2. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide details of all occasions in which she or her predecessors exercised the power conferred on them under Section 15(3) of the Climate Action & Low Carbon Development Act (2015), which states that ‘the relevant Minister may, from time to time, give a direction to a relevant body requiring it to adopt such measures as are specified in the direction for the purposes of compliance by the relevant body with subsection (1)’; to provide the details of the direction given in all cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15243/26]
1. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Taoiseach to provide details of all occasions in which he or his predecessors exercised the power conferred on them under Section 15(3) of the Climate Action & Low Carbon Development Act (2015), which states that ‘the relevant Minister may, from time to time, give a direction to a relevant body requiring it to adopt such measures as are specified in the direction for the purposes of compliance by the relevant body with subsection (1)’; to provide the details of the direction given in all cases. [15251/26]
388. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on expanding the reach of the bike-to-work scheme beyond PAYE to include everyone, employers, sole-traders, students, jobseekers, the disabled, unpaid homework and the retired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14813/26]
387. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of applications under the cycle-to-work scheme in 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026; if he will provide a breakdown between the number of bicycles, pedelecs, e-bikes, and e-cargo bikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14812/26]
386. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised annually if the current nitrogen dioxide (NOx) levy was applied to both categories A and B vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14807/26]
385. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised if the current nitrogen dioxide (NOx) levy was doubled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14806/26]
384. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the amount of category A vehicles that were charged with the nitrogen dioxide emissions (NOx) levy in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the revenue raised each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14805/26]
337. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport for an update on his discussions with the National Transport Agency regarding the roll-out of Phase 8 (D-Spine) of the BusConnects programme; when he anticipates that the roll-out will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14892/26]
336. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the total cost arising from the reduced 20% public transport fares to the public and the reduced 50% public transport to students and young people under 24 years of age nationwide; if he is considering making the reduction permanent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14811/26]
335. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the level of funding that has been allocated to the safe routes to school programme in 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of schools that are availing of the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14810/26]
334. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the number of schools enrolled in the safe routes to school in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of schools waiting to be enrolled; the breakdown of the number of schools enrolled in the programme by each county council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14809/26]
333. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the number of cars and percentage of the national vehicle fleet powered by fossil fuels in 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14808/26]
635. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that there are delays of up to ten working days arising in providing access to IT accounts for HSE staff returning to work after periods of statutory leave; the details of the average wait time for the provision of access to IT accounts for all grades of staff returning from statutory leave, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13759/26]
376. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of funding provided to a school (details supplied) that is separate from and not tied to the standard capitation grant and is specifically ring-fenced for essential and mandatory emergency administration of medication; the details of any such funding available to special schools to cover required training in areas including the administration of emergency medication such as Buccolam (midazolam), diabetes management, insulin administration, and other high-risk clinical medical procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13934/26]
375. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is aware of reported needle-stick injuries sustained by school staff in a school (details supplied) arising from invasive diabetic care procedures and the schools repeated requests for nursing support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13933/26]
374. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth the statutory basis permits non-registered healthcare staff in schools to undertake clinical interventions ordinarily carried out by regulated professionals; whether responsibility for clinical risk in such cases rests with the Department, the HSE, or the individual board of management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13932/26]
346. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to improve access to special reading schools for children with significant dyslexia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13651/26]
8. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to confirm that the concept of 'sufficiency', defined when applied to the building sector as meaning above all making the best use of existing buildings to create a built environment that is attractive, affordable, and aligned with the actual space and accessibility needs of occupants, will be included in the National Building Renovation Plan (NBRP); how his Department plans to integrate the concept of 'sufficiency ' into the NBRP, which Ireland is yet to submit to the EU Commission, given it is recommended to be included in Annex II of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, as well as in the template published by the Commission in June 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12932/26]
879. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of the one parent family payment who are widowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12795/26]
878. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension or the Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension who are also in receipt of a carer’s payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12794/26]
877. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension who are also in receipt of a child support payment; the number of children, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12793/26]
876. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people currently in receipt of the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension and the Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension, in tabular form; the number of additional applications received for both pensions following changes to the rules in July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12792/26]
761. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department provides grants to schools engaging in nature-based education for the purchase of necessary equipment such as waterproof clothing, gardening tools, storage equipment and materials for outdoor activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11609/26]
586. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department provides grants to schools engaging in nature-based education for the purchase of necessary equipment such as waterproof clothing, gardening tools, storage equipment and materials for outdoor activities;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11608/26]
495. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he is aware of issues faced by business owners in registering with the Revenue Online Service (details supplied); whether he has plans to modernise the system and address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12739/26]
436. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the recent statement by former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence Christopher Mellon that “it would be a great boon to air safety and national security if Ireland would join the US in mandatory reporting of anomalous aerial observations”; whether he has considered international best practice in this area, including FAA reporting requirements; whether he intends to engage with international counterparts to review Ireland’s reporting framework in light of increasing transatlantic traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12767/26]
435. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport to clarify whether reports of anomalous aerial observations that are not classified under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1018 are entered into the ECCAIRS mandatory occurrence reporting system as mandatory, voluntary, or discretionary reports; to outline the follow-up oversight process applicable in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12765/26]
434. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport to clarify the reporting trigger, format, and escalation pathway applicable where an aviation crew encounters an anomalous or non-cooperative aerial observation that does not fall within the predefined categories of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12764/26]
329. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when a new strategic plan will be prepared and published by the EPA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12784/26]
328. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to outline the accountability mechanisms for ensuring actions are delivered under the EPA’s Performance Delivery Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12783/26]
327. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide a list of the recommendations from the 2011 Review of the EPA that have not been implemented; and to outline in each case the reasons for not progressing that reform, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12782/26]
326. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reforms or changes that have been made to the Environmental Protection Agency on foot of the recommendations contained within the OECD’s review of the EPA in 2020, ‘Driving Performance at Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency’; the measures outstanding; if he plans any statutory changes or reforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12781/26]
27. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the details of the settlement in a dispute between an individual and their former employer (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10642/26]
1199. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE occupational therapists, by grade posts filled at Springfield-Tallaght primary care centre as of 4 February 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10384/26]
1198. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health the WTE staff, by job title currently working at the Supra-Regional Endometriosis Centre in Tallaght University Hospital; the WTE vacancies, by job title; the estimated timeframe for filling each of those vacancies, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10383/26]
959. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapist posts, by grade filled at Tymon CDNT as of 4 February 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10388/26]
464. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if, as part of the next public sector pay agreement, he will resolve outstanding pension issues for retired medical scientists and ensure that those who retired from 2020 onwards are placed on the same scale as those who retired from 2024 onwards, bearing in mind the findings of the Devine Report (2023); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10197/26]
394. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing an equivalent flood insurance scheme as the flood re-insurance scheme in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9228/26]
387. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the nature of refurbishment works that were carried out at Limerick Junction train station during 2025; the refurbishment works that are scheduled to be carried out at this station in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10387/26]
386. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the nature of refurbishment works that were carried at Claremorris train station during 2025; the refurbishment works that are scheduled to be carried out at this station in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10386/26]
385. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the nature of refurbishment works that were carried out at Connolly train station during 2025; the refurbishment works that are scheduled to be carried out at this train station in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10385/26]
365. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the steps that have been taken to fulfil the commitment in the Programme for Government to 'commission an independent feasibility study into continuing MetroLink from the city to south-west Dublin' and in particular steps taken to identify the independent body and to have full public oversight and consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9884/26]
361. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the number of private jet flights which landed and departed in the State from 2023 to 2025 respectively, under the 'Business Aviation' segment of the EUROCONTROL market segment rules classification, excluding military or diplomatic flights; to provide a breakdown in each year of where those flights landed and departed from, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9809/26]
1089. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health if her Department has carried out research on the effect of privatisation in the home care sector on the pay and conditions of workers in the sector as well as the overall quality of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8080/26]
837. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to advise on a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8396/26]
836. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to clarify the way in which the State intends on dealing with holders of a temporary protection visa who is being hosted by a member of the public in cases where that hosting arrangement has to cease and no State-provided accommodation is available; the way such cases are dealt with when the temporary protection visa holder is accompanied by their children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8395/26]