2566. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which the €35 million ringfenced skills package announced in Budget 2026 will be allocated to meet the most acute needs of employers in the midlands; if governance reforms to the National Training Fund will be introduced to give employers a stronger role in directing expenditure towards industry’s evolving skills challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1874/26]
1001. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which his Department is supporting local authorities and tourism agencies in developing infrastructure to host major cultural and sporting events, including facilities upgrades, accommodation expansion and accessibility improvements; if he will outline the midlands' preparedness for upcoming international events in 2026 and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1876/26]
1000. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures being taken to address rising business costs in the midlands region, particularly labour, energy, and water costs; if specific supports will be introduced to safeguard competitiveness for local enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1872/26]
999. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has assessed the potential of stronger remote working legislation to retain graduates and skilled workers in counties such as Laois; if this forms part of the Government’s regional enterprise strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1871/26]
998. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the supports available to tourism-related enterprises in County Laois, including those connected to heritage, outdoor recreation and hospitality; if additional measures are planned to strengthen the county’s tourism economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1870/26]
997. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of IDA and Enterprise Ireland client visits to County Laois in the past 12 months; the progress on securing new investment for the National Enterprise Park in Portlaoise; the strategy for increasing foreign direct investment in the Midlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1868/26]
996. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the additional supports being considered for small and medium-sized enterprises in rural towns such as Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Mountrath and Portarlington, particularly in light of rising operational costs and recruitment challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1867/26]
945. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the steps being taken to accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure and housing in line with the recommendations of the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan; the way in which these reforms will be prioritised for the midlands region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1873/26]
44. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to establish a local, nurse-led respite facility in County Laois, where children with complex medical needs can access safe, medically appropriate overnight care; if so, the way in which such provision aligns with the National Policy on Palliative Care for Children, 2009, the National Needs Assessment 2013, and the Children’s Palliative Care: From Policy to Practice framework 2010–2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72804/25]
881. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of social workers employed in Tusla services in County Laois; the number of vacancies for social workers; the length of time those positions have been vacant, the number of children with no allocated social worker; the number of children in need of either foster or residential care who are not currently placed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72546/25]
880. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of high support disability residential placements available in County Laois in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72545/25]
879. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of social workers currently working within the Tusla 'children-in-care' team in County Laois; the number of children placed with each of those social workers; the total number of social workers who have been employed in the Tusla children-in-care team in County Laois since 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72544/25]
878. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for the recent amendments to the concluding years of certain mother and baby and county home institutions under the payment scheme; the number of applicants who have been affected by these changes; the steps being taken to update the information booklet and application form to reflect the revised eligibility rules; and whether further institutions or concluding years are under review to ensure that no survivor is unfairly excluded from the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72543/25]
877. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality his plans to further strengthen AIM in the 2025-2026 programme year to ensure children with disabilities can fully participate in pre-school education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72542/25]
876. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress achieved over the past 12 months on each childcare-related commitment in the Programme for Government, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72541/25]
875. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028, the measures in place to ensure parents are aware of the new regulations and the safeguards they provide for children; her plans to monitor and evaluate the impact of the new regulations on childminding services, child safety, and quality assurance during the transition period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72540/25]
874. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028, the key changes made to the regulations as a result of the public consultation earlier in 2025; the supports and guidance that will be made available to childminders during the three-year transition period before registration with Tusla becomes mandatory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72539/25]
873. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the safeguards currently in place to verify the age of asylum seekers presenting as unaccompanied minors; the reason almost 200 individuals placed in Tusla children’s accommodation since 2022 were subsequently found to be adults; the risk this poses to vulnerable children in State care; and whether she plans to introduce a more robust age-assessment system to prevent adults being accommodated with minors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72538/25]
412. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the position regarding the quota of 1,100 general employment permits for dairy farm assistants which was exhausted in November 2025; if his Department intends to extend this quota or consider removing the role from the ineligible occupations list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72415/25]
411. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment he status of the current review of the critical skills occupation list and the ineligible occupations list; the extent to which submissions from the agri-food sector, including those relating to the role of dairy farm assistant, are being considered; and when the final recommendations from this review are expected to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72414/25]
306. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will provide details of the efforts made since 2022 to encourage former members of the Defence Forces and, former Defence Forces technicians and other specialists to transfer to the Reserve Defence Forces or to return to uniform in the Reserve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71259/25]
305. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will identify the strategies used since 2022 to recruit persons into the Reserve Defence Forces; the success which has been achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71258/25]
304. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will identify strategies used since 2022 to recruit persons into the Defence Forces in Ireland; the success which has been achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71257/25]
303. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will provide details of the efforts made since 2022 to increase the technical and radar operator/controller manpower levels within the Irish Defence Forces; and the success which have achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71256/25]
302. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the efforts made since 2022 to provide the Defence Forces with aircraft capable of intercepting and policing rogue or non-conforming aircraft within Irish controlled airspace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71255/25]
301. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the progress since 2022 to provide the Defence Forces with a primary radar system capable of detecting and tracking rogue and non-conforming aircraft within airspace controlled by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71254/25]
154. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to ensure that the expansion of autism spectrum disorder special classes at post-primary level keeps pace with provision at primary level, so that every child has access to a suitable school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70325/25]
1086. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to expand apprenticeship and further education opportunities in Laois, particularly through Laois–Offaly Education and Training Board; if she will ensure young people have pathways into skilled employment locally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70333/25]
824. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the reforms being introduced to address staffing shortages and recruitment bottlenecks in frontline public services for health; the way in which these reforms will improve service delivery in counties such as Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70341/25]
464. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reforms being introduced to address staffing shortages and recruitment bottlenecks in frontline public services for education; the way in which these reforms will improve service delivery in counties such as Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70965/25]
462. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department is taking to address the current shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in DEIS, special education, and Gaeltacht schools; the incentives or supports which are under consideration to improve teacher retention; when her Department expects to see a reduction in unfilled teaching positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70337/25]
461. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department is tracking progress on the more than 100 actions in Education Plan 2025, particularly those involving the Education Therapy Service and strengthening school transport; the benchmarks which are being used; whether there have been delays; the way in which her Department plans to ensure that resource constraints do not hinder delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70336/25]
460. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the implementation of the ‘Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028’; which of the 18 priority actions have been commenced; the budgetary allocation; the way in which youth services are being increased in underserved/rural areas; the way in which young people are being engaged in shaping delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70335/25]
459. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to give public sector status to all secretaries and caretakers working in schools, to be given access to the same rights, the same certainty of a pension on retirement and salaries as the teachers and SNAs that they work alongside; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70334/25]
458. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils enrolled in junior infants in primary schools in County Laois for the school years 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70332/25]
457. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date that she and her Departmental officials will visit a school site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70331/25]
456. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department will provide targeted recruitment and retention incentives and mechanisms to ensure that no school is forced to drop subjects or redeploy special education staff in ways that undermine equity of access for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70330/25]
455. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific, costed measure on pay progression, contract security, workload, housing and location supports; if her Department will introduce in the course of this Government to make teaching a viable long-term career and especially in high-cost areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70329/25]
454. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will publish a single, transparent national dataset (details supplied) on teacher recruitment and retention; and the way in which her Department will respond concretely to evidence from organisations that current measures are failing to reduce vacancies or reliance on unqualified personnel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70328/25]
352. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an update on the implementation of the Digital Ireland Framework; the timelines for the expansion of digital ID, online public services, and cyber-security readiness across Government departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70345/25]
351. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the steps his Department is taking to address escalating capital project costs under the National Development Plan, particularly in education and transport infrastructure; the way in which cost-control and procurement reforms are being implemented to ensure value-for-money for the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70344/25]
350. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the way in which his Department is ensuring value-for-money in capital and current expenditure across all Departments, given inflationary pressures and rising construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70343/25]
349. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the way in which his Department is advancing digitalisation of public services; the specific supports being provided to ensure rural communities in Laois have equitable access to online government services, given ongoing broadband challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70342/25]
334. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if additional funding will be made available for urgent infrastructure projects in County Laois that have been overlooked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69554/25]
300. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if a date has been confirmed for the informal ECOFIN meeting to be held during Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69558/25]
299. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the way in which his Department is supporting investment in green infrastructure and sustainability projects through tax incentives or funding mechanisms; and the opportunities for counties such as Laois to benefit from these initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69557/25]
298. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps being taken to improve access to affordable credit for small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in regional towns; and if he will outline how Government schemes such as the credit guarantee scheme are being utilised by businesses in Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69556/25]
297. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to review the VAT regime for cattle haulage in Ireland to ensure parity with other agricultural services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69555/25]