2818. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work ongoing to address the cost of childcare for families that have children in childcare centres that offer only 50-hours-per-week placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59669/26]
2817. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her position regarding the supports in place for families who cannot avail of the €183.70 childcare fee cap from September 2026 as their childcare provider does not offer a 45-hours-per-week option; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59655/26]
1680. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on the proposal to set the minimum age requirement for social media use at 13 years of age (details supplied); his views on the adequacy of this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63599/26]
1679. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding any engagement he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the EU proposal to set the age requirement for social media use at 13 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63600/26]
1678. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he proposes to support an EU proposal to set the minimum age requirement for social media use at 13 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63601/26]
1677. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding any research his Department has carried out into the EU proposal to set the minimum age requirement for social media use at 13 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63602/26]
1676. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the extent to which a proposed ban on the use of social media by under-16s has been assessed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63605/26]
1675. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on the adequacy of existing laws and regulations in protecting children online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63606/26]
1674. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he plans to assess the success of the implementation of a ban on social media for under-16s in Australia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63603/26]
1673. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on whether a ban on the use of social media for under-16s could be implemented in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63604/26]
1672. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding any work ongoing within his Department that seeks to improve the level of protection for children online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63607/26]
2814. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the continued absence by a large childcare provider (details supplied) from the core funding scheme; if she is aware of the significant knock on financial burden being placed on parents as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59608/26]
2813. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the engagement her Department has had with a large childcare provider (details supplied) in relation to its departure from the core funding scheme; if negotiations are ongoing in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59599/26]
2812. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the ongoing engagement her Department is having with a large childcare provider group (details supplied) in relation to its fee structures and the knock-on impact on families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59595/26]
2811. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the supports to families in cases whereby their childcare centre significantly increases their prices (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59594/26]
2810. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the engagement her Department had with a childcare centre (details supplied) prior to the notice to parents that there would be a significant fee increase imposed on families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59592/26]
2809. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the significant fee increase being imposed on families by a childcare centre (details supplied); her views on the financial burden that this puts on families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59589/26]
2808. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the engagement her Department has had with the management of a childcare facility (details supplied) since its withdrawal from the core funding model with a view to continuing its participation in this scheme. [59551/26]
2807. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the engagement her Department has had with the management of a childcare facility (details supplied) prior to its withdrawal from the core funding model. [59550/26]
2806. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of a childcare facility from the core funding model (details supplied); and the actions she will take to support parents with the knock-on price increase. [59549/26]
2779. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any inspection mechanisms in place to prevent the abandonment of older pets or pets that have serious illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62964/26]
2778. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider providing for a specific fund for animal welfare charities to deal with the care of abandoned older pets or pets with serious illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62965/26]
2777. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether existing legislation is sufficient to deal with cases of animal abuse/mistreatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62967/26]
2776. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the merits of creating a national register of animal-welfare disqualification orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62969/26]
2775. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that only 2,527 ha have been planted with forestry under his Department’s forestry planting target; if he will confirm that this represents only 32% of the target; his plans to increase planting to reach the target by the end of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62796/26]
2774. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of trees that have been planted under the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 scheme; the area of land that has been covered by trees planted under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62797/26]
2773. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of money collectively paid to landowners to date under the afforestation scheme 2023-2027; the overall costs of the scheme to date, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62799/26]
2772. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated extent to which the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 has sequestered carbon or assisted the achievement of carbon reduction targets; if he will set out the basis for his conclusions in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62800/26]
2771. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider amending the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 to focus on lesser quality farmland, that is land that is less productive for arable farming or grazing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62801/26]
2770. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the funding levels provided to an animal welfare organisation (details supplied) is sufficient to deal with their extensive workload and responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62787/26]
2769. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with animal welfare organisations in relation to their specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62781/26]
2768. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding inspection mechanisms to ensure that the practice of tail docking pigs is prevented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62780/26]
2767. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any work ongoing to address animal cruelty concerns related to the tail docking of pigs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62779/26]
2765. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any proposals to provide multi-annual funding for animal welfare organisations to allow for longer term planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62785/26]
2764. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the funding levels provided to animal welfare organisations is sufficient to deal with their extensive workload and responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62786/26]
2763. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any review of the Control of Horses Act 1996 to ensure the welfare needs of horses are expressly and meaningfully reflected in the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62784/26]
2762. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the animal welfare inspection mechanisms in place to prevent sulky racing and the associated animal welfare issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62783/26]
2761. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to try and prevent sulky racing and the associated animal welfare issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62782/26]
2760. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any work ongoing to address animal cruelty concerns related to the export of live animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62778/26]
2746. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any research ongoing into the merits of progressing the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62268/26]
2745. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to ensure the aims of the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2025 are progressed within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62269/26]
2744. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to crack down on the presence of puppy farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62270/26]
2743. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of inspections carried out on dog breeding facilities in 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62271/26]
2742. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the merits of creating a maximum limit for the number of breeding dogs that can be kept in a single licenced dog breeding establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62272/26]
2741. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any engagement he has had with animal welfare charities regarding the regulation and inspection of licenced dog breeding establishments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62273/26]
2740. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any engagement he has had with animal welfare charities regarding the regulation and inspection of non-licenced dog breeding establishments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62274/26]
2739. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of non-licensed dog breeding centres that have been shut down by his Department or related agencies in each of the years 2022 to 2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62275/26]
2737. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any afforestation plan for urban areas to increase the level of tree cover in appropriate areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62149/26]
2736. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any targets set by his Department in relation to the level of tree cover in urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62150/26]
2735. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any Department led initiative that seeks to increase the level of tree cover in appropriate locations in urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62151/26]