Written answers

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

  • Department of An Taoiseach
    • Cabinet Committees
      12. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality is due to meet next. [36616/20]
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      15. To ask the Taoiseach the status of plans to reopen society and the economy when level 5 Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. [37039/20]
    • Alcohol Sales
      23. To ask the Taoiseach the volume of alcohol sales in each of the past 12 months in tabular form. [39148/20]
  • Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      24. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if he will provide clarification for Christmas tree growers on whether they can proceed with the sale of Christmas trees from various...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      25. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if he will provide confirmation of a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38911/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      26. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      27. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the reason a business (details supplied) is being denied access to the restart grant plus due to its landlord, South Dublin County...
    • Labour Market
      28. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if his Department will work with large multinational companies on ensuring that, in circumstances in which international sales jobs...
  • Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
    • Post Office Network
      29. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will urgently enact the Private Members' motion passed in November 2016 regarding the future of the post office...
    • Energy Policy
      30. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 26 and 27 of 4 November 2020, the financial implications or fines arising from...
    • Energy Data
      31. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of renewable energy in kWh and the corresponding retail value of this renewable energy that was dispatched...
    • Electric Vehicles
      32. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on a number of pilot programmes in several EU countries that replaced standard streetlights with ones that...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      33. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of...
    • National Broadband Plan
      34. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 229 of 10 November 2020, if the national broadband plan will bring high-speed...
  • Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
    • Driver Test
      37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a person (details supplied) will receive a date for a driving test. [38897/20]
    • Road Safety
      38. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration will be given to increasing road safety in Kilcully, County Cork through a number of measures including traffic calming,...
    • Brexit Issues
      39. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a person (details supplied) has to resit an exam passed earlier in 2020; the person or body that pays the cost of doing the...
    • Public Transport
      40. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration has been given to encouraging more frequent public transport timetables, given the reduction to 25% capacity, in order...
    • Driver Licences
      41. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39037/20]
    • Driver Test
      42. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a person (details supplied) can be given an earlier date than May 2021 for their driver theory test; and if he will make a statement on...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      43. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under...
    • Driver Test
      44. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the driver theory test centres that are closed for learner drivers to take their tests. [39095/20]
    • Pension Provisions
      46. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address questions on a superannuation scheme of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
  • Department of Finance
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      48. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason private coach operators have been excluded from payment under the Covid-19 restrictions support scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a...
    • Tax Data
      51. To ask the Minister for Finance the total number of persons granted exemptions under section 195 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 in each of the years 2015 to 2019 inclusive; the estimated...
    • Banking Sector
      52. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on a matter regarding borrowing by clubs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39033/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      53. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the aegis of his...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      54. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some employers are basing the new wage subsidy scheme off workers contracted hours rather than hours worked or...
    • Value Added Tax
      55. To ask the Minister for Finance if the proposed changes to the retail export scheme can be postponed in view of the difficulties caused by the ongoing restrictions to small businesses that...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      56. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of businesses that have applied for the Covid restrictions support scheme to date by county; the number of applications that have been successful by...
    • Insurance Industry Regulation
      57. To ask the Minister for Finance if Ireland has fully and correctly transposed and is enforcing the insurance distribution directive, EU 2016/97, particularly Article 17(1), which obliges...
    • Community Banking
      58. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to advance proposals for community banking, with particular reference to the role of the post office network in the further development of financial...
  • Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
    • Budget 2021
      59. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures included for the charity sector in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38922/20]
    • Office of Public Works
      60. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received the 2019 annual report from the Office of Public Works; and if so, when will same be published. [39027/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      61. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding...
  • Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      62. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason private coach operators have been excluded from payment under the Covid-19 adaptation fund (details supplied); and if...
    • Sports Funding
      63. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are further grants that can be applied for by a sports club and bar (details supplied). [39085/20]
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      64. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Covid-19 supports available to self-catering businesses; and if more supports are planned by her Department. [39090/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      68. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      69. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports available for individuals and companies in the live music sector that do not operate from a specific premises but...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      70. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason for no indoor classes taking place under level 3, which effectively shuts music schools, dance schools and speech and...
  • Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
    • Commercial Rates
      72. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a company (details supplied) with an annual local authority rates bill in excess of €100,000 can be granted a waiver...
    • Planning Issues
      73. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the planning process that the proposed offshore wind farm at Kish and Bray Banks is going through; if environmentalists were...
    • Wildlife Regulations
      74. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the pheasant shooting season will be extended until the end of February 2021 if level 5 restrictions are lifted on 1...
    • Local Authority Funding
      75. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason funding for local government within his Department has reduced from €787 million in 2020 to €225...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      76. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public...
    • Appointments to State Boards
      77. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the names and biographies of the two recent appointees to the board of the National Oversight and Audit Commission. [39078/20]
    • Hare Coursing
      78. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will resist lobbying from clubs (details supplied) to extend the coursing season by two months into March 2021; and if he...
    • Local Authority Housing
      79. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the assertion that red tape and restrictions on borrowing capacity are preventing councils from engaging in more...
    • Land Development Agency
      80. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the improvements he has identified in the manner in which the Land Development Agency will operate in order to reduce the time...
    • Social and Affordable Housing
      81. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of long-term leases of the 61 Part V units in quarters 1 and 2 of 2020; and if he will make a statement on the...
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
    • Presidential Elections
      86. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the commitment in the programme for Government to hold a referendum on extending the franchise at presidential elections to...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      87. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will address a series of matters regarding the Moldovan presidential election on 15 November 2020 (details supplied); and if he will...
    • Foreign Birth Registration
      88. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason the processing of foreign births registration is currently suspended; when it is likely that the processing of applications will...
    • Citizenship Applications
      89. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the process to be followed to obtain an Irish passport by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39017/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      90. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under...
    • Foreign Conflicts
      91. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he is taking as a long-time development partner of the regional government in Tigray, Ethiopia, to help broker a ceasefire and to...
  • Department of Defence
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      94. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the...
    • Defence Forces Personnel
      95. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in terms of the non-application of fixed-period promotion provisions. [39181/20]
  • Department of Education and Skills
    • Legislative Programme
      96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Retention of Records Bill 2019; her Department's proposals to re-examine the proposed legislation; the way in which this...
    • Special Educational Needs
      97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the refusal by a school of an application for assistive technology by a student (details supplied) will be reviewed. [38940/20]
    • Electric Vehicles
      98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the grants and supports available for the installation of electric vehicle charging points in school car parks; and if she will make a statement...
    • Mental Health Policy
      99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the policy on mental health support services in primary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38991/20]
    • Schools Data
      101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the figures relating to bullying, substance abuse and the scale of mental issues in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the...
    • Mental Health Services
      103. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of support services available to students, parents and school authorities with regard to mental health challenges; and if she will...
    • Child Abuse
      108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 514 of 17 November 2020, when the next stage of the report will be published; and if she will make a...
    • Departmental Functions
      109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the residential institutions redress unit; the membership of the unit; the remit of the unit; the details of all reports produced...
    • Residential Institutions Redress Scheme
      110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the dissolution legislation in respect of Caranua will be published; when the heads of the Bill will be published; if the Bill will make...
    • School Staff
      113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); if she has engaged with the company on this matter; and the steps she has taken to...
    • School Transport
      114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the payment for the special transport grant for a person (details supplied) will be released in view of the fact it is overdue. [39031/20]
    • Road Projects
      115. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if planning permission is required for infrastructure (details supplied). [39032/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the...
    • Schools Building Projects
      117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the stage 1-2a application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39115/20]
    • School Transport
      118. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address a matter regarding the case of a child (details supplied). [39116/20]
    • School Accommodation
      119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in regard to the provision of temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied), including planning permission,...
    • Schools Site Acquisitions
      120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the purchase of a site zoned for educational use for a school (details supplied); and when she expects a final decision to be made....
    • School Patronage
      121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to increase the availability of multi- or non-denominational school places in an area (details supplied); and if she will...
    • School Admissions
      122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by students trying to access multi- or non-denominational post-primary schools in...
    • State Examinations
      123. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if flexibility can be applied to students who are recommended by an educational psychologist to access reasonable accommodations in the...
    • Special Educational Needs
      124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that provide ASD classes for children with special education needs in inner city Dublin. [39241/20]
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department received a correspondence submission from a group (details supplied) of 15 Irish music schools making a formal submission...
    • School Curriculum
      126. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if more recent information will be provided regarding the percentage of second level schools that are meeting or not meeting the requirement for...
  • Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
    • Social Welfare Benefits
      127. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on additional financial supports being made available to senior citizens in respect of heating and telephones to...
    • Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme
      128. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will allow the 14 days of quarantining in circumstances in which a person does not receive a jobseeker’s...
    • Training Support Grant
      129. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the criteria to qualify for the training support grant; the person or body that makes the decision on who does and does not...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
      130. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applicants for the pandemic unemployment payment that did not receive payment in the week beginning 16 November...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      136. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps being taken to ensure social welfare support and protection for persons experiencing symptoms of long Covid-19; and...
    • Personal Public Service Numbers
      137. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when persons (details supplied) will receive their PPS numbers. [38973/20]
    • State Pension (Contributory)
      138. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an extension will be granted to a person (details supplied) for the submission of documentation relating to a means test...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      139. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public...
    • Social Welfare Benefits
      140. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when all payments previously paid to a person (details supplied), including household benefits and the living alone...
    • Illness Benefit
      141. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons who remain on illness benefit in the long term, sometimes up to ten...
    • Jobseeker's Allowance
      142. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who is financially independent is currently being paid €5.45 per day in...
    • Community Employment Schemes
      143. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of vacancies in community employment schemes; her plans to fill these vacancies; and if she will make a statement...
    • Personal Public Service Numbers
      147. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when PPS numbers will issue to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39171/20]
    • JobPath Programme
      149. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of the employment sourced for JobPath participants with a breakdown of those in which the employment lasted for...
  • Department of Children and Youth Affairs
    • Direct Provision System
      150. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date on which each direct provision centre or emergency centre contract expires. [39128/20]
    • Child and Family Agency
      152. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on a matter regarding a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38895/20]
    • National Archives
      153. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 591 of 22 September 2020, if he will provide detailed responses to questions raised in correspondence...
    • Child Protection
      154. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to address the effects that parental alienation have on the well-being of children; and if he will make a statement on the...
    • Family Resource Centres
      155. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason funding was not awarded to establish a family resource centre (details supplied) in County Mayo. [38921/20]
    • Planning Issues
      156. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the analysis that has been undertaken on the number and location of accessible bathrooms, particularly in public buildings; if there are...
    • Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries
      157. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the means by which the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation is contacting witnesses that...
    • Proposed Legislation
      158. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the adoption information and tracing Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38949/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      159. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under...
    • Child and Family Agency
      160. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will work with Tusla to ensure duty social workers are seconded to divisional protective service units as would be best practice; and...
  • Department of Education and Skills
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for no indoor classes taking place under level 3, which effectively shuts music, dance schools and speech and drama schools. [39242/20]
    • Counselling Services
      162. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if any recent assessment has been carried out by his Department to examine the capacity of counselling services offered by third level...
    • Mental Health Policy
      163. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the policy on mental health support services in relation to third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39000/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      164. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the...
    • Apprenticeship Programmes
      165. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the uptake of the apprenticeship incentivisation scheme; and the breakdown by sector, programme and region. [39135/20]
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      167. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recently announced one-off Covid-19 payment will include students on access or foundation courses such as the Trinity College access...
  • Department of Justice and Equality
    • Proposed Legislation
      168. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce legislation on the revenge porn issue. [38905/20]
    • Victim Support Services
      169. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the aftercare supports in place for under 18s who are victims of violent crimes; and if she will make a statement on the...
    • Garda Data
      171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda superintendents that have been appointed to the Garda station in Ardee, County Louth over the past five...
    • Crime Data
      173. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of men and women who made reports of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence by county and year in each of the...
    • Victim Support Services
      174. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of females who were assessed for domestic, sexual or gender-based violence programmes; and the number of females who...
    • Garda Stations
      176. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the budgeted cost for small capital works to Garda stations in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39025/20]
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      178. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public...
    • Deportation Orders
      180. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deportation orders issued since 1 March 2020 to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
  • Department of Health
    • Disability Services Provision
      182. To ask the Minister for Health his priorities relating to disability services for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38930/20]
    • Disability Services Funding
      183. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the counties needing investment in disability services in tabular form; the way in which the needs are being prioritised; and if he will...
    • Mental Health Services
      184. To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of total national budgetary spend allocated to mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38975/20]
    • National Children's Hospital
      188. To ask the Minister for Health the extent of the drawdown of approved spending to date by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board; the estimated scheduling of outstanding moneys...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      189. To ask the Minister for Health if women who are 28 weeks pregnant are at an increased risk of becoming severely ill should they contract Covid-19; the information the HSE has on the issue;...
    • Eating Disorders
      192. To ask the Minister for Health the inpatient services available for under 18s presenting with eating disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38933/20]
    • General Practitioner Services
      199. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ask the HSE to issue an instruction to all general practitioners to cease charging the holders of general practitioner cards or medical cards for...
    • Counselling Services
      200. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider offering psychological supports and counselling to women who have had abortions and to doctors and medics who have performed abortions,...
    • Abortion Services Provision
      201. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ministerial notifications he has received under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; and if all ministerial...
    • Home Help Service
      204. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively, who have been approved for home help services but are still on the waiting list; and the...
    • Dental Services
      205. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists employed by the HSE to provide a service to medical card holders and to schoolchildren in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively; and...
    • National Educational Psychological Service
      206. To ask the Minister for Health the number of preschool and school-going age children between four and 18 year years of age waiting to be seen by a psychologist in counties Laois and Offaly,...
    • Health Services
      207. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively on waiting lists for occupational therapy services; the number waiting in excess of six, 12,...
    • Mental Health Services
      210. To ask the Minister for Health the mental health funding announced in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38976/20]
    • National Public Health Emergency Team
      219. To ask the Minister for Health the members of NPHET representing the views of the mental health services; the mental health expertise within NPHET; and if he will make a statement on the...
    • Substance Misuse
      220. To ask the Minister for Health if there has been an increase in the request for substance abuse support services since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on...
    • Medicinal Products
      222. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to establishing a multi-stakeholder group to examine the efficacy of mandated risk minimisation methods in respect of...
    • Hospital Appointments Status
      225. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has been referred to the orthopaedic public waiting list will secure an appointment. [39021/20]
    • Hospital Staff
      226. To ask the Minister for Health the number of full-time physiotherapists working in University Hospital Limerick in 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020; and if the number will be increased in...
    • Health Services Staff
      227. To ask the Minister for Health the number of full-time dental nurses working in CHO 3 in 2018, 2019 and to-date in 2020, in tabular form; and the number of vacant dental nurse posts...
    • Health Screening Programmes
      228. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that trials and pilot programmes in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands...
    • Electronic Cigarettes
      229. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the findings (details supplied) of a recent Health Research Board report, published on 12 October 2020; and his plans to...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      232. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the aegis of his...
    • Abortion Services Provision
      233. To ask the Minister for Health the process for a woman to report a medical complication after an at-home abortion; if such reports are recorded by general practitioners, sexual health or...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      246. To ask the Minister for Health if wedding numbers will be increased to 50 in the event of an easing of restrictions to level 3. [39084/20]
    • Nursing Homes Support Scheme
      247. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a report regarding meetings he or his officials have held with the board or management of a facility (details supplied) to seek to alleviate...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      248. To ask the Minister for Health the investigations that have been carried out regarding outbreaks of Covid-19 in meat processing plants since August 2020; if he will provide all documentation...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      250. To ask the Minister for Health if there have been instances whereby meat processing plants have not alerted public health if they are informed of or suspect cases of Covid-19 among the...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      251. To ask the Minister for Health if occupational health and translation services have been contracted by all meat processing plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39102/20]
    • Veterinary Inspection Service
      252. To ask the Minister for Health the role Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine veterinary officials play in meat processing plants with regard to Covid-19; and if he will make a...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      253. To ask the Minister for Health if updates requested by the National Outbreak Control Team, NOCT, from the Netherlands and Germany regarding their Covid-19 outbreak investigations have been...
    • Health Information and Quality Authority
      256. To ask the Minister for Health the number of unannounced HIQA inspections carried out in meat processing plants since July 2020; the locations and dates of these inspections; and if he will...
    • Industrial Disputes
      257. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding industrial action in University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39125/20]
    • Covid-19 Tests
      258. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the PCR testing for Covid-19 runs for between 40 and 45 amplification cycles when the general international consensus is 35; and if he will make a...
    • Patient Transport
      259. To ask the Minister for Health if he will investigate the reason a person (details supplied) was charged by a private ambulance company to be taken to hospital to attend appointments; the...
    • Hospital Data
      260. To ask the Minister for Health the number of alcohol-related cases, including blood alcohol poisoning and liver disease, that have presented to hospital in each of the past 12 months, in...
    • Medical Cards
      261. To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date to provide terminally ill medical cards; the outstanding elements of this process that need to be addressed to bring...
    • National Children's Hospital
      262. To ask the Minister for Health the details of the approved level of legal fees contained within the figure of €1.433 billion approved for the National Paediatric Hospital Development...
    • Hospital Facilities
      264. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that patients requiring mental health treatment in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, are being asked...
    • Emergency Departments
      265. To ask the Minister for Health when a project (details supplied) at a healthcare facility will proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39177/20]
    • General Practitioner Services
      266. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a cost-saving issue (details supplied) implemented by the HSE. [39178/20]
    • Nursing Homes Regulation
      267. To ask the Minister for Health the criteria that have to be met for HIQA to become concerned about the welfare of residents in a nursing home; and in cases in which HIQA has concerns, the...
    • Nursing Home Inspections
      269. To ask the Minister for Health if a HIQA inspector informed a nursing home (details supplied) on 8 May 2020 that an independent inquiry was not appropriate, as it would be inspected as...
  • Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
    • Covid-19 Pandemic
      271. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the environmental sampling carried out in meat processing plants in which an outbreak of Covid-19 has occurred since July 2020; the...
    • Fur Farming
      273. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if fur farming will be ended fully after the culling of minks which has been announced. [38946/20]
    • Trade Missions
      275. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a food-related virtual trade mission to Japan and United Arab Emirates early in 2021. [39024/20]
    • Agriculture Schemes
      276. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which one can apply for live evaluation under the disease eradication schemes; and if he will make a statement on the...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      277. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding...
    • Departmental Bodies
      278. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there are no representatives for an association (details supplied) as part of the newly established forestry forum; and if...
    • Agriculture Schemes
      279. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if owning land ten years in advance of getting a herd number transferred into one's name from one's parents has an impact on...
    • Beef Industry
      280. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the application for protected geographical indication, PGI, status of Irish grass-fed beef; and if he will make a...
    • Departmental Reports
      282. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the analysis his Department has carried out into the role of compacted soil under single species grasses in causing flooding in...
    • GLAS Issues
      283. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department’s online system did not recognise that a farmer (details supplied) in County Kerry has lands located...
  • Department of Rural and Community Development
    • Departmental Funding
      284. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the expected figure for project pay-out by her Department in 2021 based on current commitments in the LEADER programme, given that the...
    • Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
      286. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the Covid-19 supports put in place to assist the charity sector since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a...
    • Public Procurement Contracts
      287. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding...