252. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 23 October 2024, the number of these illness benefit claims which lasted for one year; the number of these claims which ceased as a result of having up to 259 weeks of social insurance contributions; the number of these illness benefit claims which lasted for the maximum two years; of the 213 disability allowance claims in payment, the number that transferred over from illness benefit after one year, and the number of these claimants that are in receipt of this payment for at least six months, and those of one year or more in payment; of the 213 disability allowance claims in payment, the number that transferred over from illness benefit after two years, and the number of these claimants that are in receipt of this payment for at least six months, and those of one year or more in payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45671/24]
1330. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there are plans to increase the wage allowance to community organisations participating in the community services programme to reflect the increasing costs for participating organisations. [44177/24]
1252. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if provision has been made within the recent Budget announcement for women who are required to take hormone blocking medication such as zoladex and letrozole as part of their cancer treatment, in the same manner that provision has been made for women to receive free HRT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45128/24]
930. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has developed an online reporting system for the 2024 gender pay gap reporting cycle, which will consist of a central portal where all employer reports will be uploaded and can be accessed publicly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44531/24]
831. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding committed to Ireland under the European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund in each of the years 2023 to 2027 that will be dedicated to funding the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44242/24]
830. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding committed to Ireland under the European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund in each of the years 2023 to 2027, with a breakdown of funding committed by EU funds and co-funded by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44241/24]
829. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to specify the pre-committed funding under the National Development Plan that was expended on fishery harbour centre improvements in each of the years 2021 to 2024 and for future years until 2030, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44240/24]
828. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to specify the funding that is pre-committed under the National Development Plan for fishery harbour centre improvements in each of the years 2025 to 2030, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44239/24]
825. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will seek a derogation from the ban on pollack fishing for some limited categories of inshore and island fishers that can demonstrate that they utilise low-impact methods of fishing. [44173/24]
631. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection when she will introduce the legislation for cohabiting couples to gain access to the widow’s, widower’s and surviving civil partner’s contributory pension following the Supreme Court decision on 22 January 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44020/24]
617. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a family who have been forced out of their primary home due to unsafe conditions brought about by defective concrete blocks can avail of the enhanced defective block grant scheme, having moved to another property. [45249/24]
599. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the enhanced defective block grant scheme to allow homeowners to have their engineer fees reimbursed if that qualified engineer has recommended a remediation option under the previous scheme. [44792/24]
398. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 25 September 2024, if the analysis of the survey relating to school caretakers’ work pattern, terms and conditions has been completed and reviewed by her Department; if the Minister or her officials have or intend to engage with the relevant union representing school caretakers on foot of the survey; the indicative timeframe for any such engagement; if a report of the survey responses will be published by the Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44351/24]
390. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if the current arrangement for sraithpictiúir in the Leaving Certificate Irish oral exam, whereby 10 pictures are required to be learned for assessment, will remain in place for academic year 2026 (details supplied), or if it will return to the 20 picture assessment as was the requirement pre 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44218/24]
238. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport the amount of funding provided to each port in the State since 2014 through the Connecting Europe Facility, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45237/24]
237. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered reviewing the national ports policy to allow for increased State funding flexibility options, especially through European Union funding available measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45235/24]
104. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when it is expected that marine area consents will be decided on by Marine Area Regulatory Authority, given that the Oireachtas has now approved the south coast designated maritime area plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45236/24]
72. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on the status of his negotiations with the British Government on an agreement that would reinstate access for Irish fishermen to their traditional fishing grounds at Rockall. [44175/24]
71. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on the status of his negotiations with the British Government on an agreement that would resolve the long-standing jurisdictional dispute over Lough Foyle and allow for the licensing and regulation of those operators who have overseen the proliferation of oyster trestles on the western shore of the lough. [44174/24]
833. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason the working practices of first responders in Donegal have changed in relation to first responder vehicles now having to be based at ambulance stations and not at the home of first responders, as was the normal practice. [43244/24]
721. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the current shortage of ambulance service managers in the north west, including the specific number of vacancies at assistant chief ambulance officer, operations resource manager, and paramedic supervisor levels; and the reasons behind these vacancies, as well as the plans and timelines for filling each of these positions. [42684/24]
717. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person in County Donegal (details supplied) can expect to receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42677/24]
585. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when approval from the European Commission and/or his Department will be obtained for the hundreds of applications for funding under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund provided by the seven voluntary FLAG boards around the coast. [42381/24]
322. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person in County Donegal (details supplied) will have spinal surgery carried out in Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42223/24]
263. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a home care package will be put in place for a person (details supplied) in Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41991/24]
46. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if members of the Defence Forces have to pay for their air fares if they wish to return home for their three weeks leave while serving overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42089/24]
592. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a home care package will be put in place for a person in County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41092/24]
250. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the rules for inshore fishermen with vessels less than 20 metres, accessing Ireland's north-west herring quota (6A South) have been changed from an open fishery to one where they are now required to book in; and the reason the representative organisation for inshore fishermen was not consulted about these changes. [40829/24]
238. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding announced (in the context of Budget 2025) for the seafood processing capital investment scheme for 2025; the budget allocation for the seafood processing capital investment scheme for 2025 from the national Exchequer; and theamount of the funding that will be from European Union funding sources. [40671/24]
202. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that the working group of homeowner representatives and key stakeholders, established to address the challenge with the sale and the ability to obtain a mortgage for properties impacted by defective concrete products, is reconvened with an independent chairperson and agreed terms of reference, as soon as possible. [40870/24]
458. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 551 of 23 April 2024, when he will publish his Department’s legislative proposals arising from its wider review of the Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40008/24]
38. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to his commitment to increase the delivery of offshore renewable energy around the coast, in line with our future energy commitments, the engagements he has had with Eirgrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40007/24]
26. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if a first-time passport application will be processed in time for travel on 7 October in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39966/24]
209. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when consideration of the review of CLÁR areas nationally, undertaken in 2021 using the 2016 Census of Population data, will be concluded and additional areas added; and if additional areas across County Donegal are being considered. [39500/24]
136. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice when a visa application to join a family member will be finalised for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39523/24]
107. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider extending the vacant property refurbishment grant to other older buildings, including traditional barns and farm buildings. [39527/24]
85. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education following the welcome changes to the wages, entitlements and terms and conditions of school secretaries, the plans for school caretakers and cleaners. [39478/24]
217. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person from Donegal (details supplied) can expect a date for a back operation from Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39213/24]
102. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 186 of 24 September 2024, the reason there was no reference to the reluctant decision by the board of management of the school (details supplied) not to proceed with the building project under the additional school accommodation scheme for a range of reasons that were communicated to her and her senior officials in June 2024; and when an inspector from her Department will visit the school and the site it has acquired for a new school, as committed to in May 2024. [39288/24]
584. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if allowances can be made for students applying for SUSI grants if they are from defective block homes and availing of the enhanced defective concrete block grant scheme in the affected counties of Donegal, Mayo, Clare and Limerick. [39021/24]
540. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at St Joseph’s Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39107/24]
539. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Shiel Community Hospital, Co. Donegal, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39106/24]
538. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Lifford Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39105/24]
537. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Killybegs Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39104/24]
536. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Dungloe Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39103/24]
535. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Donegal Town Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39102/24]
534. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Ramelton Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39101/24]
533. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Carndonagh Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39100/24]
532. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses based at Buncrana Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39099/24]
531. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of beds at St. Joseph’s Community Hospital, County Donegal in each of the years 2004 to 2024, in tabular form. [39098/24]