Written answers
Thursday, 13 October 2022
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Social Welfare Benefits
4. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that persons on benefit payments are still not eligible for the fuel allowance. [51021/22]
- Social Welfare Offices
14. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if additional staff have been recruited or seconded to community welfare sections in INTREO offices to deal with the...
- Pension Provisions
15. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the auto-enrolment workplace pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Energy Prices
16. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the instructions that have been issued to community welfare officers in relation to people who present to them seeking...
- Social Welfare Benefits
17. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review means testing for the carer’s allowance including a review of the removal of means testing...
- Rural Schemes
18. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she intends to increase the number of participants on rural social schemes to meet the demand for the services delivered by...
- Pension Provisions
19. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department remain sensitive to any issues arising from the availability of an adequate pension...
- Energy Prices
20. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which additional needs payments will be used to ensure that those with pay-as-you-go electricity meters do not face...
- Social Welfare Benefits
21. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance in circumstances where a family member returns to live on a...
- School Meals Programme
22. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the review of the school meals programme; the timeline for the completion and publication of the review; and if...
- Social Welfare Benefits
23. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will pre-process applications for fuel allowance for new applicants who will qualify in January 2023 as a...
- Social Welfare Rates
24. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she considers that the €2 increase in the qualified child payment is sufficient to tackle child poverty in the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
26. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will bring forward the extension of eligibility for the fuel allowance, currently not due to come into effect until...
- Social Welfare Rates
27. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the evidence on which she based the increase of €2 per week, 30 cent per day for the qualified child increase for...
- Budget 2023
28. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the announcement made to support carers in Budget 2023; if she will also provide an update on...
- Legislative Measures
30. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she intends to introduce reforms to social welfare means testing in the Social Welfare Bill 2022; and if she will make a...
- Pension Provisions
31. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the intended timeframe to introduce legislation underpinning the provision of pensions to carers. [50586/22]
- Community Employment Schemes
32. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the responsibility that her Department has in making changes to the Community Employment Procedures Manual; and if she will...
- Departmental Policies
33. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her response to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare’s recommendation that Government undertakes a regular...
- Budget 2023
34. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has read a post-Budget 2023 analysis (details supplied) that highlights that after the Q4 2022 cost-of-living measures...
- Social Welfare Benefits
35. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the significant backlog in her Department for the exceptional needs payment that many...
- Departmental Properties
36. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans, if any, to upgrade the INTREO centre in Ennis, County Clare, or to recruit additional staff for this valued...
- Social Welfare Benefits
38. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that the fuel allowance has not been extended to working family payment recipients. [50629/22]
- Disability Services
40. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a key conclusion in a report (details supplied) that “measures to address the additional costs of...
- Social Welfare Benefits
41. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has given consideration to allowing increased mortgage costs as part of the means test for carers; and if she will make...
- Community Employment Schemes
42. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to reform the CE and Tús schemes, in order to make them more appealing to potential candidates; and if she will...
- Budget 2023
43. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if applicants for the fuel allowance under the new threshold guidelines announced in Budget 2023, who will now qualify for the...
- Disability Services
44. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on work underway in her Department examining long-term disability income supports; and if she...
- Social Welfare Benefits
47. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider removing the means test for the carer's allowance or raising the thresholds to allow more persons to...
- Energy Prices
48. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the budget that has been allocated to community welfare officers in relation to those seeking assistance due to an inability...
- Citizens Information Services
51. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will ensure that the Citizens Information Board remains a fully functional service despite the recent changes to the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
52. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will ensure that those on so-called short-term social welfare payments will also receive the Christmas bonus and the...
- Budget 2023
53. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the changes to the fuel allowance scheme as announced in Budget 2023; the additional number...
- Rural Schemes
54. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has had any discussions with the Department of Rural and Community Development with a view to addressing the anomaly...
- Budget 2023
56. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will reconsider the failure to increase social welfare rates, in particular for single parents, above the rate of...
- Social Welfare Payments
57. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures that are being taken to deal with the long processing times for carer's allowance; carer's benefit, invalidity...
- Food Poverty
59. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps that her Department is taking to tackle the issue of food poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Budget 2023
61. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will outline eligibility for the working family payment; and the impact the changes will make to this payment in...
- Social Welfare Payments
62. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her response to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare's recommendation that the individualisation of payments made to...
- Departmental Policies
63. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the latest Central Statistics Office figures which state that one in ten households cannot afford to pay for...
- Social Welfare Benefits
64. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans for the implementation of the expansion of the fuel allowance scheme for persons over 70 years of age; and if she...
- Community Employment Schemes
65. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide details of any analysis carried out by her Department into providing support with redundancy payments...
- Cost of Living Issues
66. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which it continues to be possible to address particularly sensitive issues in respect of family income and the...
- Pension Provisions
68. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the right of community employment supervisors to secure pension entitlements; and if she will make a statement on...
- Domestic Violence
69. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the social protection supports currently being considered to improve the overall departmental...
- Social Welfare Benefits
70. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding her Department’s modelling of the impacts of the increase in the thresholds of the working...
- Departmental Policies
71. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on her plans regarding recognising the additional cost of disability; the way that she intends...
- Social Welfare Benefits
73. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider reviewing the means test for disability allowance in order that as well as assessing income the...
- Community Employment Schemes
75. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the current tendering out of a service (details supplied) will be subject to any review or oversight by her Department in...
- Departmental Policies
77. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her response to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare's recommendation that working-age payments should be reformed to move...
- Social Welfare Benefits
78. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to review the eligibility criteria for carers and provide further financial supports to those who provide full-time...
- Public Services Card
83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans, if any, to increase staffing resources in INTREO centres to meet demand for public services card appointments; and...
- Social Welfare Benefits
84. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she intends to amend the income disregard, the eligibility criteria and the schemes which attract the disregard in the...
- Budget 2023
87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the supports for pensioners announced in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50531/22]
- Nursing Homes
88. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department has a policy to take excess payments made in respect of the fair deal scheme into account as a result of...
- Community Employment Schemes
90. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending the time allowed on community employment for those aged over 50 years. [50730/22]
- Departmental Policies
91. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she considers that the ongoing cost of disability can be adequately addressed through one-off payments; and if she will...
- Employment Schemes
92. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an access-to-work scheme will be introduced for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Policies
93. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he proposes to establish a new metric for gathering data on childhood poverty in Ireland; and if she will make a statement...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Early Childhood Care and Education
101. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that he is taking to address the staffing crisis in the childcare sector to ensure the continued...
- Youth Services
104. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the provisions that his Department are making in view of a recent survey showing that over seven in ten young...
- Mother and Baby Homes
107. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the commitment to excavate the burial site at Tuam; when the director for...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
108. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will introduce some flexibility in the ECCE scheme to enable children with disabilities to repeat a...
- Employment Rights
112. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which his Department is supporting the expanded facilitation of breastfeeding in the workplace; and...
- International Protection
113. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the report from an organisation (details supplied) concerning urgent action to address...
- Rental Sector
114. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has had any discussions with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Cabinet in...
- Wards of Court
116. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that he is taking to end the wardship system. [50333/22]
- Domestic Violence
117. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which his Department will implement a secure application process for persons seeking paid domestic...
- Childcare Services
118. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline his intentions to provide further financial supports to parents to combat rising childcare...
- Children in Care
119. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to increasing the foster care allowance; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Childcare Services
120. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can provide international comparative data to show if the State has improved in recent years in terms of...
- International Protection
122. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made in relation to implementing the report of the advisory group on the provision of...
- Ukraine War
123. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his engagement with the Red Cross on pledged accommodation to progress Ukrainians currently in hotels and...
- Assisted Decision-Making
124. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details concerning his engagement with disabled persons’ organisations concerning the...
- Ukraine War
125. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of pledges made by members of the public to house Ukrainian refugees; the number of these that have...
- Human Rights
126. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that the Government has not ratified the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the...
- Childcare Services
127. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which the proposed average 25% reduction in fees for childcare users will apply to recipients of...
- Mother and Baby Homes
128. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the widespread anger at his decision not to go ahead with an independent...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
129. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of service providers that dropped out of the early childhood care and education scheme for the...
- Departmental Strategies
131. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to bring forward the completed anti-racism strategy soon; the way in which he envisages that the...
- Youth Services
132. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if youth workers can have a professional body identity similar to social care works who are regulated by CORU,...
- Direct Provision System
133. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 83 of 7 July 2022, the status of the review of projected timelines for the...
- Departmental Strategies
134. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the little book bag initiative; the number of books that have been distributed;...
- Equality Issues
135. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the review taking place on equality legislation; if he can share any initial...
- Ukraine War
136. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way that his Department has re-organised to effectively meet the demands of the Ukrainian crisis; if he will...
- Disability Services
138. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the transfer of functions for specialist disability services from the Minister for Health will be entirely...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
139. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the way core funding has operated since coming into operation; the number of childcare...
- Ukraine War
140. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Ukrainian International Protection applicants; the total number of applicants who are in IPAS...
- Youth Services
141. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his Department's plans, if any, to expand the provision of youth services across County Clare; and if he will...
- Mother and Baby Homes
142. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that he is taking to engage with survivors concerning the forthcoming intervention at the Tuam site...
- Equality Issues
144. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the implementation to date of the Gender Pay Gap Reporting Act 2021; and if he will make a...
- Community Development Projects
145. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has any plans to provide capital funding for the multi-functional community hub at Tullow...
- Departmental Schemes
146. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the pilot little-baby bundle initiative; when it is anticipated that the scheme...
- Departmental Bodies
148. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the work of the disability stakeholder group; the number of times that the group has met in 2022;...
- Childcare Services
151. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when parents who avail of childcare through a childminder can expect to avail of the reduction in childcare fees...
- Legislative Reviews
154. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the consideration that he has given to a review of the legislation underpinning Section 47 reports; and if he...
- Assisted Decision-Making
155. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the constitutional challenge by a ward of court as referred to by him during the...
- Legislative Measures
157. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline progress to date on the development of a legal ban on the practice of conversion therapy;...
- International Protection
159. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is engaging with relevant stakeholders to ensure that refugees placed in accommodation in...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
160. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, if any, to deliver a sustainable, affordable early learning and pre-school sector; and if he will...
- Budget 2023
161. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the impact that the Budget 2023 changes on childcare costs will have for parents in Dún Laoghaire having...
- Adoption Services
162. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are sufficient staff involved in the online operation of the information and tracing services under the...
- Childcare Services
163. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans to increase childcare places in the Dublin 9 and 11 areas; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
164. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has had discussions recently with representative organisations concerning the impact of recent changes in...
- Irish Sign Language
165. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he will publish the final report by the National Disability Authority on the operation of the Irish Sign...
- Childcare Services
166. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider requesting an assessment from each county childcare committee of the balance between supply...
- Budget 2023
168. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated savings to parents following the introduction of supports for children in Budget 2023; and if he...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Work Permits
170. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will intervene in the application of a person (details supplied) for a work permit; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Judicial Reviews
171. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will...
- Food Prices
172. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions that he has taken to date to ensure that bread retailers are not over-charging for this basic food stuff; if his...
- EU Regulations
173. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the date on which Section/Paragraph 19 of the European Communities (Credit Institutions: Accounts) Regulations 1992 was first amended...
- Employment Rights
174. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will clarify his Department's response to the current impediments placed on the ERO for security workers; if he intends to take...
- Work Permits
175. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the new applications for permits will be issued for dairy farm workers outside of the EU (details supplied); and if he will make...
- National Minimum Wage
176. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the national minimum wage rate in Ireland in each of the years 2007 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Judicial Reviews
177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if...
- Energy Policy
178. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the provisions that are in place for residents who are using a coin meter for electricity to claim the energy credit;...
- Departmental Reports
182. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide this Deputy with a copy of a report (details supplied). [50928/22]
- Energy Policy
183. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the up-to-date position on the ban on smoky coal sales; the steps that retailers are expected to take with stock that...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Public Transport
185. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many students complete the Leaving Certificate aged 16-19 years and start college, and...
- Aviation Industry
187. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the number of ghost flights operated without or with few passengers; if he will provide the details of...
- Judicial Reviews
188. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate...
- Bus Services
189. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will engage with Go-Ahead Ireland regarding its consistently late buses and buses not turning up, especially on the 17 route; and...
- Greenways Provision
191. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a progress update on the delivery of the Hazelhatch greenway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50797/22]
- Road Projects
193. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps that he will take to ensure that local authorities are adequately funding to address new noise mitigation requirements...
- Bus Services
194. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the 114 bus route operated by a company (details supplied) is often very late or does...
- Departmental Correspondence
195. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a transport issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50848/22]
- Bus Services
197. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the options that are available to third-level students from County Wexford who have no direct bus route from Wexford to the third-level...
- Rail Network
198. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if plans for the new metro will have consequences for the environmentally sensitive area of St. Stephen's Green; if a plan or...
- Vehicle Registration Tax
199. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he intends ensuring quads, commonly used in hill areas as a substitute for tractors, given they are more agile on hills than tractors,...
- Road Safety
201. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider working with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to distribute high-visibility...
- Driver Licences
202. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details regarding the use of private operators for school transport (details supplied); and if he will make a...
- Traffic Management
203. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which measures to alleviate traffic congestion in Celbridge, County Kildare are in hand at present, with particular...
- Road Tolls
204. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount raised in each of the past five years from toll charges and penalties on the M50 and separately in respect of each of...
- Transport Policy
205. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount that has been spent on the active travel investment programme to date; the amount that has been spent on construction and...
- Environmental Impact Assessments
206. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the services of the independent experts, RINA, for residents on the MetroLink project are due to be completed; and if there will be...
- Department of Finance
- Departmental Schemes
207. To ask the Minister for Finance if gyms and sports clubs qualify for the temporary business energy support scheme. [50815/22]
- Judicial Reviews
208. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body...
- Tax Reliefs
209. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of the upcoming changes to benefit-in-kind, which are of great concern to the many...
- Departmental Schemes
211. To ask the Minister for Finance if the names of the companies that access the temporary business energy support scheme will be published by his Department; the timeframe for same; and if he...
- Primary Medical Certificates
213. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 414 of 8 September 2022, the status of the disabled drivers' medical board of appeal; if a new board has been appointed;...
- Departmental Data
214. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount in totality that will be distributed from the central funds. [50817/22]
- Legislative Measures
215. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will give serious consideration to include an amendment in the Finance Bill 2022 which will amend Section 84 of the Finance Act 1996 which currently...
- Regulatory Bodies
217. To ask the Minister for Finance the average annual costs to the Central Bank of preparing, producing and publishing the National Claims Information Database; the options that are being...
- Revenue Commissioners
218. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to instances of the Revenue Commissioners providing a cohort of firms with seven days to clear outstanding debt in the final...
- Tax Credits
219. To ask the Minister for Finance if a special tax credit for families with children with special needs is available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Judicial Reviews
220. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate...
- Budget 2023
221. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the nature and extent of his engagements with the Taoiseach in relation to access to child benefit, the back-to-school allowance and the...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Judicial Reviews
224. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she will...
- Departmental Correspondence
225. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she was consulted about the appointment of a judge to review the recent allegations concerning cheating and fixing of Irish...
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- Local Authorities
226. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide the 2023 allocations for each local authority. [50817/22]
- Rail Network
227. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the new metro will have implications for the various cultural and archaeological artefacts in St. Stephen's Green; if...
- State Bodies
228. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider putting an ABP submission cost-waiver in place for those in receipt of social welfare payments in order to...
- Judicial Reviews
229. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will...
- State Bodies
230. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there is a timeframe for when a referendum will be held on the ownership of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on...
- Housing Schemes
231. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding changes to the cost rental equity loan scheme; if the total level of funding available from his...
- Departmental Correspondence
233. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to any three-bedroom house in good condition in a primary county town of Kerry for sale...
- Defective Building Materials
234. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when engineers for the Pyrite issue in County Limerick will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50934/22]
- Housing Policy
235. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide details on the updated social housing income bands for County Westmeath. [50957/22]
- Defective Building Materials
236. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will outline any changes to law or to procedures that have been or will be made, in order to ensure that homeowners will...
- Flood Risk Management
237. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 7 July 2022, the steps that he is taking on foot of the correspondence he has...
- Housing Schemes
238. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will review the policy whereby the HAP payment cannot be paid to families lucky enough to secure a holiday home to rent...
- Rental Sector
239. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the protections that are in place or are planned to be put in place for tenants or licensees whose utilities are under the...
- Housing Schemes
240. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which LIHAF funds awarded to Maynooth, County Kildare, some years ago, have been drawn down to date; the extent...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Judicial Reviews
241. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in...
- Passport Services
242. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason that a child who is in foster care is not treated in the same as any other child when it comes to receiving a passport (details...
- Department of Defence
- Judicial Reviews
243. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Covid-19 Pandemic
244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether Covid-19 signage in schools should be removed as there are no Covid-19 safety measures in place in Ireland at this time; and...
- Judicial Reviews
245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she will indicate in the...
- School Transport
246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify the seating capacity of a vehicle (details supplied) and the actual tickets issued for a school transport service; and if she...
- Education Policy
248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for the roll-out of accessibility statements in schools for school websites to be achieved; and the work that her Department is...
- Departmental Correspondence
250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of possible training requirements for school escorts; and if she will...
- School Staff
251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to a delay in some payments to primary school teachers on contracts of fixed duration in multiple locations,...
- Special Educational Needs
252. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that July provision is not made available for children who are in foster care (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on...
- School Staff
253. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an additional SNA will be allocated to a school (details supplied), given that the current SNA is required to give over 85% of their time to...
- School Accommodation
254. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide extra accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50936/22]
- School Transport
255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided for a pupil (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50940/22]
- Schools Building Projects
271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50973/22]
- School Staff
272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the special circumstances relating to a pupil (details supplied) will be re-examined in the context of his urgent need for a SNA at a school;...
- School Transport
276. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if and when school transport will be facilitated in the case of the daughter of a person (details supplied) who has been refused school transport...
- Special Educational Needs
277. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that a visit to a school (details supplied) in County Mayo has not taken place given that this visit was promised over a month ago....
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Departmental Data
278. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rate of income inequality in Ireland both before and after transfers in each of the years 2012 to 2021 and to date in...
- Departmental Schemes
279. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the auto-enrolment retirement savings system; the way that it will be funded; and if she...
- Social Welfare Benefits
280. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the carer's allowance payment would be exempt from a means test if the medical needs of the patient and the level of care...
- Departmental Funding
281. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he has increased resourcing to MABS in view of the increase in financial insecurity within homes. [46260/22]
- Judicial Reviews
282. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she...
- Social Welfare Benefits
283. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for fuel allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she...
- Energy Policy
286. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the date that the social welfare double payment will be distributed; when the €500 payment for persons with a...
- Social Welfare Appeals
287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the time period that will be put in place for a decision in relation to the deprivation of savings to be reconsidered in the...
- Pension Provisions
288. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that persons who are fostering children are not entitled to accumulate credits to go towards their pension...
- Departmental Data
289. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications received to date in each county for essential needs payments in respect of new home kits; the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
290. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 15 September 2022, the reason that the recent fuel allowance claim for a person...
- Departmental Funding
305. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to offer funding through the various schemes available to her for the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
306. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the degree to which her Department has in place a method for determination of eligibility for domiciliary care allowance,...
- State Pensions
308. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons seeking to avail of the State old age pension on the basis of self-employment contributions or...
- Social Welfare Benefits
309. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which exceptional needs payments are available in cases where family income is insufficient to meet their...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Budget 2023
318. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he accepts that the measly 1.6% budget increase in funding for the provision of youth work is wholly...
- Judicial Reviews
319. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
320. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare facilities currently registered with his Department in an area (details supplied); the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
321. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, if any, to link a foster carer's allowance in an incremental way, just in the same way that a...
- Official Engagements
322. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the dates on which he met with the CEO of Tusla (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Ukraine War
326. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Ukrainian refugees who have been settled in County Donegal, broken down by townlands; the number...
- Early Childhood Care and Education
328. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the increase in the childcare subsidy for parents from €0.50 to €1.40 per hour will affect...
- Children in Care
329. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children currently in foster care at present; the extent to which the level of care is...
- Human Rights
330. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which children’s rights continue to be maintained in accordance with the Children’s...
- Child Safety
331. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if Tusla has been ordered not to interfere in some instances where the children’s rights are being...
- Children in Care
332. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children now in the various forms of institutional or custodial care; the extent to which...
- Child Safety
335. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children, if any, whose cases are under investigation by his Department or bodies under the...
- Departmental Funding
336. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which the funds available to his Department remain adequate to meet whatever challenges may arise,...
- Child Protection
337. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of instances in respect of which a report from a child psychologist is required or desirable; the...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Judicial Reviews
339. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the...
- Third Level Fees
340. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider and give mature students the approved one-off reduction of €1,000 for the student contribution (details supplied);...
- Budget 2023
341. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if all third level students, undergraduate and postgraduate will be eligible for the reduction in fees of €1,000 announced in Budget 2023;...
- Further and Higher Education
342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a refusal by SUSI of a higher education grant in the name of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and who was deemed ineligible for...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Judicial Reviews
343. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she will...
- A Vision for Change
344. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will outline her plans for a deeper analysis of the allegations of racial profiling at the North-South Border which the...
- Immigration Policy
345. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications to the undocumented migrant scheme that have been completed to date in 2022; the number that are...
- Visa Applications
346. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will examine and assist with a long-standing visa application of a person (details supplied) who has been resident in...
- Asylum Applications
347. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when it can be expected that she will begin announcing the outcome of applications to the Afghan admissions programme and...
- Family Support Services
348. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the distribution of the additional €7 million to be provided to organisations funded...
- Naturalisation Applications
349. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position in regard to possible naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement...
- Department of Health
- Judicial Reviews
351. To ask the Minister for Health the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
352. To ask the Minister for Health the number of eligible frontline workers that have received payment and are outstanding payment of the Covid-19 bonus payment in tabular form; and if he will...
- Hospital Procedures
354. To ask the Minister for Health the number of Tipperary patients receiving dialysis in Fresenius Medical Care, Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50774/22]
- Personal Public Service Numbers
358. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the online application issue with the European Health Card due to new medical cards and drugs payment cards now not having...
- Mental Health Services
359. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the children's mental health pathfinder project; the timeframe for implementation of this initiative; the details of the steering groups; the...
- Eating Disorders
360. To ask the Minister for Health the services and beds that are available in the State for children and adults suffering from anorexia nervosa. [50794/22]
- Budget 2023
361. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of the €50 million funding allocated to the approval of new medicines in Budget 2021 and the €30 million Budget 2022 that was spent on...
- Medicinal Products
362. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of the 2021 and 2022 funding for approval of new medicines that was spent on non-oncology orphan medicinal products; and if he will make a statement...
- Primary Care Centres
363. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE intends to establish a primary care centre at an address (details supplied); and if so, the services that will be available to the community once...
- General Practitioner Services
364. To ask the Minister for Health his views on GPs using a different pricing scale when treating menopausal patients for HRT treatment; the reason for same; if this is standard practice; and if...
- Disabilities Assessments
365. To ask the Minister for Health if the case of a child (details supplied) will be urgently reviewed; the status of the appointments for autism assessment and speech and language therapy for...
- Hospital Appointments Status
366. To ask the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50819/22]
- Disability Services
367. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons with disabilities who were in receipt of home-support hours in each LHO area as of 1 October 2022 or latest date available; the number of...
- Health Services
372. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons who were on the physiotherapy waiting list for each LHO area as of 1 October 2022, or the latest date available; the numbers waiting less...
- General Practitioner Services
377. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide further information on the criteria needed to qualify for the new GP card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50858/22]
- Departmental Data
378. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for a podiatry appointment in primary care as of 1 October 2022 or the latest date available; the number waiting...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
392. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients aged 75 years or over that experienced an emergency department wait time more than 24 hours during September 2022; the total number to...
- Ambulance Service
393. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulance attendances at each emergency department nationwide in September 2022; the number of such ambulances that waited longer than of 20...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
394. To ask the Minister for Health the number of spinal fusion patients currently waiting less than four months for treatment for both Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and...
- Primary Care Centres
437. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to an issue presenting at a medical centre (details supplied) where initial consultations for patients experiencing menopause...
- Departmental Priorities
438. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has undertaken research to ascertain the costs of providing financial assistance to patients on hormone replacement therapy for menopause; if...
- Dental Services
439. To ask the Minister for Health the efforts that are being made to reduce the waiting time for orthodontic treatment for children in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
440. To ask the Minister for Health if he will meet with an organisation (details supplied) regarding the ongoing issues facing the blood cancer community during the pandemic; and if he will make...
- General Practitioner Services
442. To ask the Minister for Health if approval will be given to extend the age for GP care for children to 16 years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50935/22]
- Departmental Data
443. To ask the Minister for Health the amount that has been drawn down in each CHO for equipment for children to date in 2022, in tabular form. [50937/22]
- Departmental Reviews
447. To ask the Minister for Health the expected timeline for the promised independent radiation therapist review; if he will provide an update on the development of the terms of reference of the...
- Primary Care Centres
448. To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline any planned upgrade works or investment in the health centre, Ballymore, County Westmeath. [50959/22]
- Medical Aids and Appliances
449. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the need for an extension of the Medical Rights Directive and the Active Implantable Medical Device Directive (AI) MMD certificates; if he will...
- Departmental Correspondence
452. To ask the Minister for Health his views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied). [50972/22]
- Disability Services
453. To ask the Minister for Health if speech and language therapy will be provided immediately in the case of a child (details supplied) given that their assessments were carried out in August...
- Departmental Funding
454. To ask the Minister for Health the funding to be given to each of the local and regional drug and alcohol taskforces in 2023, in tabular form. [50987/22]
- Mental Health Services
455. To ask the Minister for Health if more residential places will be offered for teenagers in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50994/22]
- Budget 2023
456. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the funding that is to be available to counselling trainee psychologists based on Budget 2023; if it will consist of a...
- Mental Health Services
457. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 593 of 14 September 2022, the dates on which family members of residents of Garnish House, Cork were informed of the...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
458. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce an occupational injury scheme for healthcare workers with long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51000/22]
- Mental Health Services
459. To ask the Minister for Health the basis on which the advice from clinicians that going from single-room occupancy in Owenacurra to shared occupancy would be a retrograde step for any...
- Departmental Data
460. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of wholetime equivalent psychologists for CH09 in CAMHS, the children’s disability network teams,...
- Primary Care Centres
464. To ask the Minister for Health the status of physiotherapy services in the primary care centre in Fermoy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51041/22]
- Special Educational Needs
465. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which occupational therapy and speech and language therapy have been made available in the case of a child (details supplied) given that they...
- Energy Prices
467. To ask the Minister for Health if he has assessed the implications of rising electricity costs for patients undertaking home dialysis; and if some special arrangements can be made. [51083/22]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
468. To ask the Minister for Health the reason that the special Leave with pay under Covid-19 for those healthcare workers with long-Covid is only available to those who contracted the virus at...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Health and Safety
469. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the changes that are proposed in relation to the use of creosote and specifically its use on timber products; and if he will make a...
- Judicial Reviews
470. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will...
- Fisheries Protection
471. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on his negotiations with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Agency in designating Dunmore East Harbour as a...
- Forestry Sector
472. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if felling licences which were issued in 2019 can be extended for another year, given that Covid-19 restrictions prevented felling...
- Agriculture Schemes
475. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the farm environmental survey pilot 2022 is completed; if so, if he will provide an update on any findings, including challenges...
- Land Issues
476. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his officials will re-examine as a matter of urgency the specific land folios in question (details supplied) given that the...
- Forestry Sector
477. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50984/22]
- Agriculture Industry
482. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 936 of 28 June 2022, if he will provide clarity on the matter (details supplied); and if he...
- Department of Rural and Community Development
- Judicial Reviews
483. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she will...
- Community Development Projects
484. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has ringfenced funding for community centres and voluntary organisations to apply for, to help meet the heightened...
