Written answers
Wednesday, 9 November 2022
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Departmental Staff
1. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher...
- Work Permits
2. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the basis on which critical skills are added to or removed from the critical skills occupations list; the last time this list was...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Energy Prices
3. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason standing charges on gas and electricity have increased exponentially given these type of charges are within...
- Recycling Policy
5. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has set a deadline for the establishment of the approved body to run the deposit return scheme for beverage bottles...
- Flood Risk Management
6. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the impact, if any, the flooding of the bogs in the midlands will have on flood attenuation in the Shannon catchment; the...
- National Broadband Plan
7. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on his plans for the inclusion of Labasheeda, County Clare, in the roll-out of the national...
- Fuel Sales
8. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concern of businesses trading in household energy products due to smoky...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Departmental Staff
9. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or...
- Electric Vehicles
10. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number and location of charging points for electric vehicles in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55779/22]
- National Car Test
12. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he will take to ensure NCT tests across the country are carried out by suitably qualified testers; and if he will make a...
- An Garda Síochána
15. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify the circumstances of a specific night flight at Dublin Airport which took place on 29-30 October 2022 (details...
- Transport Policy
16. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 6 of 22 September 2022, the status of the appointment of the promised specialist team which will...
- National Transport Authority
17. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the National Transport Authority does not operate out of Nenagh train station and instead operate from Kickham Street, Nenagh...
- Rail Network
18. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the new proposed dual railway lines from Cork to Cobh and Cork to Midleton will have new carriages which will be fully compliant with...
- Transport Policy
19. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has received correspondence from an organisation (details supplied) regarding changes to the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 and...
- Coast Guard Service
21. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when consideration was first given to the possibility of locating the west Connemara base for the Coast Guard at the airstrip in Cluain...
- Driver Test
22. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason that a waiting time of eight to ten weeks exists for driving tests; the steps being taken to shorten these waiting lists; if...
- Transport Policy
23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures that his Department is taking to encourage the public to avoid purchasing vehicles that are larger than their needs; his...
- Public Transport
24. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps that he is taking to ensure that the broader south Dublin area has sufficient access to public transport in light of increased...
- Transport Policy
25. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps that he intends taking to support the taxi industry in view of the unprecedented rise in overhead costs over the past two years,...
- Rail Network
26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when on-board catering services on Iarnród Éireann’s InterCity network will resume; and if he will make a statement on...
- Department of Finance
- Departmental Staff
27. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or acting allowance;...
- Revenue Commissioners
28. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of calls received by the Revenue Commissioners by month from 2017 to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of calls per category; the average...
- Credit Unions
31. To ask the Minister for Finance if, as part of the retail banking review currently under way by his Department, consideration is being given to reducing the 10% reserve requirement for credit...
- Banking Sector
32. To ask the Minister for Finance the price achieved for each disposal of shares in banks (details supplied) since 1 January 2020; the number of shares sold in each of those transactions; the...
- Tax Code
37. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the situation as it applies to separated couples in respect of the standard tax rate cut-off point where there is a legal separation and...
- Departmental Bodies
38. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the recruitment of members of the disabled drivers medical board of appeal; when he expects the new board to be up and running;...
- Insurance Industry
39. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has had discussions with the insurance industry in relation to the large difference in insurance premiums being charged by the sector to new entrants to...
- Tax Reliefs
40. To ask the Minister for Finance if he intends amending the help-to-buy scheme for persons building on their own site, in order that the minimum percentage borrowed would be 70% of the...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Ethics in Public Office
41. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the review of public ethics legislation, ongoing since 2021; if he will make public the findings of the consultation...
- Public Sector Staff
42. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to a payroll issue of a person (details supplied). [55747/22]
- Departmental Staff
43. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty...
- Flood Risk Management
44. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when final flood maps and reports will be published by the Office of Public Works for the Carnmore and Claregalway area of Galway as...
- Public Sector Pensions
46. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all pensioners who are getting occupational pensions from the Civil Service or wider public service and are not receiving the State...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Departmental Staff
47. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of civil servants in her Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher...
- Commemorative Events
48. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the public was excluded from the 2022 National Famine Commemoration Day on 15 May 2022, when other State events, such as...
- Coláistí Samhraidh
50. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Chun an bhfuil i gceist aici deontas bliantúil a chur ar fáil leis na barr-chostais a chlúdach i gcomhair ionaid...
- Sports Organisations
51. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she intends setting up an independent enquiry to examine issues of concern that have arisen in relation to Irish dancing...
- Coláistí Samhraidh
52. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht cén uair a chuirfear an grúpa oibre ar bun le scrúdú a dhéanamh ar fhorbairt agus todhchaí na...
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- Departmental Staff
53. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a...
- International Protection
54. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a national schedule on a county basis of properties he has identified in the context of the European Union...
- Housing Schemes
55. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount spent by local authorities on HAP, broken down by local authority, the total number of recipients, the average...
- Legislative Reviews
56. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the forthcoming legislation arising from the review of the Planning and Development Act 2000;...
- Departmental Bodies
57. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the plans, if any, that he has to change the legislation establishing the private Residential Tenancies Board to set out a...
- Housing Provision
59. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will instruct both Galway City Council and Galway County Council to give equal consideration to applicants for housing...
- Public Appointments Service
60. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has received any update from the Public Appointments Service in relation to when it intends advertising the position for...
- Housing Provision
61. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of Housing First tenancies delivered in each county to date in 2022, in tabular form. [55841/22]
- Housing Policy
62. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he intends introducing an incentive for persons who are council tenants and could afford to build or buy their own house, to...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Departmental Staff
64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or...
- Foreign Birth Registration
65. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a foreign birth registration application will be processed for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Passport Services
66. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications that have been requested to be resubmitted by the Passport Office as a direct result of officials in that...
- Department of Defence
- Departmental Staff
68. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or...
- Schools Building Projects
70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a building for a school (details supplied). [55666/22]
- Special Educational Needs
72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills , further to Parliamentary Question No. 461 of 15 February 2022, if she will include the CHO 1 area in the extension of the pilot of the school...
- School Transport
73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the age limit for school bus drivers can be extended from 70 to 75 years, given that most of these drivers are retired men and women who do...
- Teaching Qualifications
74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that teachers who have qualified as primary teachers in the UK cannot return to do their on-the-job...
- Teaching Council of Ireland
75. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can assist in a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55735/22]
- Special Educational Needs
76. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for an additional SNA will be approved for a school (details supplied); and if she will expedite a positive outcome. [55746/22]
- Teacher Training
77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places in each teacher training college for initial teacher training for primary school teachers for the past five years, including...
- Special Educational Needs
78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an application by a school (details supplied) for funding for a new SEN 2 base along with the replacement of four...
- School Transport
81. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will expedite a school bus ticket for a pupil (details supplied). [55902/22]
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Social Welfare Eligibility
82. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the one-off payments in budget 2023 will be counted as income when applying for a means-tested social protection payment;...
- Departmental Staff
83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of civil servants in her Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a...
- Community Employment Schemes
84. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the community employment ex-gratia payment for supervisors and assistant supervisors will be made in respect of a person...
- Personal Public Service Numbers
85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a PPS number will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) who has submitted the required documentation; and if...
- Social Welfare Appeals
86. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal in the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of an alleged...
- Social Welfare Payments
87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a guardian's payment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
88. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55685/22]
- Social Welfare Payments
89. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who applied for the working family payment in August...
- State Pensions
90. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address the concerns outlined in detail in relation to the pension entitlement of a person (details supplied); if...
- Social Welfare Rates
91. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the correct level of fuel allowance payable in the case of persons (details supplied); if the full amount is being paid; and...
- Departmental Reports
92. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the date for the publication of the Child Maintenance Review Group Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Social Welfare Benefits
93. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) did not receive any payments when caring for her elderly father before he passed away;...
- Public Sector Pensions
94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extra assistance provided by her Department in budget 2023 in terms of double payments and so on to pensioners who are not...
- Social Welfare Payments
95. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that persons who are in receipt of illness benefit for a period similar to the qualification period for qualifying...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Childcare Services
96. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the building block strand B funding for childcare providers application deadline...
- International Protection
97. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a payment will issue to a commercial accommodation provider of Ukrainian refugees (details supplied); and if...
- Mother and Baby Homes
98. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there will be extra compensation under the mother-and-baby homes to children of African descent who were born...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Third Level Education
100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update in respect of the current status of Erasmus+ programmes; his plans for a funding scheme to support third level...
- Departmental Staff
101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or...
- Immigration Status
103. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a stamp 3 provided in the cases of persons (details supplied) can be upgraded to stamp 4, given that their mother is an...
- Visa Applications
105. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of visa applications in the case of persons (details supplied); and if she will make...
- Family Law Cases
106. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the outcome of the public consultation following the Report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on Reform...
- Immigration Status
107. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current and expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the...
- Department of Health
- Medical Aids and Appliances
108. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the Freestyle Libre2 application for reimbursement on the HSE's long-term illness scheme through the community-funded aids and appliances. [55668/22]
- Hospital Services
111. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons attending University Limerick Hospital Group adult diabetes service and using insulin pump therapy to manage their condition; and if he...
- Hospital Staff
113. To ask the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent posts for consultant endocrinologists, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, staff nurses and...
- Hospital Appointments Status
114. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for an echocardiogram in Letterkenny University Hospital; if they are on the urgent or routine...
- Hospital Overcrowding
115. To ask the Minister for Health the new actions that he is proposing to take, in light of the news that over 27,000 persons left Ireland's emergency departments before receiving treatment...
- Covid-19 Pandemic
116. To ask the Minister for Health if supports will be put in place for persons who are experiencing long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55687/22]
- Vaccination Programme
117. To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline the procedure in place for ensuring that NIAC recommendations are put into practice; the procedure to be followed to ensure the procurement...
- Health Services
118. To ask the Minister for Health the number of beds operational at a medical setting (details supplied) in County Kerry; the number that are vacant; the reason that they are vacant; and if he...
- Mental Health Services
120. To ask the Minister for Health if he can ensure that a bed can be provided in Letterkenny University Hospital psychiatric unit for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he...
- Hospital Appointments Status
121. To ask the Minister for Health if an MRI scan can be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55701/22]
- Pharmacy Services
122. To ask the Minister for Health his views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55715/22]
- Covid-19 Tests
123. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that in Mullingar Covid testing centre, the National Ambulance Service will take over Covid testing capacity and be...
- Ambulance Service
125. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide recognition and professional status for highly qualified staff in the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Healthcare Policy
126. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the necessary support services would be provided to women who have opted for a home birth delivery, and that no new guidelines or...
- Primary Care Centres
127. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress update on the new east Meath primary care centre; the latest expected date for completion of the project and for services to...
- Hospital Facilities
128. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 710 of 17 May 2022, if he will provide an update on the National Cervical Screening Laboratory at the Coombe; the date it...
- Healthcare Policy
129. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the HSE recommendation to limit home births to women who live within 30 minutes of a maternity hospital; and if he will make a statement on...
- Mental Health Services
130. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in accessing the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, service in Galway city and county; the urgent action being taken...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
131. To ask the Minister for Health when home care workers employed during the Covid-19 pandemic will receive their €1,000 bonus payment; the reason for the delay in paying this; if he can...
- Public Sector Pensions
132. To ask the Minister for Health the reason that pensioners who used to work for the HSE and received their salaries on a fortnightly basis receive their pension on a monthly basis in arrears;...
- Health Services Staff
133. To ask the Minister for Health the number of district medical officers on salary from the HSE in the State; the location of each; the increase in salary for these in the past ten years; the...
- EU Directives
134. To ask the Minister for Health if he has raised concerns at EU level in relation to the short-term effect of the medical device regulation, which came into effect on 26 May 2021; if subject...
- Departmental Contracts
135. To ask the Minister for Health the amount paid to consultants by his Department in each of the years 2011 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the name of each organisation used; the reason that...
- Care Services
136. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1079 of 2 November 2021, the progress made regarding the preparation of a care plan for a person (details supplied); and...
- Healthcare Policy
137. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the engagement that the national oversight group for the HSE national home birth service had with women's health stakeholders...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
138. To ask the Minister for Health when persons working in non-HSE nursing homes will receive the pandemic bonus of €1,000; the reason for the delay with these payments; and if he will...
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
139. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to delays in processing registration applications at the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for those who were qualified...
- Ambulance Service
140. To ask the Minister for Health the reason that the National Ambulance Service does not report on call-out times on a county-by-county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Disability Services
144. To ask the Minister for Health the length of time that each of the children referred to and waiting to be seen by Clare children’s disability network team is waiting, in tabular form;...
- Hospital Appointments Status
145. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) in expediting an appointment for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Departmental Staff
146. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher...
- Public Sector Pensions
147. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with Coillte with a view to increasing the pension payments for retired workers, given that their pensions have not...
- Animal Slaughtering
148. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that Ireland is accepting 134,995 horses for slaughter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Horse Racing Industry
149. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to reports that each Irish horse racing track is averaging at least one death per meeting (details...
- Legislative Reviews
150. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is intended to repeal the Noxious Weeds Act 1936/37 in view of the new understanding of the need for biodiversity and the need...
- Department of Rural and Community Development
- Departmental Staff
151. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of civil servants in her Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher...
