Extra CCTV for Dublin areas with high antisocial behaviour among plans for Cabinet

Increased housing adaptation grants and ban of XL Bully dogs are also on agenda

Workers clear debris from a burned-out Luas on O'Connell Street last November. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
Workers clear debris from a burned-out Luas on O'Connell Street last November. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Extra CCTV cameras are to be rolled out in inner-city Dublin areas where there is high antisocial behaviour, under plans to be brought to Cabinet.

The scheme is contained in the North Inner City Strategic Plan 2024-2027, which is due for publication on Thursday.

It will also examine the provision of subsidies for primary schoolchildren to attend out-of-school activities and clubs in addition to supports for the establishment of clubs for this age group.

Taoiseach Simon Harris will tell Ministers that he will bring the findings of the Dublin city taskforce to Cabinet within the next two weeks.

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Elsewhere, housing adaptation grants are set to be increased and eligibility expanded under plans being brought to Cabinet by Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien.

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A review was carried out for the first time in several years that has recommended increased grants and increased income thresholds.

Under proposals developed with Minister of State Alan Dillon, there will be a 30 per cent increase in grant limits and a 25 per cent increase in income thresholds, and amendments will be made to means testing. Under these changes, only the recipient and their spouse will be assessed rather than all adult members of a household.

The report also recommends adjusting the burden sharing for local authorities by reducing their funding contribution to 15 per cent from the current level of 20 per cent.

Separately, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys will update Ministers on the incoming ban on XL Bully crossbreed dogs.

It is being brought in after a number of savage attacks on people by XL Bully dogs.

She will sign the regulations that bring in the two-stage ban.

From Tuesday, October 1st, it will be against the law to import, breed, sell or rehome XL Bully dogs.

From February 1st, 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully without a certification of exemption, which will be available free of charge from local authorities.

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Owners can get these certificates if their dog is licensed, microchipped and neutered.

Minster for Health Stephen Donnelly is expected to brief colleagues on how additional funding has enabled the State to fund 187 new high-tech medicines to treat patients since 2020.

Of these, 61 are for the treatment of cancers and 54 are “orphan drugs”, used in the treatment of rare diseases.

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He will outline how the Health Service Executive is to unveil its online application tracker in the coming weeks aimed at increasing transparency for patient groups eagerly awaiting novel medicines.

It will also facilitate accountability for delays caused by the industry and the State.

The HSE is to introduce indicative timelines so that the public can see what stage a medicine is at in the process.

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times