146. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department is assessing the extension or adaptation of existing funding and approval mechanisms for student housing developments; whether consideration is being given to a streamlined or single-stage approval process for publicly supported student accommodation projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6931/26]
91. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has examined the impact of the current means-testing arrangements for the SUSI grant on adult and mature applicants who, due to the lack of available or affordable housing, continue to reside in the family home and are therefore assessed on parental income; his plans to review the SUSI means test to address this issue, particularly in respect of independent or mature students; whether his Department is engaging with the Department of Social Protection regarding potential reforms to these arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6932/26]
23. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions his Department is taking to encourage and support growing interest among younger people in agriculture, food production and farming as a career and lifestyle choice; the measures which are in place, or planned, to address farm safety risks where young people may enter or engage in farm environments for the purpose of creating and sharing online content that is considered 'on trend'; whether his Department plans to issue specific safety guidance or awareness messaging in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6928/26]
216. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current strategy, and programmes, in place to address antisocial behaviour, including Garda-led initiatives; the way in which the effectiveness of these measures is being assessed; the additional actions or policy developments planned to tackle persistent antisocial behaviour, particularly in urban and rural communities such as Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6172/26]
171. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his views on the merits of developing more inclusive and targeted support models for children and adolescents that would help deter involvement in anti-social behaviour; if he will consider expanding and diversifying funding streams for community-based projects working with young people (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6171/26]
220. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is assessing the broadening of the single stage approval process for further housing developments, such as student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5005/26]
128. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health her plans to address the large number of children who have missed dental examinations through the HSE school dental screening programme in recent years; whether the future delivery of children’s dental services will rely on outsourcing to private clinics; the way in which she will ensure that any new approach provides timely, equitable and safe dental care for children, particularly those already missed by the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5038/26]
51. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health her plans to address recruitment and retention challenges within dental services, particularly in the HSE Public Dental Service; the way in which the Department intends to ensure that workforce capacity will meet public demand for dental care into the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5037/26]
614. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department is aware that areas in rural Ireland, such as Mountbellew in County Galway, continue to experience significant gaps in mobile phone coverage and remain effectively dead zones for cellular reception; if he will provide an update on measures being taken to address these coverage deficits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73228/25]
193. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding the Sports Action Plan in addressing anti-social behaviour, particularly in Galway; if he will outline any new or expanded initiatives planned to broaden sports access for at-risk youth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3652/26]
135. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department is aware that areas in rural Ireland, including Mountbellew in County Galway, continue to experience significant gaps in mobile phone coverage and effectively remain dead zones for cellular reception; if he will provide an update on measures being taken to address these coverage deficits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3651/26]
428. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection the current means-testing system for farm households to ensure that depreciation of machinery and equipment is properly accounted for when assessing farm income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66665/25]
427. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will seek a review of the means-testing arrangements affecting farm families where one parent is a full-time unpaid carer and the sole farm income marginally exceeds thresholds, despite high costs associated with third-level education and caring responsibilities; and if measures will be considered to alleviate this hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66666/25]
156. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that it has been reported that Galway is among the most congested cities globally and in Europe, with road users losing an average of approximately 67 hours annually due to traffic delays; the assessment his Department has made of the impact of this level of congestion on commuters travelling from Galway east into the city for work, education, and healthcare; the specific measures which are planned to address congestion in Galway, including improvements to public transport capacity, park-and-ride facilities, and east–west connectivity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2746/26]
89. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps his Department is taking to ensure that recipients of disability allowance who take up part-time employment within the permitted income and hours thresholds are supported rather than penalised during the transition to work; if he is aware of cases where disability allowance has been disallowed despite timely and complete disclosure of earnings, resulting in prolonged loss of income and hardship; the safeguards which exist to prevent such delays, particularly where claimants have ongoing medical and travel costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2737/26]
176. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the assessment his Department has made of the estimated 6% decline in visitor numbers nationally in 2025, as reported by tourism industry bodies; the specific impact this decline is having on tourism businesses and employment in Galway east and county; and the measures being taken to support the tourism sector and to reverse this downward trend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1458/26]
121. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the engagement his Department has had with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration regarding current waiting times for first-time Irish residence permit registration appointments, which in many cases now exceed new employees’ actual job start dates due to exceptionally high demand for appointments and limited availability (details supplied); the measures are being taken to reduce these waiting times; the supports or temporary flexibilities are being put in place to assist affected employees and employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1459/26]
178. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether his Department has assessed the cumulative impact of rising energy, childcare and housing costs on households that do not qualify for means-tested supports; whether targeted tax credit adjustments are under consideration in future budget preparations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73232/25]
137. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to outline the current uptake of the home energy upgrade loan scheme in County Galway; and how his Department intends to expand awareness and access for homeowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73229/25]
231. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a college (details supplied) will be considered eligible for capital investment support; if his Department has examined options to align the college with an appropriate public body or higher education institution in order that it may access such funding; if he will consider facilitating access to capital investment through Atlantic Technological University or another suitable mechanism, in recognition of the college’s contribution to agricultural education and regional development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67829/25]
156. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding streams, grant programmes, or corporate partnership schemes available to support schools developing garden projects that will also serve the wider community; whether additional resources are planned to assist schools in promoting biodiversity, environmental education, and outdoor learning through such initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70774/25]
109. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the current system for allocating support-teaching hours to schools, given concerns that allocations are based primarily on data from previous years and therefore do not accurately reflect present-day enrolment levels, pupil needs, or the number of students requiring additional educational support (details supplied); if a more responsive or real-time allocation model is being considered to ensure schools have adequate staffing to meet actual needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70775/25]
78. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the implementation of the National Cyber Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60387/25]
542. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to ensure meaningful public consultation in rural communities that are expected to accommodate renewable energy projects significantly larger than those envisaged under current planning guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60402/25]
39. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current regulatory framework governing maximum wind turbine height; whether concerns raised by residents in County Galway regarding the increasing scale of turbine proposals, particularly turbines exceeding traditional height thresholds, are being considered as part of the ongoing review of wind energy planning guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65792/25]
673. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures being considered to ensure that rural and regional projects receive equitable access to capital funding under national investment and enterprise schemes; if his Department has conducted any review into geographic disparities in funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64649/25]
563. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health her Department's plans to expand access to mental health services for young people, including school-based supports and early intervention programmes; whether consideration has been given to strengthening community mental health teams in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64640/25]
562. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health her Department's perspective on the CORU revised standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists (details supplied); and the reason the revised standards also reduce the requirements for clinical supervision of therapists, which is an essential component of safe practice and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64639/25]
482. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will provide an update on investment in local sports facilities and community clubs across rural Ireland; whether the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme will be expanded or restructured to prioritise underfunded areas such as east Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64648/25]
481. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken to support the recovery and growth of the live arts and events sector, which continues to face challenges related to rising operational costs and venue closures; if his Department will consider the expansion of grant or tax-relief supports for regional theatres and music venues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64647/25]
143. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport the number of passenger journeys per year on Bus Éireann route 425A in Galway; the basis on which the decision was made to reroute this service, which is considered unsustainable for the community it serves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63419/25]
135. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport if consideration is being given to specific measures to support commuters travelling to city and town centres, particularly students travelling from east Galway into university in Galway city, whose bus and/or train services are at capacity before reaching their locality at peak times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63420/25]
505. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken to address the current shortage of qualified tradespeople across the country; the specific measures being implemented to attract, train, and support the next generation of apprentices and skilled workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62408/25]
351. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline any plans to review and improve the financial and social supports available to foster carers, including measures relating to allowances, pension entitlements, and access to additional benefits such as the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62409/25]
92. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has reviewed the possibility of lowering employers' PRSI in light of the forthcoming auto-enrolment scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50818/25]
156. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if it is the case that individuals who do not have an intellectual disability are not eligible for State-provided residential care (details supplied); if she will outline the rationale and policy position underpinning this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61571/25]
148. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a progress report on the Programme for Government Commitment to reduce childcare costs to €200 per month per child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61570/25]
24. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Office of Emergency Planning plans to advertise the way in which the public should respond to the various emergencies it deals with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60388/25]
1738. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to restrictions placed on third-party insourcing and National Treatment Purchase Fund published data showing a parallel increase in waiting lists in recent months across the country, including in University Hospital Galway; the steps her Department will take to ensure an appropriate balance is being struck in phasing out third-party insourcing while also ensuring all avenues are explored in reducing waiting lists where no permanent solution is immediately available within current HSE capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58206/25]
1737. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients on waiting lists in University Hospital Galway and Portiuncula University Hospital who have received care via third party insourcing activity; the extent to which this activity has reduced waiting lists, from 2021 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58205/25]
1736. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure in 2024 on health and social care research and development; to provide a detailed breakdown of this expenditure by programme, funding stream and agency; the proportion of the overall health budget this represents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58204/25]
1020. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department last requested the Department of Health to provide its position on wind turbines, given environmental noise affects human health and that the current 2006 Section 28 Wind Energy Development Guidelines provide no specific health protection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58203/25]
32. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to expand youth mental health support within schools and community youth centres; if there are plans to enhance coordination between local education providers and HSE mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59749/25]
15. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to address the growing financial pressures facing schools, particularly in relation to the rising costs of heating, electricity, and day-to-day operational expenses; if increased funding will be made available to ensure schools can continue to function effectively and safely through the winter months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59750/25]
159. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland’s diplomatic network is being used to promote Ireland as a tourism destination, particularly in key overseas markets; whether additional initiatives are planned to strengthen tourism ties abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57137/25]
134. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures his Department is taking to support young Irish emigrants who wish to return home, given the practical difficulties many face in securing housing, employment, and basic documentation on their return; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57136/25]