Government to engage with Stardust families on redress

Taoiseach Simon Harris meets family members following a Stardust ceremony of commemoration at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin.

The Government is to begin engagement with Stardust families on a redress programme this week, Taoiseach Simon Harris will tell Cabinet on Tuesday.

Mr Harris is due to confirm to Cabinet that Sara Moorhead SC has been appointed as counsel for the State in dealing with legal representatives of the Stardust families on redress.

A first phase of this engagement will begin this week, with a Government memo on redress only to be brought when agreement is reached between the families and the State.

Meanwhile, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien will bring the General Scheme of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2024, which will allow the new Electoral Commission to act against misinformation and disinformation outside election campaigns.

These powers were contained within the original Electoral Act but had yet to commence, following the European Commission calling for the law to be in line with its Digital Services Act.

The new legislation will also provide the basis for co-operation between the Electoral Commission and Coimisiún na Meán. This will facilitate the sharing of information between the two bodies.

Mr O’Brien will also seek permission to further progress the Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands Region.

If agreed by Cabinet, Úisce Éireann will be granted permission to submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála next year.

Also at Cabinet, Education Minister Norma Foley is bringing a memo to cabinet with Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton on the first Special Needs Assistants (SNA) Workforce Development Plan.

The memo will update cabinet on the publication of a national survey of SNAs and the intention to have the SNA Workforce Development Plan completed by September 2025.

There are currently over 21,000 special needs assistants, as well as 14,600 special education teachers and 4,750 teachers in special schools and special classes.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue will meanwhile update Cabinet on a range of support schemes for the seafood industry.

These all come under the €258m European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Seafood Development Programme.

The schemes include a Sustainable Fisheries Scheme and Inshore Fisheries Scheme and Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme.