192. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the interest rates charged on the equity in later years under the first homes scheme have been altered in the face of rising ECB rates; if he will indicate what is the current rate chargeable, and if this rate has incorporated all the prospective changes based on the most recently set ECB rate. [41980/23]
191. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will indicate whether the interest rates charged on loans under the local authority home loan have been increased to reflect rising ECB rates; if he will indicate what is the current rate charged, with and without mortgage protection insurance; the total payment which has to be paid per month per €1000 of loan, and whether this rate has incorporated all the prospective changes based on the most recently set ECB rate. [41979/23]
190. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered extending the equity supports for affordable purchase beyond new homes [41978/23]
189. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the increase in the Central Bank recommendation on raising the ratio of mortgage to income from 3.5 to 4.0 has been fully carried over into the terms of first homes and of a local authority's affordable purchase schemes, and if he will outline how the approved equity injection is now calculated. [41977/23]
188. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if affordable homes for purchase or cost rental, developed by the LDA or by AHBs, will be allocated to prospective clients through the local authorities; if the mix between cost rental and affordable purchase will be a matter for the local authorities or the respective developer, and if the retained equity share will be held by the Council or by the LDA or AHB. [41975/23]
179. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of a shortage of places in primary schools that teach through the medium of Irish in the Clontarf, Killester and Raheny catchment area; if she has any plans to increase the availability of places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41972/23]
167. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered extending the help to buy tax relief for affordable purchase beyond new homes; if he has plans to extend the availability of this scheme beyond 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41984/23]
166. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if the full value of help to buy support combined with equity support, through either first homes or a local authority's affordable purchase, continues to be constrained by ceilings on permitted ratios to valuation; if he has considered easing this constraint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41976/23]
139. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to alter any of the conditions or the grant payments available from SEAI for different elements of retrofitting for the coming year, based on evolving take-up of the various schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41988/23]
138. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of solar panel installations which are now selling surplus power back to the grid, distinguishing household suppliers, farm or business suppliers; if he has conducted a survey of the price being earned per kilowatt hour, and if he will indicate how he expects this practice to evolve in the coming years. [41987/23]
137. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the latest position in relation to the proposed loan for retrofitting being developed with the EIB; whether it is intended that this will only be available for works above a certain threshold, or achieving a certain standard of BER; the likely maximum term of the loan and the prospective interest rate range which will apply and if it is expected it will be open to the public before the end of the year. [41986/23]
136. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the name of organisations who have been approved for one stop shop services for retrofitting homes; the expected number of upgrades which is expected to be able to complete per year when fully operational, and if the level of national coverage has yet been achieved. [41985/23]
112. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider extending the approach used for oversight of the Climate Action Plan to the complementary strategies for the circular economy and biodiversity. [41747/23]
101. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the Energy Security Review. [41746/23]
34. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the progress being made in reforming the operation of the United Nations. [41750/23]
629. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has analysed trends in remote working as the economy has fully reopened again; and if there are areas of initiative to help embed this as a pattern to bring new activity to rural Ireland. [41310/23]
628. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has calculated a multiplier for the knock-on value within the community of the different schemes under which she allocates funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41309/23]
564. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has started to recruit to the position of physician associates; whether the extent of the responsibility of such posts have been defined: and whether there is a need for registration and regulation of such posts by an appropriate body to ensure that they only work within their area of established qualifications. [41276/23]
548. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has examined the reports of elevated death rates; and whether any research is being undertaken to evaluate underlying factors. [41165/23]
523. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has examined the reports of elevated death rates; and whether any research is being undertaken to evaluate underlying factors. [41033/23]
369. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection whether it is possible to set up a trust for a person with a severe disability, without undermining their eligibility for disability allowance, which normally assesses a nominal weekly means to all capital exceeding €50,000. [41173/23]
187. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has reviewed the value of the thresholds set out for tax relief on pensions; and if he will consider adjusting them, in view of the substantial inflation since they were set almost ten years ago. [41437/23]
131. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport whether public service bodies who have outreach services delivered by employees using their personal cars are obliged to count the carbon impact of these journeys in their carbon impact; whether there are initiatives in place to facilitate the switch of this necessary mileage to electric vehicles; if there is a role for a centralised scheme to promote such shifts across the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41053/23]
114. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline the details of those companies who are obligated entities in terms of energy savings; the extent of the obligation in each case; the opportunities for charitable bodies to seek support from such bodies to improve their energy consumption; and whether each entity has published contact details for those who wish to participate. [41395/23]
105. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how the NIS2 Directive on cybersecurity will be implemented in Ireland; and whether consultation and an information campaign are planned to better inform the public and affected bodies. [40990/23]
205. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered the treatment of awards made by the Courts in her Department's means tests, particularly for disability allowance, wherein awards for negligence are treated as assets resulting in refusal, even where the award was for medical negligence which has completely denied the person any ability to work or have a normal life of any sort, and bearing in mind that means tests have been waived for some means-tested supports like medical cards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40825/23]
108. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he has considered initiating, along with the Minister for Education, a national dialogue on the reform of the Leaving Certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40278/23]
77. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how the destination of graduates after qualification has evolved over the past five years; and whether any lessons can be drawn from the impact of the Covid experience. [40279/23]
60. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health what the key drivers of the reported overruns in health expenditure are; whether there are improvements that can be made in spending management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40276/23]
13. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an estimate of the average number of inpatient and outpatient procedures that have been delivered by public hospitals and by the NTPF to date in 2023; and if he is considering any innovations to deliver more procedures. [40277/23]
860. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether improvements in maternity, paternity, or parental leave is scheduled; and if so, the dates that they will take effect. [40354/23]
859. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the latest number of children participating in the various streams of support under the access inclusion model; and the number of staff deployed in delivering services. [40353/23]
858. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated number of children being cared for in the private home of the carer; the number of applications which have been made for the interim support to such carers; and what steps need to be taken before these carers could be included within the supports of the national childcare scheme. [40352/23]
857. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hours funded under the free early childhood care and education scheme; the number of children who take it up, indicating those who complete two years; the hourly payment made to providers; and when this was last increased. [40351/23]
856. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has considered innovations to reduce the amount of administration and record keeping associated with the core funding payment for childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40350/23]
855. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children benefiting from the core funding payment for childcare; their distribution, by age, and by hours delivered; and the number of children in classrooms led by graduate leaders. [40349/23]
854. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how the hourly rate of support for childcare in different age groups is calculated in the different bands of reckonable income. [40348/23]
853. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children getting support under the enhanced level of support available to those below an income threshold; and their distribution, by band of reckonable income, by age, and by average weekly hours claimed. [40347/23]
852. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children getting support under the universal childcare payment of €1.40 per hour; and their distribution, by age, and by average weekly hours claimed. [40346/23]
664. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has reviewed the level of claims for exceptional needs being made to her Department; the number of claims and the average payment under the main categories of payment; and if she is considering changes in the guidelines applying to any of the categories in view of the sort of needs being presented. [40726/23]
662. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the conditions in which an Irish social welfare pensioner can receive the household benefit package; the additional means-tested access available to those who do not have an Irish social welfare pension; the number of those in receipt of Irish social welfare pensions who also receive the household benefit package; the number who do not; and the number of persons who do not have an Irish social welfare pension who receive the package. [40720/23]
661. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated number of people eligible for the free fuel scheme after the implementation of the changes made earlier this year. [40719/23]
660. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline how the working family payment is estimated in the case of a single parent who works and is in receipt of the one parent family allowance; and if she will provide some worked examples. [40718/23]
659. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the disregard of only a portion of maintenance payments in means tests continues to apply; whether she intends to make changes to this provision in the Social Welfare Bill planned for later in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40717/23]
648. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will indicate her latest estimate for the numbers of recipients of domiciliary care allowance, working family payment, carer's allowance, carer's benefit and carer's support grant; and her estimate of the number of children deriving support from these payments in each case. [40361/23]
647. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection whether improvements in maternity, paternity or parental benefit is scheduled; and if so, the dates that they will take effect. [40354/23]
382. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school children who received the benefit of free schoolbooks on their return to school this year; and the estimated savings to each child included in the scheme. [40727/23]
362. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the number of children with special needs receiving home tuition; and the aggregate number of hours of such tuition being provided nationally. [40358/23]
361. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the circumstances in which a detailed assessment is required before a child can obtain support in a special class or a special school; the number of cases where this is creating a delay in appropriate placement; and if there are steps under consideration to overcome this. [40357/23]