Written answers
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
- Department of An Taoiseach
- Church-State Relations
1. To ask the Taoiseach if he has had any recent engagement with church leaders; if structures are in place to facilitate Church and State dialogue. [26078/25]
- Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements
2. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his attendance at the funeral of Pope Francis. [26079/25]
- Departmental Consultations
4. To ask the Taoiseach if he plans to provide places for parents and carers to be represented on the Department of An Taoiseach Disability Unit [26142/25]
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Trade Agreements
5. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline how he is honouring his commitment to defend the interests of farmers by opposing the EU Mercosur deal in its current form. [26156/25]
- Foreign Conflicts
6. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the situation in India/Pakistan. [26267/25]
- Northern Ireland
7. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the making of any legacy deal with the UK government that would undermine the calls for a public inquiry into the...
- Diplomatic Representation
9. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the countries and cities where Ireland currently maintains an embassy or consulate; the countries under consideration for future Irish...
- Freedom of Speech
10. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the reported expulsion of two Irish nationals (details supplied) from Germany in connection with their participation in...
- Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
- Data Centres
11. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the establishment of a data centre in a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on...
- Waste Management
12. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the proliferation of fires occurring in waste collection vehicles due to the presence...
- Broadband Infrastructure
13. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of villages and townlands in Tipperary still awaiting the roll out highspeed broadband; and if he will make a...
- Energy Conservation
15. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware that night storage heating meter are not entitled to a smart meter; if he is aware this is therefore...
- Climate Action Plan
16. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the social climate action plan, which is due to be published by June 2025, will be made available; and if he will...
- Departmental Strategies
17. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the national building renovation plan, which is due by the end of 2025, will be published; and if he will make a...
- Energy Conservation
18. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment whether the Government is on track to meeting retrofitting targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26232/25]
- Fuel Poverty
19. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the Energy Poverty Action Plan will be published; the reason it was not published when it was due in 2024; and if...
- Data Centres
20. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the number of islanded data centres contracted to connect to the gas network; the number connected to the gas...
- Renewable Energy Generation
21. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are statutory planning guidelines for the construction of anaerobic digestors; and if he will make a statement...
- Department of Defence
- Air Corps
23. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence whether he has ruled out acquiring Israeli-built Spike anti-tank guided missiles for use on the recently purchased Airbus H145M helicopters....
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Driver Test
24. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to urgently address the unacceptable average waiting time for a driver test appointment of 27 weeks (details supplied); and if he will...
- Greenways Provision
25. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the delay in analysing wildlife surveys carried out during the construction of greenways, given that some were not analysed...
- Driver Licences
26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if they can please clarify if there are any new changes to the process of renewing an individual’s driver’s license,...
- Departmental Investigations
27. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 415 of 13 May 2025, to provide details about this detailed examination; the date on which the...
- Rail Network
28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when Irish Rail will arrange for the repainting of the steps leading down to platforms 2 and 3 at Howth Junction/Donaghmede DART Station;...
- Parking Provision
29. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of disabled parking permits granted from 2018 to 2024, including the total value of administration fees charged in each year,...
- National Car Test
30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of NCT appointments cancelled by the NCT service, for each test centre in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and...
- Department of Finance
- Primary Medical Certificates
31. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the report that has been received by his Department that was produced the sub-group convened to progress NDIS proposals for...
- Tax Collection
32. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason that the Revenue Commissioners are imposing late interest and charges on VAT liabilities, which are filed and paid in full no more than a few days...
- Tax Reliefs
33. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will review the structure of tax relief on third-level tuition fees, with a particular view to supporting families who are just above the SUSI grant...
- Primary Medical Certificates
34. To ask the Minister for Finance for an update on proposed changes to the primary medical certificate scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26257/25]
- Financial Services
35. To ask the Minister for Finance to clarify that credit servicing firms, regulated by the central Bank of Ireland, are permitted to hold legal title of mortgages without owning the loan...
- Insurance Coverage
39. To ask the Minister for Finance if insurance companies providing home insurance under the consumer protection code are required to inform customers if they are under insured and of the...
- National Asset Management Agency
40. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 292 of 8 May 2025, to clarify that the current CEO of NAMA will not transfer to the resolution unit; if a pathway for...
- Dormant Accounts Fund
41. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will design and set up a dormant funds scheme for dormant investment funds in the State which currently hold €102 million and not leave the...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Public Procurement Contracts
43. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of the audit report into the Oireachtas bike shed by a company (details supplied). [26161/25]
- Public Sector Pensions
44. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if service training days will be considered towards days service with respect to an individual’s pension eligibility (details...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Business Regulation
46. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide the number of successful requests for data on beneficial ownership from the beneficial ownership registry made by the...
- Department of Education and Skills
- School Staff
47. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she plans to grant full public sector status to all school secretaries and caretakers; if so, the timeline for extending access to public...
- Child Abuse
48. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 566 of 22 January 2024, if the high-level group has reported on the proposed terms of reference; and if so,...
- Special Educational Needs
49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current qualification requirements for teachers assigned to special classes or special education units, including autism classes, in primary...
- Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta
51. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills cad é an próiseas lenar féidir le Bunscoileanna páirt a ghlacadh i Scéim Aitheantais na Scoileanna Gaeltachta, agus an...
- Site Acquisitions
52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of transfer of lands from the HSE to the Department of Education for a school (details supplied); if further efforts will be...
- School Staff
53. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the classification of secretaries and caretakers as public sector workers. [26181/25]
- Schools Amalgamation
54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the Department are currently developing plans to amalgamate two schools (details supplied) onto a greenfield site which can cater for current...
- Schools Building Projects
55. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the planned works for school buildings (details supplied); the current stage each project is at; and the expected timeline for...
- School Funding
56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address an urgent and critical issue for a school (details supplied). [26224/25]
- School Staff
60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a limit has been placed by her Department on the hours allotted to schools for teacher employment; the amount of hours sanctioned for the...
- Schools Building Projects
61. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a permanent building for a school (details supplied); the timeline for its delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Special Educational Needs
62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of communication between her Department and the NCSE; if the NCSE report to her Department on the demand for mild learning classes in...
- School Funding
64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when she expects the minor works grant and the ICT grant payments to be made to applicant schools; the measures she is taking to ensure that the...
- School Staff
65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding caretaker and secretary pension provisions; and if she will...
- Special Educational Needs
66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to insure that mainstream schools will have the funding, resources and ability to effectively teach children with mild...
- Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Online Safety
69. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he is considering the introduction of a ban on access to social media platforms for children under the age of 16 years; if he...
- Swimming Pools
70. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there is a national plan to expand the provision of public local swimming pools, in particular for the provision of a public...
- Artists' Remuneration
71. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide clarity on the basic income for artists pilot programme; his plans to support those working in the arts who may not...
- Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- Social Welfare Eligibility
82. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to review a decision to remove disability allowance from a person (details supplied); to clarify if the payment will be...
- School Meals Programme
83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will provide a breakdown of all primary schools now in receipt of the Hot School Meals Programme, by county, in tabular...
- Social Welfare Benefits
84. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on plans to introduce pay related parents benefit; for an estimated cost for this extension if it was modelled...
- Pension Provisions
86. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the planned work programme over the next seven months to ensure that auto enrolment is operational on 1 January...
- Social Welfare Benefits
87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update on the reasonable accommodation fund and disability awareness scheme. [26251/25]
- Social Welfare Appeals
88. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a domiciliary care allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in respect of their application for their...
- Social Welfare Eligibility
92. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on a carers support grant application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a...
- State Pensions
94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on a request by a person (details supplied), to further backdate his State pension contributory...
- Social Welfare Payments
95. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current waiting time for a decision on an additional needs application; if he will take action to assist social welfare in...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Family Law Cases
96. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to Denmark's formal recognition of parental alienation; if any lessons can be learned from their...
- Prison Service
97. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of psychologists employed in each prison; and the number of vacant psychologist positions. [26137/25]
- International Protection
98. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 912 of 15 May 2025, to further elaborate on possible future developments at a site...
- Prison Service
99. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views in relation to the noise from industrial fans being emitted from Mountjoy Prison, particularly close to the walls of...
- Citizenship Applications
100. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a person is entitled to Irish citizenship (details supplied). [26148/25]
- Immigration Policy
101. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the best course of action for a person (details supplied). [26149/25]
- Naturalisation Applications
102. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the process for naturalisation applications; the duration of this process; if there are any delays to the...
- Student Visas
103. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications and approvals for a student visa from students in Türkiye in each of the years 2014-2024 and...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Animal Diseases
104. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline what arose during his meeting with all stakeholders at the TB forum; the efforts being made to introduce an adequately...
- Agriculture Schemes
105. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of those farmers who are participants in ACRES awaiting payment for both 2024 and 2025; the amount awaiting a balancing...
- Animal Diseases
108. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will agree and implement a consistent and adequately resourced TB scheme, which includes a plan to manage infected wildlife....
- Fishery Harbour Centres
109. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will provide the necessary funding to re-mark the car park spaces within the west pier of Howth Fishery Harbour...
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Child and Family Agency
110. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason therapy for a child (details supplied) was stopped; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Disability Services
111. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the approved staffing composition of each children's disability network team in Waterford, by profession and...
- Disabilities Assessments
113. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether there is a pause on the assessments of need process across any of the children's disability network...
- Disability Services
117. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children on waiting lists for therapies with a children's disability network team in Waterford, by...
- Disabilities Assessments
122. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE assessment officers based in CHO2 in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [26132/25]
- Disability Services
123. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of young adults within an intellectual disability in Galway that are on the waiting list for day...
- Disabilities Assessments
124. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide details of autism assessment waiting times in CHO2 area. [26134/25]
- Disability Services
125. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason for terminating respite residential care for foster children at a Clare facility (details supplied);...
- Childcare Services
127. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress being made on the urgent need for reform of core funding in order that it actually benefits both...
- Disabilities Assessments
128. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the health service has contracted companies (details supplied), or otherwise engaged commercially with these...
- Childcare Services
130. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for a list of all registered childcare providers in North Kildare, in a tabular form. [26315/25]
- Department of Health
- Health Services Staff
131. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a speech and language therapist in post at the National Gender Service; and if so, the years in which the National Gender Service had a speech and...
- Primary Care Services
132. To ask the Minister for Health the current waiting times for primary school students to avail of speech and language therapy in County Longford through primary care services. [26283/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status
135. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hysterectomy operation after cancellation for the fourth time; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Health Services Staff
136. To ask the Minister for Health if there is an embargo on hiring radiotherapists with working experience for the HSE; the reasoning for such an embargo; and if she will make a statement on...
- Care Services
139. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the number of patients currently in the dementia specific unit in Sarsfield Court; and the future plans for the unit. [26081/25]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
140. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people on waiting lists for a gynaecologist appointment, per hospital, from each quarter in 2024 to date in 2025, in tabular form. [26085/25]
- Care Services
141. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the HSE no longer provides funding for a centre (details supplied) to open five days a week for people with Alzheimer's disease; the estimated...
- Nursing Homes
142. To ask the Minister for Health if she will detail, on a LHO area basis, the HIQA-accredited private nursing homes for older people, in tabular form. [26087/25]
- Health Services Staff
143. To ask the Minister for Health the number of public health nurse's per community health network, and per 10,000 of population, across each community health network from 2018 to 2020, in...
- General Practitioner Services
144. To ask the Minister for Health her Department's forecast of the number of GMS retirements over the next two years, five years and ten years. [26090/25]
- Medical Cards
145. To ask the Minister for Health the numbers of those currently in receipt of GP only card; and the estimated numbers of the population entitled to the card. [26091/25]
- General Practitioner Services
147. To ask the Minister for Health her Department's assessment of the number of GP's with a GMS contract who work part-time hours. [26093/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status
148. To ask the Minister for Health to fast track the essential orthopaedic appointment for Cork University Hospital for person (details supplied), as it is a very serious concern. [26094/25]
- Care of the Elderly
149. To ask the Minister for Health if housing provision for older people falls under her remit within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26095/25]
- General Practitioner Services
150. To ask the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that, by reference to the ratio between GPs operating the GMS scheme and eligible persons, the general practitioner medical service is...
- Alcohol Sales
151. To ask the Minister for Health to clarify the status of the regulations regarding alcohol labelling, which were signed into law by the previous Minister in May 2023, following an extensive...
- Hospital Equipment
152. To ask the Minister for Health the number of PET machines and PET/CT machines at University Hospital Waterford; the number of operational machines; and the throughput of each machine from...
- Medical Register
156. To ask the Minister for Health the status of regulation of psychologists and the protection of the title psychologist; and the timeframe for registration. [26122/25]
- Medical Qualifications
159. To ask the Minister for Health the quality controls which are in place for the acceptance of assessments conducted by private psychologists for use in access to public services; and the...
- Hospital Staff
161. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE radiation therapists employed in Galway University Hospital in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [26138/25]
- Health Services Staff
162. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE community orthoptist posts in CHO2 area in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [26139/25]
- Disease Management
163. To ask the Minister for Health if she will improve access to accurate testing and adequate treatment for Lyme disease and coinfections to prevent long-term chronic illness in patients; and...
- Health Services
164. To ask the Minister for Health to examine and intervene in the case of a Kerry constituent (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26158/25]
- Departmental Budgets
165. To ask the Minister for Health the level of overall funding provided by her Department to the HSE South, Cork and Kerry, for distribution to Section 39 agencies from 2020 to 2023; and if she...
- Hospital Facilities
166. To ask the Minister for Health to arrange for a meeting room to be made available in a facility (details supplied), for use by local organised groups whose members are recovering from major...
- Medicinal Products
167. To ask the Minister for Health if she will address the ongoing shortage of estradot (estradiol transdermal) patches in Ireland; if she is aware that women are frequently having to change...
- Health Service Executive
168. To ask the Minister for Health the current status of transfer of lands from the HSE to the Department of Education for a school (details supplied); if further efforts will be made to proceed...
- Health Services
169. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people under the age of 18 years that have accessed the National Gender Service; and the criteria under which the service accepts referrals from...
- Health Services Waiting Lists
170. To ask the Minister for Health the waiting time for adults to be seen within the National Gender Service. [26205/25]
- Medical Cards
171. To ask the Minister for Health the number of individuals who currently hold a medical card; the number who currently hold a discretionary medical card; and these figures for May, 2019, 2020,...
- Health Services Staff
172. To ask the Minister for Health when the commitment in the Programme for Government to provide a progressive career pathway for healthcare assistants will be implemented; the plan for...
- Medical Register
175. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware that a company (details supplied) is claiming that they are CORU compliant; and whether such compliance exists. [26247/25]
- Medical Cards
176. To ask the Minister for Health to expedite the medical card renewal application of a person (details attached); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26259/25]
- Mental Health Policy
177. To ask the Minister for Health for the projected costs of implementing the Mental Health Bill, including the cost of staffing that will be needed to expand the remit of the Mental Health...
- Cancer Services
178. To ask the Minister for Health if allogenic transplants for paediatric cancer patients will be restored in hospitals as part of the National Children’s Cancer Service; and if she will...
- Disease Management
179. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for the publication of the National Framework for Endometriosis, given previous commitments that it was in the final stages of development; the...
- Health and Safety
180. To ask the Minister for Health the number of inspections and enforcement actions undertaken under the annual sunbed inspection programme in each of the past five years; how the effectiveness...
- Hospital Staff
181. To ask the Minister for Health the optimum staffing allocation per clinical post in the neurosurgery department at Beaumont Hospital; the current status of these posts; and how staffing...
- Mental Health Services
182. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant psychiatrists based at CAMHS in Dublin 3, in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form [26309/25]
- Primary Care Centres
183. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE psychologists based in Tonlegee Road primary care centre in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form [26310/25]
- Medicinal Products
184. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the review of atropine 0.01%; if consideration has been given to making it available for myopia control; and if she will make a statement on...
- Disease Management
186. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline the supports available for people who suffer from rare diseases in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26354/25]
- Hospital Procedures
187. To ask the Minister for Health the number of complaints or queries related to unnecessary hip surgeries or advised hip surgeries on children to Children’s Health Ireland since 2015...
- Disease Management
188. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any plans to introduce genetic testing to help diagnose rare diseases in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26371/25]
- Medicinal Products
189. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any proposals to include Venlafaxine in the free HRT scheme, given this is commonly prescribed for women who cannot take HRT due to previous...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Further and Higher Education
190. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans for capital investment in further and higher education facilities in Galway during the remainder of 2025. [26136/25]
- Third Level Education
191. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the engagement his Department has had with third level institutions to ensure that, as much as possible, exams are not held off campus; and if he...
- Student Accommodation
192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funding is provided to subsidise the cost in delivering student accommodation for third level students, whether consideration would...
- Department of Rural and Community Development
- Regeneration Projects
193. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount spent on projects under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund within Galway in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in...
- Departmental Schemes
194. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of all funds, grants or schemes, available to community groups and organisations, which are funded by his Department and...
- Departmental Funding
199. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will confirm the reason there has been a reduction in the funding allocated for a Town Centre First Master Plan in County Kerry...
