Dáil Éireann

Written answers

Some recent written answers

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: European Council (18 November 2025)

Malcolm Byrne:

536. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the planned cultural programme for Ireland's holding of the EU Council presidency in 2026. [63733/25]

Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (19 November 2025)

Niall Collins:

378. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64320/25]

Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 November 2025)

Tom Brabazon:

504. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if incidences of spiking with a needle have been recorded on the Garda PULSE system in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of incidences, by county, in tabular form. [64706/25]

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (18 November 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin:

879. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements on the Mercosur Trade Agreement. [64000/25]

Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (18 November 2025)

John Brady:

1041. To ask the Minister for Health the number of conditions currently screened for in the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63150/25]

Department of Health: Health Services (18 November 2025)

Brendan Smith:

1126. To ask the Minister for Health if urgent consideration will be given to the provision of services at a health care facility (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63714/25]

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (18 November 2025)

Cathal Crowe:

107. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the work his Department is carrying out to establish a dedicated transport policing force. [63509/25]

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 November 2025)

Emer Currie:

603. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on the apartments and duplex defects remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63694/25]

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sports Funding (20 November 2025)

Joe Neville:

29. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are plans to increase funding for high performance coaching; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64558/25]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 November 2025)

Ken O'Flynn:

352. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his department has examined how existing maternity and illness benefit schemes could be extended or adapted to provide income support to workers who experience pregnancy loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62424/25]

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (13 November 2025)

Michael Cahill:

514. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to examine along with his Ministerial colleagues with responsibility for the named Departments (details supplied), the proposal that will not alone enrich students by encouraging a greater understanding and learning of our native language and culture, but will also encourage Gaeltacht areas themselves to grow and extend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62326/25]

Department of Health: Health Services (20 November 2025)

Erin McGreehan:

588. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the recent concerns raised about the new flu strain causing an increase in illness across UK; if she or her Department has updated the plans to ensure greater availability of the flu vaccine this winter for at risk and vulnerable citizens; whether she has engaged with the pharmacist and general practitioner groupings to discuss the roll out of the flu vaccine; whether a cost-benefit analysis has been carried out by the Government in relation to the type of vaccines available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64691/25]

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (18 November 2025)

Eoghan Kenny:

275. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department, or any of the State transport agencies, have plans to engage in an information campaign regarding the safety precautions of operating electric vehicles, and safety information in relation to electric vehicles if they are involved in road traffic accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63100/25]

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (19 November 2025)

Michael Cahill:

301. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the incidence of TB has increased since the introduction of the TB eradication programme in 1962; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64178/25]

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Construction Industry (18 November 2025)

Ken O'Flynn:

394. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the residential construction productivity levels recorded in 2023 and 2024; how these compare to EU averages; and the measures planned to increase productivity to meet the housing targets. [63924/25]

Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 November 2025)

Seán Fleming:

1074. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the significant delay in securing an appointment at Beaumont Hospital for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63343/25]

Department of Health: Health Services (18 November 2025)

Conor Sheehan:

947. To ask the Minister for Health further to the HSE audit into the homebirth service, when she will implement a national structure for the homebirth service to deal with weaknesses and regional service variations such as the continued suspension of the service in the midwest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62733/25]

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 November 2025)

William Aird:

327. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on proposals for the new planning exemptions for slurry storage on farms; if the exemptions will be in place to coincide with the application window for TAMS 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62638/25]

Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (13 November 2025)

Cathal Crowe:

449. To ask the Minister for Health the plans her Department has to roll out primary care services in Clare to assess children for autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62434/25]

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff (20 November 2025)

Darren O'Rourke:

216. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of vacancies currently at each grade from higher executive officer level and above within his Department; and the estimated timeframe for filling each of those vacancies, in tabular form. [65044/25]