1482. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure the provision of additional crèche and childcare facilities in Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39058/23]
1191. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice to provide a breakdown in tabular form for the total amount of spending for the past five years recorded by Muintír Na Tíre to support community alert schemes, the report to provide a breakdown by county for each of the five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38540/23]
1190. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice to outline any allocation of funding to Muintír Na Tíre over the past five years, which derived from capital seizures through the proceeds of crime legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38539/23]
1189. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice to provide in tabular form the total amount of moneys allocated by her Department to Muintír Na Tíre over the past five years; to provide a breakdown by annual year and by individual county allocation of the dispersed budget per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38535/23]
742. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Education if the bus route number D689 could be extended by approximately 167 metres to include to include four other households on this route (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39016/23]
338. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will confirm that as part of the new SAR contract (details supplied), that the existing servicing and maintenance teams based at Waterford Regional Airport will remain employed at this facility into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38315/23]
337. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport as part of the newly awarded SAR contract if he will confirm that the company (details supplied) will not seek to introduce aeronautical agency or temporary recruitment measures in an effort to renegotiate, existing remuneration and staffing levels at the Waterford R117 base; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38314/23]
336. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport as the Minister is aware of the new national SAR contract awarded to a company (details supplied) in recent days, if he will confirm that the takeover of the contract by the company will be subject to TUPE (transfer undertakings and protecting employment) legislation and will therefore guarantee that the present employment roles and remuneration will be observed within the new contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38313/23]
98. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if research has been conducted to understand whether the proposed policy in relation to the bottle and can deposit retention scheme will favour large brand retailers as opposed to small owner operator businesses which will likely not have the financial capacity to contribute to purchase and maintenance of redemption vending machines; what concerns this gives rise to within his Department in terms of competitive advantage favouring the large scale multiples; how his Department proposes to level the playing field in terms of this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37831/23]
97. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the proposed workings of the new bottle and can deposit return initiative; where vending machines will be situated to collect the returns and pay out the redemption deposit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37830/23]
1035. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider increasing the funding for HSE disability services in Budget 2024, as the service is completely underfunded at the moment (details supplied). [36366/23]
711. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will acknowledge the enormous amount of care being provided voluntarily by family members at home for relatives in need of very high levels of care; if she will acknowledge that if this voluntary home care were not available and responsibility transferred to the State, this would put a huge financial burden on the State; if she will acknowledge that a large number of voluntary carers are not eligible to apply for carer’s allowance as they do not satisfy the means test limit under the current legislation; and if she will consider abolishing the means test. [36457/23]
198. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance if he intends increasing the income tax exemption of €36,000 for a married couple over 65 years of age (details supplied) ( €18,000 single person), given the proposed increase in the old age pension will push many retired people over the exemption limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33848/23]
206. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the level of SME credit advanced in previous credit guaranteed schemes in the past 12-months, by county and sector; what that quantum of funding is, in relation to the previous year's allocation; the variance estimated in relation to the proposed new credit guaranteed SME scheme to be announced, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31681/23]
633. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if he will commit to having his Department conduct a review of the long-term illness scheme (details supplied); if he will request his Department to re-examine an application; his views on whether the long-term illness scheme which is governed by the Health Act 1970, is long overdue a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30579/23]
175. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline his Department’s position regarding an upgrade investment for the N24 Waterford to Limerick road; when such investment might happen; the scale of investment under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29765/23]
73. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details of the funding allocated to the N24-N25 project for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29767/23]
48. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will confirm what progress has been made in relation to the reduction of waiting times for those waiting to be tested, following the announcement of the addition of 75 new testers earlier in the year; when he envisages the current average wait of 21 weeks will be significantly reduced, and to what level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29768/23]
20. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will clarify how his Department is carrying a nearly €100 million underspend in the first three months of the year; if there have been projects postponed or delayed which has led to the underspend; if so, if he will list those projects affected; if he will outline how he and his Department plan to address the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29769/23]
8. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a timeframe in relation to the yet-to-be-published data relating to the proposed Irish rail review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29766/23]
2. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if, assuming he is very much aware of the import and export benefit opportunity that has been developed as a result of the Ballina rail corridor that connects through Waterford Port, he can outline his Department’s position on developing a Ballina-type railhead in perhaps the Kildare area to connect to Waterford Port, which would counter increasing traffic congestion in the capital and have a positive impact on national freight distribution sustainability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29764/23]
642. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health to list the project expenditure and total annual quantum of capital expenditure with associated and relevant capital project name and reference details under the expenditure heading of acute, community health, mental health and each and any other relevant capital expenditure heading with details thereof on the campus in Cork University Hospital, Galway University Hospital, Limerick University Hospital and Waterford University Hospital, in each of the years 2013 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29258/23]
307. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport in relation to the new contract with a company (details supplied) for the provision of aviation search-and-rescue services, specifically helicopter 117, if the helicopter’s heavy lifting capacity, operational capacity and time on-scene will remain the same as that of the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter presently in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28160/23]
724. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of emergency department presentations at the nine acute model 4 hospitals in the country for the month of April; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26038/23]
918. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health in relation to the nine model 4 acute hospitals in the country, if he will publish the latest quarter running/expenditure costs for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24947/23]
917. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if he will publish the latest three-monthly numbers of emergency department presentations for the nine acute model 4 hospitals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24946/23]
916. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the reason for the HSE's insistence on treating a charity group (details supplied) differently from other charities providing medical services whereby the HSE deducts professional services withholding tax from payments, which severely restricts the activities of the charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24945/23]
744. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding the announcement of a construction tender award for the long-awaited PPP funded engineering building block to the old Waterford IT campus and given the statement by the Taoiseach (details supplied), his views on a calendar date for this tender award to be achieved; if he will give a guaranteed date for the award of this construction contract, given that this project is now over five years overdue based on the last commitment from the previous Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22521/23]
743. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science where the legal ownership status of the designated SETU land purchase of 20.3 acres of the old Waterford crystal site stand; the present legal status regarding the ownership of this site; if due diligence is still ongoing; the possible delays that could be preventing the transfer of the site, given it was originally highlighted for sale in 2017 and was mentioned on the record of Dáil Éireann as an acquisition target by the Taoiseach in 2020 (details supplied); the further impediments that remain to legally transfer the site; the timeline to resolve same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22520/23]
523. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide information on recent media reports that a possible dairy retirement and reduction scheme may be introduced in 2024; if he will outline the broad thrust of such a scheme; if he will provide any clarification as to the breadth of ambition within his Department to deliver dairy farm retirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22522/23]
261. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance if he can explain the reason the main banks are not paying any interest on deposit accounts held on behalf of ordinary citizens, despite the increase in revenue resulting from the higher interest rates being paid on these deposits by the European Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22371/23]
132. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if details on capital commitments, by county and region will be given during the framing process of budget 2024 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21803/23]
131. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the departmental capital tracker plan outlining any improvements that have increased visibility on funding timelines and project completions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11589/23]
123. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport the National Development Plan expenditure envisaged by his Department; the road projects that are being considered in terms of upgrading the N24 and N25 roads (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22060/23]
46. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with respect to the national capital tracker, if his Department plans to provide an annual comparative analysis of annual spend by project and sector with respect to regional population benefit and cumulative capital spend in that region and sector over the previous three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22058/23]
38. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform what input his Department has in terms of ongoing HSE capital allocations, given the new attention on capital budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22061/23]
32. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if there has been any update or review of the national capital tracker to provide greater transparency in terms of projects status, development timelines and associated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22057/23]
27. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform as the new Chair of the Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board, the processes and procedures he hopes to implement that will speak to a fair allocation of national capital monies to individual regions and populations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22059/23]
141. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide an update on community alert schemes in Waterford, following his visit there (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22004/23]
445. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice if he will confirm when an independent report (details supplied) into insurance reform will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21388/23]
444. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice if the legal assessment of economic models has been completed with respect to a report (details supplied) into insurance reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21387/23]
54. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance the initiatives his Department is considering in terms of tax measures to stimulate access to investment capital given that access to start-up and scaling finance is now the biggest challenge facing the micro and SME communities, as shown in recent surveys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21804/23]
194. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Justice the reason persons who are in the State on student visas are allowed to work on a casual or part-time basis, but are not allowed to become self-employed and work on a casual or part-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20829/23]
455. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the number of patients currently under the care of psychology services within the Waterford primary care service; if he is aware that the current psychologist has gone on maternity leave in March 2023 and no alternative or temporary psychologist has been recruited to take- up the position for the duration of her maternity leave; if he will acknowledge that this will have a detrimental effect on patients (details supplied) and that the patients affected simply cannot be left without support for this length of time; if he will commit to immediately ensuring that funds and recruitment procedures are put in place to provide for a temporary replacement psychologist for the duration of the maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20611/23]
177. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Education in relation to the cycle to work scheme, which is a tax incentive to encourage employees to cycle to work, if her Department currently offers this scheme to its employees; if she will confirm the reason a substitute SNA employed by her Department might not be entitled to avail of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20610/23]
1667. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health in respect of the new two-storey laboratory extension at University Hospital Waterford which has received planning permission from the Waterford local authority, if he will confirm the status of this project with respect to ring-fenced funding, tender development and contract award and this project's status within the 2023 capital plan (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17647/23]
1648. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter concerning a laboratory at University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17595/23]
1647. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter concerning cardiology services at University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17594/23]
1646. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter concerning bed capacity at University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17593/23]
1605. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the pressing need to provide a dedicated cardiac day ward at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, to facilitate elective activity of the second cardiac catheterisation lab at UHW due to begin activity in quarter 2 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17453/23]