Updated / Tuesday, 21 Apr 2026 14:08
Applications for individual home energy upgrades are up 186% in the first three months of the year, Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment Darragh O’Brien will tell the Government.
Some 73,000 upgrades are targeted this year, including more than 7,000 window and door upgrades and over 1,730 attic insulations.
Since 2019, SEAI schemes have provided almost €1.77 billion in support to homeowners for almost 258,000 home energy improvements.
Approval sought to appoint commissioners to Commission of Investigation
Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton will seek Government approval for the appointment of four commissioners to the Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Schools.
The appointments will include a senior legal consultant and child safeguarding experts.
The move is seen as an important milestone in addressing the legacy of abuse in schools.
The commission was established last year following a recommendation of the scoping Inquiry into abuse in schools run by religious orders.
The commission is currently being established and is putting in place the necessary legal, technical and data protection measures.
A survivor-centred, trauma-informed approach will guide its work.
The minister believes it is essential that survivors can share their experiences safely.
Funding for early learning, childcare places
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley is bringing a memo to cabinet to announce funding for more additional early learning and childcare places.
The purpose of the Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase Two is to provide grants for extensions to existing early learning and childcare services. The grants will be open to community and private providers who are signed up to core funding.
The scheme will run in tandem with the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme, for which €135 million is being made available over the next five years.
Memo on National Tertiary Education Strategy
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless is bringing the National Tertiary Education Strategy to Cabinet.
It will provide a national framework to support more than 500,000 learners across 14 higher education institutions and 16 Education and Training Boards.
This strategy has been developed in response to the country’s evolving national skills requirements.
