time ensuring that we take our climate obligations seriously. The Deputy highlighted data centres.”
“There is full recognition within the Government that the impacts of climate change are still to be seen on a continuous basis. If we look at the excessive temperatures we are experiencing, not just in Ireland but throughout Europe, and if we look at the extreme weather events that seem to be more frequent now, that is the evidence of what is happening as a result of climate change. I know the Minister, Darragh O'Brien, takes his role extremely seriously when it comes to combating climate change. If we look at what has happened from the data, we can see that the 2024 data from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, shows that Ireland's emissions continue to fall for the third year in a row and are at their lowest level in three decades compared with 1990 levels.”
“I should have pointed out when I was responding to Deputy McDonald that my understanding is that Deputy Barry Heneghan is on that flotilla as well. I extend my best wishes to him. I express my concern and the concern of the wider Government for his safety as well as that of Senator Andrews. Deputy Bacik is being unfair. It is inappropriate to compare the response of the Irish Government to climate change to that of the response of the current American Government. That is inappropriate and it is not based among any factual understanding. It is not a fair assessment of the work that is being done by this Government since it came into office. There is no doubt but that this Government recognises that climate change is probably the most pressing challenge for our society.”
“-----families are at the centre of the budget package that will be introduced 13 days from now. The Deputy spoke about the cost of energy. She also has to be aware of the other measures that have been introduced by the Government to alleviate costs on families. For instance, if we look at the retrofitting that is going on, over €558 million has been allocated for residential and community energy schemes in 2025. A total of €280 million has been specifically allocated to the warmer homes scheme, which provides free retrofits to households in energy poverty.”
“Every Government TD, and indeed every TD who is not in Sinn Féin, is aware of the pressures that people are under when it comes to the cost of living. The Deputy does not have a monopoly in terms of understanding that. We are fully aware of it. We have introduced measures in the past that the Deputy has acknowledged have ameliorated the cost-of-living pressures on people. She is acknowledging that by giving us credit for the energy credits that were introduced in the past. The fact that we have done this in the past is indicative that it will be done again in the future. Measures will be available to ensure that-----”
“They were part of a Government proposal that was sneered at by Sinn Féin at the time. Let us wait to see what the Ministers, Deputies Chambers and Donohoe, and the rest of the Government come up with. I assure the Deputy that the cost-of-living issue will be at the forefront of their consideration and Government consideration.”
“She seems fixated on the fact that the Government has announced that it is not going reintroduce the energy credits that it introduced over the past number of years. They were measures that were not met with favour by Sinn Féin when they were introduced here.”
“She will be aware that there was an increased payment in respect of the rent tax credit for 2024 from €1,000 to €2,000. She will be aware that there was the extension of the 9% reduced VAT rate for gas and electricity. That is a very real measure that was introduced and maintained by the Government for the purpose of trying to protect consumers from increasing costs in the energy sector. She will also be aware of the extension of the mortgage interest relief until the end of 2025 and a €300 lump sum payment in respect of the fuel allowance. That is leaving aside other social welfare protections that were introduced in the previous budget and that I know will also be introduced in this budget. I ask the Deputy to await the outcome of the budget.”
“However, it is important to note the reason the energy credits were introduced a number of years ago was the extraordinary rate of inflation in the country and throughout the world in the immediate aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this country, inflation was in the region of 10% but since then because of measures taken by Government, for which no credit is given by the Deputy, inflation has been brought under control and is at reasonable levels. When it comes to the budget that will be announced in 13 days by the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Chambers, I assure Deputy McDonald that concern for the cost of living and hard-pressed families will be at the centre. The Deputy mentioned a number of items she highlighted yesterday. Similarly, I want to remind her of the protections provided by the Government in the last budget.”
“This seems to show the Israeli Government is prepared to attack non-combatants whether they are in Gaza or in international waters. On behalf of the Irish Government, I condemn the actions of the Israeli Government in unlawfully attacking a lawful flotilla that is seeking to engage in peaceful activity on international waters. I was not being flippant yesterday when I responded to the issues Deputy McDonald raised. I assure her the Government takes extremely seriously the issues concerning the cost of living and the pressures they put on families. The Deputy recounted a series of increases that will take place. The Government is well aware of those increases and the pressures they will put on families, whether the increases are in energy costs or in the area of health insurance.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. On behalf of myself and the Government parties, I would also like to wish Julie Lyons all the best in her retirement. I thank her for the excellent service she has provided to Members over 34 years. There is an expression in politics: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." That certainly never applied to Julie. She served us loyally and I have been instructed by colleagues to say they will very much miss her Christmas puddings once she departs. I thank her for her service. I want to express concern for my former constituency colleague, Senator Andrews. Deputy McDonald mentioned how the flotilla of people lawfully protesting the slaughter in Gaza was attacked last night by Israeli forces.”
“As Deputy Hearne said, I had the pleasure of being in Ballymun to meet the integration forum there. A huge amount of excellent work is being done. I am alarmed by the statistic that Deputy Hearne has put onto the record of the House. It is frightening that men in Ballymun are 150% more likely to die in the circumstances he has outlined. Deputy Hearne wants more gardaí on the streets in Ballymun, and so do I. The way I need to do that is to recruit more gardaí. Then it is a matter for the Commissioner to decide where they should go. I certainly see the benefits of having more gardaí on the ground doing community policing in places such as Ballymun.”
“The antisocial behaviour forum was discussed in the Department by me recently. Work is being done on antisocial behaviour. In regard to where the forum is, there will be further engagement with the stakeholders in respect of it. I do not want to give an absolute commitment as to the outcome but there will be further consultation with the stakeholders.”
“I refer to what I said to Deputy Bacik earlier on in that there was a very informative report published by An Garda Síochána at the end of August, which showed that knife crime is down, knife seizures are up and knife injuries are down. However, that is of cold comfort to the 17-year-old young man who was injured over the weekend and indeed the 11-year-old. This is a more complex problem than simply amending criminal justice legislation. It is an educational issue. The Deputy is correct, regrettably, when she suggests that some young men think it is necessary for defensive purposes to carry knives. If that happens and a knife is produced, there can be cataclysmic consequences not just for the victim but also for the perpetrator, who may not have intended to use it.”
“I am conscious that everyone in this House has, to a large extent, contributed to the occupied territories Bill. As the Deputy knows, Deputy Lahart did an excellent job chairing the committee that did pre-legislative scrutiny on that Bill. The report is now being published. That was necessary in order that pre-legislative scrutiny would be done and for it to be progressed through the Houses of the Oireachtas. Notwithstanding the fact that it has not been enacted yet, it still has been extremely impactful in our negotiations with other countries. I know from the Chief Whip that next Tuesday, there are going to be statements on Gaza in the House so that would be an opportune time for the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach to update the Deputy in respect of where and when the Bill will be introduced.”
“I have discussed it with the former Garda Commissioner and the current Commissioner but rather than give a narrative here as to what I have been apprised of, I am happy to meet with them. I cannot do it today-----”
“At the outset, I should say that I have no difficulty meeting the family. I am happy to meet the family. In fact, I was down in Carrick-on-Shannon on 8 September last and Deputy Scanlon asked me to meet the family. I agreed to meet them on 8 September but unfortunately it did not suit them. There is no issue with me meeting them. I am due in front of the justice committee, chaired by the Deputy's colleague, Deputy Carthy, at 3.30 p.m. so it is going to be difficult for me to meet the Farrells today or right now but I have no difficulty meeting them at some convenient time in the future. I saw the "RTÉ Investigates" documentary and I am aware of the case of Mr. Farrell. By the way, I extend my condolences to his son Brendan and all the family.”
“Part of the reason we have such a low level of firearms in the country is because of the work done by An Garda Síochána stopping weapons from coming in. That has to be a central part of its function.”
“I am conscious that at present, there are two live issues before the courts in respect of that investigation. One of the associates of the late Mr. Fitzgerald has pleaded guilty so there has to be an issue with regard to sentencing in respect of his plea. Second, another individual, I understand, has not yet made a plea so there could be a trial so I am not going to get involved in the detail of that. I would make one point. I have discussed this matter with both the former Commissioner and the current Commissioner. We are lucky in Ireland that we have a low level of firearms in this country. If you look at the injuries sustained from firearms in this country, they have stopped recording them because they are negligible.”
“Notwithstanding the fact that the culprits on Eden Quay were using e-scooters and were wearing black clothing, I can assure Deputy McCormack that the strong likelihood is that they will be apprehended. The Garda has great success in apprehending people involved in those types of violent criminal attacks in the city centre. We saw that a suspect was arrested in respect of the injuries sustained by an English tourist on Saturday evening. I will give consideration to what the Deputy said. However, I know from An Garda Síochána that it does seize e-scooters from people under 16 years of age and that needs to be done continuously and repeatedly. I will engage with my colleague in transport, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to see whether he has any proposals in respect of regulating them on a wider basis.”
“As the Deputy said, I was down in Cork before the summer and saw the great work that is done by members of An Garda Síochána in the Cork area. I am aware of the issue in respect of units. I hope the Deputy will forgive me if I do not throw myself into the middle of it. It is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner. The last thing I want to do, as Minister for justice, is to start issuing operational diktats to a Commissioner. He is the expert on how to run An Garda Síochána. I set the policy but it is up to him and senior management to dictate what happens in respect of whether units are available to each area or not.”
“I thank Deputy Burke for his question. He highlights an issue that many of us experience in our local communities where there is a delay in major infrastructural residential development because of not getting a connection with Uisce Éireann. There definitely should be a process in place whereby local authorities and Uisce Éireann can engage. I am surprised there is not. I will speak to the Minister, Deputy James Browne, in respect of that matter to see whether anything can be done at departmental level to ensure there is direct contact between local authorities and Uisce Éireann.”
“The biggest problem I face as Minister for justice is that every elected representative and member of the public I meet wants to see more gardaí in their community. There is a positive story behind that when we reflect upon it. It was great that 20 gardaí went to Limerick city. I do not decide where new recruits coming out of Templemore go. I know everyone wants them. As I said earlier in response to Deputy Bacik, if we can get 200 in each intake into Templemore, and there are four or five intakes per year, at the end of each passing out we will find ourselves with lots of gardaí going around the country and available. That is the policy objective.”
“We will come back to the Deputy and provide him with information. As regards the guidelines, we cannot ignore the fact that at times 40% of our energy is being provided by wind. Wind is a great success and it is really part of the transfer from fossil fuel to a more appropriate fuel that is at the forefront, wind energy.”
“I apologise that I cannot answer Deputy Stanley's question. I cannot tell him when the wind turbine guidelines will be available. However, I am aware from discussions with my colleagues that these are required. I cannot give him an answer. I do not have it. There is no point in me making it up.”
“Some 407 new special classes were sanctioned for this current academic year, 300 of which were in mainstream schools. There is a lot being done but we will not suspend the guidelines.”
“I thank Deputy Cummins for her question. To answer it straight, no, we will not suspend it and it needs to be put in context with what is being done in respect of special education at present. There are over 23,000 SNAs currently in place in the education system, which is an increase of 43% since 2020, and budget 2025 added 1,600 SNAs, the largest increase to date. Almost 21,000 special education teachers support children with special needs. Therefore, there is a huge amount being done in the area. I am conscious that there are demands on the system that need to be filled and I know, from speaking to the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and Foley, that a huge amount of work has been done.”
“Some 200 hundred new recruits entered into Templemore in August of this year and in November, at the next passing out, 200 will be coming out. The numbers are looking good but the secret to Garda visibility is increased Garda recruitment.”
“Like Deputy Bacik, I was very concerned when I heard about the stabbing of the two individuals over the weekend but it has to be put in context as well. I received a report from An Garda Síochána at the end of August this year in respect of knife crime. It showed that knife-crime seizures where up and knife-crime injuries were down. In general, knife crime as a criminal offence is down. That has to be taken into account. Also, regarding Garda visibility, the Deputy will be aware herself from being around the city that we have an increased Garda presence in Dublin city centre. I want to see that rolled out through the country in all the villages and towns as well. In order to do that we need to get the recruitment of gardaí up. I am pleased to say that the numbers are going in the right direction.”