Thomas Byrne
Meath East · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We are very proud of the work they do in what are often very dangerous circumstances. Let us be 100% clear: our troops will only ever do peacekeeping, peace enforcement or conflict prevention in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and, of course, as with every action of this Government, in accordance with the Constitution.”
“To be clear on what our troops will be doing, they will be doing peacekeeping, peace enforcement and conflict prevention. That is what the law says; not what the Deputy imagines it to be. We are bound by our Constitution and international law. The legislation changes nothing in that regard.”
“We are bound by international law. We are bound by international law since our Constitution came into force and we continue to be bound by international law and always will be, no matter what happens to this legislation. International law governs what we do as a Government.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 140, 157 and 185 together. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister. A commitment to reform what is known as the triple lock was set out in the programme for Government.”
“-----in accordance with UN principles and, of course, in accordance with our own Constitution, which commits us to peace and friendly relations among nations. The triple lock is a statutory mechanism.”
“Switzerland, the classical neutral country that is not even a member of the European Union and will never join the European Union, it is so neutral and independent, accepts UN, EU and OSCE mandates. I understand the situation is similar in Austria, which is another neutral country. By the way, it is also similar in Germany.”
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“I will take this question on behalf of the Minister. I reassure the Deputy that the regeneration of the Naval Service is one of the key priorities for the Minister and the Department. To that end, the Minister has had detailed discussions with the Chief of Staff on the need for a regeneration report on the Naval Service. The Defence Forces are working to have this report completed in the coming weeks. In relation to recent events the Deputy mentioned, I can confirm that during Storm Chandra, the LÉ Aoibhinn suffered some damage while berthed at Dún Laoghaire harbour as a result of extreme winds. The damage is relatively minor in nature and, following an inspection, the ship was fit to return to duty.”
“I agree with the Senator. I know that the Minister, Deputy Browne, agrees with the Senator that the town has lived with flood risks for too long. The consent refusal in 2022 was a setback for the town. I am working with the Minister, Deputy Browne, not to reduce environmental protection, because nobody wants to do that, but to reduce the bureaucracy that comes with planning and development in this country. We are engaging with European colleagues on this. There is a whole agenda in the European Union at the moment in terms of simplification and reducing the burden of rules. We want to protect the environment, nature and all of that, but all of these procedures take too long and are too complex. There are certainly occasions like this when the needs of human beings need to be prioritised. Let us see where this process goes.”
“With regard to phase 2, the county council and the Office of Public Works are finalising a project brief in order to issue a tender for the appointment of an engineering and environmental consultant. This will go to tender very soon. It is envisaged a consultant will be appointed in the first half of this year. A detailed programme for the overall scheme will be subsequently developed following the appointment of a consultant for phase 2. A flood relief scheme for Enniscorthy is supported by the Government's investment in flood relief measures through the national development plan. This funding has allowed the Government to treble the number of projects at design, planning and construction, including for Wexford town and Rosslare.”
“A second public consultation took place in November 2025. The development of the options report is now being progressed following feedback from the public. To help with a special planning application submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála, relevant environmental surveys are being updated and an environmental impact assessment report and Natura impact statement will be prepared. It is envisaged a planning application will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála in quarter 2 of 2027. Prior to lodging a planning application, a maritime area consent application will be required from the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, which is to be submitted in quarter 2 of this year.”
“Since that time there has been extensive engagement between the OPW and Wexford County Council for an alternative flood relief scheme. At the end of 2023, the council submitted a proposed strategy for the progression of the scheme, which was approved by the OPW and comprises two phases. The main elements of the first phase of the scheme will include the construction of a new road bridge over the Slaney, construction of a new pedestrian bridge and the removal of the existing Seamus Rafter Bridge. Part 2 of the scheme will include the construction of the remaining flood relief measures for Enniscorthy town. The project steering group is progressing both phases. On the design options for phase 1, an initial public consultation took place in quarter 2 of 2025 to present emerging options to the public.”
“I confirm that commitment today, and the aim of this Government is to provide protection not just to some 50 properties that were affected this week but to 326 properties at risk from flooding in Enniscorthy. All of them need protection. The Minister of State, Deputy Moran, visited Enniscorthy last April and reaffirmed his commitment to deliver this scheme at a meeting with elected representatives. Given the refusal for planning consent, work had to be undertaken to look for alternative approaches to managing the flood risk from the scheme submitted for confirmation. There is also a requirement to investigate alternative options that consider the changes in policy and approaches to assessments that have occurred since the scheme was first designed.”
“Following extensive engineering analysis, public consultation and environmental assessments, in March 2020, the OPW submitted the Enniscorthy food relief scheme for statutory confirmation. The main elements of the proposed scheme included the construction of flood defence walls and river channel widening and deepening. The scheme also included the removal of the Seamus Rafter Bridge and the construction of new and replacement road and pedestrian bridges over the Slaney. In March 2022, the Minister made a decision to refuse this scheme consent. The decision was due primarily, as the Senator said, to concerns about the impact on the freshwater pearl mussel. The Minister at the time, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, gave a commitment subsequently to deliver a flood relief scheme for Enniscorthy.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I know we have all seen, along with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, who cannot be here today, the devastation that flooding has on people, businesses and the Enniscorthy community. The town of Enniscorthy, unfortunately, has a long history of flooding, the most recent being this week, with previous events in 2000 and 2015. Flooding is a huge problem and leads to incalculable losses to people and a loss of a secure feeling as well. The Government has introduced a range of supports this week. Correctly, the community, the Senator and the Minister, Deputy Browne, are seeking a long-term solution through a flood relief scheme.”
“The Senator raised a good point. Clearly, there are rules and an exemption process, which is transparent. People can apply for an exemption and that is clearly set out. However, an important point, which the Government acknowledges, is that we need more transition information to be available to people, and at an earlier time. That has to happen. There is a process for exemption from the rule and it is down to the individual case. I am sure the Senator will assist in the navigation of that process, but let us see what happens. Certainly, people need information at an earlier stage.”
“A key action under this commitment is to support earlier transition planning for school-leavers and their families, so that enhanced guidance and information can be provided to young people and their families on all post-school options, such as apprenticeships, employment and further and higher education.”
“The Department is progressing the development of an implementation plan arising from this review. Furthermore, under the First Programme Plan of Actions 2025-2026 arising from the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, the Department has joint responsibility for a number of priority actions, including a commitment to develop a national transitions policy to support students from early learning and childcare through school and into adult life. A cross-departmental steering group, co-chaired by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Education and Youth, has been established to oversee the implementation of this priority action.”
“A request for an exemption can only be made by a school where, in addition to the above, the student requires one additional year to complete a programme leading to accreditation on the NQF, and where retaining the student in the school for another school year will not prevent a younger student being enrolled there - that is a consideration - and plans are in place to transition the student to a post-school setting at the end of the school year. Special schools are invited each year to make applications to the Department for exemptions from rule 64(1) in respect of students who meet those criteria. Where the criteria are met, the Department will approve the exemptions. I am aware that this issue has been raised in the context of the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act 2004.”
“Special schools may, however, seek approval from the Department for an exemption from the rule in respect of students over 18 who are pursuing learning programmes leading to accreditation that align with the national qualifications framework, NQF. These programmes include, for example, junior cycle level 3 subjects, level 1 and level 2 learning programmes, the leaving certificate applied and senior cycle level 1 and level 2 learning programmes.”
“Enabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for the Government. It is also a key priority for the Minister, the Department and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. The NCSE is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs. Special schools funded by the Department are classified as primary national schools. They are intended, in accordance with the provisions of rule 64(1) of the rules for national schools, to provide an education to children and young people with special educational needs aged from four years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.”
“I already mentioned the Cabra station project, which is working its way towards planning approval. I emphasise the work that is going on at EU level and departmental level in terms of further sources of funding as these planning approvals start to happen.”
“In December 2025, the Department funded a third fleet order for another 100 electric DART carriages. That will fully replace the original DART fleet. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, got good coverage when he announced that and the public saw it. It is planned to deploy this order of 100 electric carriages from the end of 2028. Deployment of the first and second order will then free up the intercity and commuter trains for use on other train routes providing a capacity boost. The redeployment will be a matter for Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to decide based on all the factors. Of course, that means there is potential for train carriages to be deployed on the DART+ South West line to add capacity in conjunction with the work that will be under way on the infrastructure upgrade.”
“In the opening statement, I outlined a lot of the progress that is happening. I might mention the fleet situation now. Regarding the roll-out of the new DART+ fleet, this has started to undergo safety testing. That will progress from 2027 onwards and will allow what is described as a cascade of existing trains to serve new areas of the Irish Rail network. Three fleet orders have been placed for both battery-electric carriages, which obviously do not need the overhead wires, and electric carriages. Trains from the first order of 95 carriages will initially be deployed on the northern line which serves my constituency including Gormanston, Laytown and Drogheda. They will come on stream from next year. It is planned to deploy some of the second order of 90 carriages to allow commencement of the Wicklow DART extension around 2029.”
“The Department will also explore any EU funding which may become available to accelerate public transport projects. I can confirm that this is part of the discussion I am involved in at an EU level on the multi-annual financial framework in terms of what funding might be available for public transport projects in general. The NDP will be reviewed around 2028 and updated then. This will also provide an opportunity to examine the potential to provide additional funding to accelerate the delivery of projects such as DART+ South West.”
“Upgrades delivered under DART+ West, such as resignalling and electrification, are also vital for accommodating increased frequency envisaged for DART+ South West. The new station at Spencer Dock, introduced as part of DART+ West, is a key node for future service integration, supporting the operational flexibility required for DART+ South West train services, helping to address the well-known capacity issues at Connolly Station. The plan for the development of Cabra station is currently being developed in parallel with the DART+ programme. It is at an early stage of development and is progressing towards the statutory planning phase. When and if statutory planning approval is secured, further consideration will be given to the timing of construction of this project.”
“That will then allow DART+ South West and indeed the other infrastructure projects of the programme to develop for a number of reasons. The new depot in the Maynooth-Kilcock area, to be delivered as part of DART+ West, provides essential stabling and maintenance facilities for the expanded fleet for the entire programme, which is a prerequisite for supporting service patterns across the entire network, including DART+ South West. DART+ West will deliver the critical electrification of the city centre rail network and the necessary city centre capacity upgrades. This is a prerequisite for future trains coming from DART+ South West to enter the city centre network at Glasnevin Junction from the Phoenix Park Tunnel.”
“This represents an unprecedented level of investment in public transport infrastructure over the coming five years, which has more than doubled compared with the last five-year period. However, it is a simple fact that decisions are required in relation to sequencing and prioritisation. The funding under the NDP transport sectoral investment plan will allow advancement of various elements of the DART+ programme in the coming years, including DART+ West. The funding will also allow compulsory purchase orders to progress for DART+ South West this year and will provide for procurement progress for the project, with some of the framework contracts being established in common for DART+ West and DART+ South West. Following the investment in new DART+ fleet, DART+ West was always recognised as the critical step in the DART+ programme.”
“An Coimisiún Pleanála approved a railway order for DART+ South West in November 2024. In addition, procurement for DART+ South West and DART+ West is progressing with pre-qualification questionnaire notices for design and build works advertised in May last year. As the Senator said, the Government is committed to the delivery of major public transport projects. This is evidenced by last year’s review of the national development plan which allocated a total of €24.3 billion in Exchequer funding to transport projects from 2026 to 2030. Of this total allocation, Exchequer funding of €10 billion for public transport infrastructure is earmarked from 2026 to 2030, in addition to the €2 billion allocated for MetroLink.”
“Ar son an Aire Iompair, gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an ábhar tábhachtach seo a ardú agus deis a thabhairt dom freagra a thabhairt air sa Teach inniu. The DART+ programme comprises five different rail projects in and around the greater Dublin area. It includes extending the existing DART network to Maynooth, the M3 Parkway and Dunboyne in my constituency, Hazelhatch and Celbridge, and Gormanston, Laytown and Drogheda, also serving my constituents, and improving current DART services from Dublin city centre to Greystones. The programme will triple the length of the electrified rail network in the Dublin area and double peak city-centre capacity from 26,000 passengers per direction to 52,000. DART+ South West will extend DART train services from Dublin city centre to Hazelhatch and Celbridge.”
“This debate and the contributions from Deputies today have been very valuable. The Government has heard the message from all contributors and will take this into the policy implementation process. We thank Deputy O’Gorman for the work he has done in this area that and, indeed, Deputies on all sides for their work to give voice and representation rightly to their communities on this issue.”
“The best approach to achieving this balance in as comprehensive and cohesive a manner as possible is through the implementation of the policy framework. As the drone innovation evolves new challenges may arise. The policy framework is a living document that will continue to evolve to keep pace with the evolution of the sector internationally and be responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities. The Government's position is that the issues raised are best addressed in a holistic approach through the implementation of the national policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems. This, we believe, is best facilitated through our proposed timed amendment. This will provide the space to examine any gaps in regulation and guidance and provide a more informed perspective on this Bill and any related regulatory issues.”
“As previously outlined, the national policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems sets out the Government's policy in relation to the UAS sector to provide a balance between supporting growth and innovation in the drone sector, which, I have to say, I support because we have to be moving forward with technology where there are appropriate uses, but also to ensure safe and secure operations which are planned to minimise environmental and privacy impacts. The policy framework proposes a number of structures and actions that aim to address the concerns that have been raised in relation to the increasing usage of drones and operations in balance with the realisation of the economic and societal benefits that can happen from emerging and new technologies.”
“From a safety point of view, there is an effective EU-wide regulatory framework that is being implemented and overseen in the State by the Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation regulator, to ensure safe drone operations but the Government acknowledges, as the Minister already said, that the rapid expansion of drone use and drone operation has given rise to concerns and there is a need for clarity in areas outside of safety and in respect of the roles and responsibility of public bodies in drone operation. The concerns of communities impacted by increased drone operations are being heard. The Department of Transport will continue to engage with local representatives and communities on the issues raised.”
“They are people who want coffee. They are voting with their orders as well. The Minister sends his apologies that he could not attend the latter half of the debate. I am happy to be here and respond to this important debate on behalf of the Government. The Deputies have made good contributions. Deputy O'Gorman has done incredible work bringing this to the House. We acknowledge the work that he has done.”
“I had no idea people ordered coffee. I am in a lot of sympathy with the Deputies but that only shows there are many people out there very happy to order coffee by drone. That is part of the public view as well.”
“I have no doubt the Minister and Department officials will take very much into account what the Deputy said and the case she has made in making funding allocations.”
“Deputy Cummins can be assured that the Department, Minister and officials will continue to actively engage with City of Dublin ETB, youth services and young people to ensure that there is appropriate provision for young people in Ballyfermot. The Department's commitment builds on the significant work already undertaken through targeted funding and collaborative initiatives, which have strengthened youth services and expanded opportunities for inclusion and development. The Department is committed in its support for inclusive, needs-based youth work that empowers young people to thrive and contribute positively to their communities. The Department will maintain a proactive approach to ensure services in Ballyfermot and across the country remain responsive, accessible and impactful for all young people.”
“There may well be funding from other Government Departments that Ballyfermot Youth Service could avail of. The Deputy can be assured that the Government values the work that is done by the service. We are eager to continue to fund it as best we can because we know that the work being done there is highly valuable.”
“Further funding was allocated to Ballyfermot Youth Service under the local youth club grant scheme. Although the 2025 local youth club grant scheme annual reports have not yet been received by the Department, in 2024 Ballyfermot Youth Service received €4,000 in funding under this particular heading. Under the Estimates for the Department of Education and Youth, the youth affairs unit has been allocated an increase of €8 million in current and capital expenditure. While the high-level allocations are confirmed, a specific timeline for the release of the final detailed breakdown of the youth affairs schemes and programmes is not yet available. Work is continuing within the Department to finalise these allocations and they will be issued as soon as possible.”
“Ballyfermot Youth Service caters to a wide range of young people and provides a diverse set of programmes, including non-formal education programmes, drop-in information sessions, music and arts programmes and access to the Erasmus+ programme. As the Deputy outlined, the work of Ballyfermot Youth Service empowers young people to make positive decisions around their life choices and to meet their needs by providing appropriate social, personal and development programmes. In addition, the Department allocated approximately €40,000 to Ballyfermot Youth Service in resilience and effectiveness funding. The service also received over €28,000 in 2025 as part of the summer holiday meals pilot programme, which supported the provision of meals to young people during the summer period.”
“It delivers evidence-informed interventions that promote soft skills, confidence, and progression into education, training or employment, and provides the foundation for local youth organisations to deliver tailored supports that meet the needs of their communities. A budget of €50.7 million was allocated under the UBU scheme in 2025, representing a 4.5% increase on budget 2024. Over €17 million of that budget was allocated to City of Dublin Education and Training Board, CDETB, in its capacity as a grant administering body of the UBU scheme. In 2025, the Department allocated over €623,000 to Ballyfermot Youth Service under the UBU scheme to sustain core youth services, ensuring consistent support for young people. This represents a 4.5% increase on the previous year.”
“I thank Deputy Cummins for raising this matter. The Minister for Education and Youth has asked me to set out the position with regard to youth work provision and the funding supports available. Supporting youth services and youth work is an absolute priority for the Department of Education and Youth. The Department is committed to ensuring that young people in Ballyfermot and everywhere else in the country have access to valuable resources and opportunities that enable them to thrive. The UBU, Your Place Your Space, scheme is the Department’s largest funded youth scheme targeting young people aged between ten and 24 years who are identified as marginalised, vulnerable and at risk of not flourishing.”
“The Department and the NCSE have been working on this earlier in the year and I welcome what the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, has done in this regard because it gives more certainty. It is not perfect but there is more information available and at an earlier stage than was the case previously. Again, I have no doubt that the Department and the NCSE will be out with further announcements in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if Deputies Wall and Ward wish to engage directly with the Minister of State in relation to those particular individuals, I am sure he would very much welcome that.”
“We have to guarantee those places for children. The Government is acutely conscious of that. Work is ongoing to ensure that this guarantee, which, in my view, derives from the Constitution, is fulfilled for every child who needs a school place. The Department continues to engage intensively with the NCSE to forward plan for new special provision to get a place for every single child in the setting that best suits their needs. The NCSE is continuing to engage with a large number of schools across Dublin in the context of sanctioning further new special classes for the coming school year. While there was an announcement some weeks ago, there is still a lot of work going on. That was the first batch of them and there will be further batches.”
“I stress the NCSE will continue to support all children made known to it. Of course, it is critical that the NCSE has timely access to local knowledge to plan future provision.”
“The NCSE began sanctioning new special classes this month, which is several months ahead of last year. A total of 263 have been sanctioned to date. Many more new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of new classes is good because it provides better – not perfect but better – clarity than parents previously had. The vast majority of new special classes announced are being provided in available school accommodation that is being reconfigured for a special class. New special classes are being established in every county, with 58 new special classes confirmed for Dublin so far. Further information on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. It is envisaged that schools will open admissions for those new special classes after the sanctioning.”
“This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases the number of schools with special classes, providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances that some students are forced to travel to get a school place. However, as in other years, where schools have no accommodation available, particularly at second level, and where there is known demand in an area, the Department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places. The Department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the 2026-27 school year.”
“In addition, 16 new special schools have been established in recent years. There are 40 special schools in Dublin and two of the five special schools opened this year are in Dublin. These schools are supported by the Department and the NCSE. In budget 2026, funding for 3,000 new special educational places has been provided. The NCSE is currently examining where they are needed in order that children can avail of their constitutional right to free primary education. In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible, the NCSE prioritises working with medium and larger primary schools that do not already have special classes and that have accommodation available to facilitate new special classes.”
“On the individual case, I strongly urge the Deputy to give the details to me or directly to the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan. The Government is committed to the provision of additional special places for children with special educational needs. There is funding, as I said previously, for 3,000 new specialist places and the NCSE today is currently examining where those are best located for the 2026-27 school year. We now have 3,741 special classes around the country, and we will build on this figure. The determination from the Minister and the NCSE is to place them where kids need them. That work is still ongoing. In County Dublin, we have 705 special classes providing capacity for 4,230 kids. This includes 103 new special classes opened in Dublin in this current school year, of which 81 are at primary level.”
“This is in keeping with our policy on inclusive education, which promotes that children will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting. The NCSE advises that a small number of places remain available in some other counties. That is simply a fact and the NCSE remains available to provide advice and support to all families seeking a placement and will continue to examine where provision is required for the 2026-2027 year so that this can be done right and the right decisions can be made as to where children are, and where those classes are needed. I have no doubt that every single offer from a school to provide a class is taken with the utmost seriousness in the Department. The Department will have to make sure the children are there in those areas. That process is still under way and is by no means concluded.”
“The Department has information about children and is going through that information. It has not come to any final decision and there will be quite a few more announcements to be made. It is about the children and their constitutional right to be educated, which we are proud to have in this country. It needs to be implemented and the Department and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, work every day of the week to execute and implement that right. The Department continues to engage with the NCSE. The vast majority of students with special educational needs get supported to attend school in mainstream classes with their peers. We have 15,000 special education teachers in Ireland and 12,500 special needs assistants. It is a huge number of people. For children with more complex needs, special classes or special school places are provided.”
“I assure people that this process is still under way. Quite frankly, the Department of education does not look at it in terms of Kildare South or Kildare North. It looks at the children who are there. Through the process that will balance out. There will be more in Kildare North, I assume because it is a bigger population. I also assume it will balance out as the process goes on. The idea that this is some sort of political decision is wrong. It is based on the needs of-----”
“There is still a huge amount of work ongoing and that is just the way it is. It is still earlier than it has been before.”
“The earlier sanctioning of new classes happening this year provides clarity for parents and allows schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. The vast majority of new special classes being announced are being provided in available school accommodation which is being reconfigured as a special class. Each special class is allocated one teacher and two SNAs, and at post-primary level schools should receive 1.5 teachers posts and two SNAs. Details of those special classes are on the NCSE website. Once special classes are sanctioned by the NCSE, it is envisaged that schools will open admission for them. The NCSE will continue to support all children made known to them after the dates but obviously it works better if the information can be provided.”
“As the Deputy is aware, an earlier deadline was introduced this year to support forward planning and to better equip the NCSE with local information as to what students would be leaving school, transitioning to post-primary, or who is seeking specialist placement and maybe entering the education system for the first time. The information is critical to decide where to put provision. The Department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, management bodies and schools to confirm these new special classes for next September. We have begun sanctioning new special classes this month. Some 236 have been sanctioned to date and many more will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Of these, 11 are in County Kildare.”
“We need to build on it and put provision in the types of locations the Deputy is talking about, where it is best placed to meet existing and future demand. In County Kildare, there are 148 special classes in operation providing capacity for 888 kids. This includes 17 new special classes in this school year, 2025-2026. In addition, 16 new special schools have been established in recent years. Six of these special schools are in County Kildare educating approximately 359 students with the most complex needs. These are supported by the Department and the National Council for Special Education. The NCSE will have a clear picture of local demand for special class places for the school year starting September after it reviews and assesses all the information it has got through the parents’ notification process, which closed last October.”