898. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the critical delays in conducting post-mortem examinations in hospitals across the State; the specific workforce and resourcing plans in place to address the chronic shortage of consultant pathologists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49555/26]
807. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether implementation of the Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A strategy for Better Care Diabetes Strategy has been identified as a ministerial priority within the HSE National Service Plan and Estimates process for 2027; if new funding will be provided in the upcoming budget to support the implementation of the national diabetes strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47552/26]
806. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the reason a referral from HSE environmental health regarding wind turbine noise impacts in Stonestown, County Offaly was not assessed by HSE public health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47521/26]
254. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive, and specifically the relevant Public Health Unit, has been notified of the planning appeal (details supplied) relating to a proposed wind farm development located approximately 750 metres from a national school, which the HSE identified during the pre-planning process as a health-sensitive receptor; whether the HSE has undertaken, or intends to undertake, any assessment of the potential health impacts of wind turbine noise and shadow flicker on children and school staff; whether the HSE has provided, or intends to provide, any guidance or submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála at appeal stage; if the HSE does not intend to make a submission, the grounds on which that decision is based; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35644/26]
1252. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the financial pressure on working families due to the reintroduction of State examination fees for the 2026 Leaving Certificate (€116) and Junior Cycle (€109); if she is aware of the compounding cost of living crisis, due to the war; and the specific supports that are available to working parents, not qualifying for medical cards, who are struggling to meet these education costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24079/26]
438. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the way in which the commitments in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030 and 2026 IPHA Framework Agreement which aims for 180-day decision timeline are being applied to this specific case, to prevent further delay in addressing the unmet need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23057/26]
1804. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the action her Department is taking to rectify the paramedic contract which was promised in 2022 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18995/26]
238. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the reason a respite centre, has been closed to families receiving respite care (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17257/26]
280. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if the Government can work with retailers and other manufacturers to fast-track, import, or increase the supply of alternative, safe baby formula brands to fill the gap left by the recalled SMA products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15542/26]
140. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to confirm that his attention has been drawn to the HSE’s 2017 Position Paper on Wind Turbines and Public Health being withdrawn; to outline when, if at all, his Department engaged with the HSE regarding its withdrawal, particularly in light of his Department’s responsibilities in relation to environmental noise; to set out the guidance that is now being relied upon for public health considerations relating to wind turbine noise; the steps he intends to take next; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14833/26]
1242. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health given that the HSE's position on wind turbines and public health is currently under review, if she will confirm whether, and on what date, her Department and the HSE were made aware of a submission to the 2019 Draft Wind Energy Development Guidelines by a group of acousticians (details supplied); which offices were informed, including the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, the Climate Unit, the National Director of Public Health, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HSE Public Health and HSE Environmental Health, in tabular form given that the submission asserts that the draft noise guidance contained over 320 inaccuracies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12870/26]
1241. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that the European Society of Cardiologist's has supported the European Environmental Agency's 2025 Noise Report, (details supplied); the arrangements in place between her Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to ensure public health oversight of environmental noise, traffic, airport and wind turbines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12869/26]
1240. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health to outline who conducted the HSE's 2017 position paper on wind turbines and public health; who requested the position paper; the terms of reference that governed the paper; if any stakeholders made submissions to the review, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12868/26]
295. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation given the Committee recommended that currently known and expected overruns should be incorporated into and reflected in all budgetary documentation, and that supplementary estimates should not be used regularly, his plans and associated timelines for this to be the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11619/26]
5. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the reason figures for existing levels of service, ELS, were not included in the budget 2026 documentation; the plans for these to be provided in detail in budgetary documentation going forward, considering recommendations from the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11621/26]
1085. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of health-related statements currently published on Wind Energy Ireland’s website (details supplied); if she will confirm whether the quotation accurately reflects her Departments official position and the current scientific and public health evidence base; if her Department has authorised or approved the use of this statement in public communications by Wind Energy Ireland, given that her Department has previously contacted Wind Energy Ireland regarding health messaging; and if she will make a public statement clarifying her Department’s position in order to ensure that the public is not presented with potentially misleading or incomplete health information. [9752/26]
172. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the security infrastructure that has been put in place for the events in relation to the upcoming EU presidency being hosted here. [72481/25]
283. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason his Department departed from the Government’s original implementation plan for the Accelerated Renewable Electricity Taskforce (ARET), and instead based the national territory renewable energy mapping policy on outdated county development plan wind energy maps; and if he will outline the reasons for this change in approach. [73427/25]
1114. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health to provide a list of HSE funded organisations who provide pregnancy related counselling and/or post abortion counselling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72436/25]
1082. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health to ask the HSE to provide, in respect of the HSE and the three Limerick wind farm planning applications submitted to Limerick City and County Council and An Coimisiún Pleanála (details supplied), if the HSE received a scoping request for each application; the date on which any such scoping request was received; if the HSE received notification of the planning application; and the date on which the HSE received notification of the planning application. [70326/25]
474. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the status of two planning applications to the HSE (details supplied); whether the HSE received a notification of the planning application; the planning appeal; if so, the date of notification and the body that issued the notification; whether the HSE made a submission to the planning and/or appeal; and, if so, the date of any such submission; in tabular form. [60866/25]
126. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason his Department departed from the Government's original implementation plan for the Accelerated Renewable Electricity Taskforce (ARET), and instead based the National Territory Renewable Energy Mapping policy on outdated County Development Plan wind energy maps; and the reasons for this change in approach. [60457/25]
81. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will acknowledge that the High Court has now ruled in multiple cases that wind turbine noise can constitute a nuisance, even where developments are compliant with planning conditions; and his plans to ensure that Ireland’s regulatory framework adequately protects affected residents. [60859/25]
240. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 465 of 25 March 2025, if he is aware of the EPA’s Pro-Health SEA research (ref. 2022-HE-1171), published February 2025, which recommends early engagement with public health experts in Strategic Environmental Assessment (details supplied); if he will liaise with the Department of Health regarding the potential health impacts of wind turbines; and if this has not been done, the reason. [54548/25]
105. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if a value-for-money review has been conducted on the RESS State aid scheme to ensure public funds are being used effectively; if no such review has been carried out, whether there are plans to undertake one; and his views on the way in which he is ensuring transparency, efficiency and accountability in the administration of this scheme. [54549/25]
403. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients in each of the years 2021 to 2024 and to date in 2025, on waiting lists in University Hospital Limerick who have received care via third party insourcing activity, in tabular form; the extent to which this activity has reduced waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52625/25]
116. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has in place a strategy to cut the waiting lists for speech and language therapy assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50452/25]
4. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason her Department did not engage with all disability organisations (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50855/25]
845. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if she will provide the following details with respect to the HSE and four planning appeals submitted to An Bord Pleanála (details supplied) if the HSE received a notification of the planning appeal; if so, the date of notification and the body that issued the notification; whether the HSE made a submission to the appeal; and; if so, the date of any such submission; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37574/25]
223. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has undertaken any cost benefit or an electricity price impact analysis regarding the warning raised by EirGrid that very significant levels of renewable power will need to be spilled under the current Climate Action Plan targets (details supplied); if, under the current Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) terms, renewable energy generators will continue to be paid even when their output is curtailed or spilled, with those costs passed on to electricity consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37573/25]
222. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the current energy policy narrative that Ireland will become a significant exporter of renewable electricity, particularly wind energy, in view of recent Eurostat figures showing that Ireland was a net importer of electricity by over 3,000 GWh in 2023 and over 5,000 GWh in 2024, while electricity exports declined from 446 GWh in 2023 to 210 GWh in 2024; given that Ireland continues to have among the highest electricity prices in Europe.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37572/25]
185. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to entitling persons on a widow’s pension working in schools to be able to claim job seeker's benefit when not being paid when off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33210/25]
134. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to entitling persons on widows’ pension to claim illness benefit when off sick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33211/25]
319. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will request her Ministerial colleagues to grant immediate pension parity to school secretaries and caretakers, as they are integral to the daily operations of schools and are paid by her Department. [31422/25]
89. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the recent publication of the new specification for the senior cycle engineering subject; and if she will commit to the introduction of a second additional assessment component (practical skills test) in senior-cycle engineering, given that 89% of engineering teachers are in favour of its introduction. [31421/25]
560. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the disability equality policy unit’s current position in relation to the Equal Status Acts 2000–2018 in their interaction with their clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27679/25]
526. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason two organisations (details supplied) have been and continue to be excluded from the DPO Consultative Framework since October 2023; if this indirect discrimination will be remedied as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26760/25]
349. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media his views on whether it is appropriate that the CEO of Fáilte Ireland preside over Bord Fáilte giving contracts to subsidiaries of two organisations (details supplied) given the CEO is a board-member of one of the organisations; the steps he will take in relation to this conflict of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26761/25]
652. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the number of current serving members of An Garda Síochána competent or proficient in the use of Irish Sign Language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25223/25]
651. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the number of hours training provided to student gardaí in relation to disability awareness training; the nature of this training; who provides the training to the students whilst in the Garda Training College and 'on the job' placements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25222/25]
276. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if a provision for a temporary or interim driver licence will be put in place as is standard practice in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25253/25]
275. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport the reason the original driver foreign licence must be confiscated, leaving the applicant without a licence and therefore unable to drive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25252/25]
274. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport the reason the waiting time for the reissuing of a Irish licence is so long for persons returning from abroad who have held a Irish driving licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25251/25]
984. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the dates and attendees of all MinMAC meetings in her Department since she took office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24176/25]
5. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the cause of the high volume of refunds of employment permit applications and the resultant processing delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21410/25]
1228. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an extension of time will be provided to the derelict/vacant property grants due to the delay of ESB connections to properties following the aftermath of storm Éowyn as ESB crews were engaged in major repair works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19500/25]
159. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Finance if there is an increase or a proposed increase in VRT for plug in hybrid vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18164/25]
158. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Finance if there is an increase or a proposed increase in VRT for full electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18163/25]
809. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 335 of 26 February 2025, whether the recent advice received from the HSE aligns with the response given to Parliamentary Question No. 735 of 30 April 2024, which identified the World Health Organisation's 2018 recommendation as the appropriate guidance for wind turbine noise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13954/25]
466. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can confirm if operating wind farms pose a health risk, given that all three published revisions of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines state that wind turbine noise must align with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, while existing wind farms generally operate at noise limits at least six decibels higher, and the WHO noise limit does not account for special noise characteristics such as amplitude modulation and low frequencies (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13952/25]