30. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport if a value for money policy review was conducted on the current search and rescue agreement in order that its findings can be taken into consideration before any future contract is awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6125/21]
876. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if the HSE plans to engage the services of general practitioner practice nurses who are skilled in the inoculation of patients to play a part in the programme in view of the engagement of general practitioners to assist in the community roll-out of the national Covid-19 vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5908/21]
872. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if there is an imminent plan to cut a community lactation consultant position in south-east Dublin; the rationale for the proposed cut; if he will reconsider the decision given the increasing demand for lactations service in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5898/21]
621. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health when he plans to commence section 53 of the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020 as it relates to pharmaceutical assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5026/21]
184. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the terms of reference of the strategic review by a bank (details supplied) in Northern Ireland; if his Department has held talks with the bank on the issue; his views on whether it would be good practice for the bank to discuss the detail of a strategic review with staff representatives prior to decisions being made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5303/21]
160. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the reason support from his Department by way of short-time work support is not taxable when support from jobseeker's support casual dockets is taxable given the impact on workers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5917/21]
288. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the travel restrictions which apply in law to citizens of the Republic of Ireland under regulations governed by the provisions of section 31A of the Health Act 1947 cannot as it stands, be applied and enforced to restrict the movements of, for example, Northern Ireland residents and others who are not residents of the Republic of Ireland; his views on whether the relevant regulations must be amended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4902/21]
251. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if sub-groups within category 7 of the national Covid-19 vaccination programme will be prioritised ahead of others in that cohort on the basis of urgent medical need; the way in which this will be achieved in practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4696/21]
56. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that charity shops operating in the retail sector selling clothes and other items are ineligible for the Covid restrictions support scheme; his plans to review same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4901/21]
843. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if the National Ambulance Service and HSE estates are working to identify a site in Drogheda, County Louth, to accommodate a modern, purpose-built ambulance service base; if a site has been identified; when the process will conclude; if such a commitment is included in the HSE's current programme of capital investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4324/21]
833. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently review maternity hospitals' restriction of accompanying partners to key appointments relating to pregnancy; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current restrictions are being applied to couples who have lost children to stillbirth (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4298/21]
738. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the progress he or his officials have made on advancing the regulations relating to section 12 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 which ensure the public is informed of the danger of alcohol consumption and the direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers in anticipation of the EU Commission's publication of its strategic plan on beating cancer in February 2021; when he expects to commence these regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3861/21]
737. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the expected vaccination timeline for maternity staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3857/21]
736. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if his Department or NPHET has carried out a solid evidence-based feasibility study comparing a zero Covid-19 strategy for Ireland against the existing plan for living with Covid-19 which was adopted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3856/21]
569. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the expected timeline for completion of legislation to extend paid parental leave by an additional three weeks; if payment for additional parental leave taken prior to the passing of this legislation can be backdated for parents whose child was born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4370/21]
423. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence if there are plans to deploy the Air Corps Casa aircraft in support of EUNAVFORMED Operation IRINI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3789/21]
320. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the collaborative town centre health check programme; the amount of funding provided; the staffing level of the group overseeing the implementation of the programme; the names of the towns currently on the programme; the person or body responsible for adding a town to the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3790/21]
238. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if another reference month can be used to calculate business mileage undertaken under the extended benefit-in-kind on company vehicles for those workers without a mileage record for January 2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4479/21]
237. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the number of employers found not to be in compliance with the temporary wage subsidy scheme to date; if employees who have worked in firms found not to be compliant are subject a tax bill on their payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4478/21]
234. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cost implications of extending the reduction in VAT from 23% to 21% for six months beyond February 2021; if he is considering this step; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4386/21]
199. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if tax liabilities will be issued to workers whose employer wrongly availed of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3858/21]
116. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 196 of 15 December 2020, if his Department or a company it has engaged with carried out a cost-benefit analysis with regard to the State owning the helicopters for this service over the length of their expected life span, that is, 20 years plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3859/21]
Bill entitled an Act to provide for transparent reporting by undertakings in relation to the risk of labour exploitation and human trafficking occurring in their supply chains or in any part of their business and of the steps taken by them to ensure such activities do not take place; and to provide for connected matters.
167. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide details of organisations and individuals that made submissions to the commission on the Defence Forces, including those that specifically called for a review of the Department of Defence to be included in the terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3012/21]
155. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total overseas development aid budget for 2021; if he will provide details of the way this money is to be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3013/21]
87. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the status of the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the employment wage subsidy scheme respective compliance programmes; if the Revenue Commissioners will publish a list of employers who availed of the employment wage subsidy scheme at the end of January 2021 as anticipated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3445/21]
86. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the number of claims made under the stay-and-spend tax refund scheme to date; the total cost of such claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3444/21]
85. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider designing a scheme to remove the tax liabilities from workers who have had their salaries paid under the temporary wage subsidy scheme, as a one-off solidarity gesture and capped to exclude higher earners; if he will include the pandemic unemployment payment recipients in such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3443/21]
84. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the details of the cost of the employment wage subsidy scheme since its inception; his plans to continue the scheme beyond the schedule of 31 March 2021; the estimated costs if the scheme were to continue to 31 December 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3442/21]
75. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to put in place a VAT exemption or claim system for local authorities, given that the application of VAT is prohibiting the construction of affordable social homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3239/21]
74. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the relief that local authorities can seek in regard to their obligation to pay VAT and tax as a local Government body (details supplied); his views on whether some form of VAT relief for local authorities is required given that they are currently being charged VAT for services, including the construction of council owned homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3238/21]
618. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the national Covid-19 vaccination programme has sufficient flexibility to allow for the fast-tracked vaccination of vulnerable nursing home residents, staff and others in areas with very high rates of infection such as County Louth; if this approach is under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2705/21]
617. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health when the intellectual disability sector will be scheduled for Covid-19 vaccination; the timeline for the vaccination of residents and staff in institutional congregated settings in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2704/21]
477. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the process for vaccination for essential workers; if bank staff working in branches are included as essential workers for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2282/21]
223. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will decide on the funding of the Drogheda northern port access route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2706/21]
237. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if banks and credit unions will be added to the list of workplaces in which the wearing of face coverings is compulsory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2139/21]
172. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health when the intellectual disability sector will be scheduled for vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2146/21]
169. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider legislation to ensure that all semi-State companies working with the trade union movement adopt a workplace domestic violence policy; if she will examine the way many State companies have adopted such a policy as part of the audit recently announced into sexual and domestic violence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2142/21]
65. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will re-introduce the Covid-19 BIK concession for employer-provided vehicles wherein an employer allows private use of a vehicle (details supplied) which lapsed on 31 December 2020 in view of the current restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2145/21]
64. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider increasing the €3.20 non-taxable rate to a more sustainable and fairer rate given that Ireland is returning to level 5 restrictions and employers will be reliant once more on home working and workers will be using more heat and lighting to do their work from home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2144/21]
63. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to legislate to ban digital-only payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2141/21]
62. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the status of talks he has held with a group (details supplied) on the future of a bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2140/21]
2. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the funding that has been drawn down by banks (details supplied) under the Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme established in 2020 to support small and medium sized businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2143/21]
1054. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his views on the decision of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics to refuse reimbursement for life-changing gene therapy Luxturna for inherited retinal diseases which are rare, serious and life limiting; his plans to support the treatment in view of the commitments made in the programme for Government (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1643/21]
1053. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the status of the assessment of the drug dupilumab, which has been life-changing for many persons living with severe atopic eczema; when he expects this assessment to be completed; if he will ensure equitable access to dupilumab for eczema patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/21]
750. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his views on the reported use of controversial insulation material in the construction of the national children's hospital that was cited in the Grenfell Tower inquiry in the UK; if he is satisfied that the material is safe to use at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1644/21]
319. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied that the proposed affordable housing scheme and specific shared equity plan represents good value for money; his views on the reported assessment (details supplied) that the property industry want an equity scheme because it will increase prices; his further views on the assessment from another official who reportedly stated that it will push up prices in a supply-constrained environment, most likely at a time when prices are starting to rise anyway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1876/21]
288. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 258 of 8 December 2020, if the term "individual" specifies only one student in a room; if not, if it means many students as long as they meet the social distancing criteria; if the requirement for an excess of 2 m social distancing between each of the predefined areas pertains to a 2 m square bubble or 2 m around a 2 m square bubble; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44902/20]
287. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her response to the views of a sports club (details replied) with regard to the recent announcements and restrictions concerning Ireland entering level 3; if a level playing field will be committed to for sports of a similar nature; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44901/20]
251. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the total tax liability outstanding for the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1645/21]