The Government has agreed to explore a bid to host The Open and the AIG Women's Open at Portmarnock Golf Club.
In a statement, Minister for Sport Catherine Martin said hosting both championships would increase Ireland's reputation as a world centre for golf.
The Department of Sport said that any final decision on hosting the championships at Portmarnock "is subject to a positive outcome to discussions that will take place with the R&A and Portmarnock GC over the summer period and to a positive economic impact assessment".
The Open is returning to Portrush next year. Offaly golfer Shane Lowry picked up the Claret Jug on the last occasion it was hosted at Portrush in 2019.
Redeveloping Dublin barracks into housing would cost €1bn
The Cabinet will hear that the cost of relocating Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin and redeveloping the site for housing will come to around €1 billion.
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin will recommend against such a plan due to the high costs.
Feasibility studies for developing the Cathal Brugha site in Rathmines and moving the barracks were carried out.
It is estimated that the cost of relocating to a new barracks on a greenfield site would be in the region of €497m.
A separate study carried out by the Land Development Agency also examined the suitability of Cathal Brugha Barracks for housing development.
It indicates the full relocation of the barracks would allow for the development of approximately 1,300 homes, with the development costs estimated at €499m.
The Tánaiste will also bring a memo to Cabinet seeking approval for the Defence Policy Review.
Separately, Minister for Finance Jack Chambers will seek approval to publish the Access to Cash bill, formerly know as the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024.
The purpose of the bill aims to ensure that sufficient and effective access to cash is available to meet demands.
The new legislation empowers the minister to set out that a specified percentage of the population must be within a certain distance of an ATM on a regional basis.
This is set out as no less than 5km and no more than 10km.
The new legislation also empowers the minister to set out that a specified percentage of the population must be within no less than 5km and no more than 10km of a cash service point, either a bank branch or a post office.
There will also be a requirement for a specified number of ATMs per 100,000 people.
Govt to consider measures on disability services
The Government will also consider a series of measures on disability services including an increase in the number of people trained in therapies and a new autism strategy.
The Cabinet will also be updated on the Government's plan to ratify a protocol on disability rights.
Minister for Higher Education Patrick O'Donovan will confirm 160 college places in key healthcare areas, including disability, as a result of the work of Cabinet committee on disability.
Foley bringing memo on Dept expenditure
Meanwhile, Minister for Education Norma Foley is bringing a memo to the Cabinet on the Q2 expenditure management report for her department.
The total gross allocation for 2024 for the Department of Education is €10.853bn.
The provisional gross total expenditure at the end of June 2024 was €5.687bn.
This is €269.7m (4.98%) ahead of the profiled expenditure of €5.418bn for the period.
Most of this was due to additional spending on the school building programme, which has been provided for under allocation of additional funding back in March for government departments of €2.25bn for the National Development Plan up to 2026.
As part of the school building programme, around 90 school projects at tender stage will be authorised to proceed to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025.
Plans to defer maternity leave for health reasons
It will be possible to defer maternity leave in cases of serious physical or mental illness under proposals going to the Cabinet.
Minister for Equality Roderic O'Gorman is proposing changes that would allow someone postpone their maternity leave by up to 52 weeks.
The legislation follows the Irish Cancer Society's Leave Our Leave campaign, highlighting women who spent their maternity leave receiving medical treatment.
The proposed law will also include a ban on non-disclosure agreements in case of sexual harassment.
Cabinet to discuss proposal to host The Open at Portmarnock
Minister for Sport Catherine Martin will bring proposals to the Government to explore a bid to host The Open and the AIG Women's Open at Portmarnock Golf Club.
A decision to support the bid to host The Open is subject to a positive outcome to discussions that will take place with the Royal and Ancient golf club of St Andrews and Portmarnock Golf Club over the summer period.
