Written answers
Thursday, 29 April 2021
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Work Permits
1. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to reopen applications for work permits for dairy farm assistants in early 2021; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
2. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider a once-off grant payment to the hair and beauty sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Community Employment Schemes
3. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if financial supports or incentives are available to employees who temporarily employ a person through the community employment scheme...
- IDA Ireland
4. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 166 of 21 April 2021, concerning the announcement by the IDA that it plans to appoint a...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
5. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps that can be taken to provide low to zero interest loans to SMEs that will struggle to reopen after lockdown and are...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Waste Management
6. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce new extended producer responsibility schemes for the collection and processing of waste streams...
- Recycling Policy
7. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he plans to extend the recycling list to include soft plastics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22426/21]
- Environmental Protection Agency
10. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding being allocated through the circular economy programme run by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2021...
- Air Pollution
11. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he will announce the outcome of the consultation and amendments that will be implemented along with timeframes for...
- National Postcode System
12. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if consideration has been given to changing the way in which Eircodes are allocated to new builds; if consideration has...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Driver Test
13. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects driver tests to resume for persons that have completed the EDT; if additional driving instructors will be recruited to...
- Roads Maintenance
16. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is in receipt of an application by Mayo County Council (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the seriousness of the...
- Road Network
17. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of guidance documents that should be taken into account in the design of urban roads and streets in Ireland; and...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
18. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding taxi drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22394/21]
- Rail Network
19. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if no application for a rail order in respect of MetroLink will be made until such time as the feasibility study into the extension of the...
- Department of Finance
- Value Added Tax
28. To ask the Minister for Finance if there are plans to make the 9% VAT rate permanent for the hair and beauty sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22414/21]
- Wage Subsidy Scheme
29. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the employment wage subsidy scheme until at least the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22415/21]
- Tax Yield
30. To ask the Minister for Finance the expected size of the tax base upon which the new non-recycled plastic tax being introduced to provide additional own resources to the European Commission...
- Value Added Tax
31. To ask the Minister for Finance if community provided defibrillators and ancillary equipment will be exempted from VAT; if a mechanism will be put in place to refund the VAT to groups that...
- Wage Subsidy Scheme
32. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied that a company (details supplied) operated the temporary wage subsidy scheme correctly; if the national employer unit at the Revenue...
- Insurance Costs
33. To ask the Minister for Finance the way in which he plans to tackle rising insurance costs for small businesses which are having difficulty sourcing insurance and when sourced are being...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Flood Risk Management
34. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will address a matter regarding flooding at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22431/21]
- Freedom of Information
35. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to review the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and if he has embarked on preliminary in drafting a new freedom of information...
- Garda Stations
37. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he and or the OPW have received an amended design detail in respect of the construction of the Garda building on Military Road,...
- Open Government Partnership
40. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position in respect of implementing 18 commitments from the Open Government Partnership National Action Plan 2016-2018; his plans to...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Online Safety
41. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will reconvene the National Advisory Council on Online Safety; when the next meeting of the Council is scheduled; and if...
- Culture Policy
42. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has any plans for funding incentives or policies for cultural institutions to tackle inequality by ensuring increased...
- Product Labelling
44. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the contact there has been between her Department and the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on the issue of bilingual...
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- Airport Policy
45. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider extending a strategic development zone (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Shared Ownership Scheme
46. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will review correspondence sent by persons (details supplied) in relation to financial matters and address the issues...
- Building Regulations
47. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has considered the introduction of regulations to promote more sustainable building practices and in particular of...
- Departmental Meetings
48. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the terms of reference of the bathing waters expert group established within his Department; the number of times the group met...
- Harbours and Piers
49. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he plans to provide a decision on a recommendation by An Bord Pleanála (details supplied); and if he will make a...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Passport Data
50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of renewal passports processed and issued through Irish embassies and consulates in 2020 and to date in 2021. [22441/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the dire need of PPE including oxygen from Europe with immediate effect to the health service in India; and if emergency...
- Foreign Policy
52. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on and response to recent and ongoing events in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22473/21]
- Passport Applications
53. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the estimated timeframe for clearing the existing passport application backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22545/21]
- Passport Services
54. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of public servants who were redeployed from the passport office for other duties elsewhere since March 2020; the number who...
- Department of Defence
- Air Corps
57. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 69 of 22 April 2021, the reason for the refusal to extend the scheme beyond 2021; the reason the scheme is...
- Department of Education and Skills
- School Patronage
58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking with regard to a change of school patronage (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- School Accommodation
59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) can construct an additional classroom to be attached to the school in lieu of a standalone classroom approved in...
- Special Educational Needs
60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if primary schools will be allowing external teachers to come into schools to undertake the July provision in Summer 2021. [22387/21]
- School Accommodation
61. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made in respect of an appeal against a decision to refuse sanction for an extension lodged by a school (details supplied)...
- School Transport
63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the review of the school transport scheme as announced on 11 February 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22397/21]
- Schools Building Projects
64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date with respect to the proposed development of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Education Policy
65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the current engagements with stakeholders regarding the new draft specifications for Irish at leaving certificate level published...
- School Transport
67. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to refund school bus transport users for periods of Covid-19 enforced school closure during the 2020-2021 term; and if she will...
- Schools Administration
68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process of oversight for national school financial accounts; if individual school accounts are published; if they are available to trade...
- Home School Community Liaison Scheme
69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to approve an extra home school community liaison post to a school (details supplied) in view of the large number of pupils served by...
- Irish Sign Language
70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered introducing the teaching of Irish sign language into the curriculum of secondary schools given it is Ireland’s third...
- School Facilities
71. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the trend for gender neutral toilet facilities in the design of schools as in the case of a school (details supplied); and if she...
- School Curriculum
72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the Education Act 1998 will be amended or reviewed in order for ethos to no longer be used as a barrier to the effective, objective and factual...
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- School Meals Programme
75. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider the hot meals programme in the case of a school (details supplied); and if she will review this anomaly....
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
76. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address the apparent imbalance whereby self-employed persons who are on the pandemic unemployment payment can...
- Local Employment Service
77. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to score tenders in the procurement process for expanding local employment services; if a tender will be chosen...
- State Pensions
78. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to arrears of a contributory pension. [22419/21]
- Occupational Injuries Benefit
79. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an occupational injury scheme application submitted by a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in...
- JobPath Programme
80. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if those completing community employment are being referred to JobPath later; if so, when this commenced; and the number of...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
82. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons on the pandemic unemployment payment have been contacted to engage with job activation schemes; and if she will...
- Treatment Benefit Scheme
83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22478/21]
- Carer's Allowance
84. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a carer’s allowance was not backdated for a person (details supplied); if the issue of arrears will be...
- Social Welfare Appeals
85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22508/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
86. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a reckonable income figure is used to determine the payment rate of the pandemic unemployment payment to...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- International Protection
87. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an international protection accommodation service will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied);...
- Childcare Services
88. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider including financial supports for essential upgrade and expansion of childcare facilities in...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Erasmus+ Programme
89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if provisions will be made to support Erasmus students who did not receive their Erasmus grant due to not travelling in 2021. [22363/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason 2021 final year students at University of Limerick cannot have a physical ceremony given that the 2020 graduates are being brought back...
- Higher Education Authority
91. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding within the block grant for higher education is ring-fenced or top-sliced for specific purposes by either his Department or the HEA in...
- Student Universal Support Ireland
92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of SUSI funding that goes towards covering the student contribution charge in each year since 2011; and if he will make a statement...
- Departmental Expenditure
93. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the higher education expenditure as a percentage of GDP, GNI and modified GNI; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Higher Education Institutions
94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the private or not-for-profit higher education institutions which are eligible for HEA funding for specific courses or directly via his Department...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Anti-Social Behaviour
95. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department has plans to examine and strengthen current antisocial behaviour laws; and if she will make a statement on the...
- International Protection
96. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a person (details supplied) will be contacted by the International Protection Office for further processing of their...
- Prison Inspections
97. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to publish the annual report of the Inspector of Prisons that was submitted to her Department on 16 March 2021; the...
- Crime Prevention
98. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department has engaged with mobile phone network providers regarding the actions they are taking to tackle the practice...
- Citizenship Applications
99. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of and the timeline for the citizenship application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement...
- Death Certificates
100. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the processing of a death certificate will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on...
- Department of Health
- Health Services Provision
101. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to move from a psychiatric model of transgender healthcare to a model more in line with international best practice as outlined by the World Health...
- Product Labelling
102. To ask the Minister for Health the contact there has been between his Department and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on the issue of bilingual labelling...
- Vaccination Programme
103. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider giving persons in the 60 to 69 age group that are currently being given the Covid-19 vaccine a greater choice regarding the vaccine that...
- Healthcare Policy
104. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the review and revision of Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland: the HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016 – 2021; if a new plan will be...
- Hospital Staff
105. To ask the Minister for Health if clinical midwife and nurse specialist lactation consultants have been appointed within all Irish maternity and paediatric hospitals, according to a...
- Cannabis for Medicinal Use
107. To ask the Minister for Health if an application has been received to add the PCBD110 product to the medical cannabis access programme; if so, when he expects a decision to be made on the...
- Vaccination Programme
113. To ask the Minister for Health when those under 16 years of age with complex medical needs including their in-home caregivers will receive the vaccine in circumstances in which it has been...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
114. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a situation whereby under S.I. No. 183 of 2021 a person entering the State who is fully vaccinated but has not completed the...
- Vaccination Programme
116. To ask the Minister for Health if NIAC recommendations overrule general practitioner recommendations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22384/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
117. To ask the Minister for Health his views on easing visiting restrictions in hospitals for patients with dementia; if the guidance will be reviewed to allow at least one family member to...
- Health Services
119. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22402/21]
- Mental Health Policy
120. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to mental health reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Medical Cards
121. To ask the Minister for Health if a medical card will be awarded to a person (details supplied). [22423/21]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
122. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the increasing waitlists across all departments within the HSE; his plans to resolve the issue of backlogs; and if he will make a...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
123. To ask the Minister for Health if persons working in the Covid-19 testing centres as volunteers or paid have access to high-quality masks of a similar grade to that used in a clinical...
- Vaccination Programme
125. To ask the Minister for Health the location where healthcare workers who are returning from maternity leave and who have not yet been vaccinated such as a person (details supplied) will...
- Treatment Abroad Scheme
126. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure a person (details supplied) will receive funding from the HSE to secure an extension to their treatment. [22445/21]
- Drugs Payment Scheme
127. To ask the Minister for Health if drugs for the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum will be included in the drugs payment scheme or medical card; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
128. To ask the Minister for Health if Ireland will send emergency oxygen and PPE to the health service in India as a matter of urgency in response to the crisis there. [22470/21]
- Hospital Facilities
130. To ask the Minister for Health the indicative timeframe for the delivery of a new community nursing unit at St. Columba's Hospital, Thomastown, County Kilkenny; and if he will make a...
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
131. To ask the Minister for Health the number of CAMHS teams operating in north County Tipperary; if one team is carrying out work in two areas in the area; the distribution of CAMHS teams...
- Dental Services
132. To ask the Minister for Health the number of private dentists in each county and in each CHO area who accepted public patients under the DTSS on 1 January in each of the years 2016 to 2020...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
133. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the date for the reopening of weddings and hotels; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Long-Term Illness Scheme
135. To ask the Minister for Health the reason life-long required mental health medications are only free of charge for those under 18 years of age on the life-long illness scheme; and if he will...
- Covid-19 Tests
136. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to establish a walk in Covid-19 test centre in the Ballymun, Finglas local electoral area given it has the third highest incidence rate in the...
- Home Help Service
139. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which home support can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); if the matter will be urgently examined having particular regard...
- Hospital Staff
140. To ask the Minister for Health the basis and policy reason on which some international non-consultant hospital doctors who are permanent residents of Ireland and stamp 4 visa holders are...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
144. To ask the Minister for Health if the European Working Time Directive figures reported by the HSE are accurate and represent the experience of non-consultant hospital doctors working on the...
- Vaccination Programme
145. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the long waits being experienced at mass vaccination centres; the steps he is taking to combat these waits; and if he will...
- Hospital Appointments Status
146. To ask the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22520/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
147. To ask the Minister for Health if persons working in the Covid-19 testing centres as volunteers or paid workers have access to high quality face masks of a similar grade to that used in a...
- Product Labelling
148. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 233 of 2 February 2021, the progress that has been made further to finalisation of the revised language scheme; and if he...
- Hospital Facilities
150. To ask the Minister for Health the timeframe for the installation of a public MRI facility at Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22525/21]
- Speech and Language Therapy
151. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons under 18 years of age waiting for speech and language therapy in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22526/21]
- Dental Services
152. To ask the Minister for Health the current wait list for persons under 18 years of age awaiting orthodontal treatment in County Wexford; the breakdown of the number of persons waiting 24, 36...
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
153. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for child psychologist services in CAMHS in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22528/21]
- Medicinal Products
154. To ask the Minister for Health his views on media reports in relation to the adverse effects of epilim on some women; if he will meet with the women and their representatives; if he will...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
155. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the rise in the number of persons visiting seaside resorts in County Clare; his plans to deter those traveling from outside their county...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
156. To ask the Minister for Health if additional capacity will be provided without further delay at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh in view of delays in persons being assessed and...
- Health Services Reports
158. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 25 March 2021, when the disability social care demand and capacity requirements up to 2032 will be published and...
- Healthcare Policy
159. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the cross-border directive and Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme beyond 2021 for the Defence Forces. [22559/21]
- Vaccination Programme
160. To ask the Minister for Health when frontline staff at a facility (details supplied) will receive their vaccine given they are an outlier in not receiving the vaccine by comparison to their...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will increase the rate of payment under TAMS to reflect the increasing construction costs particularly of materials; and if he...
- Agriculture Schemes
162. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address an issue (details supplied) regarding the new farm pilot schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Harbour Fees
163. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a payment plan will be accepted in respect of outstanding harbour charges from a person (details supplied); and if he will make a...
- Brexit Supports
164. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department are pursuing a multi-fund approach of both EU funding (details supplied) and the EU Recovery and Resilience...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
165. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to reopen the Covid-19 aquaculture support scheme in view of the continuing crisis due to Covid-19,which has seriously...
- Organic Farming Scheme
167. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22486/21]
- Departmental Staff
168. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of staff in the ERAD division of the regional office in Raphoe, County Donegal; if...
- Organic Farming Scheme
170. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of beef farmers participating in the organic farming scheme; the total and average payment by county in tabular form; and...
- Veterinary Medicines
172. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department has taken based on the European Court of Justice ruling in case C-64/20 (details supplied); if bilingual...
- Veterinary Laboratories
173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans in relation to the proposed ten-year renewal programme of the Regional Laboratory Network ; the current stage of the...
- Animal Welfare
174. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is on track to double the ex-gratia funding for animal welfare organisations by 2022; the initial figure on which...
- Agriculture Industry
178. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work his Department has done to open new markets with stakeholders in the pig farming industry; if he has met with relevant...
- Research and Development
179. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the vets that arrived in Ireland to work on a research project (details supplied) represents the original intended full cohort of...
- Department of Rural and Community Development
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
181. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a further round of Covid-19 stability funding will be made available in 2021; if so, the expected date applications will open; and...
