Written answers
Thursday, 10 April 2025
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Bord na Móna
13. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the proposed sale of Bord na Móna recycling; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Wind Energy Generation
14. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his Department’s plans for the development of south coast offshore wind infrastructure; and if he will make a...
- Energy Conservation
16. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current waiting list for the warmer homes scheme in County Offaly; how this compares to waiting lists in other...
- Energy Policy
17. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Environment if initiatives such as the Tallaght district heating scheme that reuse heat from an existing data centre...
- Sustainable Development Goals
19. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide a timeframe to implement the whole-of-Government strategy to fully integrate the sustainable...
- Energy Prices
20. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he is taking to reduce household energy bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17835/25]
- Energy Policy
21. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the date on which a private wires policy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17088/25]
- Energy Conservation
22. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action his Department is taking to reduce the timeframe for the SEAI warmer homes scheme application process, in...
- Energy Policy
23. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if specific funding will be provided this year for the development of communal and district heating schemes; how that...
- Electricity Generation
26. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the Government’s long-term plan for ensuring a reliable and clean flexible power system to back up wind energy...
- Energy Conservation
28. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes that have been retrofitted in each of the past ten years. [17288/25]
- Telecommunications Infrastructure
29. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has engaged with telecommunication companies in relation to phone lines still being out, 70 days after storm...
- Energy Policy
30. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding mechanism currently available to established communal and district heating schemes (details supplied) for...
- Telecommunications Infrastructure
31. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if, given the reference in the National Risk Assessment 2024 in relation to disruptions to the availability of critical...
- Energy Infrastructure
32. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagement he has had with the ESB to improve energy infrastructure and prepare for future catastrophic storms as...
- Official Engagements
33. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagements he has had with Eirgrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17925/25]
- Business Supports
34. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update regarding the uptake of the business energy upgrades scheme retrofit programme for SMEs....
- Energy Policy
35. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the safety and environmental regulations in place for battery energy storage system facilities; and if he will make a...
- Data Centres
36. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he and his Department are planning to enhance data centres' use of renewable energy sources and energy...
- Wind Energy Generation
37. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to provide an update on the expansion of the offshore wind energy taskforce. [17284/25]
- Climate Change Policy
39. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding any projects supported in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council area under the Climate...
- Wind Energy Generation
40. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an update on offshore wind; the measures his Department is taking to accelerate delivery of same; and if he will...
- Recycling Policy
41. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the up-to-date position on the provision of the deposit return scheme at civic amenity sites in Cork county; and if he...
- Climate Action Plan
42. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the Climate Action Plan 2026; when he expects the plan to be published; and if he will...
- Energy Policy
43. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will publish a report by an organisation (details supplied) reviewing its recommendations in relation to the...
- Renewable Energy Generation
45. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the rollout of renewable energy, in particular in relation to his commitment to engage...
- Business Supports
46. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of businesses that have benefitted for the business energy upgrade scheme for each of the past ten years....
- Energy Policy
47. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will mandate energy companies to use the excess energy, which is currently being wasted; and if he will make a...
- Waste Management
48. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware that waste companies have not provided brown compost bins to customers as per the legislation which came...
- Renewable Energy Generation
49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures his Department has taken to extend or (re)negotiate State aid for the renewable electricity support scheme;...
- Energy Conservation
51. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action he is taking to resolve the ongoing increasing timelines for completion of works under the SEAI free energy...
- National Broadband Plan
52. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the roll out of the National Broadband Ireland service in Portmarnock, north Dublin; and...
- Illegal Dumping
53. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the levels of illegal dumping throughout Dublin; the plans the Government has to address this problem; and if he will...
- Electricity Grid
54. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of grid alerts issued by Eirgrid in the past twelve months; the efforts his Department is taking to improve...
- Renewable Energy Generation
55. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on his Department’s role in the accelerating renewable electricity taskforce and the...
- Energy Policy
56. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the development of long-duration energy storage in Ireland; and if he will make a...
- Energy Conservation
58. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the retrofit scheme; the number of homes that have benefitted from the scheme to date;...
- Air Quality
60. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set up a specific fund for local authorities for the installation of air monitoring units in urban areas; and the...
- Energy Prices
61. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has undertaken a review electricity costs and the current market design to determine the cause of high...
- Energy Policy
62. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which the Eirgrid All Island Resource Adequacy Assessment 2025-2034 (details supplied) will impact on energy...
- Data Centres
64. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on any district heating projects connected with data centres having either being rolled out...
- Electricity Generation
65. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to address the anticipated surge in electricity demand, as outlined in EirGrid’s most recent...
- Telecommunications Infrastructure
66. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the proposals he has to progress the commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain support to the mobile phone...
- Official Engagements
67. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagements he has had regarding significant infrastructural projects that fall under his Department, a body under...
- Telecommunications Infrastructure
68. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the efforts made in recent months to restore broadband and phone infrastructure following storm Éowyn;...
- Energy Policy
69. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline, given the increasing competing energy needs of both residents and large industries operating in north...
- Wind Energy Generation
70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update regarding Ireland’s post-2030 wind energy strategy; if work is underway to develop a...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Departmental Policies
71. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the future revenue of the all-Island economy, given that tariffs are 10% in the North and 20% here, which is creating a two-tier...
- International Relations
74. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the two Irish citizens facing deportation from Germany for taking part in peaceful protests; whether he has engaged with...
- Artificial Intelligence
75. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased...
- Departmental Correspondence
80. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from the...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Departmental Reports
83. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an exact date for the release of the report on liquified natural gas, commissioned by his...
- Departmental Strategies
84. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures the Government has taken to date in supporting Mayo County Council's Digital Strategy 2024-2026 to improve...
- Climate Change Policy
85. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the work his Department has carried out to ensure that our infrastructure is resilient to climate change; and if he will...
- Waste Management
86. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment whether consideration has been given for a dumping taskforce to tackle dumping in Cork city. [18098/25]
- Energy Policy
87. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment about Exercise Cathal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17919/25]
- Departmental Policies
88. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will investigate a case (details supplied); if he will outline the safeguards in place to prevent issues like this...
- Air and Water Pollution
89. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures that are being implemented to monitor and mitigate air pollution in identified hotspots within Dublin...
- Wind Energy Generation
92. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps being taken to ensure that the development of offshore wind and green hydrogen infrastructure directly...
- Energy Policy
93. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the specific measures being taken to attract private and foreign investment into Ireland’s green hydrogen sector;...
- Energy Production
94. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is investigating the successful cases of portable hydrogen fuel cells to replace diesel generators within the film...
- Energy Policy
95. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the detailed implementation plan for the national hydrogen strategy will be published; and if he will provide a...
- Artificial Intelligence
96. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in...
- Departmental Correspondence
101. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the...
- Departmental Surveys
103. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative...
- Department of Defence
- Departmental Consultations
104. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence whether he has discussed the possibility of an EU defence union with any of his international counterparts since taking office. [12129/25]
- Departmental Staff
105. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of times, in each of the past 24 months, that the Naval Service could not run planned sailings because of staffing or capacity...
- Departmental Expenditure
108. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the cadet classes of the Defence Forces were ever housed in hotels; the number of times this happened; the length of time in each case; and a...
- Departmental Schemes
109. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the implementation of theme 28 (hybrid defence) under the detailed implementation plan; and if he will make a...
- Defence Forces
110. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the strength of the permanent Defence Force as of 31 March 2025 or the latest date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Legislative Process
111. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence for an update on proposed legislation to abolish the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18305/25]
- Defence Forces
113. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider funding a Defence Forces liaison officer to deal with the significant housing challenges that are facing serving members and...
- Departmental Data
115. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data...
- Departmental Projects
116. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will identify any projects which the Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; and if he will make a...
- Artificial Intelligence
117. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will identify any projects which a body under the aegis of his Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for...
- Departmental Correspondence
120. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from the...
- Departmental Surveys
122. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such time...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Departmental Programmes
123. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the corrective actions he will take to ensure that the transport sector meets its emissions reductions targets by 2030 and does not...
- Departmental Policies
124. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to address the long driving test wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18092/25]
- Departmental Funding
125. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be provided to expand active travel projects in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Departmental Programmes
127. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider extending the current rural transport programme contacts from the existing five years to an extended period of eight...
- Transport Policy
128. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the establishment of a new transport co-ordination unit) public service body; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Staff
130. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 210 of 18 February 2025, if the 70 additional permanent positions for driver testers sanctioned by...
- Transport Infrastructure Ireland
132. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Transport Infrastructure Ireland has any plans to introduce traffic calming measures at Clonbanin Cross, Mallow, County Cork, as there...
- Transport Policy
133. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has considered providing a pathway for reimbursing motor tax for people who were unable to declare their vehicle...
- Departmental Schemes
134. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his intention to sign a Statutory Instrument on behalf of the 51 CIÉ superannuation scheme; and if he will make a...
- Departmental Staff
135. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of driving testers in Sligo driving test centre; the current wait time for a test in Sligo; the number of applicants waiting...
- Road Safety Authority
136. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is he aware of the case of a person (details supplied); if he will raise this case with the Road Safety Authority with a view to...
- Transport Policy
137. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request that Iarnród Éireann review the use of protected railway structures such as the Victorian era bridge...
- Greenways Provision
138. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will expedite the Tralee and Listowel greenway in County Kerry; when will a decision be made on the preferred route; when work will...
- Pension Provisions
145. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline any involvement he or his Department has had relative to discussions regarding the CIÉ pension scheme for regular wage...
- Tax Exemptions
146. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is an exemption for motor tax if the car was off the road for the entire year of unpaid tax; and if he will make a statement on...
- Departmental Policies
147. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the widespread damage caused by falling trees in recent storms affecting ESB transmission lines, telecommunication lines and...
- Artificial Intelligence
148. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the...
- Departmental Correspondence
153. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from...
- Departmental Surveys
155. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such...
- Transport Policy
156. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the procurement for the electrification of bus depots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18499/25]
- Department of Finance
- Departmental Policies
158. To ask the Minister for Finance if there is an increase or a proposed increase in VRT for full electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18163/25]
- Health Services
164. To ask the Minister for Finance the measures being taken to address the taxation issues affecting the GP Care for All initiative, particularly concerning the Summerhill practice in...
- Seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge
165. To ask the Minister for Finance míniú a thabhairt maidir leis an bhfáth ar dhiúltaigh sé do leasú Uimh. 5 ar Chéim an Choiste den Bhille Airgeadais...
- Artificial Intelligence
166. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data processing...
- Departmental Correspondence
171. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from the public in 2024;...
- Departmental Surveys
173. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such time could be used...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Flood Relief Schemes
174. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an update on the and progress of the Enniscorthy flood defence scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18119/25]
- Departmental Inquiries
177. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an update on a claim (details supplied) made to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18135/25]
- Artificial Intelligence
179. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he plans to update the interim guidelines for the use of AI in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Departmental Surveys
180. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department assesses productivity across all Government Departments; the methodology of how that is assessed, and areas where...
- Departmental Policies
181. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department is developing a policy for the use of high-risk AI tools, as categorised by the EU AI Act; and if he will make a...
- Artificial Intelligence
182. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department is considering the development of a national data library such as that proposed in the UK AI Action Plan; and if he...
- Departmental Correspondence
188. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from...
- Departmental Surveys
190. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Low Pay Commission
191. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update regarding the Low Pay Commission recommendation of the abolition of the sub-minimum rates. [18138/25]
- Work Permits
193. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permit applications for the homecare sector received since the scheme opened in January 2023; the number of work...
- Employment Schemes
194. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide details of any engagement between his Department and other Government Departments on the question of short-time...
- Departmental Projects
195. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 147 of 12 February 2025, the progress made relative to establishing an appeal process for...
- Small and Medium Enterprises
196. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is considering additional supports for SME’s given the recent tariff announcement by the USA; and if he will make a...
- Departmental Data
197. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of permits issued for the years 2020-2024 for all categories of healthcare assistants; if a quota applies to these...
- Departmental Inquiries
198. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of feedback provided by craftspeople in relation to their experience of their participation in the Collect 24...
- Artificial Intelligence
199. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the...
- Healthcare Policy
201. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider raising the quota or removing it for the category healthcare assistant-community based, given the shortage of...
- Artificial Intelligence
203. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will specify the specific policy areas where the Department is examining future use of AI; if he will identify what entities...
- Departmental Correspondence
205. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received...
- Departmental Schemes
207. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Public Sector Pensions
208. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure that school secretaries have public service pensions similar to those paid by the State in same schools,...
- Departmental Data
209. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the common application system pilot for special class and special school places in Dublin 15; and her plans to expand that out to all...
- School Transport
210. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether school transport has been put in place for the temporary special school facility in Fermoy. [18099/25]
- School Facilities
211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether the temporary special school facility in Fermoy will be open in September. [18100/25]
- Schools Building Projects
212. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether Uisce Éireann has granted sanction for a proposed special school (details supplied). [18101/25]
- School Admissions
215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children currently without a space in an ASD class, and without a special school place, respectively, with an address in Cork for...
- Schools Building Projects
216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the proposed extension to a school (details supplied); and whether this will include an entrance at Lagan Grove. [18105/25]
- Departmental Data
217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school classrooms of 30 pupils or more and their locations around the country during the 2024-2025 academic year; and if...
- Departmental Inquiries
218. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide on update on a matter (details supplied) regarding Leaving Certificate students; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Disability Services
220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 26 March 2025, if she will intervene to ensure that a person (details supplied) finally receives an...
- School Transport
221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine a request from a person (details supplied) regarding the ongoing school transport situation between Templederry, Nenagh,...
- Schools Building Projects
223. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if alterations to an autism unit in a school in County Kerry can be approved (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Public Sector Pensions
225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure that school secretaries have public service pensions similar to those paid by the State in same schools,...
- Departmental Inquiries
226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has met with parents who slept outside her Department recently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18220/25]
- School Textbooks
227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider extending the free schoolbooks scheme to include tablet devices at second level. [18228/25]
- Financial Services
228. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 420 of 25 March 2025, if she will provide a list of the schools referred to the FSSU; and if she will make...
- Departmental Inquiries
229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 4 March 2025, the status of the engagements undertaken with the school to date to progress the...
- School Staff
230. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any assistance her Department can provide in securing an SNA post in a school with relevant qualifications. [18232/25]
- School Transport
231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will contact Bus Éireann to deliver a options for students of a school (details supplied) in their new temporary location; if she...
- Schools Building Projects
232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a permanent school building will be delivered for a school (details supplied); the stage this process is in at the moment; and if she will...
- School Staff
233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a DEIS Band 1 school (details supplied) will lose its 10th teacher (details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18237/25]
- Schools Building Projects
234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has assessed current school capacity in the East Wall and Sheriff Street area in anticipation of a significant rise in...
- School Funding
235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the criteria for DEIS inclusion for schools that have seen a large increase in pupils due to the war in Ukraine and allow for...
- School Enrolments
236. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional school places commensurate with planned buildings and population expansion in the Balgriffin, Portmarnock,...
- School Staff
237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of how the 1,600 new special needs assistant posts for 2025 will be distributed across the country, and...
- Artificial Intelligence
239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the steps her Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data...
- Departmental Correspondence
244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from the...
- Departmental Surveys
246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such time...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Arts Funding
247. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he intends to roll-out a capital and equipment grant for the arts, similar to the annual sports capital grants as recommended...
- Online Safety
248. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his progress to date in the Programme for Government commitment to “resource and implement the new EU online safety...
- Sports Facilities
249. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he is aware of the ongoing shortage of pitch availability for sports clubs throughout Dublin Bay north, particularly in areas...
- Artificial Intelligence
250. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the...
- Departmental Correspondence
255. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received...
- Departmental Surveys
257. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks...
- Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
- Expenditure Reviews
258. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide the detailed expenditure for the purchase of the Ukrainian community cars through the network of local...
- Water Conservation
259. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the ‘Evaluation of applicability of the water reuse regulations in Ireland’ consultation which was...
- Housing Provision
260. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide an update on the measures he is taking to increase housing supply in Wexford, including social housing and...
- Departmental Funding
261. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount allocated to Wexford County Council for the tenant in-situ-scheme for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Local Authorities
262. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant homes officers employed in each local authority; the number of posts that are vacant; the cost of...
- Rental Sector
264. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has carried out, sought or received reports or analysis on the impacts, or potential impacts, that the...
- Housing Policy
267. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government following the Taoiseach’s recent announcement that will be appointed imminently, the powers the Housing Czar will have...
- Water Services
269. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount spent to date by Uisce Éireann on the water supply project eastern and midlands region. [18238/25]
- Housing Schemes
270. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are plans to introduce affordable housing schemes for self-employed persons. [18267/25]
- Housing Policy
271. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if regulations on service charges and sinking funds, which were drafted by the Housing Agency in February 2022, will be issued...
- Housing Provision
273. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his Department's position on Dublin City Council's proposal to restrict care leavers' access to social housing, particularly...
- Vacant Properties
279. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider extending eligibility for the vacant property refurbishment grant to include the conversion of vacant or...
- Local Authorities
280. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the timeline for finalising and publishing the revised local authority level social and affordable housing targets for the...
- Artificial Intelligence
281. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of...
- Departmental Correspondence
286. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department...
- Departmental Functions
288. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks...
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Social Welfare Schemes
289. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection in relation to invalidity pension, if a change has taken place with regard to the application criteria from ‘incapable...
- Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
290. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment who were retrospectively deemed ineligible for the amount they...
- Social Welfare Schemes
291. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he intends to revise the fee paid to optometrists under the PRSI benefit scheme; if so, the status of these plans; the...
- School Meals Programme
295. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the school lunch programme for rural schools, especially in Kerry, as rural schools are faced with a lack...
- Social Welfare Schemes
296. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he has decided to review supports for workers who are put on short-time work in the context of the impact on workers and...
- Artificial Intelligence
300. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of...
- Departmental Correspondence
305. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department...
- Departmental Functions
307. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- An Garda Síochána
308. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí assigned to County Wexford, by rank, in each of the years from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if...
- Departmental Reviews
309. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will review a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18207/25]
- Departmental Data
310. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there is an update regarding the withholding of funds from an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a...
- Citizenship Applications
311. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will expedite an Irish citizenship application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Data
313. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 547 of 25 March 2025, if the information could be provided; and if he will make a...
- An Garda Síochána
314. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he plans to roll out live facial recognition technology as a policing tactic; the safeguards that will be put in place to...
- Youth Services
315. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for a complete breakdown of the number of young persons referred to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme by Garda district in...
- Departmental Projects
316. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of...
- Artificial Intelligence
317. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will identify any projects which the Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; and if...
- Departmental Correspondence
321. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department...
- Departmental Surveys
323. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Agriculture Industry
324. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the total costs of the trade mission to Nigeria and Senegal in September 2023, including the costs of the research and...
- Artificial Intelligence
327. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the...
- Departmental Projects
328. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will identify any projects which the Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; and if he...
- Artificial Intelligence
329. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will identify any projects which a body under the aegis of his Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national...
- Departmental Correspondence
332. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received...
- Departmental Surveys
334. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Childcare Services
335. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to increase the allocation of therapy services to a school (details supplied). [18224/25]
- Departmental Offices
338. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Government intends to purchase the site of the Bessboro mother and baby home and establish a...
- Youth Work Supports
339. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount in youth funding for County Wexford in each of the years from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [18118/25]
- International Protection
340. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department is considering using a hotel (details supplied) in County Wexford for the provision of...
- Disability Services
341. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she has received representations from Section 38 disability service providers about historic financial...
- Departmental Schemes
342. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she plans to bring forward statutory parental bereavement leave; if so, the timeline for same; and if she...
- Departmental Reports
343. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 427 of 20 March 2025, in which she stated that her Department had not...
- Disability Services
345. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if plans are in place to collect data on the number of people waiting for disability home support and personal...
- Childcare Services
346. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department has assessed the current availability and capacity of childcare services in the East Wall and...
- Community Welfare Services
348. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional funding for increased GP, dental, education, creche, and other community services will be provided...
- Child and Family Agency
350. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures being taken to address the reported shortage of social workers within Tusla’s aftercare...
- Artificial Intelligence
352. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline the steps her Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in...
- Departmental Correspondence
357. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the...
- Departmental Surveys
359. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with...
- Department of Health
- Health Services Waiting Lists
360. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting time for initial appointment with the national gender service for each of the years 2020 to date. [18088/25]
- Health Services Staff
361. To ask the Minister for Health the number of clinicians and their speciality, working for the national gender service for each of the years 2020 to date. [18089/25]
- Health Services
362. To ask the Minister for Health the reason public health nursing services have been removed from the local health centre in Limekiln Road to Rathfarnham Health Centre; and if she will make a...
- Health Services Staff
364. To ask the Minister for Health to provide a list of all vacant healthcare posts unable to be filled in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18112/25]
- Childcare Services
365. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy in primary care, in County Wexford; the corresponding...
- Health Services Staff
367. To ask the Minister for Health when staff at a nursing home (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive their section 39 payment increase; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Ambulance Service
368. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulances and ambulance personnel that are based in Monaghan and Castleblayney stations respectively and the corresponding figures for April...
- Home Care Packages
370. To ask the Minister for Health when a home support package, which was approved six weeks ago, will be put in place for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a...
- Health Services
371. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to introduce publicly available gender affirming surgery here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18146/25]
- Departmental Data
372. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of people who attended a prostate rapid access clinic and the proportion who were offered an appointment in the Mater Hospital within 20...
- General Practitioner Services
375. To ask the Minister for Health the current arrangements for a GP practice based in Kildare (details supplied). [18155/25]
- Departmental Data
376. To ask the Minister for Health if she has received representations from voluntary hospitals and Section 38 service providers about historic financial deficits for these organisations; the...
- Health Services Waiting Lists
377. To ask the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of the number of weeks each child listed as suspended on Children’s Health Ireland’s spinal service waiting list has been...
- Departmental Inquiries
378. To ask the Minister for Health her views on a matter (details supplied) raised by an organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18162/25]
- Hospital Facilities
379. To ask the Minister for Health the number of beds which will be available to the paediatric allergy unit in the new National Children’s Hospital; the number of beds currently...
- Departmental Policies
380. To ask the Minister for Health if she will establish a centralised electronic data collection system for timely and accurate reporting of child mortality nationally; if her Department has...
- Mental Health Services
381. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the inpatient mental health support mother and baby unit, as per the model of care for specialist perinatal mental health services; the estimated...
- Medical Cards
383. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends to revise the fee paid to optometrists under the medical card scheme; if so, the status of these plans; the timeline for its implementation; and...
- Departmental Regulations
385. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the regulations being developed under section 23 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 (details supplied); and if she will make a...
- Departmental Data
386. To ask the Minister for Health the amount paid by each of the Cork hospitals to taxi firms in each of the past five years respectively, in tabular form. [18184/25]
- Hospital Transfers
387. To ask the Minister for Health whether a patient who is to be transferred between healthcare facilities via taxi could instead be driven by a family member or friend. [18185/25]
- Disease Management
388. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline what supports are currently available for patients suffering from Lyme disease who are unable to access timely or adequate treatment; if...
- Departmental Meetings
389. To ask the Minister for Health if she will meet with an organisation (details supplied). [18187/25]
- Departmental Contracts
390. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 203 of 5 March 2025, if she will confirm the length of the current contract with a company (details supplied) for the...
- Departmental Reviews
391. To ask the Minister for Health when she intends to publish the review of cardiac services; when Ireland will develop a new national cardiovascular disease strategy; and if she will make a...
- Departmental Funding
392. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people waiting for funding and for a carer for HSE home support in each month of 2025, by CHO and LHO; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Health Services Waiting Lists
394. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people waiting for home support in CHO 8 for longer than one month; longer than three months, longer than six months and longer than twelve...
- Home Care Packages
395. To ask the Minister for Health the average number of hours allocated to a home care package in each LHO in CHO 8; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18199/25]
- Health Services
396. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a patient (details supplied) did not receive sanctioned negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) while in nursing home care, and had to pay for this...
- Departmental Inquiries
397. To ask the Minister for Health if she will confirm the options available to reduce the burden faced in a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18210/25]
- Health Service Executive
398. To ask the Minister for Health the number of caterers within the HSE are employed by agencies from 2020 to date, in tabular form. [18215/25]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
400. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the rheumatology waiting list in Tallaght Hospital; and the steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times. [18217/25]
- Hospital Services
401. To ask the Minister for Health is she aware of problems at St. James’s Hospital accident and emergency with regard to a lack of comfort and care for patients, particularly those...
- General Practitioner Services
402. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the GP Care for All Initiative, particularly concerning a practice (details supplied) in Dublin’s north inner city, which is at risk of...
- Departmental Data
404. To ask the Minister for Health if comprehensive health impact assessments have been conducted in Dublin central to evaluate the effects of prolonged exposure to elevated levels of nitrogen...
- Departmental Inquiries
405. To ask the Minister for Health if she will expedite a procedure in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18253/25]
- Legislative Programme
408. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on proposed legislation introducing further restrictions on nicotine inhaling products or vapes; and if she will make a statement...
- Medicinal Products
409. To ask the Minister for Health her progress to date in making the shingles vaccine (details supplied) available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18286/25]
- Health Services
411. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the new community nursing unit in Clonmel; to provide information on a completion date, a handover date and progress on registration with the...
- Departmental Schemes
412. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the free HRT scheme; the reason for the delay; if back payments to January 2025 will be made to women who qualify for the...
- Ambulance Service
413. To ask the Minister for Health if she will take urgent action to address the wait times for an ambulance in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18314/25]
- Departmental Reports
414. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the publication date of the national endometriosis framework, the working group established to feed into the framework; and if she will...
- Health Service Executive
416. To ask the Minister for Health if surgical excision of endometriosis is currently being offered as a management treatment to patients by the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Health Services
417. To ask the Minister for Health the number of robot-assisted gynaecological surgeries that took place using the Da Vinci surgical system located in Cork University Maternity Hospital annually...
- Health Services Staff
418. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 390 of 6 March 2025, if she will specify the current stage of the recruitment process concerned; the expected timeframe...
- Medical Aids and Appliances
419. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the HIQA review into the use of surgical implants and medical devices at Children's Health Ireland; the date on which she expects this report to...
- Health Service Executive
420. To ask the Minister for Health the HSE’s plans for the former dispensary building in Ballynoe, County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18341/25]
- Artificial Intelligence
421. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline the steps her Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data processing...
- Departmental Correspondence
426. To ask the Minister for Health if she will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from the public in 2024;...
- Departmental Surveys
428. To ask the Minister for Health if she will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such time could be used...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Education and Training Boards
429. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills about a matter concerning a course in an Education and Training Board (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18325/25]
- Education Policy
430. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has considered weighting the CAO points of former students to ensure parity with this year’s Leaving Certificate...
- Departmental Inquiries
431. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18208/25]
- Education Welfare Service
432. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether an educational welfare officer can intervene to first work with the family to address the issue of improving attendance for 15 yea- olds...
- Artificial Intelligence
433. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data...
- Departmental Correspondence
438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received from the...
- Department of Rural and Community Development
- Departmental Funding
441. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding available to a community group to progress a community infrastructure project (details supplied). [18156/25]
- Artificial Intelligence
442. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the...
- Departmental Correspondence
447. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will detail how many physical letters the Minister’s offices and the customer service team in the Department received...
- Departmental Surveys
449. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where...
