1702. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is satisfied that An Fóram Uisce is operating effectively as an independent body overseeing and scrutinising matters affecting Uisce Éireann customers; how members of the public can raise issues with An Foram Uisce where there are repeated service failures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56769/26]
1701. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms available to An Fóram Uisce to formally escalate concerns regarding recurring service failures by Uisce Éireann; whether such mechanisms have been utilised in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56768/26]
1700. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how An Fóram Uisce has fulfilled its statutory role in representing the interests of Uisce Éireann customers in relation to water outages, boil water notices, leakage levels and infrastructure deficits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56767/26]
1699. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of recommendations made by An Fóram Uisce to Uisce Éireann in each of the past five years; the number of recommendations that were accepted and implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56766/26]
1663. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if funding under the domestic well grant scheme can be awarded retrospectively in cases where homeowners were required to undertake emergency works to restore their water supply and could not reasonably wait for grant approval before commencing the works; if such applicants can reclaim all or part of the costs incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56042/26]
727. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether an increase in the capital acquisitions tax group A threshold is under consideration for Budget 2027; the proposals or options being examined in this regard; the measures being considered to support those impacted by CAT in group A since the previous threshold increase on 2 October 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56043/26]
432. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport if, in light of the ongoing shortage of taxi services, particularly in rural areas where many people face difficulties accessing transport in the evenings and at weekends, the Government has plans to remove key regulatory barriers to entry within the taxi market; whether consideration is being given to permitting ride-hailing platforms (details supplied) to operate in Ireland in the same manner as in other European countries to increase transport availability and consumer choice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56044/26]
299. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Defence the current availability of Air Corps aircraft and personnel to assist the emergency services in responding to major forest and wildfires; whether Air Corps operations in support of firefighting efforts are restricted to daylight hours; her views on reports that Air Corps aircraft arrive at fire scenes at approximately 10 a.m. and cease operations at approximately 5 p.m. despite fires continuing to burn throughout the day and night; whether she is satisfied that the current level of aerial firefighting support is adequate; and whether consideration will be given to extending Air Corps availability and operational hours during significant wildfire incidents to provide continuous support where required. [58898/26]
537. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 942 of 16 June 2026, to provide the number of claims for reimbursement via the primary care reimbursement scheme for a patient’s first visit for purpose of termination of pregnancy during 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of claims for combined termination procedure and aftercare during 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54493/26]
536. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide the total number of blood transfusions per year carried out in maternity hospitals, from 2016 to 2025; the reasons transfusions may be needed in maternity units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54492/26]
535. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to publish or provide the addendum report referred to in the supplementary note on the Department of Health's 2021 Annual Report of abortion statistics, which stated that "the Department will prepare an addendum report to update the notification figures" (details supplied) in order to address the recognised under-reporting of the number of abortions in the Department of Health Annual Report for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54491/26]
203. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the findings of the National Primary School Survey 2026, which found that 73% of parents with children attending single-sex primary schools favoured a move towards co-education, whether her Department has plans to encourage or facilitate the amalgamation of single-sex schools that do not wish to move towards a co-educational model; the mechanisms that are available to parents, school communities and patrons who wish to pursue the amalgamation of single-sex schools in their area; the supports available from her Department to assist such a process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53868/26]
202. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider reducing the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools in Budget 2027, particularly in rural schools where staffing levels are under pressure due to demographic decline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53867/26]
201. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures she is taking to protect rural primary schools that are at risk of losing teaching posts due to declining enrolment numbers; if her Department will review the staffing schedule for smaller rural schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53866/26]
384. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending the vacant homes grant to facilitate applications through small companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52662/26]
158. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the occupancy rate of apartment accommodation together with the number of apartment units vacant for more than 30 days in each year from 2023 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52102/26]
157. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of private landlords or property management companies currently providing self-contained apartment accommodation for IPAS; the total number of apartment units managed by each provider, where disclosure is permissible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52101/26]
156. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of planning applications or Section 5 exempted development declarations relating to IPAS accommodation submitted since 2023, by county; and the outcome of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52100/26]
155. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total expenditure on transporting IPAS residents between accommodation locations, including transport costs contained within accommodation provider contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52096/26]
154. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total cost incurred relocating IPAS residents between accommodation locations in each year from 2023 to date in 2026, broken down by transport, removals/storage, temporary accommodation, administration, and other relocation costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52095/26]
153. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of IPAS residents accommodated in each accommodation type (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52094/26]
104. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total cost incurred in the design, development and production of the logo for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union; the breakdown of these costs by design, consultancy, branding, and promotional expenditure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51239/26]
266. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the rationale for permitting the continuation of the revised crewing model introduced by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) during the Covid-19 pandemic, which allowed an emergency medical technician (EMT) and a paramedic to crew an emergency ambulance; whether this measure was intended to be temporary and pandemic-specific; if she is satisfied that the current model does not represent a lowering of pre-hospital clinical standards; if she will address concerns regarding the significant disparity in training and qualifications between EMTs and paramedics; whether she has engaged with PHECC regarding reinstating the pre-pandemic minimum crewing standard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47931/26]
243. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a per-child breakdown of the €61,342 annual payment to private fostering agencies by TUSLA; including the amount paid to the foster carer; the cost of social work support; administrative overheads; and any operating surplus or profit retained by the provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47919/26]
240. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to clarify the governance arrangements for foster care committees, including whether representatives of contracted private fostering agencies participate in the approval of foster carers; the safeguards in place to ensure independence and avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47907/26]
367. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the appropriate contact information for Oireachtas Members who wish to engage directly with the Bus Éireann school transport section in Tipperary regarding issues raised by parents about school transport. [47533/26]
366. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date on which parents will be notified regarding whether their child has been allocated a school bus ticket under the school transport scheme. [47532/26]
171. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports that are available to a childcare facility in a rural village that must find a more appropriate or purpose built facility to continue providing a childcare service in the area; the supports that are available to ensure this facility does not close; the supports that will be available to parents seeking childcare in the area when all childcare facilities in the wider area are full; if her Department will work with the community to ensure the continuance of the childcare facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46077/26]
132. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has applied, or intends to apply, to the European Commission for a temporary reduction of Ireland's mandatory solidarity contributions under Article 7(6) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1351; if not, the basis on which the Government considers Ireland not to be in a "critical situation" within the meaning of that Article, given current levels of temporary protection beneficiaries, international protection applicants, and the national housing emergency; to publish any correspondence with the commission on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46086/26]
83. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a person who has worked as a special needs assistant for many years can now contact her Department to enquire about their pension entitlements, given that the previously available dedicated pension phone line has been discontinued; the reason this phone line was removed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46119/26]
1025. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if she will commit to investment to deliver a neurology service for Tipperary University Hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45916/26]
931. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the measures the Government and her Department are taking to support an increasing number of citizens who are unable to register with a GP, particularly private patients who, despite contacting multiple GP practices, have been refused due to capacity constraints; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45304/26]
819. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average annual cost to the State, per child, of placements arranged through private-for-profit foster care agencies that place children with foster families, compared with the average annual cost per child of placements arranged directly through Tusla foster carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45923/26]
818. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the percentage of all foster family placements arranged through private-for-profit foster care agencies in each of the past five years, as distinct from placements arranged directly through Tusla foster carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45922/26]
817. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the name of all private-for-profit companies and agencies used by Tusla to place children with foster families during each of the past five years; the number of children placed through each company; and the amount paid to each company in each year concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45921/26]
816. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total amount of public money paid by Tusla to private-for-profit foster care agencies that place children with foster families in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45920/26]
815. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children placed by Tusla with foster families through private-for-profit foster care agencies in each of the past five years, tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45919/26]
212. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason a relative of a deceased person has been refused access, under the Freedom of Information Act 2014, to non-clinical mortuary records, including mortuary logbooks, times of admission and release, and related administrative documentation held by a HSE hospital; if she will outline the policy basis on which such records may be withheld; if she will confirm whether mortuary administrative records are considered personal health information or operational records; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44209/26]
75. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children per school that are assessed by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) per year; the reason all children who have been recommended for an assessment do not have access to this service; if there is any funding available for families who have not been selected for assessment by the NEPS service to privately obtain an assessment for dyslexia when screening results strongly suggest dyslexia; the number of psychologists employed by NEPS; the number of children assessed by psychologist per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44197/26]
2259. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of any incidences where women requested abortion pill reversal treatments after coerced or forced abortion; if the possibility of prescribing progesterone in this circumstance has been examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43459/26]
2258. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the specific safeguards in place to prevent drugs used for abortions (mifepristone and misoprostol) being supplied to or obtained by unauthorised people or used for abortions outside the terms of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; whether any regulatory changes have been made in light of evidence of coercive abortion in court cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43438/26]
1419. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether a county registrar can make and enforce possession orders when appearances has been entered (details supplied); if not, the recourses available to homeowners in a circumstance where the county registrar is ignoring the Minister’s public confirmation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43398/26]
1354. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of fines issued arising from the operation of the GoSafe speed-detection van positioned on the Cashel Road in Clonmel, near the railway crossing, during the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42354/26]
1296. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the full cost to his Department of providing of transport arrangements for IPAS children attending childcare facilities/school including taxi’s, school bus/ alternative transport arrangements; if his Department covers these costs or if they are covered by the Department of Education and Youth and/or Department of Children, Disability and Equality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41436/26]
1050. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue a directive to local authorities directing them to exempt commercial rates for registered charity shops, in light of a High Court decision relating to the matter in October 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42092/26]