121. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the increase in service frequency between Galway and Dublin that is anticipated following the delivery of the Galway line early interventions and major projects identified in the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy published on 15 December 2025; the expected number of daily services that will operate on the route upon completion of these works; the projected timeframe for achieving these service enhancements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66458/26]
120. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the improvements to rail services between Galway and Limerick that are anticipated under the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy published on 15 December 2025; the infrastructure works that are planned on the corridor; the expected impact on service frequency and journey times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66459/26]
1094. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she is currently considering proposals to increase the duration of statutory paid paternity leave beyond the current entitlement; if so, the changes under consideration and the timeframe for their implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65788/26]
1093. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the research, analysis or reviews that have been undertaken by her Department within the past five years regarding the potential benefits of extending paid paternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65789/26]
1092. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of extending paid paternity leave on child development, parental wellbeing, maternal recovery following childbirth and workforce participation; the findings of any such assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65790/26]
1091. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has undertaken a comparative review of paternity leave entitlements available in Ireland and other EU Member States; the outcome of any such review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65791/26]
1049. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is considering a review or revision of the implementation of the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings policy developed under the Transforming Lives Programme. [65258/26]
771. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the €1,270 annual income exemption for seaweed harvesting under Article 152 of S.I. No. 142 of 2007 was last reviewed; if his Department has examined the impact of this threshold on recipients of jobseeker's allowance in coastal communities; and if he will amend the regulations to increase the exemption in recognition of inflation and the importance of traditional seaweed harvesting as a supplementary income source in coastal communities. [65259/26]
769. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to amend the means-assessment system as it applied to savers in Budget 2027, in line with the recommendations contained in the 2024 report of the Social Welfare Oireachtas Sub-Committee, and further in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to give effect to those recommendations. [65026/26]
344. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of significant overcrowding on the 8am rail service from Oranmore to Galway; whether Irish Rail has conducted any recent passenger capacity assessments on this service; the average passenger numbers recorded on the service over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65716/26]
343. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if Irish Rail has considered increasing capacity on the 8am train service from Oranmore to Galway through the provision of an additional carriage or longer train sets; if discussions have taken place regarding such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65717/26]
342. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to reports of recurring difficulties with ticket validation gates at Ceannt Station; the number of complaints received regarding the operation of these gates; the corrective actions that have been taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65730/26]
299. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport to report on the Claregalway Bypass Relief Road Programme; the progress made to date; the next stages in the project lifecycle; the expected timelines for those stages; the estimated cost range; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65406/26]
182. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the development of the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS); the current stage of work being undertaken by the National Transport Authority and partner agencies on the strategy; the timeline for completion of the draft strategy; when he expects the draft GMATS to be published and opened for public consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64215/26]
108. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether Ireland supports the establishment of an EU-wide packaging compliance registration system or one-stop-shop mechanism to replace multiple national registration requirements for businesses engaged in cross-border e-commerce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64486/26]
107. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the engagement his Department has had with representatives of Irish micro and small businesses regarding the impact of packaging extended producer responsibility obligations on cross-border online trade within the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64487/26]
106. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether consideration is being given, at national or EU level, to a simplified or exempt compliance regime for micro and small enterprises placing very small quantities of packaging on markets in other EU member states (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64484/26]
105. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being pursued by Ireland at EU level to simplify packaging extended producer responsibility compliance requirements for micro and small enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce within the European Union (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64483/26]
103. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if Ireland is advocating at EU level for the introduction of either a de minimis threshold exempting micro-enterprises placing only small quantities of packaging on the market in other EU member states from certain packaging Extended Producer Responsibility registration and reporting requirements, or a single EU-wide packaging compliance registration system with fees scaled according to the volume of packaging placed on the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64489/26]
3756. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant gynaecologists currently serving Galway and the HSE west and north-west Health Region; whether there are vacancies in approved consultant posts; the plans in place to increase consultant gynaecology capacity in the region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62768/26]
4179. D'fhiafraigh Deputy John Connolly den Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail, agus Gaeltachta maidir le bonneagar cuain a fhorbairt ar Inis Meáin agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [63930/26]
3774. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for a first outpatient gynaecology appointment at University Hospital Galway; the number of patients currently awaiting such appointments; the measures being taken to reduce waiting lists for gynaecology services in Galway and the HSE west and north-west health region; whether additional consultant gynaecology resources are planned for the region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62767/26]
3520. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the extent to which private health insurers have increased excesses, shortfalls and co-payments for orthopaedic procedures such as hip and knee replacements over the past five years; whether an assessment has been carried out of the impact of these charges on older policyholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60385/26]
3517. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health whether the health insurance authority has examined the impact of increasing orthopaedic excesses and co-payments on access to treatment for older persons who hold private health insurance policies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60389/26]
3474. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the level of direct public funding currently provided to the cardiac risk in the young persons centre at Tallaght University Hospital; the basis on which funding is allocated to the service; the plans to provide additional funding to the centre (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61003/26]
3468. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the actions that have been taken since the publication of the National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services to implement recommendation 18; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61035/26]
3418. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical and non clinical staff currently assigned to inherited cardiac disease services, including the cardiac risk in the young persons centre; the plans to increase staffing levels in these services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61010/26]
3417. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the current level of genetic counselling resources available to patients undergoing assessment for inherited cardiac conditions; the plans to increase investment in genetic counselling services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61012/26]
3416. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the arrangements currently in place for genetic testing relating to inherited cardiac conditions; the extent to which such testing is carried out outside the State; the plans to expand domestic testing capacity (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61014/26]
3399. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for referral, assessment and treatment through the cardiac risk in the young persons centre; the measures being taken to reduce waiting times for patients referred with suspected inherited cardiac conditions (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61006/26]
3397. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of patients currently awaiting assessment for inherited cardiac conditions and related disorders through specialist services nationwide; the average waiting time to access such services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61016/26]
3396. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health whether consideration is being given to expanding specialist inherited cardiac services beyond the existing cardiac risk in the Young Persons Centre model in order to improve regional access and reduce waiting times (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61061/26]
3395. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if an assessment has been undertaken of the impact of waiting times for inherited cardiac disease services on patient well-being and clinical outcomes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61064/26]
3393. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if a review has been undertaken of services for patients with inherited cardiac conditions and families affected by sudden cardiac death; the recommendations arising from any such review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61026/26]
3392. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the actions taken to increase domestic capacity for genetic testing relating to inherited cardiac conditions under the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland (details supplied); the extent to which such testing continues to be carried out outside the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61071/26]
3391. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to improve early identification and treatment of inherited cardiac conditions associated with sudden cardiac death; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61031/26]
3390. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the actions that have been taken since the publication of the National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services to expand inherited cardiac condition services, including the Centre for Cardiac Risk in Younger Persons; the additional resources allocated to these services since publication of the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61034/26]
3388. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted a review of inherited cardiac disease services, including the Cardiac Risk in the Young Persons Centre; the findings of any such review; the recommendations arising from it (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61039/26]
3386. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health whether a national strategy exists for the identification, monitoring and treatment of persons at risk of inherited cardiac conditions and sudden cardiac death (details supplied); the key measures currently in operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61058/26]
3385. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if she will consider expanding specialist inherited cardiac services beyond the existing Cardiac Risk in the Young Persons Centre model in order to improve regional access and reduce waiting times (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61059/26]
3380. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date in implementing the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland in respect of inherited cardiac conditions (details supplied); the measures taken to expand access to cardiac genetic testing, genetic counselling and specialist inherited cardiac disease services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61066/26]
3379. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of additional genetic counsellor posts approved, funded, recruited and filled under the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland since its publication (details supplied); the number assigned to inherited cardiac disease services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61068/26]
3378. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the progress made in establishing the National Centre of Excellence in Genomic Testing and Bioinformatics provided for under the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland; the services currently available through that centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61072/26]
3377. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the progress made in establishing genomic resource associate or patient navigator posts under the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland; the number of such posts currently in place (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61074/26]
3375. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the steps taken to integrate the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland with inherited cardiac condition services, including the Cardiac Risk in the Young Persons Centre at Tallaght University Hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61075/26]
3325. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the establishment of a publicly funded auditory processing disorder diagnostic and support service for children and adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59907/26]
3324. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health what barriers currently remain to the establishment of a publicly funded auditory processing disorder) assessment and support pathway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59904/26]
3323. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if funding approved in 2023 for the development of a dedicated auditory processing disorder assessment and support service remains available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59895/26]