377. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the remuneration for supervisors of community employment schemes has been linked to any grade in the public service; and the progress in negotiations to recognise such people in terms of pay and conditions, and pension rights. [45755/22]
160. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the level of current activity in installing small scale solar capacity with battery backup; and if he will consider introducing greater incentives towards this activity as a cost-effective means of supplementing the national generation capacity. [45923/22]
82. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to bring measures forward to make energy-saving easier for people to achieve over the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45646/22]
71. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has developed a vision for the way in which broadband connectivity can transform lives, particularly in Ireland’s regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45645/22]
131. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has considered the constraints on building community infrastructure and community involvement in the new rapidly developing areas on the fringe of cities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45043/22]
105. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider commissioning a study on the potential broadband and other infrastructures of the future to transform the quality of life in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45044/22]
43. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has assessed the position of the sectors most-exposed to the surge in energy costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45049/22]
21. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the work that is underway to develop a circular economy strategy in key sectors. [45050/22]
601. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has received an update from the HSE on the roll-out of the pandemic bonus payment; and the arrangements in particular that have been made for contract workers [44953/22]
101. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way that restrictions on replacement oil or gas boilers as early as 2025 will impact on families that cannot easily switch to a heat pump replacement, which requires a great deal of ancillary works to the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44850/22]
95. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the potential to support battery storage alone in residences, separate from solar generation; if he has received advice on the potential for residential scale wind generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44645/22]
93. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is considering changing the administration in relation the 80% grant for certain retrofit measures as suggested by the Climate Action Council; if he is considering an extension towards other actions delivering swift energy savings; and if solar panels with battery storage, heat controls or other measures warrant similar levels of support. [44552/22]
2049. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase medical card limits for persons over the age of 70 years or to make it easier for such persons to qualify for medical appliances needed in older age. [44210/22]
1844. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will consider a scheme to address the long waiting times for children listed for orthodontic treatment in order that they can access private treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43261/22]
1786. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the need to index the means test for the medical card or to make other improvements to assist access-to-need care and appliances for those currently not eligible but who are significantly affected by the rising cost of living. [43024/22]
1755. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to in reduce waiting times in the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service service in each of the CHO areas; if new approaches are deemed necessary; the progress that has been made to date in the audit of CAMHS following the Maskey Report, the progress of the review being undertaken by the Mental Health Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42933/22]
1501. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the free medical card to those over 80 years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42010/22]
1451. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if the wait time for a joint family visa has been lengthened to 12 months; if she has assessed the difficulty that this is causing for some families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43631/22]
1434. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered changing the requirement that the spouse of an Irish citizen has to fulfil Irish residency requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43456/22]
1357. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports that his Department makes available to support the learning of digital skills for adults who do not have any. [44037/22]
1279. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the core funding scheme applies only to hours not covered by ECCE; and if it applies to hours delivered for children who have completed ECCE. [44209/22]
1189. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility conditions for a person who does not have a social welfare pension to qualify for the household benefit package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44211/22]
675. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way that the quota of 10% affordable homes in new private developments will be made available to eligible applicants; the way that prices for this quota shall be set; and if buyers can use the first homes scheme to assist purchase. [44208/22]
674. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the affordable homes developed by the Land Development Agency either on delayed sites contracted the private sector or on its own sites, will be sold with the option to participate in the local authority affordable purchase scheme or the first homes scheme; and if so, the proportion of those offered for sale that will be under these options. [44207/22]
593. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that executive planners and assistant town planners cannot carry increments from previous public service posts, unlike other positions in local government; and if he will indicate whether there are plans to change this arrangement. [43302/22]
507. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extra charge on a local authority loan to cover mortgage protection; if this is subject to change; and the equivalent monthly charge per €1,000 borrowed on a 30-year loan. [44206/22]
506. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current interest rate charged on a local authority home loan; the way that it is adjusted as European Central Bank-sanctioned interest rates changes; and the equivalent monthly charges per €1,000 borrowed on a 30-year loan. [44205/22]
465. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there is a general requirement across the public service that there must be a fallback paper-based option for access to public services for those who are not computer literate. [43653/22]
420. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the current status of the age exemption limit in the income tax code; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44204/22]
419. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the amount that a worker can put into a pension savings plan with relief from income tax; the amount which their employer can put in on their behalf with relief from tax on business income; and if this varies with different types of pension plan. [44203/22]
111. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the supports which his Department makes available to support the learning of digital skills for adults who do not have any. [43656/22]
1884. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the way that the sale of the home of a person within fair deal scheme and the rental of such a home are now treated within the assessment of support to be undertaken by the State for that patient’s care. [40978/22]
1883. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if the treatment of patients in the UK is being covered under the refund for treatment abroad or under schemes that cover treatment not available in Ireland. [40977/22]
1882. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if it is anticipated that free general practitioner services will be extended to new age groups; and if a date for the next extensions has been set. [40976/22]
1881. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the scale of the pilot home care support scheme which has been undertaken in 2022; the services and terms on which they have been offered; and if he has plans to extend them to further areas later in 2022 or in 2023. [40975/22]
1880. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the 20 specialties for which the National Treatment Purchase Fund undertake to arrange alternative care for those waiting over six months; and the number of procedures in each specialty in the year to date; and projections for the full year. [40974/22]
1469. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if those at work and those returning to the workforce can participate in all Springboard courses; and if so, if any fees are required from participants or their employers. [40993/22]
1468. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the apprenticeships on which the extra payment to encourage minority gender participation now apply; and if this applies to all apprenticeships or only to those for which an employer subsidy applies. [40992/22]
1467. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the apprenticeships on which employers are eligible for a grant to participate. [40991/22]
1386. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way that parents can apply to participate in the free books and library membership for first-time enrolment in primary school. [40990/22]
1385. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who are supported through the various streams of AIM support; and if he has plans to extend these services. [40989/22]
1295. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the rule where jointly held savings are 50% assessed against the dependent spouse could be disapplied in cases in which savings of the claimant have been put in joint names solely because of the diminishing capacity of the claimant similar to a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41589/22]
1268. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been a pick-up in the number of claimants under the exceptional needs’ scheme in the face of the present rise in the cost-of-living; the areas in which increased assistance is being sought; and if she plans any changes in the scope of the scheme. [40985/22]
1267. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the take-up of the €1,000 grant for training by those on any social welfare scheme; and if she plans to make any changes to the scope of the scheme. [40984/22]
1266. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the provision that has been made for schools participating in the school meals programme; the number of schools participating; the number of children reached; and if she has plans to extend the reach of the scheme for the coming school year. [40983/22]
1265. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the new rates for the back-to-school payment; the categories that are included; and if she has plans to extend its coverage to new categories of applicant. [40982/22]
1264. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the date on which the next improvement in parental benefit is scheduled to be made. [40981/22]
1263. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the treatments and the devices that are covered by the treatment benefit scheme; and if there are any further planned improvements to be provided. [40980/22]
1262. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has set a start date for the auto-enrolment of those with no employer pension into a pension top-up scheme; the initial rate at which contributions will be set; and the implementation milestones involved. [40979/22]
719. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has completed his review of the means test for social housing and the rent ceiling for HAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41000/22]