178. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she is considering providing free or reduced cost school transport seats in rural areas where there are not sufficient pupils who meet the criteria for free school transport for a bus to be viable; if she is considering any other solution to this problem to ensure that as few pupils are arriving to school in private vehicles as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20625/23]
118. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the work his Department has undertaken on requiring a certain amount of floor space in supermarkets of a certain size to be reserved for reuse and refillable products, following recommendations to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action in 2021. [19923/23]
101. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the expected deadline for the NBI rollout of fibre broadband across the State; if he is satisfied with the current rate of the rollout with 109,000 out of 569,000 premises connected after the third year of the plan; how he plans on ramping up delivery of the rollout, particularly across the west, where areas are disproportionately in the 'survey pending' stage compared to other areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19922/23]
641. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide the list of first-year, second-year, third-year and fourth-year apprentices that have completed the requisite on-the-job training for that year, but have yet to be called by Solas to undertake their block release training, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19129/23]
640. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason an apprentice has not yet been called by Solas to complete their block release training; the avenues that are open to someone in such a position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19128/23]
634. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on staffing issues for respite services provided through Ability West in Galway; when these services will be back in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19611/23]
411. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if there is a set time period during which a multi-entry visa is valid; if this time period is dependent on the applicant’s circumstances; if he will clarify how the amount of time a multi-entry visa remains valid is decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19191/23]
337. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will issue a circular to local authorities setting out the guidelines for the tenant in situ, for common situations where a tenant receives their HAP payment from one local authority, but it is a different local authority that wishes to purchase the property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19402/23]
336. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many staff have been hired to deal with the tenant in situ scheme; the number of vacant positions still available; the breakdown by local authority of the number of persons hired to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19367/23]
244. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing units delivered via the cost rental equity loan, the affordable housing fund and project Tosaigh in the county and the constituency of Galway west, in each of the years, 2016 to 2022; and the planned number to be delivered in 2023 with a breakdown of units per scheme and average price of units by unit size, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18679/23]
898. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the work her Department has done on extending free travel eligibility to persons who suffer with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16966/23]
883. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary No. 289 of 23 March 2023, assuming a person who is working a full-time job in a four-day week has surpassed the three-day waiting period to qualify for illness benefit, if there are guidelines in place to ensure that any calculations made to the payment of their benefit are on the basis of a four-day working week, rather than a five-day working week (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16766/23]
864. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the waiting times for the processing of applications for disability allowance; the number of applications waiting at present, per county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16094/23]
863. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the waiting times for the processing of applications for carer’s allowance and carer's benefit; the number of applications waiting at present, per county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16093/23]
168. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the roll-out of high-speed rural broadband in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16096/23]
298. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the closing of the hydro pool in Galway University Hospital; the steps being taken to reopen the pool; and when it will reopen. [15913/23]
197. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the reason the teacher allocation for a school (details supplied) did not account for the fact that it had a higher ratio than the teacher-pupil ratio of one classroom teacher to every 23 pupils; if schools which have a higher ratio are required to go through the appeals process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15991/23]
197. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that no dentist in Galway now accepts medical cards; and if he will outline what steps he is taking to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15600/23]
63. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will support the conservation of invasive pike in Lough Melvin SAC under the current conservation of pike bye-law No. 809 of 2006 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15652/23]
722. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if supports will be provided to the operators of the Tuam meals on wheels service, County Galway to prevent its closure at the end of the March 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15284/23]
364. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education her views in relation to the proposal by the Fair Post Primary Redeployment for Teachers group that a national voluntary redeployment panel for teachers be established, whereby an online portal for teachers seeking voluntary redeployment could allow for a direct swap facility for those seeking to reverse their locations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14658/23]
315. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an expected timeline for the submission made to his Department by Galway City Council requesting sanction for the recruitment of general operatives in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15283/23]
289. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are guidelines set out for granting illness benefit to workers whose full-time work schedule is based on a four-day week, for example, if the worker is sick four days of the week, if they should get the full week’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14466/23]
63. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the current status of the establishment of a secondary school on Inishbofin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12008/23]
1438. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the biodiversity action plans that are in place for HSE estates or properties under its management in line with Government policy of protecting green spaces and high biodiversity areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13505/23]
1403. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) who is working in an agency will receive the pandemic bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13303/23]
1304. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the way the HSE recruits workers for key healthcare roles from abroad when the roles cannot be filled locally; if there is an avenue for a non-EEA worker who is not living in Ireland to pursue a career in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12840/23]
459. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish the number of properties sold to the State through the tenant in-situ scheme, by local authority in each month since October 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13258/23]
360. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he is satisfied that An Post, the Irish Aviation Authority and Coillte are complying with their respective founding legislation that contains a guarantee that the civil servants transferred to these bodies on their vesting day are entitled to "not less favourable" conditions in their pensions than those to which they were entitled prior to being transferred; if he is satisfied that these public servants are being treated equitably in the same way as other public service pensioners paid out of monies voted by both Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12926/23]
203. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications as the Minister with governance oversight responsibility for the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, if he is satisfied that An Post is complying fully with Section 46 (4) of the said Act pertaining to the guarantee that the civil servants transferred to An Post on its vesting day are entitled to "not less favourable" conditions in their pensions than those to which they were entitled prior to being transferred; if he is satisfied that these ex-civil servants are being treated correctly in accordance with the Act and in the same way as if their pensions were paid out of monies voted by the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13453/23]
191. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 174 of 22 November 2022, if he and his Department will amend and/or revoke the current Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006, which is in direct conflict with other domestic and EU environmental legislation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13250/23]
370. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to the ongoing construction of the Ros a'Mhíl deep water quay, if he has considered increasing the spec of the deck capacity to 30 tonnes / m2 and the extension of the berth pocket by 30 metres at the north end of the pier, in order to future proof the development; the process and procedures that are in place to consider same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12146/23]
201. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide the contact details for the newly established Online Safety Commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12143/23]
174. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Inland Fisheries Ireland published the 2021 Lough Melvin Water Framework Directive Fish Survey Report on 23 February 2023, which highlighted the first anthropogenic existence of invasive roach in this SAC lake, if he,
and his Department support the conservation of invasive roach in Lough Melvin SAC under the current Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12139/23]
701. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware and has contacted the HSE with regard to the use of heavy machinery in Priority Annex 1 habitat and the felling of trees in south woods in Merlin Woods, Galway City; how this complies with the EU Habitats Directive (article 6.2); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11356/23]
428. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if those who have been in receipt of illness benefit since April 2022 or before will be eligible for the one-off payment of €200; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10950/23]
245. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if the renter's credit introduced in Budget 2023 is in the baseline and a recurring measure going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11213/23]
221. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance in light of his review of the ethics framework, the measures he is considering to improve the oversight of potential conflicts of interest, and sanctions for having failed to declare a conflict of interest when a Minister has authority or jurisdiction over the relevant area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11314/23]
220. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance in a situation where a Minister had responsibility for an area such as consumer mortgage arrears, if his or her own credit history would be relevant and hence should be declared if he or she were currently or previously in significant arrears, given that the ministerial code of conduct requires Ministers to "avoid any real or apparent conflict of interest"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11313/23]
99. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to extend the business energy support scheme to LPG gas and oil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8044/23]
292. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if persons in receipt of a British pension can apply for reimbursement of costs for healthcare treatment received in another EU member state under the cross-border directive scheme; if there are other arrangements in place that allow persons in receipt of a British pension to apply for reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10655/23]
133. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the Coirib go Cósta flood defences project in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10527/23]
132. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform as part of his focus on the NDP and in relation to the capital ceilings, if he has identified particular Departments as a priority and whose current ceiling may need amending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10529/23]
108. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the legislation he will bring forward this year in relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10528/23]
106. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the work that the construction sector group is currently undertaking to advance the roll-out of modern methods of construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10530/23]
92. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will detail the analysis of the inflation-supply chain delay co-operation framework that has been carried out to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10526/23]
90. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will outline the process and procedures by which a line Department would come to his Department seeking permission for the release of funding for a pay claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10525/23]
296. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has a plan to address issues with regard to fuel affordability for social housing tenants whose homes are being upgraded from solid fuel to oil heating systems, given that this work may be done in advance of any potential energy efficiency works such as insulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10068/23]
273. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will approve the request for additional staff from Galway City Council housing unit, given the fact that council tenants in Galway are waiting months for maintenance works and retrofits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9649/23]
244. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on plans for year 2 of Core Funding for the early learning and childcare sector; when the details of the next pay agreement will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9402/23]