Dáil Éireann

Written answers

Some recent written answers

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 April 2025)

Conor Sheehan:

267. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government following the Taoiseach’s recent announcement that will be appointed imminently, the powers the Housing Czar will have (details supplied) ; the function of the position; the remuneration for the position; the breakdown of the appointment process; the qualifying criteria; the person or body that carried out the appraisals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18204/25]

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (10 April 2025)

Barry Heneghan:

279. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider extending eligibility for the vacant property refurbishment grant to include the conversion of vacant or underutilised retail premises such as "above the shop" units into residential accommodation, given the potential to deliver up to 20,000 additional homes as highlighted in the recent Hardware Association of Ireland report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18333/25]

Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 April 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin:

495. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in counties Wicklow and Wexford who have diagnosed special needs for both primary and secondary level, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16942/25]

Department of Health: Health Services Staff (9 April 2025)

Charles Ward:

258. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant geriatricians attached to the Donegal integrated care programme for older persons in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17694/25]

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (8 April 2025)

Duncan Smith:

231. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) who needs an urgent transfer from Gaza for medical care; if his Department will intervene on behalf of this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17406/25]

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 April 2025)

Mark Wall:

841. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the development of a national early learning and childcare agency; the actions her Department has taken to date to set up the agency; the further actions her Department plans to take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17456/25]

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (8 April 2025)

Micheál Carrigy:

251. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current status of the recruitment process for the project manager positions for the European Digital Innovation Centre, EDIC, and the Centre of Excellence for the Circular Economy under the just transition framework; when these positions will be formally released to the relevant local authority for advertisement; and if he will provide a timeline for the next steps in the roll-out of these critical roles. [17256/25]

Department of Health: Hospital Admissions (8 April 2025)

Niamh Smyth:

935. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be placed on the local orthodontic list in Cavan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16913/25]

Department of Finance: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (8 April 2025)

Gerald Nash:

361. To ask the Minister for Finance what avenues are open for borrowers with ongoing legal or Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman cases against the IBRC and its predecessor institutions, after the planned winding-down on 1 June 2025, given IBRC’s special liquidation status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17322/25]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Inquiries (8 April 2025)

Danny Healy-Rae:

671. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16881/25]

Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (10 April 2025)

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh:

400. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the rheumatology waiting list in Tallaght Hospital; and the steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times. [18217/25]

Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 April 2025)

Tony McCormack:

516. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review the case of a DEIS Band 1 primary school (details supplied) which is set to lose its tenth mainstream teacher due to a rigid interpretation of enrolment figures. [17264/25]

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Authority (10 April 2025)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh:

136. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is he aware of the case of a person (details supplied); if he will raise this case with the Road Safety Authority with a view to expediting the test; and the steps he is taking to reduce delays of this kind. [18236/25]

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (10 April 2025)

James Geoghegan:

281. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data processing capacity that artificial intelligence adoption entails; if he will outline the logic behind their approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18363/25]

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Online Safety (3 April 2025)

Eoin Ó Broin:

233. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether provisions within the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 relating to the advertisement or display of harmful online content apply to the advertisement of weapons of war or munitions, including through the solicitation of donations to purchase such items; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16441/25]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 April 2025)

Cormac Devlin:

680. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to review the practice of childminders having to sign-on during holiday periods; if he will consider bringing them in line with the arrangements for teachers and SNAs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17381/25]

Department of Finance: Tax Code (3 April 2025)

Shay Brennan:

17. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to review business taxes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15984/25]

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Service Executive (3 April 2025)

Ryan O'Meara:

325. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE will engage with a local volunteer health group (details supplied) and consider providing it with an office space in the Nenagh primary care centre, which is currently under construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16477/25]

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (10 April 2025)

Brendan Smith:

31. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if, given the reference in the National Risk Assessment 2024 in relation to disruptions to the availability of critical infrastructure including the telecommunications networks due to the occurrence of extreme weather events, he will outline the investment plans in place to strengthen such networks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18054/25]

Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 April 2025)

Mark Wall:

1063. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that all available opportunities for trade apprenticeships within each Government Department are being allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17031/25]