1160. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the current status and future use of the former St Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir; whether the HSE has undertaken or plans to undertake engagement with local community representatives and campaigners regarding potential health service uses for the site; and if consideration has been given to the suitability of the location for the provision of Level 2 palliative care or other step-down community health services, in line with Sláintecare objectives. [10254/26]
608. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the capital works project for a school (details supplied); when a decision is expected on the stage 2A completion certificate recently submitted to her Department; the reasons for the length of time this project has been in the planning pipeline, since 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10037/26]
564. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the request submitted by the board of management of a school (details supplied), through its patron, to commence a formal consultation process regarding the transition of the school from an all-girls post-primary school to a co-educational model; when a decision is expected to issue from her Department; the criteria being applied by her Department in assessing such requests; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9418/26]
536. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the Stage 2B submission made on 13 October 2005 for the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied); when a decision is expected to issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9200/26]
324. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the sections of the Road Traffic Act 2023 that have not been implemented/commenced to date; the reason for the delays; the regulations that have yet to be brought in; and proposed date for commencement.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9126/26]
180. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the way in which the move from once-off cost-of-living supports to permanent measures has been assessed in terms of its impact on people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1615/26]
451. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when a new round of the CLÁR programme will issue in 2026; whether Measure 1 (Developing Community Facilities and Amenities) will again support applications involving school-based facilities where those facilities are available for wider community use outside of school hours; if any changes are planned to the eligibility criteria for schools under Measure 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9097/26]
343. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider amending policy or guidance to explicitly prioritise vehicle actuated temporary traffic signals as the default traffic management solution, except where clearly demonstrated to be impractical or unsafe (details supplied). [8230/26]
164. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the next phase of the development of the College of the Future project at the Kickham Barracks site in Clonmel, which was given the green light in October 2024; the timeline for same; and the expected impact of this pioneering co-located campus for both further and higher education on learners, businesses and the wider community in Tipperary and beyond. [5498/26]
727. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Garda roads policing vehicles equipped with automatic number plate recognition technology and interconnection with Garda mobility devices. [5847/26]
343. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the status of the delivery of the 35 Pathfinder Programme projects (details supplied) under the National Sustainable Mobility Policy 2022-2025, in tabular form. [6485/26]
325. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport when the statutory fee for the release of a vehicle impounded by An Garda Síochána, currently €125, was last increased; the rationale for the current level of the fee; whether he has received representations from An Garda Síochána regarding concerns that the fee does not act as a sufficient deterrent, particularly in respect of repeat offending by learner drivers; and whether he will consider a review of the fee, including by reference to comparable charges in other jurisdictions. [6041/26]
182. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his assessment of the rapid increase in retail crime, including theft, organised shoplifting and associated antisocial behaviour; the financial and operational impact this is having on small and family-owned retail businesses, which form the backbone of local economies and town centres; the supports, protections or targeted measures his Department is putting in place to assist retailers facing rising security costs, higher insurance premiums and staff safety concerns; the engagement is taking place with retailers’ representative bodies and other Departments, including justice and policing authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1441/26]
440. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has identified circumstances in which the auto-enrolment scheme could require additional Exchequer subvention beyond current projections; and the safeguards in place to prevent this. [5412/26]
439. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the assessment which has been made of the long-term financial exposure of the Exchequer arising from the auto-enrolment scheme, including risks related to cost overruns, lower-than-expected participation, or higher-than-expected administrative costs. [5411/26]
438. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether lifecycle cost modelling was undertaken prior to entering into long-term outsourcing contracts associated with Auto-Enrolment; and if so, whether that modelling will be made available to the Oireachtas. [5410/26]
437. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide details of all major contracts awarded in respect of the auto-enrolment scheme to date, including service providers, contract duration, estimated lifetime cost, and performance oversight arrangements. [5409/26]
436. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the oversight mechanisms which are in place to ensure that National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority delivers value for money over time; and whether periodic independent cost and performance reviews are planned. [5408/26]
435. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected annual operating costs of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, including staffing, governance, compliance, and outsourced services; and to confirm the way in which these costs will be funded. [5407/26]
434. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is satisfied that public commentary comparing auto-enrolment charges with private PRSAs reflects a like-for-like comparison of total costs; and if not, the steps which are being taken to ensure accuracy and transparency in public communications. [5406/26]
433. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the analysis which underpins public comparisons between the headline annual management charge of the auto-enrolment scheme and the charges applicable to individual private pension products; and whether such comparisons include regulatory, governance, and administrative costs borne by the State. [5405/26]
432. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any assessment has been carried out of the all-in economic cost of an individual auto-enrolment account, including indirect and non-member-borne costs funded by the Exchequer; if so, to publish same.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5404/26]
431. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a detailed breakdown of the full establishment costs of the auto-enrolment retirement savings system, including but not limited to legislative development, ICT systems, procurement, branding, public communications, and staffing costs; the projected total Exchequer cost over the first five and ten years of operation.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5403/26]
370. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is aware of the urgent need for the establishment of a second ASD special class at a school (details supplied); the reason approval has not been granted notwithstanding the school’s stated capacity, preparedness and engagement with the National Council for Special Education; the current position regarding this request; whether a decision will be made as a matter of urgency to facilitate staffing and planning for the 2026–2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5348/26]
369. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a letter of eligibility for an ASD special class placement has been refused by the National Council for Special Education in respect of a child (details supplied); whether she will consider issuing the letter on an exceptional basis in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5347/26]
341. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether his Department is monitoring the auto-enrolment scheme as a major public expenditure programme; and whether it is subject to the Public Spending Code, including periodic value-for-money reviews. [5402/26]
298. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that reported improvements in national driving-test waiting times accurately reflect waiting times across all licence categories, including commercial drivers. [5246/26]
297. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport whether consideration has been given to establishing a dedicated commercial driving test stream within the Road Safety Authority to ensure professional drivers are not disadvantaged by overall demand for private car tests; and if not, the reason. [5245/26]
296. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the engagement he or his Department has had with representative bodies in the road haulage sector regarding delays in commercial driving tests; and the actions that have been agreed, arising from this engagement. [5244/26]
295. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the target waiting times that apply specifically to commercial driving tests; whether these targets are being met; and if not, the corrective measures being planned. [5243/26]
294. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport whether he has assessed the impact of prolonged waiting times for HGV and bus driving tests on labour shortages within the road haulage and public transport sectors; and if so, the findings of that assessment. [5242/26]
293. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport whether any driving test centres have had periods during which no commercial driving tests were scheduled or conducted; the reasons for this; and the steps being taken to ensure available testing capacity for professional drivers is fully utilised. [5241/26]
292. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the number of commercial driving tests (HGV and bus) conducted by the Road Safety Authority in each month of the past two years; the way in which this compares with private car tests over the same period; and if he will outline the reasons for any significant changes. [5240/26]
291. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport whether driving testers within the RSA have been reassigned from commercial driving tests to private car driving tests in order to reduce overall waiting-time averages; if so, when this practice commenced; and the impact it has had on waiting times for commercial licence applicants. [5239/26]
290. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport whether he will provide a comparison between average waiting times for private car driving tests and for commercial driving tests, including HGV and bus licences; the extent to which these waiting times differ; and the reasons for any disparity. [5238/26]
289. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the current average waiting times for driving tests, broken down by licence category, HGV, bus and other commercial categories, by test centre, for each of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5237/26]
225. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, in light of representations from the construction sector, including concerns raised by an organisation (details supplied), he accepts that lower first home scheme price ceilings in counties such as Tipperary are actively discouraging private housing delivery, as developers face higher construction costs without corresponding scheme support; the assessment that has been undertaken of the impact of price ceilings on housing supply, particularly in regional and Border counties; if the six-monthly review process adequately reflects real construction costs and market conditions, rather than solely historic purchase data; the changes he plans to pursue, to ensure the scheme supports housing delivery on an equal footing across all regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1456/26]
175. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to his reply on the operation of the first home scheme; his views on whether the current county-by-county price ceilings are creating significant distortions in housing delivery, particularly where counties such as Tipperary have substantially lower ceilings than neighbouring local authority areas; if he will give a policy direction to the First Home Scheme DAC to move towards a simplified tiered model, with one ceiling for Dublin and Cork and a second ceiling for all other counties; the way in which such an approach could better support equitable private housing delivery and affordability across the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1455/26]
108. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the immediate contingency arrangements now in place for children awaiting community ophthalmology services in south Tipperary, in circumstances where recruitment of a consultant community ophthalmologist has repeatedly failed and the previous postholder has retired; if weekend clinics, private provision, cross-HSE-area referrals, temporary contracting, or emergency outsourcing are currently being utilised; to explain how it is acceptable that 1,449 children under four years of age are on a waiting list, with some waiting since 2021; when children referred in 2023, including named cases already supplied to the Department, will receive appointments; the urgent intervention she will now direct to ensure children are not left without timely eye care [1396/26]
107. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the alternative arrangements being developed by the HSE to ensure continuity of coronial post-mortem services for the south-east region from January 2026, given that consultant pathologists at University Hospital Waterford will no longer provide this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1396/26]
6. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the alternative arrangements being developed by the HSE to ensure continuity of coronial post mortem services for the south-east region from January 2026, given that consultant pathologists at UHW will no longer provide this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5311/26]
110. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons an additional ASD special class was not sanctioned in a post-primary school (details supplied); the criteria applied in determining that the class could not be sanctioned at this time; whether the availability of a modest capital grant to facilitate the fit-out of an additional classroom was considered as part of this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4708/26]
658. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he plans to issue updated national guidance or circulars to local authorities to ensure a consistent approach to ribbon development and backland development across the State; and if so, the proposed timeline for same. [3905/26]
657. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether national planning policy provides sufficiently clear guidance to local authorities on the treatment of backland or backyard development; whether his Department is aware of significant variation between county development plans in facilitating or restricting such development; and whether updated guidance is under consideration. [3903/26]
656. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has reviewed the approaches taken by different local authorities in defining and assessing ribbon development in their county development plans; whether variations exist between counties in how ribbon development is calculated; and if so, whether he considers such variation to be consistent with national planning policy. [3901/26]
578. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria currently being applied by SENOs in the context of ongoing SNA allocation reviews; whether her Department accepts that children without primary care needs may nonetheless require SNA support to access education safely and meaningfully in mainstream classrooms; the guidance issued to SENOs to ensure that SNA reviews are needs-based rather than resource-led; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4385/26]
365. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport following his report on 10 December 2025 titled "Recording of Penalty Points and Disqualifications on Driver Records" of the 14,527 notifications he received from the Courts Service on penalty point summonses in 2024, the number of notifications that included a driver number. [4298/26]
289. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if further advancements have been made yet to the Irish motor insurance database, with all driver numbers added to the database now and shared with Gardaí on a daily basis to identify and apprehend thousands more uninsured drivers. [3773/26]
160. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken by his Department to support new and first-time applicants to the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme; the guidance, outreach or capacity-building measures which will be provided in advance of the next funding round; if his Department intends to host a series of regional information sessions or roadshows to assist clubs, particularly smaller and rural organisations with the application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1454/26]