365. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the measures being taken to increase SME participation in the research and development tax credit, in view of recent analysis of uptake patterns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14177/26]
364. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of firms that availed of the research and development tax credit in 2025, by firm size; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14176/26]
293. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider establishing an additional driving test centre in Kildare North, in light of ongoing demand and waiting times at existing centres serving the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14175/26]
292. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the current average waiting time for a driving test at the Naas test centre; the steps being taken to reduce delays for applicants in Kildare North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14174/26]
157. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which the redesigned SEAI grant structure will support homeowners in progressing from initial insulation measures to more advanced upgrades; the way this sequencing is expected to improve overall retrofit outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14769/26]
161. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how Ireland’s first National Equality Data Strategy will enhance the delivery of public services, particularly in identifying and addressing barriers faced by different groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13256/26]
107. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how the new €135 million programme of State-led early learning and childcare services will support increased capacity and improved access for families in Kildare North, particularly in areas experiencing sustained demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13255/26]
80. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures being put in place to help businesses, particularly SMEs, identify their supervisory authority under the distributed regulatory model in the general scheme of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13253/26]
15. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to build national capacity within regulators and industry in advance of the full commencement of the EU AI Act; the way in which this will support Ireland’s position as a competitive and innovation-focused location for AI development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13254/26]
731. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the rationale for requiring ministerial sanction under the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 for increases to the An Post superannuation scheme, given that the scheme is solvent, independently assessed, and poses no liability to the Exchequer; and whether he intends to review or amend this approval requirement in light of repeated delays affecting pensioners. [12265/26]
730. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the reason it has taken almost six months to approve the increase to the An Post superannuation scheme, submitted by An Post in October; the reasons for the current delay within his Department; the expected timeframe for sign off; and the measures being taken to prevent similar delays in future, given the serious impact on pensioners whose sole income is their An Post pension. [12264/26]
533. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will undertake a review of the statutory approval process governing pension scheme changes in semi State bodies, with a view to ensuring timely implementation of actuarially approved, employer funded pension increases, and to prevent unnecessary delays caused by dual ministerial sanction requirements. [12267/26]
532. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of his Department's consideration of the An Post pension increase; the timeline of interactions between his Department, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and NewERA regarding the statutory review; and whether he will commit to expediting the process given the financial hardship being experienced by An Post pensioners. [12266/26]
433. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the steps being taken to improve bus services for Kilcock, given that Route 115 is the bus service for the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12762/26]
432. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken to address the low punctuality and high levels of lost kilometres recorded on Bus Éireann Route 115 to Kilcock in recent performance data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12761/26]
407. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on fleet availability and allocation across the Kildare commuter network; whether additional rolling stock can be deployed to alleviate overcrowding on peak services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12314/26]
406. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the measures Irish Rail and the NTA are taking to address overcrowding on peak-time services on the Kildare commuter line, particularly the Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12313/26]
405. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport when Irish Rail intends to restore the previous four-carriage configuration on the 16:28 Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service; if consideration will be given to increasing capacity further in light of rising passenger numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12312/26]
404. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if Irish Rail conducted any demand analysis prior to reducing capacity on the 16:28 Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service; if he will provide details of the criteria used to justify this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12311/26]
403. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the reduction in carriage numbers on the 16:28 Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service, which previously operated with four carriages but now operates with three; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12310/26]
393. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the assessment undertaken by the NTA regarding the impact of W61 service unreliability on passengers; the steps being implemented to ensure that a 30-minute-frequency service operates dependably; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12206/26]
392. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken by the National Transport Authority and the operator to address repeated failures of the W61 service to operate as scheduled, particularly during evening hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12205/26]
391. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the reason the NTA has not published punctuality or lost-kilometre data for the W61 route for 2025 to date; when this reporting will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12204/26]
222. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the funding allocated in the Defence Sectoral National Development Plan for expanding and integrating Army drone capability; the expected timeline for achieving enhanced operational capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12373/26]
183. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the surveillance and reconnaissance capability gaps in the Army’s current drone systems that the planned acquisitions under the Defence Sectoral National Development Plan are intended to address; the indicators that will be used to measure improved capability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12372/26]
275. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport whether any road safety audit has been undertaken since the removal of the bus stop on the Old Bog Road, Kilcock, County Kildare; if he will intervene in light of the accident history on this stretch of road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11337/26]
274. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if he has assessed the road safety implications arising from the removal of the bus stop on the Old Bog Road, Kilcock, County Kildare particularly for secondary school students who must now walk along a narrow, unlit and heavily trafficked road with limited verge space; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11336/26]
273. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the steps he will take to ensure the reinstatement of the bus stop at the Old Bog Road, Kilcock, County Kildare; whether his Department will engage directly with the NTA, TFI, Bus Éireann and Kildare County Council to resolve this matter; the expected timeline for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11335/26]
272. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the total cost of public works previously undertaken at the Old Bog Road, Kilcock, County Kildare bus stop location, including the construction of a dedicated bus lay-by by Kildare County Council; whether this infrastructure is now unused following the removal of the stop; whether he will comment on the implications for value for money and the effective use of public funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11334/26]
271. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport whether Kildare County Council consulted with the NTA, TFI, or Bus Éireann prior to the removal of the bus stop on the Old Bog Road, Kilcock; if any written records, correspondence, meeting minutes or approvals exist in relation to this decision; the decision-making process that led to the removal of the stop; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11333/26]
270. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that a bus stop located on the Old Bog Road, Kilcock, County Kildare, was removed in or around September 2024 without any apparent public consultation; if his Department, the NTA or TFI approved or authorised this removal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11332/26]
159. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeline for when modular accommodation will be delivered in a school (details supplied), given the ongoing emergency works issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11004/26]
111. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department oversees the consistency and transparency of NCSE decisions on SET and SNA allocations for post-primary schools; the mechanisms that exist to address cases where schools report unmet need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11005/26]
77. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether performance indicators or delivery targets have been established for the infrastructure division and the accelerating infrastructure task force; if these metrics will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10997/26]
33. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to outline the core functions and expected outputs of the new centre of excellence within the Major Projects Delivery Service, with reference to project appraisal, governance and cost-management standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10996/26]
28. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department is considering the introduction of mandatory helmet or high-visibility clothing requirements for users of e-bikes or e-scooters; if an assessment has been carried out on the potential safety, enforcement or behavioural impacts of such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10645/26]
225. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the way in which the Government intends to remain within the net expenditure growth ceiling set out in Ireland’s Medium-Term Fiscal and Structural Plan, given the projected upward pressure from age-related spending over the 2025–2029 adjustment period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9953/26]
198. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on Ireland’s ability to maintain the downward trajectory of the debt-to-GNI* ratio, as required in the Medium-Term Fiscal and Structural Plan, in light of projected increases in capital spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9954/26]
126. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way Ireland intends to respond to the surge in global humanitarian needs reported in early 2026; whether additional funding will be allocated to priority crises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8621/26]
95. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the specific commitments Ireland made at the Global Alliance meeting on the two-state solution; the way these commitments will be implemented and monitored over the course of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8620/26]
45. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht conas a chinnteoidh an Plean Gníomhaíochta do Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge, 2026–2028 go mbeidh seirbhísí a chuirtear ar fáil trí Ghaeilge ar fáil de réir caighdeán comhsheasmhach cáilíochta ar fud comhlachtaí poiblí in 2026; cén mhéadracht feidhmíochta a úsáidfear chun an caighdeán sin a mheas; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [8688/26]
17. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht conas a chomhlíonfaidh an Rialtas an riachtanas go mbeidh 20 faoin gcéad d’earcaigh nua seirbhíse poiblí inniúil sa Ghaeilge faoi 2030; céard iad na gníomhartha earcaíochta agus oiliúna atá sa sceideal do 2026; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [8689/26]
1091. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to ensure timely access to appropriate treatments for patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease, given the risk of irreversible deterioration where treatment is delayed; how such cases are managed while reimbursement processes are underway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8126/26]