John Cummins
Waterford · Fine Gael · Ireland
“To ensure a structured and comprehensive examination of the issues, the task force was organised under four work themes: structures, funding, functions and governance and accountability within the local government sector.”
“At the outset, I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue this morning. I am acutely aware of the strong interest that exists within this House in matters relating to local government.”
“Engagement took place with a wide range of organisations and representative bodies, including employer and employee representatives, community and voluntary organisations, academic experts and other key stakeholders.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.”
“In that context, I welcome the opportunity to address the House and to provide an update on the progress made today in advancing that recommendation and strengthening local democracy more generally.”
“The task force was charged with delivering its report within the challenging timeframe of six to nine months. However, considerable preparatory work already completed across the sector provided a strong foundation and enabled that timeline to be achieved. The task force, as the Senator rightly pointed out, was chaired by Mr.”
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“47 proposes to introduce a new section 44B to the Act of 2000, providing a certification procedure for modifications to planning permissions for residential development that are in line with certain specific planning policy requirements contained in the recently published Planning Design Standards for Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2025. Amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 47, tabled by Senators McCormack, Murphy, Andrews, Collins, Ryan and Tully, seeks to include a requirement that applications for certificates under section 44B be notified to the public by way of a site notice. Subsection (13) of the proposed section 44B enables the Minister to make regulations for the purposes of this section.”
“As I said on the record of the House last week, everyone lauds and applauds Vienna and the model it has for social and affordable housing. The average size of a studio apartment in Vienna is 25 sq. m. We will have 32 sq. m for a studio apartment, with no change to one-bedroom apartments. It is important to state single people also need homes. I will now address amendments Nos. 1, 2 and 3 to Government amendment No. 47, which concerns the modification of permission for residential development. Amendment No.”
“A briefing session was carried out with Oireachtas joint committee members on Monday. Importantly, these amendments could only have been made after the publication of the apartment guidelines last week. Questions were asked about the costs. Details on savings were also provided to the Oireachtas joint committee. I appreciate Senator Boyhan is no longer on the Oireachtas Joint Committee for Housing, Local Government and Heritage but I will make sure he gets a copy. In general on the points that have been made, nobody can live in an apartment that is not built. This is the important thing to say. Reference has been made to shoeboxes. The only focus of the contributions has been one change being made to the size of studio apartments to 32 sq. m.”
“I want to address a few points before going into specific amendments. Reference was made to the fact these amendments were not flagged. It is important to state this was flagged both on Second Stage in the Dáil and on Second Stage in the Seanad last week. As I said in response to Senator McDowell, a briefing paper on all Government amendments was issued to all Senators last Friday.”
“27 and 28 update two references in the Act of 2024 from the old title of the “Commission for Energy Regulation” to read the new title of “Commission for Regulation of Utilities”.”
“Senators Higgins's and Stephenson's proposed amendments to amendments Nos. 27 and 28 seek to delete sections 410(1)(c) and 423(1)(c) of the Act of 2024, which provide for the continued vesting of the function of the Minister or the Commission for Energy Regulation under sections 31 and 32 of the Second Schedule to the Gas Act 1976 in relation to the compulsory acquisition of land in respect of a strategic gas infrastructure development in An Coimisiún Pleanála. I cannot accept this amendment. It has been long established that these functions are vested in An Coimisiún Pleanála and these sections merely clarify that the functions will continue to be vested in An Coimisiún Pleanála. Government amendments Nos.”
“Amendments Nos. 26, 27 and 28 all correct minor errors in the Act of 2024. Amendment No. 26 corrects a reference to the Criminal Justice Act 2006 in section 355 of the Act of 2024. Currently the reference incorrectly refers to subsection 177 of that Act. This has been updated to refer to section 177 of that Act. I invite Senators Stephenson and Higgins to speak to amendments Nos. 27 and 28, to which they have tabled amendments.”
“The second purpose of the amendment is to clarify that references in the Act of 2024 to the housing strategy include a housing strategy under Part V of the Act of 2000 included in a development plan until the replacement of that development plan under the Act of 2024. Amendments Nos. 29 to 31, inclusive, are consequential amendments to Amendment No. 20. They ensure that references to the housing strategy throughout the Act of 2024 include any housing strategy that is carried over from the Act of 2000.”
“I cannot accept the amendments proposed by Senators Stephenson and Higgins because what they are seeking to achieve is already achieved by Government amendment No. 20, namely that a housing strategy under the Act of 2024 can only be either the housing strategy saved by way of section 68 or 69, or the housing strategy in a new development plan made under Part 3. Amendment No. 20 amends the transitional provision in section 242(12) of the Act of 2024 for two purposes. The first is an amendment, similar to those discussed, that updates a reference to the housing strategy included in development plans continued in force under section 68 of the Act of 2024 to also include a reference to a housing strategy included in a development plan prepared, or varied, in accordance with section 69.”
“Of particular relevance to the zoning of land for residential development, a ministerial circular on the housing supply target methodology for development planning guidelines for planning authorities were issued in 2020 to all local authorities under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The guidelines introduced a standard national approach to be employed by each planning authority in projecting housing supply targets for each of the specific six-year periods when reviewing city or county development plans and following on from that assessment the zoning of sufficient land to meet those housing targets. I am satisfied therefore that this is sufficient. For those reasons I cannot accept the three amendments.”
“The future use of that from a zoning perspective then is a matter again for local authority members within the development plan process or any variation that may occur to that development plan. Amendment No. 12 seeks to provide that in zoning regard shall be had to the members of local authorities who shall have discretion in approving whether land should be zoned for residential use or other forms of use. Zoning is a reserved function of the elected members of local authorities and in preparing their statutory plans, including in relation to the zoning for particular purposes, elected members are required to consider and be consistent with the framework which is set down from the NPF, the regional economic strategy and relevant planning guidelines.”
“Section 242(10) provides that up to 20% of land used for residential purposes, including land that is not zoned for residential use or for a mixture of residential and other uses but in respect of which permission for the development of houses is granted, must be provided for social, affordable or cost-rental housing. I am satisfied, therefore, that the existing provisions regarding affordable housing are appropriate. Amendment No. 11 seeks to provide that local authorities should have the power to purchase unzoned land for residential use. It would not be appropriate to provide for this within legislation. It is a matter for the local authorities concerned to acquire land on an ongoing basis for their own use. There is no preclusion on local authorities acquiring any given landbank.”
“Section 43 of the 2024 Act outlines the content requirements of development plans. Section 43(6) provides that the written statement for an integrated overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of an area included in the development plan shall include zoning objectives for the zoning of land for a particular use or a mixture of uses. Prior to the making of a development plan, a planning authority shall prepare a housing strategy for the purpose of ensuring that the housing development strategy makes adequate provision for the housing of the existing and future population needs of an area within the development plan in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of an area. The housing strategy shall take account of the existing and likely future need for affordable housing.”
“Amendments Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, all relate to the zoning of land. Amendment No. 10 seeks to provide that the regional economic and spatial strategies shall allow for the zoning of land for the particular use of affordable housing. I cannot accept this amendment as zoning requirements are adequately dealt with within the 2024 Act. The purpose of land use zonings is to indicate the development management objectives of the planning authority's administrative area generally whether residential, commercial, agricultural, recreational, open space or otherwise, or a mixture of those uses. When land is zoned for residential use, it is not appropriate to designate the housing type or tenure attached to such zonings. Land use zoning is determined at development plan stage. However, I cannot accept these amendments.”
“This ensures that once Part 3 is commenced, the RSES will be reviewed in line with the requirements of the Act of 2024 and updated accordingly. The RSES will be reviewed in line with the requirements of the Act of 2024 and updated accordingly. This ensures the plan making hierarchy is followed and allows the RSES to reflect the NPF and any subsequent development plans to be made in line with RSES made under the Act of 2024. Any future new or revised NPF will trigger the RSES in place to be reviewed.”
“Amendment No. 9 amends section 30 of the Act of 2024 to clarify the trigger for the first review of an existing regional spatial and economic strategy under the Act of 2024 and is necessary for the commencement of Part 3 of the Act of 2024. Section 31 currently provides that a regional assembly shall commence a review of the RSES not later than six months after the publication of a revised or new NPF under Chapter 2 of the Act of 2024. As a revised NPF was recently published under the Act of 2000 and will continue in force under the Act of 2024. This amendment provides that a regional assembly shall commence a review of the RSES not later than six months after the commencement of section 21(6) of the Act of 2024, which provides for the existing NPF to continue in force.”
“The revised NPF provides the basis for the review and updating of regional spatial and economic strategies and the local authority development plans to reflect matters such as the updating of housing figures, which the Senator spoke to in her previous set of amendments, when I also informed the House we would be writing to local authorities very shortly about updating their development plans in that context. I am satisfied the existing provisions regarding the national planning framework are appropriate and, therefore, I cannot accept these amendments.”
“This plan-led approach to development, reaffirmed and further enhanced under the Act of 2024, will continue to align strategic planning policy from the national level through to regional and local plans, giving effect to real and sustainable outcomes for our regions, our cities and our communities both urban and rural. Both Houses of this Oireachtas approved the revised NPF in April of 2025. This is important given the comments the Senator has just made that there was no vote on this.”
“The Act requires that the NPF include policies and proposals for the furtherance of a number of objectives and securing national and regional development strategies including maximising the potential of our regions, supporting proper planning and sustainable development in urban and rural areas, supporting the circular economy, securing the co-ordination and regional spatial and economic strategies and development plans, providing for land and sea interactions and securing co-ordination with the national marine planning framework, and the integration of the pursuit and achievement of the national climate objective and the national biodiversity action plan into plan-led development within the State.”
“The NPF is a long-term strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to promote a better quality of life for all, with sustainable economic growth in an environment of the highest quality as its key underlying principles. The subsequent review of the regional spatial and economic strategies and the review of individual city and county development plans to align with the NPF and the regional spatial and economic strategy, RSES, establishes a robust integrated hierarchy of spatial plans within Ireland. In turn, this will inform the making of decisions on planning applications in a robust and efficient manner, assisted by the statutory decision-making timelines contained within the 2024 Act.”
“Amendments Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, as tabled by Senator Keogan, seek to delete sections 21 to 24, inclusive, of the Act of 2024, which relate to the national planning framework, NPF. I cannot accept these amendments as the NPF is provided for in the existing and new planning legislation and sits at the apex of the hierarchy of our statutory spatial development plans, the purpose of which is to ensure the sustainable development of our urban and rural areas to 2040 with the core objectives of securing balanced regional development and the sustainable compact growth approach to the form and pattern of future development. Provision for the NPF is appropriately and necessarily dealt with in the Act of 2024.”
“I know this is being welcomed by the Senator, but it is also important to say that the OPR is independent of the Department. It is also important to say there have been changes in the 2024 Act, which was debated in this Chamber. I was sitting on that side of the House last year in respect of the changes to the OPR in terms of the advisory board, which will be in place by the end of this year. To address a few other points, this explanatory note to all the amendments was circulated by my office last Friday. It was circulated to all Senators and it is important to put that on record. Certainly, I hope we will get to many of the substantive amendments the Senator just referred to, but we did spend 45 minutes talking about two technical amendments at the very start of this process.”
“Yes. As I said, I am opposing the amendment because I believe it will have a negative impact on the planning system. As I said in my initial comments as well, the housing growth requirements will be notified to local authorities very shortly. It is important to put in context the previous housing growth requirements at 30,000 units per annum. The national planning framework adopted by both Houses of this Oireachtas has it at 50,000 units plus. This requires a significant increase in zoned land to be able to facilitate it.”
“The Minister, Deputy Browne, and I will write to local authorities very shortly on their housing growth requirements. We have already informed local authorities to commence the variation process in terms of the zoning of land. It is a matter for each local authority as to where it zones particular lands. Certainly from our perspective, the Department will write with the housing growth requirements very shortly and we expect local authorities to implement them as quickly as possible to ensure we have an adequate amount of zoned and serviced land throughout the country, to ensure we have the homes we require for our people throughout the country.”
“Amendment No. 4 seeks to repeal the Office of the Planning Regulator. As everyone knows, the OPR was established in April 2019 on foot of recommendations made by the Mahon tribunal. It made 64 recommendations aimed at significantly enhancing the transparency of planning in Ireland, against a backdrop of significant historical deficiencies in decision-making on local authority development plans or other planning functions. The OPR carries out a range of important and significant functions which assist with the effective operation of the planning system as a whole. Therefore, I oppose the amendment as I believe that if it were to be accepted, it would have a negative impact on the planning system in its entirety. I will address the point on the zoning of land.”
“Section 69 allows the making of a development plan or a development plan variation commenced under the Act 2000 prior to the commencement of Part 3 of the Act of 2024 to continue under the Act of 2000 notwithstanding its repeal. As sections 68 and 69 both carry over development plans from the Act of 2000 to the Act of 2024, it is necessary to update any references to section 68 and also include a reference to section 69, where appropriate. Amendments Nos. 14 and 15 apply to procedures in subsections 68(3), 68(4) and 68(5) of the Act of 2024 in respect of a development plan prepared or varied in accordance with section 69. This is reasonable as both sections 68 and 69 carry over development plans from the Act of 2000 to the Act of 2024. Amendment No. 14 just edits the punctuation of the Bill to allow the text of amendment No.”
“The Act of 2024 has several provisions relating to the record of protected structures and specifically section 307(2) of the Act of 2024 provides that the “making of an addition to, deletion from or amendment to a record of protected structures under subsection (1) shall be a reserved function”. Government amendments Nos. 3, 13, 16 and 25 all provide that a reference in various plans throughout the Act of 2024 to a development plan continued in force under section 68 of the Act of 2024 should also include a reference to a development plan prepared or varied in accordance with section 69. Section 68 of the 2024 Act provides that the development plan in place under the Act of 2000 continues in force when the Act of 2024 is commenced.”
“25, which seeks to provide that the variation of a development plan on foot of a national planning statement or the fact that the provision of the NPF or RSES takes precedence over a provision of the development plan continued in force from the Act of 2000 “shall not operate to remove, limit, reduce or otherwise compromise the record of protected structures included in a development plan in existence or in a draft development plan process underway, prior to the commencement of any section under Part 3”. I cannot accept this proposed amendment as it is unnecessary.”
“Put simply, lower-order plans are required to align with higher-order plans, with development plans aligned to the regional strategies and in turn to the NPF and national planning statements, and with the area-based plans aligned to development plans. Therefore, I cannot accept the amendment to amendment No. 16. Senators Higgins and Stephenson have also tabled a proposed amendment to amendment No.”
“I cannot accept this proposed amendment to my amendment as the subsection provides that where a local area plan that is continued in force conflicts with a provision of the NPF, RSES, a national planning statement or a development plan, the higher-order plan or strategy takes precedence. This is an important provision that gives clarity to the hierarchy of plans in our country. The overriding policy behind the Act of 2024 is that the national planning framework will continue to spearhead the planning agenda. The Act sets out a plan-led system and structure whereby all tiers of planning, from regional to local, align with the strategic objectives set out in the NPF, which was adopted by both Houses of the Oireachtas.”
“Section 60(11) provides that nothing in section 60 shall affect the existence or validity of any public right of way not included in a development plan. It is important to note that the creation of public rights of way either by agreement or compulsorily is a matter already provided for under sections 268 and 269 of the Act of 2024. Furthermore, section 270 provides for a right of way to be maintained by the planning authority. I am satisfied that there are adequate provisions in the Act of 2024 to provide for the preservation and maintenance of rights of way and therefore cannot accept the amendment to amendment No. 13. Senators Higgins and Stephenson have also tabled a proposed amendment to amendment No. 16, which seeks to delete subsection (7) of section 81 of the Act of 2024.”
“Section 51(2) provides that a development management statement may include objectives for a range of matters, including “preserving a specific public right of way, including a public right of way which gives access to any seashore, mountain, lakeshore, riverbank, monument or other place of natural beauty or recreational utility”. Section 51(4) provides that nothing in section 51 shall affect the existence or validity of any public right of way. Section 60(10) of the Act of 2024, which I am amending in amendment No. 13, already provides that any provision relating to the preservation of a public right of way contained in a development plan continued in force until section 68 may be included in a subsequent development plan made under this Act without the necessity to comply with this section.”
“Let me address the Senators’ proposed amendments. Senators Higgins and Stephenson have tabled a proposed amendment to amendment No. 13, which seeks to provide that the variation of a development plan on foot of a national planning statement or the fact that the provision of the NPF or the RSES takes precedence over a provision of the development plan continued in force from the Act of 2000 “shall not operate to remove, limit, reduce or otherwise compromise the use of enjoyment of a public right of way contained in a development plan in existence or in a draft development plan process underway, prior to the commencement of any section under Part 3". I cannot accept this proposed amendment as it is unnecessary. The Act of 2024 has several provisions relating to public rights of way.”
“I will stick to amendments Nos. 1 and 2. We have had extensive Second Stage debates, both in the Dáil and the Seanad, to make the general points. As I said in my opening remarks, it is a technical amendment to amend the relevant sections of the Act of 2024. Those sections, as amended, will take effect once this is commenced. I will address one point about the translation of the 2024 Act into Irish, which Senator Boyhan raised. That is a matter for the Oireachtas; that is not a matter for my Department.”
“Government amendments Nos. 1 and 2 amend section 1 to provide that Part 2 comes into operation on the day immediately following the date of the passing of the Bill. Part 2 amends the Act of 2024 and the amendments will not have effect until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 that they are amending are commenced. By commencing the amendments now, it means that when an order is made to commence a section of the Act of 2024 that is amended by this Bill, the section, as amended, will be commenced.”
“The reality is that, while many people in this Chamber and the other Chamber rightly point to Vienna and all of the positive measures it has in terms of housing, the average size of a studio apartment in Vienna is 25 m². We will have a size of 32 m² in the revised apartment guidelines. Context is very important when we have any debate on housing. We will table Committee Stage amendments on the apartment guidelines and I am sure they will get a good airing next week. The Government is committed to ensuring we deliver housing as quickly as possible. Extending the duration of planning permission, while also giving back any time lost in a judicial review process, is a common-sense practical measure. It has been brought forward by the Government because we cannot build houses unless we have active planning permissions in place.”
“The Attorney General was part of the drafting process for the 2024 Act and has ensured it is compliant with our EU and international obligations, including the Aarhus Convention. I must say some of the general commentary on the Bill, and on developers in general, is unfortunate and negative. I do not single out anyone in particular when I say that. We need developers, councils, the Land Development Agency, approved housing bodies and everyone firing on all cylinders if we are to deliver the quantum of housing required in this country. Vilifying a certain section will not achieve the outcome we all want. I must also say that some of the descriptions of apartment sizes, which we will discuss more on Committee Stage next week, are also unfortunate. There are descriptions of shoeboxes.”
“A letter was issued in October 2024 to set out the provisions of the 2024 Act on the extension of duration, including public participation. It explained the Act includes a number of transitional measures to allow for the reforms to be introduced on a phased basis, including the retention of section 42 on a transitional basis until three years after the passing of the Act, which is October 2027, and that section 42 will be limited to a finite number of legacy permissions granted under the 2000 Act. On this basis, we are satisfied it is appropriate to amend section 42, as proposed in the Bill, to allow for an extension to be granted for uncommenced permissions. As I have said, this is as long as an environmental impact assessment or an appropriate assessment is not required.”
“Bespoke circulars have been issued to local authorities with descriptions of new legislation and information on corresponding regulations and such matters. A comprehensive implementation plan is in place with regard to communicating all of these changes. We appreciate the challenge of translating what is significant legislation, and the workload involved, in the local authority system. Reference was made to the Aarhus Convention. It is important to state that what the compliance committee had looked at when the comments were issued was not the final version of the Bill. Section 42 of the Act of 2000 has been the subject of complaints, as has been referenced. These are mainly to do with public participation.”
“Department officials met the committee in advance of the pre-legislative scrutiny waiver, and they will meet the joint committee on Monday to brief it on the apartment guidelines that will be amended. It is unfair to present it as if there has not been a briefing from officials on this matter. There has been full engagement with the Oireachtas joint committee. I suggest that Senators speak to the members of their groupings or parties who sit on the Oireachtas joint committee to feed in any questions or get clarification ahead of the Committee Stage debate, which will take place in the House next week. On the points raised regarding communication with planning authorities, it is important to state that implementation and oversight working groups are in existence.”
“This will ensure that, following approval of the revised national planning framework, which will facilitate the delivery of in excess of 50,000 additional homes per annum, the updated housing requirements can be incorporated into the planning system as quickly as possible. Local authorities will be required to update their current development plans over the coming months, and we will be writing to local authorities very shortly on their housing growth requirements. I will follow up on a few of the matters that have been raised by Senators. A number of Senators referenced the fact that the Bill is being rushed and that no pre-legislative scrutiny occurred. With regard to Members on the Oireachtas joint committee, it is important to state pre-legislative scrutiny was waived by the committee.”
“It is also important to note the extension of duration may only be granted where an environmental impact assessment or appropriate assessment would not be required for the proposed extension of time. As the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, mentioned in his opening address, implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024 is a key priority for the Government. However, it is important that the planning system remains agile and responsive to issues. It is for this reason the Bill clarifies the transitional arrangements whereby development plan variations commenced under the 2000 Act can continue when the relevant provisions of the 2024 Act are commenced, with a similar provision for local area plans commenced under the 2000 Act.”
“This mirrors the provisions in the 2024 Act and brings them forward. Planning permission is an essential step in any project, and there are other factors, of course, that can impact on the commencement of a project, including viability. Holders of planning permission will be allowed to apply for an extension. This is to address the issue of development that does not have enough time remaining in the planning permission to be commenced and substantially completed before applying for an extension, as is the requirement at present. This measure will be timebound and will expire in October 2027. The application for the extension must be made within six months of commencement of the legislation, and the development must commence within 18 months of the commencement of the legislation.”
“Of these, almost 16,000 units across the country have been permitted notwithstanding the judicial review process, and just over 3,000 are still subject to ongoing proceedings. In all of these cases, the duration of the permission has been eroded due to the judicial review proceedings. The new measures contained in this Bill will allow for the holders of permission under the 2000 Act to apply to a planning authority for the suspension of the permission for the period of a judicial review, if the judicial review is upheld. It provides that where a permission was or is subject to a judicial review, the holder of the permission may seek a suspension for the period of the judicial review that was or is ongoing, providing they declare the development did not substantially commence while the judicial review was ongoing.”
“For example, the number of legal cases involving An Coimisiún Pleanála has grown from 41 in 2018 to 143 in 2024. Residential data for the Dublin region for the end of 2024 also highlighted these issues when there were 40,112 uncommenced residential units on 265 wholly inactive development sites in Dublin. Of these, the average period that remained to the estimated permission expiry date was 2.9 years. It is estimated that around 15,000 of these units are due to expire within the next two years. An Coimisiún Pleanála's figures also show that just under 19,000 units on 52 sites were either subject to a judicial review and subsequently permitted, or remain within the judicial review process, over the last five years.”
“I thank all Senators for their engagement on this Bill. I acknowledge the contributions of Senators Flaherty, Boyhan, Murphy, Andrews, Stephenson, Higgins, Blaney and Rabbitte. We all recognise that it is important that developers use their permissions, whether for housing or energy projects, and important to encourage developers to act quickly on their consents. The Acts of 2000 and 2024 provide that the duration can only be extended if the project has commenced and reached substantial completion. However, in relation to residential development, there is evidence to suggest that a significant number of planning permissions for housing that are due to expire shortly have not yet been commenced. We are all aware that the substantial increase in judicial reviews has had an impact on larger developments in particular.”
“When we were negotiating the programme for Government, I can recall that this issue got a lot of attention. The line in the programme for Government about timely access to cardiac services across all regions was an important part of those commitments. It will continue to be so as part of the budgetary allocation process going forward.”
“I acknowledge that cardiovascular health is a central pillar of health funding as part of budget 2025, which included more than €9 million in full-year costs to support important cardiovascular health initiatives. The budget commits €4 million in additional full-year costs and 45 new posts to reform how we deliver cardiac services. Since 2020, the chronic disease management programme has supported those at the greatest risk, including those with heart failure. The programme includes prevention, targeted case finding and ongoing management, which helps us to identify cardiovascular disease early, manage the condition effectively and slow or halt the disease's progression. As with anything in health, early diagnosis is really important and is key.”
“Funding was also made available for one day per week to provide psychology services, which, as the Senator rightly pointed out, is important as part of the treatment programme, as part of the rehabilitation teams in the 30 new specialist ambulatory care hubs for chronic disease. The second women's health action plan also places a spotlight on cardiovascular health in women, because they often experience heart failure differently. To support this, the Minister for Health has funded €1.23 million for six projects on women's heart health and, in particular, to improve our understanding of services for heart failure.”
“It identifies high-risk cohorts and facilitates appropriate management. The chronic disease management programme now encourages GPs to perform the blood test on those at risk of heart failure. STOP-HF has now been adopted in several international guidelines, a testament to the innovation of Irish clinicians. The model of care for integrated cardiac rehabilitation was published in October 2023 and presents best evidence and practice for high-quality, equitable and person-centred cardiac rehabilitation services for those living with heart disease in Ireland. To address gaps in cardiac rehabilitation, 13 staff were funded in 2025 and these posts are currently being recruited for.”