Written answers
Thursday, 25 November 2021
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Social Welfare Benefits
4. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit applications made to her Department, by county, from 1...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
13. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to reform the criteria for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57448/21]
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
15. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will ensure that the full pandemic unemployment payment is made available for workers losing work as a result of recent...
- Social Welfare Appeals
17. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when oral hearings as part the social welfare appeals process will be reintroduced to facilitate a more forensic evaluation of...
- Social Welfare Payments
18. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the Christmas bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57543/21]
- Social Welfare Benefits
19. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will implement the increase in the means test for the fuel allowance with immediate effect as of midnight of Budget...
- Social Welfare Payments
21. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of those availing of urgent needs and exceptional needs payments, by the main reason, from 2018 to 2020 and to date...
- Social Welfare Benefits
22. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans for the further expansion of parent’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57823/21]
- Departmental Schemes
23. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position with regard to staff currently employed in job clubs; and if they will be treated fairly and be eligible to...
- Citizens Information Services
24. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of plans to expand or decrease Citizens' Information services in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement...
- Community Employment Schemes
25. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will extend the amount of time a person can stay on community employment due to the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic...
- Social Insurance
26. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the outcome of the most recent actuarial review of the social insurance fund; when the next review is planned; the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
27. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she plans to introduce further reform to the means testing regime under various social welfare schemes in the forthcoming...
- School Meals Programme
28. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of plans for the extension of the hot school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
29. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will restart the pandemic unemployment payment in view of the continued impact the Covid-19 pandemic is having on...
- Poverty Impact Assessment
30. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the next steps with regard to the findings of the Poverty Impact Assessment on jobseeker’s rates for young people; when...
- Pensions Reform
31. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the anticipated start date for the introduction of the pensions auto-enrolment system; her plans to communicate the changes to...
- Employment Schemes
32. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of the planned allocation of the additional €185 million funding announced in budget 2022 for the...
- Social Welfare Payments
33. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons availing of the fuel allowance, by main social welfare payment, in tabular form; her plans to extend...
- Social Welfare Benefits
36. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will ensure the immediate application of all fuel allowance changes announced in budget 2022 that have not been...
- Employment Support Services
38. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures announced in budget 2022 to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities; and if she will make...
- Social Welfare Benefits
39. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons applying for jobseeker’s benefit, jobseeker’s benefit for the self-employed or...
- Employment Schemes
40. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will examine the criteria for entry to the Tús and rural social schemes in terms of restrictions on time limits,...
- Employment Support Services
41. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the commitment to develop a Traveller and Roma training, employment and enterprise strategy as committed to in...
- Departmental Funding
43. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department has been allocated funds seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau to reinvest in communities to build community...
- Employment Support Services
44. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the criteria used to develop a new model for employment services; the engagement that has taken place with existing providers...
- Employment Schemes
45. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will increase payments on the rural social scheme, community employment and Tús schemes and programmes in line...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
46. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the review her Department has carried out into extending the qualifying criteria for the payment of the fuel allowance to...
- Rural Schemes
47. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will increase the number of places on the rural social scheme by 500 and reverse the 2016 changes to the length of time...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
48. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has enhanced the developmental capacity of the services provided by her Department so that workers displaced by...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
49. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider reviewing the fact that those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment and illness benefit are...
- School Meals Programme
51. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the plans that are in place to extend the hot school meals scheme in County Donegal; the number of students currently availing...
- Social Welfare Benefits
52. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who no longer qualify for the fuel allowance due to their living circumstances changing as a result of...
- Disability Services
55. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the added costs of living with a disability can be recognised within the social protection support system; her views on...
- Pensions Reform
56. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the next steps and timeline regarding the Report of the Commission on Pensions; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Public Procurement Contracts
57. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the strategy for the procurement of public employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58002/21]
- Departmental Reviews
58. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the Child Maintenance Review Group is due to report on its findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Social Welfare Benefits
59. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons living in Ireland who were previously receiving a disability living...
- Energy Prices
62. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the consideration she has given to an urgent review of the current electricity allowance under the household benefits package...
- Social Welfare Benefits
63. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if computer and broadband costs can be properly recognised within the farm assist process (details supplied); and if she will...
- Public Procurement Contracts
64. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the engagement her Department has had with other Departments on the public tendering process for local employment services....
- School Meals Programme
66. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans for the expansion of the school meals programmes, both the urban schools meals scheme and the school meals local...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
69. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of the pandemic unemployment payment, since its introduction and until its projected cessation. [57982/21]
- Social Welfare Benefits
72. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the problems facing artists with disabilities as highlighted by a campaign (details...
- Pension Provisions
75. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of pension entitlements for community employment scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors; if further...
- Poverty Impact Assessment
76. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of the distributional effects of budget 2022 and the modelled anticipated impacts on those most at risk of...
- Employment Support Services
78. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will reconsider her decision to terminate the contract of her Department with the local employment service in favour of...
- Rural Schemes
80. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the six-year limit will be removed from the rural social scheme given the disruption to community services by the removal...
- Social Welfare Benefits
81. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the current situation in which a carer whose sole income is the carer’s allowance cannot access the fuel...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to undertake an independent external analysis of the impact of the pandemic unemployment payment on different...
- Social Welfare Appeals
85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the proposals to provide additional resources to eliminate delays in the social welfare appeals process; and if she will make...
- Employment Support Services
87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of changes to the local employment service model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58013/21]
- Cybersecurity Policy
90. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures in place regarding cybersecurity, including the mywelfare.ie platform at her Department, given the substantial...
- Social Welfare Benefits
91. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider awarding the fuel allowance to recipients of half-rate carer’s payments in cases in which the...
- Employment Support Services
92. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending Tús and CES employment placements in view of interruptions caused by the Covid-19...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
93. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the assessments her Department has carried out in relation to available jobs within the hospitality sector; and the way they...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will devise a payment structure to recognise the existence of the effects of long-Covid; and if she will...
- Social Welfare Benefits
95. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have benefited, by county, from parent’s benefit since its introduction and since its...
- State Pensions
96. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the work her Department has undertaken towards a proposed benchmarking system for pension rates to be benchmarked to salaries...
- Employment Support Services
97. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the roll-out of the Work Placement Experience Programme. [57931/21]
- Social Welfare Eligibility
100. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will take measures to ensure that those who are homeless, living independently of their parents and under 25 years of...
- State Pensions
104. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the latest views of her Department in relation to the potential legality of aligning the retirement age in employment...
- Departmental Reports
105. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the cost of disability report commissioned by her Department; when she expects the report to be published; the...
- Community Welfare Services
107. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if community welfare services are now centralised; if local decision-making on community welfare matters no longer exists;...
- Domestic Violence
109. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps taken to make rent supplements accessible for victims of domestic abuse; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Community Employment Schemes
110. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she is taking to support community employment schemes during the continuing uncertainty in the context of the...
- Food Poverty
111. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an update will be provided on the work of the Working Group on Food Poverty; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Domestic Violence
112. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the new measures to assist victims of domestic violence to access the rent supplement; the number accessing same, by county,...
- Social Insurance
113. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the strategies in place to ensure that persons can receive information regarding their insurance contributions record ahead...
- Employment Support Services
114. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the forthcoming phase two of the tender for employment services process; the expected...
- Energy Prices
115. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if additional support will be provided to households during this energy price crisis; if so, the details of those supports;...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- An Garda Síochána
128. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new gardaí who will be recruited in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58037/21]
- Victim Support Services
129. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she will take to support the victims of crime. [57739/21]
- An Garda Síochána
131. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her assessment of the recently published statistics for recorded crime detection in 2020; and if she will make a statement on...
- Closed-Circuit Television Systems
133. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the expansion of Garda CCTV in County Carlow in order to deter criminal activity; and if she will make a...
- International Protection
135. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she is taking to address the recommendations concerning the international protection system in a report on the...
- Immigration Support Services
136. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the time it takes to deal with immigration cases within her Department; if the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on dealing with...
- An Garda Síochána
137. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 339 of 11 November 2021, if she will provide figures for the number of gardaí in...
- Personal Injury Claims
141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the operation of the personal injuries guidelines under the Judicial Council Act 2019; if she will...
- An Garda Síochána
142. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update following her meeting with the members of a campaign (details supplied); her views on whether...
- Joint Policing Committees
143. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she plans to review the current plans for joint policing committees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57660/21]
- Coroners Service
144. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the response she plans to make to the recommendations from the inquest into the death of a person (details supplied) on the...
- An Garda Síochána
145. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current strength of An Garda Síochána and the Garda Reserve; her Department’s plans to further increase...
- Domestic Violence
146. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the action being taken to deal with the increase in domestic violence during the pandemic. [57819/21]
- An Garda Síochána
147. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in the DMR north as of 1 November 2021 or the latest date available; the number in the 12 months...
- Departmental Strategies
148. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date on the implementation of the Justice Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58053/21]
- Immigration Policy
149. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on progress on a scheme to regularise undocumented persons; if she will consider time while documented as...
- Domestic Violence
150. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; when the strategy will be published;...
- Legislative Measures
151. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if proposals have been made to Government to change the Occupiers Liability Act 1995 and Civil Liability Act 2002 in order to...
- An Garda Síochána
152. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she last met the Garda Commissioner. [57685/21]
- Drug Dealing
154. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the work of her Department in tackling drug-related intimidation and reporting; and if she will make a statement...
- Domestic Violence
155. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the introduction of new criminal legislation to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. [57738/21]
- Court Accommodation
156. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of plans to build a new county town-type courthouse in Bray, County Wicklow; the progress made to transfer the...
- An Garda Síochána
157. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community gardaí in the Blanchardstown Garda district as of 1 November 2021 or the latest date available;...
- Naturalisation Applications
158. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current wait time for a standard citizenship application; the steps that are being taken to reduce the wait time throughout...
- Victim Support Services
159. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she will take to support the victims of crime going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57791/21]
- Court Accommodation
160. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress that has been made on the refurbishment of the existing courthouse in Tuam, County Galway for court services; when...
- An Garda Síochána
161. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community gardaí in the Clonakilty, Bandon and Bantry Garda districts; and if she will make a statement on...
- Domestic Violence
162. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the immigration system will be reformed to protect the victims and survivors of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence...
- Departmental Strategies
163. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made in relation to the youth justice strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57973/21]
- An Garda Síochána
165. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on Operation Citizen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57746/21]
- Antisocial Behaviour
166. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the use of antisocial behaviour orders; and the purpose of same. [58048/21]
- An Garda Síochána
168. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to ensure that incidences of drink and needle spiking are being recorded and categorised on the PULSE system in order...
- Child Abduction
170. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she has taken in relation to the abduction of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Funding
172. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the timeline for the introduction of the first round of funding under the community safety innovation fund; and if she will...
- Legal Services Regulation
173. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has plans to amend the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 to include in the Act a definition of client in order to...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
174. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions for breaches of Covid-19 regulations in 2020 and to date in 2021. [57980/21]
- Immigration Policy
175. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration is being given within her Department to a blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants; if so, the criteria; and if...
- An Garda Síochána
176. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the initiatives that are being taken to address rural crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57922/21]
- Court Accommodation
177. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of plans to refurbish the vacant courthouse in Wicklow town; the timeline for work to be carried out; the details of...
- An Garda Síochána
178. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the see something say, something initiative following her recent fact-finding visit to Tralee, County Kerry; her...
- Northern Ireland
179. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in implementing legislation arising from commitments made in the Stormont House Agreement; and if she will...
- An Garda Síochána
181. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if further legislation is being prepared by her Department to give extra powers to An Garda Síochána in relation to...
- State Pardons
182. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the latest up-to-date position in relation to efforts to pardon a person (details supplied) who was wrongly hanged in 1895; if...
- An Garda Síochána
183. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drink driving offences recorded in the Cavan Monaghan division in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in...
- Commissions of Investigation
185. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to publish a progress report on the Hickson Commission of Investigation; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Protected Disclosures
186. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of protected disclosures her Department has received from persons who work in the Irish Prison Service. [57981/21]
- An Garda Síochána
187. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to support policing in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57554/21]
- International Protection
188. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the establishment of the Afghan admissions programme; the expected opening date for applications; and if she will...
- Domestic Violence
189. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of her plans to introduce an offence of non-fatal strangulation. [57820/21]
- An Garda Síochána
190. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community gardaí in the Tipperary division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57923/21]
- Immigration Support Services
192. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide details on the improvements being introduced at the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service; if she is...
- Court Accommodation
193. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider holding an updated review of existing courthouses, including the courthouse in Tralee, County Kerry in...
- Prison Service
194. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to address the recent Covid-19 outbreaks in the Irish Prison Service in order to mitigate against the further spread...
- An Garda Síochána
195. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if an update will be provided on the commitment in the programme for Government to prioritise visible policing in both rural...
- Victim Support Services
196. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her Department’s plans to extend supports for adult victims of sexual offences following court proceedings; and if she...
- An Garda Síochána
197. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures being taken to combat the theft of trees to be used as Christmas trees; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Court Accommodation
198. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if assessments have been carried out by a conservation architect grade 1 of the current courthouse building in Tralee, County...
- Drug Dealing
199. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of drug seizures in Ireland in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57132/21]
- Prison Service
200. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of prisoners incarcerated; the breakdown by the average length of sentence; the number of those prisoners...
- An Garda Síochána
201. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of members in An Garda Síochána at present; if it is planned to increase the strength of the force and...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Employment Rights
202. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the rationale for deferring the implementation of pay increases contained in a new Employment Regulation Order for the Security...
- Work Permits
203. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employment permits that have been processed in 2020 and to date in 2021 for non-EEA carers; the number of those that...
- Pension Provisions
205. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has met with an organisation (details supplied) since the postponement of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of...
- Company Registration
206. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider an extension for the Companies Registration Office tax returns deadline (details supplied). [58233/21]
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- National Broadband Plan
207. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the roll-out of NBI broadband to Bantry, County Cork; if he will provide extra resources to advance the...
- Broadband Infrastructure
208. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason poles were erected opposite Loughquittane Lake in Killarney by National Broadband Ireland (details...
- Waste Management
209. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has received correspondence regarding the issue of waste waivers in the past three months. [58075/21]
- Climate Action Plan
210. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated amount Ireland has paid in fines in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 for missing climate action targets;...
- Sustainable Development Goals
212. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has engaged with other countries in respect of Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the 2030 United...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Aviation Industry
213. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the administrative process and computational method of allocating funding to specific airports with respect to the...
- Bus Services
216. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an additional bus stop in Bridgetown will be considered on the current Ballyshannon to Donegal town Local Link route in County...
- Driver Licences
219. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason that cash payments are not accepted at the NDLS centre in Ennis, County Clare, given that cash payments are accepted at the...
- Electric Vehicles
220. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the lack of vehicle charging points, the lack of fast vehicle charging points and the issues regarding vehicle charging...
- Department of Finance
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
221. To ask the Minister for Finance if correspondence (details supplied) will be reviewed; if his Department has contacted the Department of Social Protection on this matter for discussion; and...
- Primary Medical Certificates
222. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide clarity as to the establishment of a review group on foot of legal advice received in relation to primary medical certificates; and if he...
- Housing Schemes
223. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of persons that availed of the help-to-buy scheme in Cork city and county in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Climate Action Plan
224. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the work being carried out by his Department to investigate the way future compliance costs for failing to meet European Union climate...
- Electric Vehicles
225. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions the Office of Public Works is taking to provide electric vehicle charging facilities in cases in which staff parking is...
- National Lottery
226. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received correspondence from the National Lottery in connection with concerns expressed by the public in respect of the...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- National Cultural Institutions
229. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a museum, gallery or collections under her aegis or held by bodies funded by her Department hold artefacts or exhibits claimed...
- Sports Funding
230. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if funding is available for essential improvement works (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58248/21]
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- Housing Schemes
231. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a company (details supplied) that is leasing homes long-term to local authorities; and if...
- Local Authorities
232. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 362 of 28 September 2021, the status of the review of the position in relation to the...
- Planning Issues
235. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of planning applications submitted for each local authority area over the past five years; and if he will make a...
- Property Registration
236. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide the necessary resources to ensure that the Property Registration Authority of Ireland is fully resourced to...
- Departmental Schemes
237. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide the new housing and assistance payments and rental accommodation scheme targets in each of the years 2022...
- Gorse Burning
238. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the cost of fighting gorse and upland fires, by local authority, in each of the years since 2016 to date; and if he will make...
- Housing Schemes
241. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if local authorities report to him the number of long-term leases entered into each year; and, if so, the overall number, by...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Passport Services
244. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason a passport application (details supplied) was with the passport office for 65 working days before it was checked; the reason the...
- Human Rights
250. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council and at the United Nations the widespread concerns in relation to the military...
- Northern Ireland
251. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had recent contact with his counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive and in the British Government in relation to the...
- Department of Defence
- Cybersecurity Policy
252. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces are adequately resourced to deal with cybersecurity issues in view of the dangers posed by cybercriminals; and if he will...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Departmental Funding
253. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding streams that are available for a programme (details supplied) to be able to buy a bus; and if she will make a statement on the...
- School Transport
254. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on a school transport request (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Public Sector Staff
255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify the position in relation to the type of sick leave which applies in a scenario (details supplied); and if she will make a...
- Special Educational Needs
256. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 3 November 2021, if there are plans in place for the provision of in-school teaching for children in...
- Schools Building Projects
257. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the planned timetable for the building of the new secondary school in Citywest, Dublin. [58132/21]
- School Transport
258. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department plans to reduce capacity on school buses from 100% back to 50% in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases; and if she will...
- School Staff
259. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has plans to address the problems faced by primary schools in securing temporary cover for teachers who may be unable to attend the...
- Schools Building Projects
260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the three school campuses in Buncrana, County Donegal would be suitable for an accelerated build programme in view of the long delay in...
- School Admissions
261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to issues in relation to the oversubscription in a school (details supplied) for the 2022-2023 term; if her...
- School Equipment
262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of one HEPA air filtration monitor. [58155/21]
- School Facilities
263. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the number of classrooms across the State or if unavailable, the estimated number of same. [58156/21]
- Schools Building Projects
264. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress on a permanent school building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58192/21]
- School Admissions
267. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department plans to increase the capacity of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58220/21]
- National Educational Psychological Service
268. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting a long time for an assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58221/21]
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
269. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will outline the provision of funding she has made in the event that she is required to fund a full allowance of the...
- General Register Office
270. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will ensure the General Register Office issues marriage paperwork to a couple (details supplied) without further...
- Social Welfare Benefits
271. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the policy of her Department with regard to persons in receipt of the disability allowance whose payment...
- Community Employment Schemes
272. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of discussions she has had on the issue of pensions for community employment scheme supervisors; and if she will...
- Energy Prices
273. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons applying for assistance with energy costs under the exceptional needs payment scheme, by county; and if...
- Employment Support Services
274. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way the jobs of those currently employed by local employment service and job clubs will be safeguarded in view of the...
- Social Welfare Payments
275. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a working family payment will be reinstated immediately for a person (details supplied) based on the information provided...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
276. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment was open to applicants in circumstances in which the applicant was self-employed and...
- Social Welfare Appeals
278. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if further medical evidence submitted with a disability allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
279. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has engaged with the Minister for Health and the Minister of Finance in respect of the reintroduction of the full...
- Social Welfare Payments
280. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the Christmas bonus will be paid to supplementary welfare recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Social Welfare Benefits
284. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the availability of exceptional needs payments in order to alleviate exceptional needs situations that...
- Social Welfare Appeals
285. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a facility can be found and arranged for expeditious oral hearings online or otherwise; and if she will make a statement...
- State Pensions
286. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications for the State pension (contributory) currently in hand and awaiting a decision; and if she will...
- Social Welfare Appeals
287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare appeals being determined on a weekly basis; the number of appeals arising each week; and if she...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
288. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which the level of Covid-19 related payments has tapered off in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement...
- Pension Provisions
289. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which satisfactory provision has been made for those retiring at 65 years of age; and if she will make a...
- Youth Unemployment
290. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department have continued to monitor youth unemployment levels; the extent to which such...
- Social Welfare Payments
291. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which the number of applications for various social welfare payments has fluctuated over the past 12 months;...
- State Pensions
292. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to address the pensions issue for persons who have gaps in their...
- Registration of Births
293. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a list of the current average waiting times for the registration of the birth of a child in each county,...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Early Childhood Care and Education
294. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding streams that are available for a programme (details supplied) to be able to buy a bus; and if he...
- Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries
295. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the six-month limit for eligibility for a payment from the mother and baby home redress scheme applies with...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Departmental Funding
297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number and detail of all completed, ongoing and planned projects under the higher education strategic infrastructure fund; the level of...
- Third Level Education
300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans in place to ensure third level institutions are prepared for, and capable of providing, alternative assessments for students who are...
- Education and Training Provision
301. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 164 and 165 of 17 November 2021, if the final proposal referred to in his answer will be published; and...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Departmental Funding
302. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the next steps towards a national roll-out of the Community Safety Innovation Fund; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Commissions of Investigation
303. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of commissions of investigation currently ongoing; the duration of each commission of investigation; the deadline...
- Departmental Correspondence
304. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will reply to correspondence from this Deputy dated 13 October and 4 November 2021. [58076/21]
- An Garda Síochána
305. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will request statistical information from the Garda Commissioner on the number of instances of spiking that have taken...
- Prison Service
306. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the details of all drug and alcohol treatment services available to prisoners in each prison in 2021, in tabular form; and if...
- Crime Prevention
310. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the action being taken to combat crime levels as the festive season approaches; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- An Garda Síochána
311. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of promotional positions waiting to be filled within An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement...
- Prison Service
314. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which investment in rehabilitative training within the prison system continues to be made available to first-time...
- Legislative Measures
315. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which racism and hate speech or hate mail continue to be targeted as an offence in need of urgent attention; and...
- Prison Service
316. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which repeat offenders are being granted bail, including those who are members of organised criminal gangs; and...
- An Garda Síochána
318. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí available throughout County Kildare and the country in general to respond to any needs of the general...
- Prison Service
319. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of usable cells in each prison and overall across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58189/21]
- An Garda Síochána
320. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if each call to a Garda station is logged; if not, the reason therefor and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58231/21]
- Department of Health
- Hospital Facilities
321. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ICU beds in Ireland in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58046/21]
- Hospital Staff
322. To ask the Minister for Health the number of neurology nurse specialists working in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital; the difference in number between this number and the national and...
- Hospital Appointments Status
324. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment in University Hospital Kerry. [58065/21]
- Abortion Services
325. To ask the Minister for Health the way, and the place in which, all information reported to his Department related to the operation of abortion, including incidents of adverse events, is...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
326. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons over 18 years of age who are awaiting first-time intervention for occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and...
- Health Services
327. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children aged zero to 18 in each CHO, by individual area, awaiting first-time intervention in all areas of early intervention; the number on the...
- Ambulance Service
329. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulance call-outs in 2021 to date; and the average time these ambulances took to the Great Island of Cobh, in tabular form. [58073/21]
- Dental Services
331. To ask the Minister for Health the date on which his officials last met formally with members of an association (details supplied); the actions agreed at the meeting; if he will provide an...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
332. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a group (details supplied); his plans to meet with the group; the current actions being taken to lessen the waiting times...
- Departmental Data
333. To ask the Minister for Health the number of applications for births, deaths and marriages that are currently waiting to be processed in County Wicklow; the average waiting time for...
- Hospital Services
334. To ask the Minister for Health the number of days per week a radiology service is available at Donegal Community Hospital; if there are plans to increase capacity in this service; and if he...
- Hospital Appointments Status
335. To ask the Minister for Health if an appointment for surgery will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58094/21]
- Emergency Departments
336. To ask the Minister for Health the number of instances of spiking, including either physical spiking of a person, perhaps through syringe into a part of the body, or of spiking of a drink,...
- Disability Services
337. To ask the Minister for Health when there will be a full return of adult disability day services in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58104/21]
- Dental Services
338. To ask the Minister for Health if funding will be approved under the dental treatment scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Covid-19 Pandemic
339. To ask the Minister for Health the meaning of the words "requires attention at the boarding gate", highlighted with an asterisk on a passenger locator form; his views on whether the...
- Home Help Service
340. To ask the Minister for Health the policy and practice in respect of home help and home care workers who are not vaccinated; if clients who do not wish to have unvaccinated workers in their...
- Vaccination Programme
341. To ask the Minister for Health the arrangements for the provision of Covid-19 booster vaccinations to those who have received a vaccination (details supplied) in respect of the advice for...
- Climate Action Plan
343. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the members of the climate change oversight group established in his Department; the number of times the group has met since...
- Vaccination Programme
344. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to prioritise groups (details supplied) for vaccine booster shots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58129/21]
- Abortion Services
346. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter raised in Seanad Éireann on 10 November 2021 by persons (details supplied) regarding travel for the termination of pregnancy...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
347. To ask the Minister for Health when additional capacity will be provided at a hospital (details supplied) in view of the long waiting lists for assessment and surgery; and if he will make a...
- Health Services
349. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing measures to support women with the financial cost of hormone replacement therapy as a treatment for severe symptoms of the...
- Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
350. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the application by Children's Health Ireland for funding to increase capacity in Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals; the timescale for a...
- Birth Certificates
351. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of the current average waiting times to obtain a first-time birth certificate for a child, in each county, in tabular form; and if he...
- General Register Office
352. To ask the Minister for Health the nature of the contractual relationship between organisations (details supplied) and the HSE. [58210/21]
- Hospital Services
353. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a development proposal by the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh for greatly expanded paediatric services, which are...
- Vaccination Programme
354. To ask the Minister for Health the advice for persons in each of the priority cohorts for Covid-19 boosters regarding the way they can access the vaccines; the details in respect of the...
- Disabilities Assessments
355. To ask the Minister for Health the cost to the HSE of completing an assessment of needs privately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58213/21]
- Vaccination Programme
357. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to provide an information campaign for migrants in respect of the Covid-19 vaccine in view of the high numbers who have not taken the vaccine to...
- Disability Services
358. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children who have been discharged from the Meath disability team during the transition to child development networks without having received...
- Sustainable Development Goals
359. To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline the State’s progress in respect of its targets and goals set out in Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the 2030 United Nations Agenda...
- Health Services
362. To ask the Minister for Health the investment by the HSE through its service level agreement with a service (details supplied) for community healthcare services in CHO 5 in each of the years...
- Primary Care Centres
364. To ask the Minister for Health the number of primary healthcare centres in CHO 3 and CHO 5 in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [58239/21]
- Primary Care Services
365. To ask the Minister for Health the number of primary healthcare centre staff employed in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, on a whole-time equivalent basis, in tabular...
- Disability Services
366. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons who have accessed day disability services in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021 in CHO 3 and CHO 5, in tabular form....
- Mental Health Services
369. To ask the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent professionals who have been working in mental health services in CHO 3 and CHO 5 in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to...
- General Practitioner Services
370. To ask the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners contracted in a service (details supplied) in CHO 5 in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form....
- Hospital Waiting Lists
371. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the waiting list for paediatric orthopaedic care (details supplied); and the solution offered by his Department to rapidly...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
372. To ask the Minister for Health if the roll-out will be expedited of an enhanced media campaign andor public health messaging in respect of ventilation as a mitigation measure for Covid-19....
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Legislative Measures
374. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the amendments that have been made to the proposed Bill to prohibit fur farming (details supplied); and if he will make...
- Food Industry
375. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if snails that are used in snail farming in Ireland are classed as an animal (details supplied); if so, the reason they cannot be...
- Forestry Sector
376. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated number of applicants for the new European Association of Guarantee Institutions who will afforest a part of their farm...
- Departmental Staff
379. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the assistant secretary of his Department with responsibility for GLAS is also responsible for afforestation and forestry; and if...
- Forestry Sector
380. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if afforestation and forestry are regarded as an agricultural activity in the current Common Agricultural Policy; if it will be...
