168. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if the NTA has moved to purchase appropriate lands on the N6 or the N83 towards the development of park and ride facilities as part of Galway City's Park and Ride Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47132/26]
538. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to ensure equitable allocation of research funding across all disciplines, including humanities and social sciences, in view of concerns that recent policy changes may disproportionately favour STEM fields (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46429/26]
537. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken to ensure that early-stage researchers are not placed in financially precarious positions as a result of changes to postgraduate funding policy; the extent to which alternative supports or funding streams will be made available (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46428/26]
536. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the rationale for the recent cancellation of Research Ireland doctoral and postdoctoral scholarship funding for future years; the measures being put in place to support PhD students who had intended to rely on such funding after commencing their studies; whether transitional arrangements will be introduced to protect those currently within a funding gap period (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46427/26]
285. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the stage 1 preliminary design assessment of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme report for the enhancement and development works at a school (details supplied) was received by her Department; when the stage 1 stakeholders meeting will be scheduled with the board of management of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46537/26]
253. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether the residential solar tax credit is available in respect of solar PV installations in new-build dwellings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46449/26]
208. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport when the NTA’s capital investment plan over the period to 2030 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46230/26]
130. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport when the public consultation for the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS) will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46229/26]
97. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the other social welfare payments available to recipients of the one-parent family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46038/26]
84. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is reviewing his Departments supports for one parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46037/26]
194. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if it is intended to increase chronic disease hub services in County Galway, in particular to address the significant waiting lists for podiatry services and other associated chronic disease supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46058/26]
74. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the review that has been or will be undertaken by her Department or the State Examinations Commission into the difficulty, structure and fairness of the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics papers 1 and 2; if any adjustments to marking schemes or grading processes are being considered in light of concerns raised by students, parents and teachers; whether she will issue a public statement to provide reassurance to affected students regarding the impact on their results; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45997/26]
39. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if there will be a successor strategy to the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46219/26]
38. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the TFI one-year pilot programme serving Achill Island and the Curraun Peninsula; to provide data available on passenger numbers, and the feedback received from passengers on both the service and the functioning of the TFI Anseo app. [46218/26]
35. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department is giving consideration to the introduction of a graduated driving licence system; whether any research, consultation, or comparative analysis has been carried out, including in relation to the graduated driving licence system being introduced this year in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46125/26]
34. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the progress made on High Impact Action 112 of the Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which commits to conducting a review of the efficacy of a compulsory road safety education programme in schools and making recommendations; the timeline for completion of this review; when its findings and recommendations will be published; when the recommendations will be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46124/26]
1029. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the completion of the new ambulance base at Recess, County Galway, including key milestones and the expected date of operational readiness; the level of ambulance services planned to be operated from the base, including staffing levels, number of ambulance units, hours of operation, the catchment area it will serve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45945/26]
649. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will review the €360,000 statutory total prize cap applying to District Court-licensed lotteries, including house draw competitions; whether consideration will be given to increasing this cap in line with current housing market values and construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45082/26]
507. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if all allowances recently restored to teaching staff in primary schools and special schools under Circular 0054/2026 will be extended to all teaching staff working within post-primary schools; if she is aware of the disparity currently affecting post-primary teachers appointed after 2012 who are excluded from the allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45722/26]
463. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 18 February 2025, the precise criteria that must be met in practice, particularly for teachers with experience in private international schools outside the EU (details supplied); the exact criteria, weightings and decision making methodology used by her Department in assessing such applications; if any internal guidelines, thresholds or scoring frameworks are applied by officials given many teachers require clarity on their likely eligibility for incremental credit award prior to taking up positions at home in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45405/26]
386. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the cost implications of mandatory registration with Fáilte Ireland under the proposed short-term letting regulatory framework for the classification of short-term letting properties; the way in which such registration may affect the formal categorisation, status or recognition of properties engaged in short-term letting activity; if guidance has been issued, or is planned, to relevant public bodies, including local authorities and Tailte Éireann, regarding the treatment and classification of registered short-term letting properties arising from this change; if consideration is being given to exemptions, thresholds or differentiated treatment for small-scale or owner-occupied short-term letting providers, particularly in rural and island communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44889/26]
370. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the Government’s position on introducing a statutory secondary publication right for publicly funded research outputs (details supplied); if he has considered the draft legislation proposed under the National Open Research Forum (NORF) SCOIR project; if he will provide a timeline for any proposed legislative action in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44749/26]
345. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of retired staff with pension entitlement within her Department who have seen their pension subjected to pension abatement following re-entering employment in the public sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44800/26]
340. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the policy regarding the application of commercial rates to premises operated by charities; whether any recent changes have resulted in increased financial burdens on such organisations; the supports or exemptions available (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44768/26]
339. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the current MRI capacity in University Hospital Galway, including waiting times for scans, availability of equipment, and any plans to expand access to MRI services in the region (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44767/26]
338. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health to provide the current waiting list numbers and average waiting times for psychology services in the West of Ireland, including adult and child services; the number of psychologists currently employed and any vacancies; and the steps being taken to reduce waiting times (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44766/26]
337. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health whether radiography services are available at weekends in University Hospital Galway; to provide details of staffing levels, vacancies, and reliance on agency staff; the measures being taken to ensure adequate diagnostic imaging capacity (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44765/26]
336. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health To outline the current waiting list numbers and average waiting times for neurology services in University Hospital Galway and across the West of Ireland; the number of consultant neurologists and support staff currently in post; the existing vacancies; the measures being taken to improve access to neurology services in the region (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44764/26]
253. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of retired staff with pension entitlement within his Department who have seen their pension subjected to pension abatement following re-entering employment in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44801/26]
198. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of retired staff with pension entitlement within her Department who have seen their pension subjected to pension abatement following re-entering employment in the public sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44799/26]
181. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the continued basis for pension abatement for public servants with pension entitlements who have been re-employed in alternative roles within the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44798/26]
170. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport to consider using the means available within his Department to commence a direct bus service between Galway city and Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44797/26]
283. D'fhiafraigh Deputy John Connolly den Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail, agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le tuarascáil RPS, an bhfuil an tuarascáil ag an Roinn agus muna bhfuil, an bhféadfaidh an tAire soiléiriú a thabhairt maidir le cén uair atá sé beartaithe an tuarascáil a fhoilsiú [44387/26]
225. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the plans in place to increase the number of community nursing beds in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44363/26]
214. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the reason Alzheimer’s disease is not considered a disability by the HSE for the purposes of accessing home help services for people under 66 years of age; whether consideration is being given to including Alzheimer’s disease as a recognised disability for these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44213/26]
213. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the services that are available for people diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in the Clifden area; the details of how these services can be accessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44212/26]
40. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of third-party software or commercial services which, for a fee, automatically monitor and book driving test cancellations through the Road Safety Authority (RSA) online booking system; whether his Department or the RSA has examined the operation of such services; if such services are considered compliant with the RSA’s terms and conditions of use; whether he has concerns regarding the potential unfair advantage these services may confer on those who are able to pay for them; and the measures being considered to ensure equitable access to driving test appointments (details supplied). [44408/26]
2505. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to outline all the community-based organisations based on our off-shore islands that benefit from the Community Services Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41601/26]
2171. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development control plan for Merlin Park Hospital in Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43144/26]
2170. D'fhiafraigh Deputy John Connolly den Aire Sláinte cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le forbairt Ionad Cúraim Phríomhúil in An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [43143/26]
1242. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the current rate of the living alone allowance; the most recent occasion there was an increase in this allowance; if he will consider an increase to this allowance in budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43142/26]
1107. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) rent limits for Galway City and County were last reviewed; if his Department has undertaken an assessment of the adequacy of HAP limits in view of rising rental costs in Galway City and County (details supplied); his plans to conduct a further review or adjust the limits to better reflect prevailing market rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42958/26]
1030. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the national directorate for fire and emergency management guidance or the framework for major emergency management provide explicit guidance and direction to local authority fire services for the competent and complete response to emergency incidents that could occur at stationary battery energy storage systems associated with the storage of energy generated by solar farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41719/26]
565. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider the introduction of an on-trade sustainability scheme, as proposed by the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland; to provide targeted tax relief or supports to publicans facing increased operating costs, particularly in light of rising electricity, wage and water costs and in recognition of the social and economic importance of pubs as community hubs, particularly in rural areas, supporting local employment, tourism and social cohesion; to outline the measures under consideration to support the long-term viability of rural pubs and small licensed premises (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42975/26]