516. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider changing the law in order that young persons attending school at senior cycle can retain the entitlement to child benefit until the end of the school year instead of withdrawing it on reaching the age of 18 years of age at a time when they cannot qualify for other support and costs are not reduced in any way for the family. [9235/22]
480. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education her Department’s approach to discussion at the Workplace Relations Commission on the pay and conditions for school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9818/22]
464. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education her plans to extend the uptake of computer science as a leaving certificate option in as many schools as possible; if there is a team working on developing requirements in terms of equipment and the upskilling of staff needed to deliver same; the extent to which Ireland’s base of leading-edge information and communications technology companies are playing a role in the planning and delivery of these ambitions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9666/22]
436. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she has assessed the disadvantage status of a school (details supplied) which was one of the schools selected from among those not in the DEIS scheme for inclusion in the expansion of the free school meals; and if the school was close to being placed on the same scale as schools which now have disadvantaged status. [9257/22]
435. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she has plans to extend DEIS status to new schools; if so, the scale of the planned extension; and the manner in which new schools will be chosen. [9256/22]
139. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the low-interest loans and the one-stop shop are intended to support all energy upgrades or only those deep retrofits designed to get to a B2 BER rating. [9550/22]
138. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has considered the inclusion of standalone grants for windows and doors, which does not seem to be supported as part of a deep retrofit. [9549/22]
62. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has received preliminary returns from the local property tax which might shed light on the case for a tax on properties left vacant for a long period; and the issues to be considered in framing such a tax. [9458/22]
26. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the insights that have been gleaned from the new data reporting on insurance claims; and if he has identified scope for adding new actions to the insurance plan based on this information. [9459/22]
150. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice the way that the new policy approach for areas of severe disadvantage which are suffering the ravages of drug dealing has been progressing to date; the indicators being used to establish the success of the approach; if there are any early findings; and the further initiatives that are planned in her Department or across Government to tackle some of the deep-seated challenges. [8537/22]
131. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice the work to date in the three pilot community safety areas; the indicators that are being used to establish the success of the approach; if there are early findings; and when the lessons and approaches introduced will be seen more widely. [8538/22]
37. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the new rapidly growing neighbourhoods developing around cities will be eligible for the town centre first initiative; if they will require a different toolkit from that appropriate to well-established towns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8534/22]
19. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the make-up of the tool kit for participants in town centre first initiatives; if it will include easy access to the relevant schemes of other Departments such as sustainable energy communities, sports capital grants, connected hubs and business improvement districts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8533/22]
940. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the Howth harbour project; and the progress that will be delivered in 2022. [7599/22]
928. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a medication universally recommended for acute morning sickness (details supplied) is not covered under the GMS or the drug refund scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8452/22]
927. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty in getting a general practitioner to accept new clients in some parts of the country; and if he will establish a system for ensuring cover for such persons who have been declined by their local services given it is essential for public health that there is universal access to a general practitioner for families whether eligible for GMS services or not. [8451/22]
427. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the number of places available in reading schools for children with severe dyslexia; and her plans to expand the provision given these places are oversubscribed. [7616/22]
228. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the restriction on the eligibility of persons for the warmer homes scheme that have had works done previously under the scheme has been lifted as part of the new retrofit strategy. [8220/22]
165. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proportion of agricultural output on which processors pay a premium for its environmentally sound production standards. [6834/22]
155. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is developing a strategy to reward farmers for delivering environmental services as a regular source of income. [6833/22]
59. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to strengthen consumer rights; and the initiatives he is undertaking to introduce the concept of a circular economy in key economic sectors. [6832/22]
94. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the budget for technology technical support for primary and secondary schools over the past five years. [6961/22]
93. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the budget for leadership development at primary and second-level over the past five years; and the proportion it represents of the teacher payroll. [6960/22]
92. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the budget for in-service training of teachers at primary and secondary level over the past five years; and the proportion it represents of the teacher payroll. [6959/22]
58. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the nature of activities which benefit from section 110 benefits; if the benefits of this regime was recently reviewed from a national perspective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7092/22]
40. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if specific targets will be set for aluminium cans as well as for polyethylene terephthalate bottles; if the targets shall be the same; and if he plans that the charges set for different types of item will be set to avoid cross subsidisation between lines in respect of the costs of recovery and onward uses. [6859/22]
676. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will consider arrangements for prolonging a general practitioner card cover after a person ceases acting as a carer. [6143/22]
418. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the waiting lists that apply for access to special schools; and if initiatives are planned to give children with special needs in primary settings more certainly in their progression to suitable settings. [6149/22]
198. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the extension of recyclable material is to now include soft plastics has significantly increased the volume of materials collected as dry recyclables green bin; if he will consider altering the frequency of the green bin collection to accommodate the new arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6150/22]
285. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the plans in place for extending the number of schools that offer computer science at leaving certificate; the key constraints to rapid expansion; and the steps that are being taken to overcome the obstacles. [5671/22]
180. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of resources and the reach in special schemes for parent and early childhood support in disadvantage areas such as ABC and Preparing For Life; if he has evidence on the impact of such programmes on progress for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5318/22]
151. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if local authorities and the county childcare committees can play a more active role in promoting action which meets gaps in early childhood services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5317/22]
101. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the way it is proposed to promote the new income limit for the fuel allowance scheme to ensure that those who are eligible take it up and have the opportunity to also get a home heating upgrade free of charge. [5362/22]
68. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the projections for the annual collection of funds under an auto-enrolment pension scheme; and if it is proposed to deploy these funds for specific purposes or manage them in a particular way. [5361/22]
115. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice the details of the trend in applications for visas, naturalisation and so on over the past five years; the trend in staff allocated to the work; the data that is tracked in relation to the build-up in arrears of applications or the duration which it takes to issue applications or to schedule necessary appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5229/22]
53. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the proposed housing delivery by each local authority in each of the years 2022 to 2026 by categories (details supplied) [5222/22]
128. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the arrangements for the 2022 leaving certificate; and if planning is now being put in place to integrate modules of continuous assessment into the programme of those that will sit the exam in 2023. [4618/22]
124. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education her strategy for integrating digital technology into teaching and learning in Ireland; and the structures that are in place to oversee the rapid adoption of same. [4619/22]
129. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Defence the new initiatives that are anticipated within the European Union as tension mounts in many sectors globally. [3861/22]
30. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will update Dáil Éireann on the actions of the United Nations Security Council in respect of the military coup in Myanmar. [3860/22]
20. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will update Dáil Éireann on the situation in Afghanistan in terms of the humanitarian crisis and the evacuation of persons at risk. [3859/22]
430. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to cases in which medically vulnerable persons who have completed the period of entitlement to illness benefit but although medically fit to work, would be exposed to unacceptable risk while Covid-19 remains a significant threat and who are unable to obtain income support such as a case (details supplied). [3114/22]
385. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that have sat the State examination in computer science in each year since the subject was first introduced; the number of second-level schools which are teaching this subject to leaving certificate level; and if she is satisfied with the progress in the rolling out of the subject. [3361/22]
207. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the number of grants paid to the four local authorities to date in Dublin for the installation of public electric vehicle chargers. [3380/22]
206. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the charges being applied to motorists at public chargers; the way that this compares to the domestic rate; and when it is intended that electric vehicle users will have access to lower prices by utilising the charging network at off-peak times. [3379/22]
205. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the number of public chargers in Dublin city and county by charging capacity; the number of vehicles which can be charged at any given time; the target set to develop this network in 2022 and 2023; and the basis on which targets for the charging network have been set. [3378/22]
192. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the legislation under which cycle lanes and cycle bollards are installed; and if the management of the council require consents to install such facilities. [3113/22]