198. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm whether his Department has engaged with the HSE with a view to increasing the number of contracted beds in private nursing homes in order to expedite the transfer of patients from hospital to private nursing home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21983/23]
197. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason the increase in the cost of nursing home beds is 10% higher in 2023 compared to 2022, and in view of the fact that private nursing home beds are only 3% higher between 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21982/23]
196. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason a HSE nursing home bed costs €2,585 per week in County Laois, a cost far greater than nursing home beds in any other HSE facility in the country; the reason there is such a difference of over €1,500 from the cost of nursing home beds which are provided by private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21981/23]
77. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the number of places that are available in the ASD class in a school (details supplied) for the 2023-2024 school year; if there are plans to build capacity in the number of places available in ASD classes in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21899/23]
51. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify whether the recently approved amendment to the Finance Bill 2023 to apply a zero per cent VAT rate for the supply and installation of solar panels is applicable to trade installers of solar panels or individuals who wish to purchase and install solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21988/23]
646. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the Covid bonus payment for a group (details supplied). [21693/23]
628. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide data regarding the number of deaths recorded as a codeine-related overdose from 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21614/23]
627. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of prescriptions issued for codeine as part of a public drug scheme or in a HSE hospital, psychiatric facility, or primary care setting and by a private GP from 2011 to date, according to age group, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21613/23]
626. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider setting up a working group to examine the feasibility of introducing a prescription card to record all medications issued within a particular time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21612/23]
474. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to ensure that forestry owners who have made financial investments in forestry will not encounter issues in future with regards to the issuing of forestry roads licences, in view of changes to environmental policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21136/23]
473. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department is taking to assist forestry owners who now find themselves in the position where they have been granted a felling licence but are having issues being granted a forest road licence as a result of changes to environmental policies, in particular with regard to watercourses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21135/23]
472. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to remedy the situation in which a person who has forestry land and the Forestry Service has refused to grant them a forest road licence in circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21134/23]
429. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the action his Department is taking to reduce the eight-month waiting time for the processing of visa application appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21133/23]
298. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if a modular unit will be provided at a school (details supplied), given that it has been sanctioned for a third ASD class and will require this additional space in order to accommodate these students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21639/23]
261. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if all payments due under the contract for the erection of a new school (details supplied) will be brought up to date in view of the fact the most recent request for payment was submitted in January 2023 but has not been paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21044/23]
260. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the current position in respect of the payment of instalments to builders who have contracts for the building of new schools, in view of the fact there appears to have been a delay over the past three months in the making of such payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21043/23]
198. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if he will confirm that his Department will engage with Cork City Council with a view to developing a park-and-ride facility on land the council owns at Monard, Cork, taking into account that these lands also adjoin the Cork-to-Mallow rail line, where it is proposed to build a railway station in the long term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21617/23]
100. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance the total number of individuals who have benefited from the help-to-buy scheme in Cork; if there are plans to extend the scheme beyond 31 December 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21526/23]
73. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance the total number of farmers who have availed of TBESS to date; the total number in Cork, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21525/23]
268. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department will develop a long-term strategy which will assist in the radiation therapy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20992/23]
267. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the measures that his Department and the HSE are taking to address recruitment and retention in the radiation therapy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20991/23]
266. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will carry-out an independent review of radiation therapy to deal with recruitment and retention in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20990/23]
207. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider a financial package for childcare for persons who wish to return to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20946/23]
200. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the financial support schemes and incentives that are in place to support sheep farmers in the Irish sheep sector; if consideration will be given to the provision of additional financial supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20838/23]
196. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification 2016 has been amended to reflect the increased salary requirements when applying for a family reunification visa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20845/23]
195. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if all current general employment permit holders, their employers and agencies have been made aware of amendments to salary requirements when applying for a family reunification visa after one years' service wherein net income per week based on the family income supplement has increased, in view of the fact that employers may not be in a position to increase wages in order to satisfy the eligibility requirements for family reunification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20844/23]
185. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available for the hospitality sector which is struggling to recover its staff levels from pre-pandemic levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20949/23]
167. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she would consider a new school programme, which would encourage young people to join training programmes; the additional supports in place to assist those who opt for training in trades; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20951/23]
163. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the current position in respect of a primary school (details supplied) that requires additional accommodation, given that the number of students attending the school for the academic year commencing in September 2023 will increase dramatically, and also in view of the fact that her Department has sanctioned the two special classes that will also require additional accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20843/23]
156. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he would consider simplifying the process for businesses to be able to access the information regarding the Government schemes available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20950/23]
155. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will review the effectiveness of the Local Enterprise Office system in making businesses aware of Government grants and schemes available to them, as only 30,000 businesses took up the TBESS scheme over the winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20947/23]
148. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider opening an emergency fund for further future unforeseen events that may hit Ireland's economy and hurt its businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20945/23]
147. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he or his Department have had any discussions with the banks in respect of speeding up the process of small businesses meeting with banks, and in particular, reducing the time period for dealing with such loan applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20944/23]
146. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance the supports available to any of the 65,000 firms around the country faced with tax-debt warehousing repayments dating back to the earlier stage of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, that may struggle to pay back this debt with the climate of increased costs at this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20943/23]
145. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance the increased supports, if any, that businesses will receive in tackling the cost-of-living crisis as they struggle to pay bills at this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20942/23]
142. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action his Department is taking to ensure stronger security measures across all Irish airports in light of recent events of drone activity at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21033/23]
141. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action his Department is taking to improve modes of public transport, in particular the national bus service, given that passenger numbers have in some cases exceeded pre-Covid levels, resulting in capacity issues on many bus routes across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21032/23]
117. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the process that is in place for those who hold Ukrainian driving licences to be assessed by the NDLS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20948/23]
115. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures his Department is taking in order to improve and strengthen Ireland’s cybersecurity defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21037/23]
90. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action his Department has taken to date regarding the evacuation of Irish citizens from Sudan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21036/23]
468. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action that is being taken to expedite the processing of applications for medical card holders in the south-east CH05 area who require care under the HSE community ophthalmic services scheme for persons who require eye examination and optical appliances, in view of the fact that the processing of these applications is taking anything up to eight weeks and persons are being denied access to ophthalmic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20686/23]
431. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will put in place a refund scheme which would allow persons (details supplied) who have to rent medical equipment such as breathing assistance machines to receive repayments of the monies which are due to them for the cost of the use of these machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20483/23]
382. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm when the project for a five-storey extension to Cork University Hospital to facilitate additional dedicated paediatric facilities can proceed to the next stage, given that planning permission has already been received for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20222/23]
381. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that when the new five-storey extension to Cork University Hospital to facilitate additional dedicated paediatric facilities is constructed, it will include an intensive care unit that can take care of very seriously ill children who can be cared for in a timely manner without having to be transported at a crucial time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20221/23]
380. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm when funding will be made available for a five-storey extension to Cork University Hospital to facilitate additional dedicated paediatric facilities, given that planning permission has already been received for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20220/23]
354. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify the current position in respect of properties acquired in Cork city by his Department or by companies or organisations working with his Department in the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers, or refugees from Ukraine; if he will set out in full the number of properties currently being used; the number of properties which are vacant but which shortly will come in to use; the total number of asylum seekers/refugees now provided with accommodation in Cork city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20481/23]
134. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the criteria for companies to avail of the Ukraine enterprise crisis scheme; if his attention has been drawn to reports that Enterprise Ireland is advising companies that they must be clients of Enterprise Ireland to avail of the scheme when no such condition exists under the terms of the scheme approved by the European Commission and by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20227/23]
127. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when a project (details supplied) which has been granted planning permission can proceed; if this project has been advertised in order that tenders can be submitted; when it is likely that the tender process will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20478/23]
106. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance to confirm why there is a discrepancy in the figures provided in response to two different parliamentary questions (details supplied) in respect of the percentage of total packs of cigarettes sold that contain more than 20 cigarettes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20976/23]
363. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when all remaining eligible non-HSE and Section 39 workers who worked in healthcare settings during the Covid-19 pandemic who have not received the pandemic recognition payment will receive this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20104/23]