12 hours ago
Dublin revival, student accommodation on Cabinet agenda
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will seek approval from Cabinet for a plan to revitalise Dublin city centre.
The GPO be revamped under the plan which stems from the Dublin City Taskforce's recommendations.
There will be a commitment to transform O'Connell Street and its surroundings along with the regeneration of social housing complexes in the city centre.
Derelict sites will be converted into high-density residential areas where homes for essential workers will be a priority.
The regeneration work will be overseen by a stand-alone entity working under Dublin City Council, and it will be financed by both public and private investment.
There is a pledge too that policing will be more visible, and there will be "better located services" for vulnerable people.
Student Accommodation
Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless will bring a memo to the Cabinet to put in place a design guide for new State-supported student accommodation
It is seeking to deliver more beds quicker by building twin rooms, communal kitchens, and shared bathrooms.
This will replace the current individual en-suite rooms, and the minister is expected to tell the Government that it will encourage a more sociable, integrated student experience.
Public spending across Government
The Minister for Public Expenditure will remind Cabinet ministers of their responsibility to ensure value for money is central to how they spend public funds.
Jack Chambers will bring a memo to the Government setting out the responsibilities of individual ministers to ensure value for money, as well as the legislation that underpins decision making.
He will remind ministers that value for money is about securing efficiency in the use of public resources to deliver enhanced public services, living standards and infrastructure for the country.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will bring the Patient Safety (Licencing) Bill 2025 to Cabinet.
The Bill will give HIQA the power to sanction hospitals if safety standards are not met.
Clarity sought on US student visa requirements
The Tánaiste has asked officials to engage directly with the US embassy in Dublin and with the US administration more widely in a bid to provide clarity about the increased vetting of social media accounts of student visa applicants.
He also asked officials to speak to third-level institutions and organisations that provide services for students who wish to travel with the United States.
This will be with the clear aim of providing guidance and examining possible supports for young people who wish to travel to the United States in the coming months.
Mr Harris also intends to raise this matter with the new US ambassador when he takes up his role next month.
