Dáil Éireann

Written answers

Some recent written answers

Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 November 2021)

Bernard Durkan:

456. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he expects science to play an increased role in the higher education sector with particular reference to ensuring an adequate number of graduates to meet the demands of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59055/21]

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (30 November 2021)

Claire Kerrane:

438. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of his plans to extend parent’s benefit and leave to ensure all parents can avail of the scheme including parents of children born through surrogacy and to extend the full available benefit and allowance to lone parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59135/21]

Department of Health: Home Care Packages (2 December 2021)

Mairead Farrell:

205. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of homecare hours applied for by CHO 2; the total number granted over each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59618/21]

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: EU Directives (30 November 2021)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin:

177. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the nature of the European Commission's letter of formal notice of 24 January 2020 concerning European Union Council Directive 2017/159 (details supplied); the current status of this infringement procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58358/21]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (2 December 2021)

Charles Flanagan:

105. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the plans to extend parents' benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59654/21]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (30 November 2021)

Brendan Griffin:

379. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58328/21]

Department of Health: Alcohol Advertising (1 December 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore:

166. To ask the Minister for Health when section 12, 13,18 and 19 of the Public Health Alcohol Act 2018 will be enacted which includes labelling of alcohol products, content of advertisements, advertisements in publications and the broadcast watershed;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59151/21]

Department of Education and Skills: EU Directives (30 November 2021)

James Browne:

I can confirm to the Deputy that the European Commission has launched infringement proceedings against Ireland in relation to the following EU Directives which fall under the remit of my Department:

- Directive (EU) 2017/853

- Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/68

- Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/69

- Directive 2014/62/EU

- Directive (EU) 2018/843

- Directive 2012/13/EU

- Directive (EU) 2019/1153

Whilst not relating to EU Directives, the Deputy may wish to be aware of two references to the Court of Justice of the European Union CJEU in respect of Council Framework Decisions 2008/909/JHA and 2009/829/JHA. In both matters, pleadings have closed and the Advocate General’s opinion is awaited.

Finally, the Deputy may wish to note that all infringement cases in my Department are actively managed in conjunction with relevant agencies and stakeholders, and with the advice of the Office of the Attorney General. This work is overseen by a Working Group on EU Infringements. The group, which is chaired by the European Affairs Function, meets quarterly and consists of officials from all Functions involved with active infringement proceedings.

Department of Health: Abortion Services (25 November 2021)

Michael Collins:

325. To ask the Minister for Health the way, and the place in which, all information reported to his Department related to the operation of abortion, including incidents of adverse events, is being collated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58066/21]

Department of Health: Health Service Executive (30 November 2021)

David Cullinane:

636. To ask the Minister for Health the share of the €200 million to tackle waiting lists allocated to the HSE that will be spent on procuring private services and the types of services, for example, diagnostics and so on it will be spent on, in tabular form. [58803/21]

Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (30 November 2021)

Catherine Connolly:

325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to facilitate leaving certificate students in the 2021-2022 academic year that wish to make use of either calculated grades or in-person examinations. [58491/21]

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (30 November 2021)

Brian Leddin:

179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he plans to take steps to facilitate the carriage of bicycles on commuter train services at peak times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58476/21]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (1 December 2021)

Claire Kerrane:

126. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there is flexibility in which a person (details supplied) has the required number of PRSI contributions but not at the necessary class for the invalidity pension given that through no fault of their own they had paid a WOPS stamp during their early years at work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59366/21]

Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (25 November 2021)

Emer Higgins:

155. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the introduction of new criminal legislation to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. [57738/21]

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (25 November 2021)

Dara Calleary:

57. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the strategy for the procurement of public employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58002/21]

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Consultations (2 December 2021)

Mary Lou McDonald:

4. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the stakeholder consultation of his Department on the International Labour Organisation Convention 190, Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work is due to commence. [59679/21]

Department of Health: Emergency Departments (25 November 2021)

John Lahart:

336. To ask the Minister for Health the number of instances of spiking, including either physical spiking of a person, perhaps through syringe into a part of the body, or of spiking of a drink, that have resulted in presentations at emergency departments in hospitals, by hospital, in tabular form; and the presenting symptoms of the patients to emergency departments in this regard. [58096/21]

Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (1 December 2021)

Mick Barry:

142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the practice of third-level institutions passing on student debt arising from unpaid fees to debt collectors; if he will introduce regulations to prevent the practice and to prevent the selling on of such debt to third-parties;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59213/21]

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (2 December 2021)

James Lawless:

62. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59519/21]

Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (30 November 2021)

Willie O'Dea:

666. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the frequency and manner of surveillance testing conducted on in-patients in which there is no clinical suspicion of Covid-19 upon admission to hospital; the testing process for a vaccinated vis-à-vis unvaccinated patient whilst an inpatient in hospital; the details of the precise PCR assay threshold that is used by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58920/21]