498. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide 2024/2025 teacher supply and vacancy data at primary level, by local authority area (including fixed-term, permanent, and substitution coverage rates); the measures taken to improve recruitment and retention in high-vacancy regions; if she will align any class-size reductions in Budget 2026 with a phased, supply-led rollout and publish an options paper on targeted incentives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51883/25]
497. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to publish the evaluation findings and lessons learned from the small schools pilot project; the number and location of participating schools; if she will bring forward a plan and costing to expand the model nationally in 2026, including cluster governance templates, additional administration days for teaching principals, ICT supports, and transport arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51882/25]
496. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools with three or more special education teacher (SET) posts, by local authority area; if she will introduce dedicated special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) posts at assistant principal level in such schools in 2026; the projected full-year cost, timeline, and CPD framework for SENCO implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51881/25]
495. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current capitation grant rates at primary level (mainstream, special school, and special class top-ups); the aggregate annual outturn for capitation since 2019; her assessment of the adequacy of the €224 standard rate against schools' non-pay running costs; the full-year cost of increasing the standard rate by €75 per pupil in 2026 (including pro-rata adjustments for special settings); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51880/25]
494. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current and five-year trend in average primary class size and pupil teacher ratio, by local authority area, and by DEIS status; the number of classes with 30 or more pupils; the estimated teacher accommodation and current expenditure required to reduce the national average by one point and two points in 2026, with options to prioritise largest classes first; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51879/25]
493. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of a situation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51878/25]
404. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will bring forward proposals to provide a payment for eligible survivors of Industrial and Reformatory Schools that is equivalent to the maximum State Pension (Contributory) at pension age, in recognition of unpaid child labour in State-supervised institutions; the estimated number of potential beneficiaries; the projected annual and five-year costs under low/central/high scenarios; the administrative mechanism to deliver the payment without PRSI retrospection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51887/25]
403. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will confirm that health supports for survivors under the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025 will be delivered to a Health (Amendment) Act-standard in practice, including a published list of covered services and referral pathways; if she will set out (i) the go-live date for issuing the first cards/entitlements, (ii) KPIs for processing times and uptake, and (iii) how overseas survivors will access equivalent supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51884/25]
373. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans to support the retail and hospitality sectors facing cost pressures; including through changes to VAT or PRSI, as signalled in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51443/25]
325. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing a special tax levy on windfall profits accruing to private IPAS centre contracts/operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51445/25]
256. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Transport for the passenger numbers using the improved and now hourly-frequency rail service between Belfast and Dublin, month on month, hour by hour, from January 2024 to date in 2025, following the €12.5 million funding allocated from the Shared Island Fund in February 2024; to consider running the service later to support the cultural, economic and nighttime economy of both cities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51441/25]
175. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the extension of the free travel companion pass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50695/25]
108. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the establishment of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50696/25]
565. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action being taken on foot of the post-acute inpatient rehabilitation mapping project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34809/25]
57. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of significant issues with complex care coordination for children with neurological conditions, and that there is a critical need for case management key worker support for children with complex neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50205/25]
21. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to enhance respite services for children with neurological disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50206/25]
333. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant dermatologists and dermatology clinical nurse specialists, by hospital and hospital group; the number that list hair and scalp disorders as a special interest; whether the HSE has a published clinical pathway for alopecia areata, including step therapy and access to advanced therapies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49345/25]
332. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will provide, for each of the past three years, the number of hospital outpatient and day-case attendances where alopecia areata (ICD-10 L63) was recorded as a primary or secondary diagnosis, by hospital group and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49344/25]
202. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance for an update on the ongoing work of the EU’s Retail Investment Strategy; when he expects it to be finalised; the means by which that strategy will impact Ireland’s plans to increase retail investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49343/25]
1456. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48330/25]
1455. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48329/25]
1454. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48328/25]
1453. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48327/25]
1452. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48326/25]
1451. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48325/25]
1450. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48324/25]
1449. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48323/25]
1448. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48322/25]
1447. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of a project funded under the Community Centres Investment Fund New Build Measure (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48321/25]
947. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expand the annual animal welfare grant to rehoming charities with a ring-fenced subhead for rescue adoption supports (neutering, microchipping, initial veterinary check); if he will develop a standardised rehoming certificate to support any Revenue-administered adoption credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47928/25]
946. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of planned supports in Budget 2026 for the Irish wool sector aimed at improving farmer returns, such as investment in processing, branding, or innovation initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47917/25]
732. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will update the operational guidance for the additional needs payment to explicitly include emergency veterinary expenses for accredited assistance dogs; if he will publish claim statistics and outcomes for 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47927/25]
731. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection whether current employment in the fashion, textile, and clothing retail sectors making PRSI contributions has been quantified in Budget planning documentation; whether additional activation supports, or training schemes are being considered for this workforce in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47918/25]
729. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to an issue concerning the wage subsidy scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47818/25]
657. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if data is available for first home scheme participants on the distribution of applicants’ credit card limits; the relationship between such limits and approval outcomes, and the guidance given to applicants on managing revolving credit during the application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48083/25]
432. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the trade-related supports planned in Budget 2026 to assist the Irish fashion sector in navigating post-Brexit rules-of-origin requirements and new US tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49539/25]
411. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the plans in budget 2026 to expand trade missions or market access programmes specifically aimed at fashion and creative industries to strengthen Irish brand presence abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47916/25]
410. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he is considering a targeted export promotion initiative in budget 2026 to support Irish fashion and design brands, particularly in key markets such as the EU, UK, and US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47914/25]
409. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether dedicated enterprise supports will be introduced in budget 2026 for SMEs in the fashion and design sector for example, in areas such as research and development grants, innovation vouchers, or loan schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47913/25]
408. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has an estimate of total employment direct, indirect, and induced supported by the Irish fashion industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47912/25]
309. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will request, acknowledging the statutory independence of the Central Bank of Ireland, that it compile and publish an analysis of the marginal impact of each additional €1,000 in credit card limit on modelled mortgage affordability and loan size, controlling for income, LTI, LTV, age, and borrower type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48082/25]
308. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide data on the proportion and number of mortgage applications approved and declined in each of the past five years where revolving credit facilities that is, credit cards or overdrafts were recorded as a material factor in the affordability outcome, including the average reduction in approved loan size attributable to credit card limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48081/25]
307. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will publish the distribution of credit card limits among new mortgage applicants in each of the past five years for example, €0, €1,000–€3,000, €3,001–€6,000, €6,001–€10,000, over €10,000, together with the corresponding notional monthly repayment assumptions applied by regulated lenders for affordability assessments, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48080/25]
306. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if his Department or the Central Bank of Ireland holds data on the average and median credit card limits of new mortgage applicants in each of the past five years, by borrower type that is, first-time buyer, mover, switcher, income band, and region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48079/25]
305. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will expedite targeted modernisations to the Section 110 regime, including rectifying unintended impacts of recent credit rule changes, modifying the day €10 million asset threshold, extending the eight-week election period, and consolidating duplicative interest deductibility provisions; the public consultation plan; the expected timeline for draft legislation; the anticipated impact on private credit and infrastructure finance activity in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48078/25]
304. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will examine expanding the dividend participation exemption to dividends from companies beyond EU or treaty-country jurisdictions, excluding zero-tax territories and those on the EU non-cooperative list; the costs, benefits and risk mitigations, and the impact on Ireland’s attractiveness as a holding company location for private asset managers; the options for inclusion in the Finance Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48076/25]
303. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will expedite amendments to broaden the anti-reverse hybrid exemption in order that private asset funds can hold more than 10% in a single issuer while retaining tax-transparent status; to outline the compatibility of such a change with anti-tax-avoidance directives; the safeguards proposed, the international comparators and the timeframe for legislative change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48075/25]
302. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the dividend withholding tax exemption to investment limited partnerships (ILPs) in order that ILPs are treated on a par with other Irish regulated funds; if he will provide an assessment of the Exchequer impact; the anti-avoidance guardrails that would apply; the expected effect on Ireland’s competitiveness in private equity, private credit and infrastructure investment, in the context of mobilising patient capital for housing, SMEs and renewables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48074/25]
298. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will request the tax strategy group to prepare a paper for Budget 2026 on options to improve affordability for assistance-dog owners and for households with large family pets, including distributional analysis, compliance incentives for licensing, microchipping and indicative costings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47925/25]
297. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the VAT treatment of veterinary services and companion-animal medicines, including the scope under the EU VAT directive to apply a reduced rate to neutering, vaccination and microchipping provided by registered veterinarians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47924/25]