374. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the process in place whereby if a general employment permit for a dairy farm assistant has not been taken up/activated or if the applicant has been made redundant, if a mechanism is in place to facilitate an applicant whose application was rejected as the maximum number of general employment permits that may be granted to dairy farm assistants has been reached from 2 September 2025, taking into account that labour shortages are a major challenge for dairy farms and that many employers urgently require dairy farm assistants for the upcoming spring calving season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69845/25]
373. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the progress that has been made to date by the interdepartmental group established to review the single application process for employment permits and visa applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69843/25]
372. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment when the final recommendations from a review of the occupations lists for employment permits will be published, in view of the public consultation process closing on the 19 September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69842/25]
371. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if consideration can be given to increasing the quota for dairy farm assistants under the general employment permits scheme in view of the high demand for skilled workers in agriculture, in particular during the spring calving season, taking into account that labour shortages are a major challenge for dairy farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69841/25]
370. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the total number of dairy farm assistants applications received since eligibility was first introduced in 2018, and for each subsequent year from 2019 to 2024, and from 1 January to the 30 November 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69840/25]
369. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if consideration can be given to increasing the quota for dairy farm assistants under the general employment permits scheme, in view of the quota being reached and all subsequent applications being rejected, taking into account that many employers urgently require dairy farm assistants for the upcoming spring calving season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69839/25]
368. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department will be reopening quota’s for dairy farm assistants under the general employment permits scheme; when this is likely to commence, in view that the quota has been reached and now all subsequent applications have been rejected, taking into account that many employers urgently require dairy farm assistants for the upcoming spring calving season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69830/25]
280. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if consideration will be given to reviewing the decision of the return journey of a proposed new route (details supplied) of the BusConnects Cork Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70248/25]
272. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the way in which his Department ensures all departmental agencies such as the National Transport Authority, National Car Test and Northern Irish counterparts ensure their service to citizens and road users are in full compliance under EU directives; the length of time for these services to reply to road users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70114/25]
271. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the frequency with which the standard of the national car test is reviewed to ensure vehicles are meeting required safety standards on roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70113/25]
270. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the way in which his Department ensures vehicle safety testing is up to standard comparative to testing procedures to ensure testing throughout the country is being fully adhered to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70112/25]
269. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the way in which his Department collaborates with colleagues in Northern Ireland regarding the testing that takes place within the Northern Ireland MOT and Irish NCT to ensure full safety and quality of vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70111/25]
234. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the status of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69797/25]
308. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Culture; Communications and Sport the action his Department is taking to ensure that certain households are not left behind in the roll out of the National Broadband Plan, (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68967/25]
307. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the progress made to date by his Department in relation to the decommissioning of the copper broadband network, taking into account that the European Commission has set 2030 as the preferred deadline date for the complete switch-off of copper networks across Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68966/25]
306. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Culture; Communications and Sport to provide an update on the decommissioning of the legacy copper telephone and broadband networks; whether a timeline is in place; his Department's plans to ensure the general public are informed and prepared for the change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68965/25]
719. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Contracts of Indefinite Duration (CID) that have been awarded to staff at University College Galway from 2020 -2025; and the number of CID contracts currently under review, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68163/25]
564. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide confirmation on the proposed reorganisation of a youth services facility in Cork (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67581/25]
65. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport when a driving licence exchange application will be completed (details supplied), in view that it is over 10 weeks since the application was submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67342/25]
508. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available in the HSE Service Plan for one new specialist nurse role and one new pharmacist role for the pulmonary arterial hypertension unit in the Mater Hospital; if a business case for these roles has been received and is being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66873/25]
507. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health for an update on her plans to introduce a systematic LDL cholesterol screening programme in line with recommendation 20 of the National Review of Cardiac Services; if she intends to introduce such a programme in 2026; if she will consider launching a national 'know your numbers' public awareness campaign on key cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI) to support this screening programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66872/25]
506. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if Ireland's new cardiovascular plan aims to focus on the specific role which cholesterol plays in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66871/25]
505. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if Ireland's new cardiovascular plan aims to tackle the high levels of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in Ireland by focusing on early detection and effective management of risk factors for ASCVD, such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and smoking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66870/25]
504. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health for an update on the EuroHeart Data registry pilot programme active in the south-west; the methods that have been used in this programme to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66869/25]
503. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the actions that have been taken to date to meet the Programme for Government commitment to investigate early access schemes for certain types of medicines; whether there are plans to consult with patient organisations as part of this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66868/25]
502. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the impact the 34 new FTE staff for the medicines reimbursement system have had on reimbursement application timelines; the costs associated with creating these new positions in 2024, 2025 and projected costs for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66867/25]
501. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the consultation process for the next National Cancer Strategy will begin; the stakeholders that will be involved in the development of the next strategy; the person in her Department who is responsible for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66866/25]
500. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the evaluation process for the current National Cancer Strategy will commence; the person in her Department is responsible for this review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66865/25]
299. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of a school’s multiple applications (details supplied) under the emergency works scheme; when decisions will be issued in each case as the works are urgently needed by the school and its pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66859/25]
298. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of a school’s application (details supplied) under the additional accommodation scheme; when a decision will issue; whether it will proceed to the next stage, as the works are urgently needed by the school and its pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66858/25]
161. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on a review of the agri-climate rural environment scheme (ACRES); when the review will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66670/25]
146. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on his recent meeting at the European Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) in Brussels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66669/25]
103. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on his recent meeting at the European Agriculture and Fisheries Council, AGRIFISH, in Brussels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67158/25]
79. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on her Department's progress in supporting the re-establishment and full operation of a Northern Ireland Civic Forum, as envisaged in the Good Friday Agreement, and as set out in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66682/25]
18. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on her recent meeting of the European Union Foreign Ministers in Brussels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66681/25]
306. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of locum consultants who are currently employed by the Health Service Executive, by the hospitals that they are employed in, the category of healthcare they are providing, and the time period that they are in post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66518/25]
175. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding mechanism his Department has in place to assist schools that require to purchase land in order to create a safe parking space for school drop-offs and pick-ups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66451/25]
174. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth when period products will be available for free in all secondary schools, as per the Programme for Government commitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66440/25]
114. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport when the next tranche of the Safe Routes to School Programme will be announced; if consideration will be given to including a school (details supplied) in view of ongoing health and safety concerns owing to the lack of a footpath from the village to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66452/25]
605. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm whether payments from catastrophic injury claims from the HSE would be included on the means test for carer’s allowance; if so, how this is calculated as per the means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65971/25]
513. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department, Uisce Éireann and local authorities are prepared to enter into discussions with companies with expertise in the building of modular treatment plants for water and wastewater in rural areas, and which companies are prepared to finance, build and maintain these treatment plants for a period of ten years from date of completion of construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65255/25]
210. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the steps his Department is taking to improve bus services in Cork city, in particular a service (details supplied), in view of recurring issues with reliability of this service including cancelled and late buses; the frequency of these issues occurring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65430/25]
202. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport when a driving licence exchange application will be completed (details supplied), in view that it is over six weeks since the application was submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65410/25]
658. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health her plans to introduce regulations on the sale and use of nicotine pouches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65062/25]
113. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if she will provide details of plans for vaccination roll-out for the forthcoming influenza season; the additional measures, compared to previous years, that will be in place to help keep members of the over-65 population safe; if HIQA and NIAC advice supporting enhanced vaccines for the over-65 population has been considered and will be acted upon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64240/25]
90. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether, in response to HIQA and NIAC advice supporting the roll-out of enhanced influenza vaccines for the over-65 population, HSE officials have been given direction to negotiate with companies, if necessary, to ensure a cost effective price can be secured and enhanced influenza vaccines will for the first time be provided for older people who are more at risk each winter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64241/25]
40. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the timeframe for Sports Capital Grant applications to open in 2026; the preparations required by clubs before the announcement of the next round; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64368/25]
22. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when the new emergency communications system will be fully operational, given the provision of such technology would be a vital tool for the elderly or vulnerable during the winter months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64369/25]