175. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of making the carer's allowance a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32488/21]
174. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the annual carer's support grant from €1,850 to €2,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32487/21]
173. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding the free travel scheme to include persons in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32486/21]
172. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the domiciliary care allowance from €309.50 to €330 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32485/21]
149. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of implementing the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 in today’s terms within a similar timeframe adjusting for inflation and accounting for the €397 million figure over five years outlined in the NCSE's 2006 implementation report on page 20. [32491/21]
125. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funds from the social housing budget returned unspent to the Exchequer from his Department in each of the years 2017 to 2020, in tabular form. [32490/21]
323. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason for the removal of the vocational training opportunities scheme and back to education initiative courses from a college (details supplied). [30403/21]
15. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the international and European Union division of his Department. [29412/21]
438. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the progress made and timelines for the provision of a permanent building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29849/21]
437. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if there is funding available to primary and post-primary schools to purchase sensory room equipment for children with additional needs, including autism and Down syndrome; and if not, her plans to provide adequate funding to schools in the future (details supplied). [29847/21]
436. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated costs of establishing and running the supply panels for primary and special schools in the school year 2020-2021; and her views on retaining this important staffing support in the 2021-2022 school year to ensure that pupils are taught by qualified teachers in the event of teacher absence in a school. [29846/21]
351. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the fact that to date since the regulations were introduced Galway City Council has only received five planning applications for change of use for short-term letting and that staff appointed by his Department to deal with short-term letting have not yet been appointed as following a recruitment process, no suitable candidates were available to take up a two-year contract; and his further views on whether there is a need for greater resources in this area to support stretched staff in council planning departments. [29850/21]
250. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport if he will make the preliminary business case for MetroLink and the outcomes of the feasibility studies in relation to MetroLink and the Review of the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area publicly available; if these studies were extended to include the feasibility of the MetroLink to come out as far as Firhouse and Ballycullen and connect on to Tallaght; the position regarding extending the MetroLink out to the Dublin south-west area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29848/21]
218. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the recommendation of the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality to address the impact of the marriage bar by automatically qualifying women affected by the marriage bar for a State pension; if she is considering such a move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29041/21]
216. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if the contingency arrangements for a school (details supplied) will be sourced locally; if so, the location; the number of classrooms and other ancillary rooms that will be made available to the school; the length of time the school will have to remain at the location; when will the official temporary buildings be ready for the school to move into; and if the school leaders and board of management will be included in these discussions. [29044/21]
215. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the details of the contingency plan for a school (details supplied) in relation to alternative temporary accommodation for the beginning of the new school term in August 2021. [29043/21]
214. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if rural DEIS schools are included in the home school community liaison scheme; if not, the cost of bringing these schools into the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29042/21]
213. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the average length of time between the application for an exception review being submitted to the outcome of the review being communicated; and the average length of time it takes for a review to take place in cases of successful applications. [29040/21]
212. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to calls from by organisation (details supplied) to have students who, while sitting their State exams, experience a medical emergency such as a seizure and are therefore unable to complete their exam, be accommodated to sit them at a later date but before CAO offers; if she is considering this proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29039/21]
211. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her Department will review the potential use of the accredited grades model beyond 2021 in particular for students who experience exceptional circumstances such as, bereavement or illness over their sixth year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29038/21]
210. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if the school inclusion model pilot has been completed; when the review of this pilot will be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29037/21]
209. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education her views on whether the current bridging method is inappropriate for developing schools given that the current cycle of every two years is a quarter of a student’s life in primary school; if she will consider using a one-year bridging cycle for developing schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29036/21]
208. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of applications from schools seeking an exceptional review for the past three years by the proportion of applications that were successful and rejected, respectively and the proportion of applications that were made by developing schools and established schools, respectively in tabular form; the success rate of these applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29035/21]
216. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice if the return of a passport will be expedited for a person (details supplied) that was submitted in their application for citizenship four weeks ago and who urgently needs their passport to travel for a medical procedure on 26 May 2021. [28778/21]
214. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to students (details supplied) on the MSc international management and global business course in the University of Limerick being refused reimbursement from the college for a cancelled international trip due to the pandemic; if he will request the college to return the funds to the students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28785/21]
189. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Social Welfare Appeals Office expects to recommence oral hearings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28782/21]
170. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 339 of 13 May 2021, if the arrangements for the third and final instalment for the PPE grant 2020-2021 school year has been finalised; the date the grant will be issued to schools; if the third instalment of the grant was delayed; and if so, the cause for such a delay. [28784/21]
169. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if a list of all developing schools broken down by primary and post-primary will be supplied in tabular form. [28783/21]
123. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide the necessary funds to resurface the soccer astroturf pitch at a location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28779/21]
99. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport the status of an online driver theory test service (details supplied) being employed for all theory test types; and the future phrases of the roll-out schedule for 2021. [28781/21]
98. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport the date driver theory tests will resume; the number of applicants who are in the backlog; and if the online driver theory test (details supplied) will be used to address the backlog. [28780/21]
428. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if a report (details supplied) has been completed and submitted to her Department; if the delay in receiving the report will cause a delay in the publication of the report; and the date the report will be made available. [28388/21]
368. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of applicants and successful candidates who availed of the pilot scheme to assist leaving certificate students who suffer bereavement of a close relative during the exam period in 2019. [28391/21]
367. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her Department will consider allowing for developing schools to be reprofiled in 2021 as was originally planned following on from the staffing schedule for primary schools for the 2021-2022 school year (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28390/21]
237. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if outdoor cinemas are permitted to operate along with other outdoor amenities from 29 May 2021; if not, the rationale for this sector to continue to be closed while other outdoor amenities remain open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28389/21]
292. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools with DEIS status that applied for the hot school-meal scheme but were not included through the process of random selection; and the estimated cost of including these schools within the scheme. [27444/21]
278. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 341 of 13 May 2021, the consultation and communication that took place with stakeholders in education prior to 16 April 2021; the updated guidance which has been provided to schools to facilitate the inspectorate entering classrooms; her views on whether it is appropriate that an inspector may visit a number of schools in a single week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27443/21]
277. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 341 of 13 May 2021, the number of incidental inspections that have been undertaken in schools since 16 April 2021. [27442/21]
126. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider funding to support early career researchers in Ireland with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27067/21]
122. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if alternative access schemes such as HEAR and DARE will also be reviewed further to the SUSI review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27068/21]
78. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work carried out by his Department to date to increase access for students with disabilities to postgraduate courses. [27380/21]
147. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Gary Gannon den Aire Oideachais ag eascairt as ceist 146, an 4ú Márta 2021, cathain a bheidh scoil (sonraí tugtha) i gContae Bhaile Átha Cliath in ann bogadh isteach san fhoirgneamh nua sealadach; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [27115/21]
139. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding paid for the free travel pass in each of the years 2015 to 2020. [26230/21]
136. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date on addressing the pension gap for carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26233/21]
133. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider introducing a pandemic unemployment payment for persons who have returned to work but whose industry will be in flux for the following several weeks and will experience fluctuations in their income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26232/21]
126. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to calls from an organisation (details supplied) to extend the jobseeker’s transitional payment to lone parents of children until the youngest child turns 18 years of age; the estimated cost of such an extension in the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26229/21]
73. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if social welfare payments will continue to be electronically transferred following Covid-19 for certain payments to reduce the need for persons to attend post and social welfare offices. [26231/21]