GPO redevelopment proposals to be outlined to Cabinet

Proposals for the redevelopment of the historic GPO site in Dublin will be outlined to Cabinet this morning by Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers.

The project is set to be transferred from the Department of Culture to the Office of Public Works (OPW) overseen by Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran.

The Government will hear that a major public consultation will soon get under way on the future of the GPO, which was the headquarters of the 1916 Rising.

Some unused parts of the building will be available for community events while the long-term plan is drawn up.

It is expected that the redevelopment will again include a public post office.

There is also likely to be a cultural centre, government offices, as well as space for retail.

The project could cost up to €500 million.

Update due on National Centre for Research and Remembrance

Meanwhile, Minister for Children Norma Foley will update the Government on the development of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance on Seán MacDermott Street in Dublin 1.

This centre will stand as a site of conscience to honour equally all those who spent time in industrial schools, magdalen laundries, mother and baby and county home institutions, and all those who experienced Ireland's historical adoption and boarded out systems.

The National Centre campus will include age-friendly and disability-friendly social housing units as well as further and higher educational facilities.

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris will update the Cabinet on the latest mortgage arrears teview, which shows mortgage arrears have fallen to their lowest level since 2009.

The review shows a fall in arrears of 17% to below 36,000 compared to over 42,000 at the end of 2024.

The number in arrears for more than 90 days has decreased by 19% in the same period to under 22,000.

The number in long-term arrears fell by 16% to just over 16,000.

At the end of 2025, the proportion of primary dwelling home mortgages in arrears of over 90 days was 3.1%, the lowest level since 2009.

Defence Forces strategy statement

Minister for Housing James Browne will today inform the Government that he will increase the Housing Finance Agency’s (HFA) statutory borrowing limit from €13.5 billion to €15 billion.

This is aimed at enabling the agency to continue to fund social and affordable housing.

The HFA provides low-cost finance to approved housing bodies, local authorities and higher education institutions to support social, affordable and student housing.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will seek approval from the Government to publish legislation which will pave the way for the prescription of contraception in pharmacies.

To offer this service to women under the Free Contraception Scheme (FCS), the Minister for Health needs to amend the legal framework to enable re-imbursement and to support the clinical service.

The Department of Health has also prepared clinical protocols and training.

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee will bring a new defence and Defence Forces strategy statement to the Government.

It will set out an increased focus on maritime security and strengthening Ireland's ability to defend its sovereignty in an increasingly uncertain world.

The minister will also seek Government approval to continue Ireland's participation in the NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo for a further 12 months.

EU's AI gigafactories initiative

Minister for Higher Education James Lawless will inform the Government of Ireland's plan to participate in the EU’s AI gigafactories initiative.

This is a major strategic investment designed to strengthen Europe’s capacity to develop and deploy advanced artificial intelligence models.

AI gigafactories are large-scale AI computing facilities that will provide access to the advanced processing power needed to train next-generation AI systems.

Given the scale of investment and the energy requirements involved, Ireland is not expected to host an AI gigafactory. Instead, it would participate through an investment in a French AI gigafactory.

The proposed Irish contribution would amount to approximately €10 million to €20 million during the first phase of the initiative.