Written answers
Wednesday, 24 November 2021
- Department of An Taoiseach
- Ministerial Staff
15. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the number of special advisers and political staffing appointments in his Department. [54768/21]
- Cabinet Committees
16. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Education will next meet. [55668/21]
- Departmental Staff
39. To ask the Taoiseach if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated from 2011 to date due to...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Litter Pollution
41. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider intensifying the current laws in place against littering and dumping, in particular with the use of...
- Environmental Policy
42. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has considered, or plans to consider, the use of biofuels in home heating (details supplied). [57697/21]
- Broadband Infrastructure
43. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will request that National Broadband Ireland to escalate the required survey for fibre broadband delivery for...
- Departmental Staff
44. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had...
- Inland Fisheries
45. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the development of the new policy and regulatory framework for inland fisheries in...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Departmental Data
46. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of fines that were issued for persons parking illegally in disability parking bays in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the...
- Public Transport
47. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the expenditure by his Department on providing private security for public transport by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a...
- Departmental Funding
48. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the areas in which the €360 million in active travel funding will be spent in 2022, in tabular form; the amount from each...
- Transport Policy
49. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to legislate for the ban on the registration of fossil-fuelled cars and light vehicles from 2030 as per the...
- Road Safety
51. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for enhanced safety measures for the N8 lower Glanmire Road and Tivoli flyover in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Road Safety Authority
52. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration has been given by the Road Safety Authority regarding the suspension of in-person vehicle and technical inspections of...
- Greenways Provision
53. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which work will commence on the Leixlip to Maynooth section of greenway in view of the fact that it was due to commence in Q4...
- Departmental Staff
54. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment...
- Road Safety Authority
55. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the NTA requires taxi owners to remove the protective screening recommended by Covid-19 public health measures before they can...
- Driver Licences
56. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps that are being taken to make the system for a person renewing their driver licence more user friendly; if there are plans to...
- Public Transport
57. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps his Department is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Department of Finance
- Tax Data
58. To ask the Minister for Finance the total tax take on the purchase of a standard one litre petrol driven car retailing at €20,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57765/21]
- Horse Racing Industry
64. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding insurance for outdoor equestrian pursuits, including horse racing and point-to-point racing; if there are other insurance companies in...
- Legislative Measures
65. To ask the Minister for Finance if there are exemptions for a farmer who has zoned land from the proposed levy under the Finance Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Departmental Staff
66. To ask the Minister for Finance if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated from 2011 to...
- Financial Services
67. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to concerns of customers of some financial institutions that were mis-sold mortgages and the failure of the Financial Services...
- Tax Code
68. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 78 of 10 November 2021 and 172 of 18 November 2021, the projected revenue raised from legislated increases in the carbon...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Departmental Staff
69. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Covid-19 Pandemic
70. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if guidance has issued to cinemas and theatres regarding accepting certain forms of the EU Digital Covid Certificate; and if she...
- Tourism Policy
71. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she plans to develop a strategy to maximise the tourist potential for cruise tourism in Ireland and in particular in Dublin; and...
- Departmental Staff
72. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if personnel in her Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their...
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- National Parks and Wildlife Service
73. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if provision is being made or will be made for compensation to be provided to farmers or landowners impacted by having land or...
- Planning Issues
74. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the implementation of each of the 101 recommendations of the 2016 Report Organisational Review of An Bord...
- Legislative Measures
76. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the proposed new legislation regarding properties (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57795/21]
- Building Regulations
77. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is currently reviewing the build-to-rent guidelines; if so, the stage this review is at; the person or body conducting...
- Departmental Data
78. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount collected under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 as amended by each local authority in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular...
- Traveller Accommodation
80. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the programme board established to oversee the 32 recommendations of the 2019 Expert Review Group on Traveller Accommodation...
- Departmental Staff
81. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Passport Services
82. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason breastfeeding does not constitute emergency medical grounds for a passport to be issued to an infant (details supplied) whose...
- Foreign Policy
86. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions the Government is taking to raise the plight of religious and ethnic minorities in Afghanistan, in light of a recent USCIRF...
- Departmental Staff
89. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment...
- Department of Defence
- Defence Forces
90. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the report of the Military Court of enquiry into an armed raid (details supplied) is available for perusal by FCA personnel who gave evidence...
- Civil Defence
91. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Civil Defence has ceased the practice of transporting elderly persons to hospital appointments; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Staff
92. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Special Educational Needs
93. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide assurances to parents of children with special needs that special needs classes will remain open and that these parents will...
- Schools Building Projects
94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a planning application by a school (details supplied); the delays preventing the planning application from being granted; and if the...
- School Transport
95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the planned return to 100% capacity on school transport on 29 November 2021 will be postponed due to the escalation in Covid-19 numbers and the...
- Departmental Correspondence
97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to a letter from your office (details supplied) if a review has taken place; the outcome of same; and if she will make a statement on the...
- State Examinations
98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been made regarding leaving certificate 2022; and if students will have the option of predictive grading or sitting the exams...
- Special Educational Needs
99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications received for SNA support in County Donegal in 2021; the number of successful and unsuccessful applications,...
- Departmental Data
100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria currently governing the retention of teachers at primary level; the number of schools which closed in each of the years 2017 to 2020...
- School Admissions
101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the attention of her Department has been drawn to waiting lists for first year post-primary school places for the 2022-2023 school term in...
- School Transport
102. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when school transport will be awarded to a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57851/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
103. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the antigen testing process for junior infant, senior infant, 1st and 2nd classes that do not operate in pods....
- School Staff
108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider, in view of the severe shortage of substitute teachers available, putting forward members of the inspectorate as well as...
- Departmental Staff
109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if personnel in her Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated...
- School Staff
110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the shortage of SNAs in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57911/21]
- School Transport
111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to expand the school bus transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57912/21]
- School Facilities
112. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the services that are provided to children at a school (details supplied); and the facilities that are in place for the children in attendance....
- School Transport
113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a student who attends a school (details supplied) was refused school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57958/21]
- School Staff
115. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the lack of substitute teachers in schools; if it is possible to bring trainee teachers in to relieve the...
- Climate Action Plan
116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeframe for the commencement of the energy retrofit for schools built prior to 2008 to deliver on the Climate Action 2030 targets; and if...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will review the guidelines for pregnant teachers and SNAs who are working in the classroom given that the children they are...
- Air Quality
118. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will instruct her Department to arrange supply of ventilation and HEPA filtration equipment to ensure safe air quality standards in every...
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Public Services Card
130. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to commission an independent review of the roll-out to date of the public services card; and if she will make a...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
131. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider removing the means tests for the blind pension and the disability allowance; and if she will make a...
- Community Employment Schemes
132. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider relaxing the three-year rule and allow community employment participants remain with a scheme longer and...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Direct Provision System
133. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to claims regarding alleged sexual assaults being perpetrated against residents...
- Departmental Staff
134. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Third Level Education
135. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills f he will outline all current the Nearly Zero Energy Building courses such as NZEB the Fundamental Awareness course; the number of persons...
- Apprenticeship Programmes
136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current drop-out rate of craft apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57754/21]
- Third Level Examinations
137. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans that are in place to ensure that third-level institutions are prepared and capable of providing alternative assessments for students...
- Departmental Funding
138. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of direct Exchequer funding being provided to deliver the new building to expand Dublin City University capacity in key STEM areas; and...
- Third Level Education
140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the need to incentivise Irish universities and institutes of technology to offer physician associate courses in view of the plan in...
- Departmental Staff
141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- An Garda Síochána
142. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she expects the Garda training college in Templemore to intake its next group of recruits. [57699/21]
- Crime Data
144. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the change in the rate of drug offences recorded in the Dublin metropolitan area in the past five years; and if she will make a...
- Vaccination Programme
147. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the engagement her Department has had with the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure the booster vaccine roll-out includes...
- Citizenship Applications
148. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of a citizenship application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57789/21]
- Prison Service
149. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the expected timeline for completion of the new Limerick women’s prison; if it will remain a medium security prison; and...
- An Garda Síochána
151. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of disciplinary proceedings taken against individual members of An Garda Síochána in 2018, 2019 and 2020;...
- Asylum Seekers
152. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Afghan nationals who have been granted political asylum here to date since the fall of the democratically-elected...
- Prison Service
153. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Irish prisons that do not currently have comprehensive hepatitis C treatment programmes in place for which...
- Sentencing Policy
155. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current status of the review by her Department of the impact of the Community Service (Amendment) Act 2011 in addition to...
- Prison Service
156. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the 2020 report of the Self-Harm Assessment and Data Analysis Project will be published; and if she will make a statement...
- Departmental Staff
157. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if personnel in her Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their...
- Departmental Funding
158. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the breakdown of the funding her Department has provided to rape crisis support centres across the country since 2016, in...
- Crime Data
160. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons in the State who have been arrested under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 since 2016. [57957/21]
- International Protection
161. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the promised Afghan Admission Programme; the details of the eligibility criteria; when the programme will be open...
- Department of Health
- Medicinal Products
162. To ask the Minister for Health if the Government has considered the key issues identified in an assessment by a company (details supplied) of the reimbursement of medicines for rare diseases...
- Cross-Border Co-operation
165. To ask the Minister for Health if support will be considered for additional expenses such as accommodation for the family of patients who have to travel for treatment under the cross-Border...
- Hospital Staff
166. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ICU nurses trained in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57646/21]
- Health Services
167. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that day services are protected for users in facilities and receive great care such as Cashel na Cor in Buncrana, County Donegal in order to...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
168. To ask the Minister for Health when early treatments for Covid-19 patients will be made available to Irish citizens; if the Department will run an awareness campaign in relation to the...
- Hospital Services
170. To ask the Minister for Health the action he or his Department is taking following an email the Minister received dated 23 July 2021 from a person (details supplied) regarding the treatment...
- Disabilities Assessments
171. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address the backlog for assessment of needs; the reason for the current backlog; the estimated timeframe to address the backlog; and if he will...
- Disability Services
172. To ask the Minister for Health the number of vacancies in Children’s Disability Services; the plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57653/21]
- Health Services
178. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has had negotiations with HIQA with regard to HIQA standards as they relate to staffing schedules in publicly-funded services and...
- Health Services Staff
179. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address the matter of special leave for a HSE nurse (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57687/21]
- Work Permits
180. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department sought access for employment permits to address the critical shortage of skills as part of the recruitment resolution to delivering home care...
- Civil Registration Service
181. To ask the Minister for Health the way a person can currently access the civil registration service in County Wicklow; the opening times of same; when a walk-in service will resume; and if...
- Vaccination Programme
183. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of the booster vaccine for persons over the age of 18 with medical vulnerabilities; if there is an ordered list in terms of priority...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
184. To ask the Minister for Health if a series of matters in relation to the non-checking of Covid-19 certificates in a premises (details supplied) will be investigated. [57730/21]
- Health Services
185. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to update the current list of medical conditions to include all long-term chronic illnesses covered under the long-term illness benefit scheme; and...
- Hospital Facilities
188. To ask the Minister for Health the number of beds Peamount Hospital has for continuing care for neurological illness or acquired brain injury; if all beds are currently staffed full-time and...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
189. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Covid-19 recovery certificate only remains valid for 180 days after the day of the positive test when a certificate of vaccination has no such...
- Vaccination Programme
190. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 492 of 12 October 2021, the details of persons identified as people of trust to act as ambassadors for the vaccine; the...
- Dental Services
192. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists with medical card contracts in each of the CHO 4 sub sections in each of the years 2016 to 2021, respectively in tabular form; and if he...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
193. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to requiring Covid certificates (details supplied) for entry into retail outlets of sector; and if he will make a statement on...
- Health Services
194. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in feedback to an organisation (details supplied); when there will be a resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Hospital Staff
196. To ask the Minister for Health the number of nurses employed in each hospital, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57780/21]
- Vaccination Programme
197. To ask the Minister for Health the engagement his Department has had with the Department of Justice and the HSE to ensure the booster vaccine roll-out includes the prison population given...
- Mental Health Services
199. To ask the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive a date for an assessment by CAMHS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57804/21]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
200. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the impact of the current Covid-19 surge on outpatient waiting lists; and the way he plans to tackle same. [57806/21]
- Health Services
201. To ask the Minister for Health if he will advise on a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57807/21]
- Disabilities Assessments
202. To ask the Minister for Health the number of complaints received in which a person is dissatisfied with an assessment of needs and a lack of follow-up service in circumstances in which an...
- Medicinal Products
203. To ask the Minister for Health if an application has been received by the HSE to register a product as an exempt medicinal product (details supplied); when a decision on reimbursement will...
- Cannabis for Medicinal Use
204. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the proposed legislative amendment which will allow cannabis based-products available in the UK to be considered for inclusion on the Medical...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
205. To ask the Minister for Health if the position regarding frontline healthcare workers who are household close contacts will be clarified; if they need to restrict movements, that is, stay at...
- Health Services
206. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to calls for a new coordinator to be appointed in a facility (details supplied); if a timeline and hiring process can be...
- Alcohol Advertising
208. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the campaign and recent results of a survey published by a group (details supplied) seeking amongst other things a ban on...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
209. To ask the Minister for Health the overall number of persons in Ireland that have been diagnosed with Covid-19 to date; the percentage of the population this accounts for; and if he will...
- Hospital Facilities
211. To ask the Minister for Health the number of functioning staffed ICU beds in the State for each of the past 10 years. [57875/21]
- Health Service Executive
212. To ask the Minister for Health the number of management staff working in the HSE for each of the past 10 years. [57876/21]
- Covid-19 Tests
214. To ask the Minister for Health the number of repeat tests undertaken by the HSE every month on the basis of the first test being inconclusive and separately after the first test is positive....
- Vaccination Programme
215. To ask the Minister for Health the number of vaccines wasted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57879/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic
216. To ask the Minister for Health if privately owned recreational centres that offer facilities such as a gym and sauna can request proof of a Covid-19 vaccination from potential patrons and...
- Departmental Staff
220. To ask the Minister for Health if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated from 2011 to...
- Medical Aids and Appliances
221. To ask the Minister for Health the status of an application for a hearing aid by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57942/21]
- General Practitioner Services
222. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a general practitioner service in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58022/21]
- Vaccination Programme
223. To ask the Minister for Health the advice and the plans for the provision of Covid-19 booster vaccinations to persons in their 60s who received a vaccine (details supplied) originally; the...
- Ambulance Service
225. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that paramedics are facilitated to both train and be stationed within the region in which they reside. [58034/21]
- Hospital Appointments Status
226. To ask the Minister for Health the status of surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58035/21]
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Forestry Sector
227. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an ecology felling licence in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Agriculture Industry
228. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the names of the factories that have been fined for excessive carcass trimming from 1 January 2016 to date; and if he will make a...
- Agriculture Schemes
229. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of reviews or appeals sent to his Department that are successful; if the percentage of these reviews or appeals which...
- Forestry Sector
232. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a felling licence for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57727/21]
- Agriculture Industry
233. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the difference between parlour washing and soiled water; and if he will make...
- Agriculture Schemes
234. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the remainder of a 2021 basic payment will issue to a farmer in County Kerry for claimed lands at a location (details supplied);...
- Greyhound Industry
235. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the injuries at track scheme for greyhound racing only covers injuries sustained at official trials and not unofficial trials; and...
- Departmental Staff
240. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if personnel in his Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment...
- Department of Rural and Community Development
- Men's Sheds
241. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the supports available for a newly-formed charity (details supplied); and if there is a specific start up grant for same. [57677/21]
- Departmental Staff
242. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if personnel in her Department have been removed from their positions, have been transferred to another role or had their employment...
