2059. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures she has taken to incentivise living on Ireland's high streets to date; if she is considering any new innovative policies in conjunction with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35608/24]
2058. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she is aware of the updated National Planning Framework’s projections for the geographical distribution of future job and population growth between the five cities and outside Ireland's cities; how these projections might impact the development of her Department’s forthcoming National Hub Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35607/24]
2039. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development If she will outline the aggregate investment to date in the Town Centre First Project; if she will highlight some of the greatest achievements to date; and if she will indicate the lessons learnt from the pilot projects in order that a fresh plan to scale up the initiative considerably could now be considered. [35023/24]
2038. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on whether there needs to be a fresh look at how we plan at national level to ensure that the many local heritage assets in each county are harnessed to promote rural development and quality of life more effectively. [35022/24]
2037. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of heritage grants issued under the different schemes operated by her Department in each year since 2016; and the aggregate value for the respective year. [35021/24]
2036. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of community grants issued under the different schemes operated by her Department in each year since 2016; and the aggregate value for the respective year. [35020/24]
2016. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of apprenticeship options which will be available for enrolment in the coming academic year; and the level of respective enrolment in each of these options for the most recent period for which data is available. [35855/24]
2015. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of courses and of total places available in the coming academic year under Springboard and under the human capital initiative; whether new general areas of skill shortage have been added to the range of courses being offered under these options; the payments to be made by students; and whether participants on these courses can be paid under SUSI or under the back-to-education allowance while participating. [35854/24]
2014. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the various rates of maintenance grant; and the various rates of discount on student contribution which will apply in the coming academic year under the SUSI scheme and the income thresholds at which they take effect. [35853/24]
2013. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students who will become eligible for maintenance payment for postgraduate study for the first time this year. [35852/24]
2012. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the basis on which persons undertaking part-time or online study can avail of student support; whether the means test takes into account parental income or only the part-time earnings of the student themselves; and the number of students likely to be eligible under these provisions, in tabular form. [35849/24]
1991. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the projects supported by the regional skills funds operated by his Department in support of each of the regional skills fora in the past five years and the value of the support in each year; and if he will outline his ambition for further projects in the coming years. [35017/24]
1985. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the delays encountered by building workers returning from Australia getting the necessary licences from Solas; if he would review the availability of information for people who wish to get such licences and the effectiveness of the processes for handling such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34865/24]
1920. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of persons reached and care hours provided per person by the pilot home care support scheme, in tabular form; whether he has estimated the likely additional cost and additional man-hour capacity that would be needed to extend the scheme beyond the present pilot areas; and if he will outline the Department’s plans to gradually move to make this a universal statutory scheme. [35848/24]
1919. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the charges that remain in place for public patients attending public hospitals; and the situations in which an exemption for such charges is permitted. [35847/24]
1918. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health how the level of reimbursement is set for persons who are referred by medical practitioners for care outside Ireland for different procedures; and whether a schedule of permitted refunds is published. [35846/24]
1917. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the categories of procedure for which the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) have intervened to deal with those waiting an excessively long time; the number of such procedures organised in each category over the past twelve months; and if patients can initiate a request for intervention with the NTPF or whether it is only arranged at the initiative of the hospital or of the NTPF itself. [35845/24]
1916. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to extend the age range of children eligible for free GP services; if so, when the next age tranche might become eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35844/24]
1915. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the income thresholds which now apply for the medical card and for the GP-only card; the current level of population eligible for each scheme; and the way the level of take-up has changed over the past twelve months due to the relaxed eligibility conditions. [35842/24]
1553. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when childminders will be included within the national childcare scheme; the level of support per hour that will be provided; the number who have registered to date; and the target for registration over the coming months. [35822/24]
1552. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has received an assessment of the administrative burden for providers of childcare services in complying with eligibility and record keeping under Core Funding and national childcare scheme; the simplification proposals which he has already implemented and those up for further consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35820/24]
1551. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Access and Inclusion Mode (AIM) has been extended beyond ECCE years; the range of services which are made available within ECCE under AIM; the range of services that are now on offer for other childcare settings; and how the number of children served under each element of the programme has grown as a result of the change. [35819/24]
1550. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will indicate the eligibility criteria for a child to participate in the free early childhood care and education scheme; and the hourly or weekly rate payable to providers that deliver service under the scheme. [35818/24]
1548. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the maximum level of hourly support paid under the NCS in the different age categories for those on lowest incomes allowing the highest rate of payment; the rate for those at the highest level of income who still qualify for some premium over the universal rate; and if he will indicate how the intermediate rate payable to a particular family is calculated. [35816/24]
1547. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the core funding levels of support per hour to childcare providers and the payments for specific additional elements delivered, which will apply for the coming school year; the level of increase in each case compared to last year; and the estimated number of providers and children served by those who have continued operating under the scheme and by those who have left the scheme. [35815/24]
1033. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children on child benefit payments; and the way that number has been affected by the extension of payments to those in full-time education up to their 19th birthday. [35840/24]
1032. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the take-up to date of the concession of free travel to those medically unfit to drive. [35839/24]
1031. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the start date for pay-related jobseeker’s benefit; the percentage of previous earnings to be awarded; and the ceilings and duration which applies. [35838/24]
1030. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the start date for auto enrolment for persons not already in a pension scheme, and the initial rate of contribution for workers, for employers, and for the State when the scheme commences. [35837/24]
1029. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the start date for the phased introduction of the total contributions regime for pensions; and if it is envisaged that there will be any winners or any losers during the transition. [35836/24]
1028. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the option to work beyond the age of 66 years is now available; the level of take-up that has been recorded to date; if she has evaluated whether the incentive in terms of pension uplift and additional contributions earned is actuarially fair to the person deferring pension payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35834/24]
1027. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the conditions under which support for the commencement of a new business can be made available to persons now on a social welfare payment. [35833/24]
1026. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of participants in the most recent period for which data is available on the back to education allowance, on the Work Placement Programme, on JobsPlus, on the Jobs Initiative, on the back to work enterprise allowance, and on the training support grant; and if there are any evaluations conducted which might lead to revisions in the terms of these schemes. [35832/24]
1025. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the concept of tiered payments based on some measure of disability have been abandoned; whether some element of a cost of care payment is under consideration within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35831/24]
1024. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the carer’s support grant; the number of these who already have carer’s payments or domiciliary care allowance; and the numbers who qualify independently of these schemes. [35830/24]
1023. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of carer’s benefit; the typical duration of their claim; and if she has considered greater flexibility under this scheme to cover intermittent caring periods. [35829/24]
1022. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional supports or secondary benefits allowed to persons on a carer’s allowance, and to persons on a carer’s benefit. [35828/24]
1021. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms on which a full-time carer can be considered for pension eligibility based on their years of caring; if contributions during years of full-time caring can be mixed with contributions of other sorts; and if minimum paid insurance requirements are different where a mixed contribution record applies. [35827/24]
1020. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered extending the period during which domiciliary care allowance can be paid beyond the 16th birthday for those who continue in full-time education and do not wish to seek eligibility for disability allowance which is paid on an entirely different criteria, so it would be on similar years as for the standard child benefit. [35825/24]
1019. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the levels of maternity benefit and maternity leave, of paternity benefit and leave, of parental benefit and parental leave which shall apply during 2025; and if there are any anticipated changes in any of these due to take place during 2025. [35821/24]
898. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the conditions under which the vacant or derelict property grants can be paid; the level of applications received to date; the level of approvals; the level of completions; if he has received proposals for the relaxation of some of the conditions; and if he is disposed to consider changes. [35879/24]
897. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way the present interest rate on a local authority home loan translates into a monthly payment per €1,000 borrowed. [35878/24]
896. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current interest charged on local authority home loans and on the outstanding equity under first homes; the way these are set relative to rates set by the European Central Bank or other benchmark rates; and whether reductions in these rates are in early prospect. [35877/24]
895. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the income caps that apply under local authority home loans, under cost rental, and for inclusion on the housing list for social homes; if he has plans to adjust these in line with rising average earnings; and if he has considered that higher costs in Dublin and other locations warrant the application of differentiated ceilings in different locations. [35876/24]
894. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the house price caps that apply under first homes, and under the local authority home loan; and if he has plans to adjust these, in view of the rising house prices. [35875/24]
893. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the maximum contribution by the State towards the cost of affordable purchase, under the council-developed sites, under sites developed by approved housing bodies, under the croí cónaithe cities fund, under protect Tosaigh partnerships operated by the Land Development Agency (LDA) and under projects fully financed and managed by the LDA; and the projected pipeline and three-year output under each. [35874/24]
892. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the scale of the pipeline for social homes and for affordable homes, from the local authorities, from the approved housing bodies and from the Land Development Agency, both for Dublin and for the rest of the country; and the estimated number of these which will be delivered in the next three years. [35873/24]
891. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current caps on grant payments and the current caps on income which apply to housing aid for older people, to mobility aids, and to housing adaptation grants; when these caps were last raised; the level these caps would reach if grants had been indexed to the average cost of works undertaken under the scheme, and the income ceilings to the rise in contributory pensions over the intervening period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35872/24]
861. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has carried out an estimate of the number of homes in the pipeline for affordable purchase in Dublin; if so, how it compares to the pipeline for cost rental; and if he will consider setting a quota on new Land Development Agency projects that they contain a minimum of 30% for affordable purchase, or of entering into agreements in respect of private developments, which would give developers some fallback of selling to the State if apartments assigned for sale to owner-occupiers were not sold within a certain period. [35414/24]
841. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has undertaken work to establish how the price of a second-hand residence compares with the price of a new build in each county; if so, the findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35027/24]