212. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will increase funding for youth theatres at a local level in Budget 2025, to support the development of youth theatre activities and the holistic growth of young people in communities across Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37955/24]
211. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will commit to the retention, extension, and expansion of the basic income for artists scheme in Budget 2025, to ensure continued support for artists and the cultural sector (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37953/24]
210. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will allocate €1.2 million to fund a radio station (details supplied) to secure an FM licence and increase funding for TG4, to support the Irish language and its promotion among young people, as requested by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37939/24]
150. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to move school cleaners/janitors onto public sector pay scales, as was done with school secretaries and school caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37277/24]
111. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport if he will introduce free public transport for students in Budget 2025 to alleviate the high travel expenses faced by students; if he will consider implementing a bike-to-college scheme, which is a key ask of an organisation (details supplied) in its pre-Budget 2025 submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37918/24]
109. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport if he supports the integration of a new DART station at Croke Park; if he will engage with Irish Rail, an organisation (details supplied) and other relevant state agencies to proactively facilitate the development of this station, considering Irish Rail's ownership of the railway frontage and the willingness of the organisation to yield additional land required for the station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37802/24]
255. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €0.5 million in Budget 2025 to increase funding for an initiative (details supplied), supporting an additional 930 young people in local, regional, and national decision-making processes; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37077/24]
254. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €2 million in Budget 2025 to establish 15 new targeted youth projects under the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, engaging 1,200 young people experiencing disadvantage; if he will examine this request which is highlighted an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37076/24]
253. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €1.5 million in Budget 2025 to recruit 23 dedicated mentoring and specialist staff to support 400 new mentoring matches and provide specialist support for 225 young people from diverse communities; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37075/24]
252. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €1 million in Budget 2025 to employ 14 specialist staff to coordinate digital youth work and engage 1,400 young people in digital skills and literacy development; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37074/24]
251. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €10 million in Budget 2025 to establish 34 universal youth work hubs and uplift the youth services grant scheme to support pay parity, enhance volunteer-led universal youth work, and engage an additional 27,560 young people and 2,800 volunteers; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37073/24]
152. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to address concerns from local businesses regarding the free schoolbooks and stationery scheme (details supplied); the way her Department plans to mitigate the intense low margins faced by SMEs, the reduced footfall in retail premises, and the loss of seasonal jobs; additionally, if her Department will consider allowing schools more flexibility to prioritise local suppliers; the steps that are being taken to streamline the procurement process to reduce logistical challenges in schools; if she will consider encouraging schools to spend locally, or provide a one-time payment to families given the broader negative impact on local economies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37171/24]
151. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review the provision of special needs school transport for a child (details supplied); the reasons that this applicant was declined their school transport and escort for the 2024-2025 academic year; when this matter will be resolved and the appropriate school transport put in place and made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37169/24]
767. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the significant challenges faced by children with disabilities in accessing timely and appropriate dental treatment, as highlighted by the case of a child (details supplied); the measures being taken to ensure that vulnerable children receive the urgent care they need; if a review of the disability paediatric service in the midwest, specifically in St. Camillus and Nenagh Hospital, will be conducted to address these systemic issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36688/24]
621. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will expedite and review a school age service application submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36654/24]
562. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information on the case of a person (details supplied); the reasons this application was with the Department for approximately 13 months; the reasons he had to make several phone calls to enquire about the status of his application; the reasons he was informed verbally that his application was approved pending the issuing of the final approval letter; the reasons this application was then refused and subsequently refused again on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36781/24]
338. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to address the urgent need for the building project at a school (details supplied); the reasons for the delay in progressing past stage 2A, apply for planning permission, and move to the tender and construction stages; the reason the interim modular accommodation granted in September 2022 was subsequently reduced, resulting in inadequate facilities for the current and projected student population; if she will include a timeline for the approval of progressing past stage 2A, the envisaged timeframe for the tender stage, and the timeframe for construction to ensure the school can meet the needs of its students and families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36841/24]
334. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if an assisted technology application for a student (details supplied) will be reviewed; the reason this application has not yet been processed and a decision issued to their parents and school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36808/24]
332. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if a school bus ticket application for a student (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36789/24]
322. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if there are any current or upcoming schemes that provide funding for the employment of additional cleaners in primary and post-primary schools, specifically for positions requiring 15 to 20 hours per week (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36578/24]
1899. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health to ensure adequate funding to respond to the changing needs of people supported by an organisation (details supplied); whether he will take this matter into consideration when finalising his budget 2025 plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35682/24]
1854. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the considerations that his Department is giving to the inclusion of a drug (details supplied), which is now recognised as valuable medication in the treatment of obesity, to the drugs payment scheme or medical card scheme for non-diabetic patients; if there are plans to widen the prescription of the drug to medical card holders as a preventative medicine or to those under 60 years; to outline the current criteria being used to determine prescribing these drugs; if this drug can be made available to a person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35399/24]
1510. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate additional funding for therapy posts in children’s disability network teams to address the immediate needs of over 1,000 children and families awaiting services, as outlined by an organisation (details supplied) a pre-Budget 2025 submission; if he will consider this matter when finalising his Budget plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35662/24]
1509. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide increased funding to expand capacity and support alternative models of respite care for children and adults with disabilities, in light of the significant unmet need identified by an organisation (details supplied) in a pre-Budget 2025 submission; if he will consider this matter when finalising his Budget plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35661/24]
1508. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will increase investment in multi-disciplinary teams, including physiotherapy, psychology, social work, speech and language and occupational therapy, to address the gaps in adult services across Dublin, north Tipperary and north Kilkenny, as recommended by an organisation (details supplied) in a pre-Budget 2025 submission; if he will consider this matter when finalising his Budget plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35660/24]
1307. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to consider measures to address the cost of living to attract and retain staff in residential and day supports, as proposed by an organisation (details supplied) in its pre-budget 2025 submission, to ensure appropriate staffing levels and service delivery; if the Minister will take this matter into consideration when finalising his budget 2025 plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35686/24]
1302. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to ensure that Ireland can meet its housing needs with homegrown lumber; to address the concerns raised about the potential need to import timber due to Government inaction, as highlighted in the recent Forestry Licensing Dashboard (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35771/24]
1301. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to address the unsustainable levels of private felling, as indicated in the recent forestry licensing dashboard (details supplied); and how current Department policies and approaches to afforestation will be adjusted to mitigate severe consequences for the forestry and construction sectors, as highlighted in a review (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35770/24]
1300. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of afforestation licensing, given the recent achievement of licensing 182 hectares for afforestation recently; if his Department has met the minimum target pace for the issuing of such licences; if he will address the ongoing issue of sluggish planting rates, which remain at less than a third of the targeted weekly pace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35769/24]
1298. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he intends to introduce the 'forgotten farmers' scheme, which aims to provide support to farmers who missed out on previous schemes; if this scheme will allow eligible farmers to access the complementary income support for young farmers, the national reserve, and the TAMS/young farmers’ capital investment scheme, with an increased grant aid rate of 60%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35650/24]
1297. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific measures that will be introduced in Budget 2025 to support the survival and sustainability of various agricultural sectors, particularly in relation to the proposed tillage survival package and extended support schemes for suckler cows, sheep, and dairy-beef calves; if he will outline any additional supports planned for horticulture, organics, pigs, poultry, equine sectors, and aquaculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35649/24]
1209. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if separate individual owners can plant adjacent to each other land under the native tree area scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33855/24]
1197. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice to provide the necessary investment to establish systems that support the full implementation of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 for disability service providers, as requested by an organisation (details supplied) in its pre-budget 2025 submission; if she will take this matter into consideration when finalising her budget 2025 plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35683/24]
1110. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider introducing legislation to amend the Child and Family Relationships Act 2015, or other relevant legislation, to ensure that a parent who is convicted of the murder or manslaughter of the other parent does not retain guardianship of the surviving child or children, in light of a recent case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34584/24]
1003. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider omitting the carer’s allowance from being means-tested, particularly when parents are applying for the back-to-school allowance, given that parents who work 18 hours at a basic wage are negatively impacted by this means test when carer’s allowance is included in the assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35478/24]
877. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to increase the supply of social housing to support the decongregation of over 260 people living in congregated settings and address the unmet housing needs of individuals living at home with elderly parents or carers, as highlighted by an organisation (details supplied) in its pre-Budget 2025 submission; will the Minister take this matter into consideration when finalising his Budget 2025 plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35685/24]
685. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to conduct an urgent review of the school leaver process to ensure a smooth transition from children’s services to adult services for individuals with autism and complex needs, as recommended by an organisation (details supplied) in its pre-Budget 2025 submission; will the Minister take this matter into consideration when finalising her Budget 2025 plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35684/24]
679. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to initiate a review of a school bus route and request Bus Éireann to contact the person requesting the review (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35637/24]
672. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review a school bus ticket application for a pupil (details supplied); if she will arrange for Bus Éireann to provide further clarity on the reason this valid ticket holder was not provided a school bus ticket for the 2024 2025 academic year; if capacity on the service is an issue, whether she will instruct Bus Éireann to increase capacity on this route, in order that all valid ticket holders can avail of the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35551/24]
671. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review a school bus ticket application (details supplied); if she will review the authorised collection and pick-up times for this route as currently the school’s students are missing the evening bus as it is leaving too early and students cannot make it down from their school to the collection point on time; if she will arrange for Bus Éireann to provide adjusted collection and pick-up times on this route in order that all bus ticket holders can avail of the full school bus service on all days for this school year; if she will instruct Bus Éireann to drop and collect students who attend the school closer to the school instead of at a location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35546/24]
670. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the measures he will take to address the issues highlighted in a 2025 pre-Budget submission by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35542/24]
620. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review a school bus ticket application (details supplied); if she will review correspondence which outlines the issues with the authorised collection and pickup times; if she will arrange for Bus Éireann to provide adjusted collection and pickup times on this route in order that all bus ticket holders can avail of the full school bus service on all days for this school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35001/24]
609. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if a school bus ticket application by a student (details supplied) will be reviewed; if she will authorise and arrange for Bus Éireann to provide additional capacity on this route in order that a bus ticket can be provided to cater for this student to travel on the school bus for this school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34871/24]
608. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if a school bus ticket application by a student (details supplied) will be reviewed; if she will authorise and arrange for Bus Éireann to provide additional capacity on this route in order that a bus ticket can be provided to cater for these students to travel on the school bus for this school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34870/24]
603. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the reason that a Bus Éireann School Transport Case (details supplied), which was submitted through the Bus Éireann Oireachtas help desk, has not been answered and the reason a response has not been issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34808/24]
599. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to provide assistance to a school (details supplied), regarding the ongoing issue with this school’s accommodation needs for their additional ASD classroom; the steps being considered to address the issues highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34789/24]
584. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review a school bus ticket application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34710/24]
583. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review a school bus ticket application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34709/24]
582. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to review a school bus ticket application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34706/24]
580. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the reason a query (details supplied), which was submitted through her Department and then transferred to Ms. Hildegarde Naughton TD, Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, has not been answered and a response has not been issued, despite several requests; if she will investigate this matter and instruct that a response is issued immediately; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34681/24]