568. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the specific recruitment initiatives that are being used to increase the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12332/26]
483. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dedicated livestock vessel used to transport the 117 pregnant heifers exported from Ireland to Libya on 5 January 2025, including the name of the vessel on which the animals were shipped from Spain; whether this vessel will be authorised for use from Ireland under Irish and EU animal welfare and transport standards; the total duration of the sea journey from Spain to Libya; whether any mortalities occurred during the voyage or whether any of the heifers aborted while in transit; the reason his Department discharged its responsibilities under EC Regulation No. 1/2005, which provides that the competent authority responsible for animal welfare and export health certification to a third country is the member State in which the export health certification is completed and approved, notwithstanding transit through another member State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11243/26]
416. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he acknowledges that households who were compelled to sell their home following the onset of a spouse's disability or long-term illness may be excluded from the fresh start principle and other housing supports through no fault of their own; whether a review of this cohort will be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11235/26]
415. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted, or plans to conduct, a review of groups disproportionately excluded from the local authority home loan, including households affected by disability or long-term illness; and if so, when this review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11234/26]
414. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify whether the local authority home loan is intended solely for households unable to access credit at all, or whether it is also designed to support households who can access credit only on unsustainable or significantly less favourable terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11233/26]
413. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the risk assessment underpinning the local authority home loan distinguishes between lack of repayment capacity and changed household circumstances arising from long-term illness or disability; and if not, whether he will commit to refining this distinction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11232/26]
412. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he considers it equitable that a modest disability allowance may be counted as income for means-testing purposes in some contexts, yet the absence of that payment results in households being excluded from affordability supports such as the local authority home loan; if he will review this apparent inconsistency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11231/26]
411. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the interaction between disability-related income supports and eligibility for the local authority home loan, in circumstances where the withdrawal of a disability allowance results in a household being treated as single-income and subsequently excluded from affordable credit schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11230/26]
410. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he acknowledges that single-income households are routinely offered lower loan amounts and less favourable terms by commercial lenders, notwithstanding repayment capacity; and whether the local authority home loan scheme is intended to address this market failure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11229/26]
409. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether eligibility for the local authority home loan adequately accounts for demonstrated repayment capacity, particularly in cases where applicants are single-income households due to illness or disability; and if he will outline any plans to revise assessment criteria to ensure that households with sustainable repayment capacity are not excluded solely on the basis of income composition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11228/26]
1195. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether patients diagnosed with cancer are automatically entitled to a medical card to ensure full access to necessary diagnostic tests, specialist consultations, treatment, and follow-up care; if not, if she will introduce measures to guarantee automatic medical card provision for all cancer patients to remove financial barriers to care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10358/26]
980. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if there is a campaign or strategy in place to increase GP capacity, particularly in growing towns such as Skerries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9253/26]
816. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of any policy sanctioned by his or other Departments which allows for the confiscation of donations made to international protection applications; if he is aware of where these donated items are redirected to once confiscated; the body or person which has the authority to implement such a policy and the basis; if such a policy will be provided for in writing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9804/26]
741. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government plans to consult with stakeholders such as an organisation (details supplied) and advocacy group on the means test reform; and if so, the planned schedule for those consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9343/26]
740. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify in which Budget or fiscal year the means test will be abolished or substantially reformed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9342/26]
739. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to publish an interdepartmental or policy review on the future of the carer’s allowance means test; the timeframe for publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9341/26]
738. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the Government’s current policy on the means test for carer’s allowance, including any specific timeline or milestones for its abolition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9340/26]
737. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps his Department has taken in recent years to notify carers of their tax obligations in respect of carer’s allowance, particularly in view of recent changes to automatic data-sharing between his Department and the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9337/26]
731. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Dublin Fingal will be included in the Pyrite Remediation Scheme; when a decision is expected; if he will outline the steps being taken to support homeowners in Fingal affected by pyrite in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10376/26]
730. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the inclusion of Dublin Fingal within the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme; the engagement that has taken place between his Department and Fingal County Council in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10375/26]
710. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage and consult with a group (details supplied) regarding S.I. No. 374/2024 - European Union (Invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024 on the designation of Fallow and Sika deer as invasive alien species; if he will confirm he will apply the lawful EU derogation as intended for Ireland; if he will make no further changes to current open seasons (section 29 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 as amended) for wild deer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9751/26]
694. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has examined the potential biodiversity benefits of requiring swift nesting boxes in new developments, given their low cost, minimal maintenance and role in protecting a declining species; whether such measures could be incorporated into national biodiversity or climate adaptation policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9256/26]
693. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will consider introducing national planning guidance or legislative requirements to provide for the installation of swift nesting boxes in new residential and public developments; if his attention has been drawn to initiatives led by Fingal County Council, including the provision of swift boxes in new local authority buildings and the designation of 2026 as the Year of the Swift; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9254/26]
675. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps which are being taken to ensure that access to elite development pathways in Irish sport is based on ability and performance rather than a family’s capacity to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9763/26]
674. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which he justifies the practice of charging families for participation in state-supported Olympic development pathways, particularly where athletes have met high-performance selection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9760/26]
673. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of public funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the past five years; the way in which this funding is allocated across administration, high-performance programmes, youth development, and athlete support, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9755/26]
548. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria, assessment process and decision-making framework used to select the 105 school building projects announced for delivery in 2026 and 2027, including whether demographic need, school capacity and regional balance were considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9246/26]
398. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of recipients of carer’s allowance which were newly contacted by Revenue during the most recent tax year in respect of tax liabilities arising from carer’s allowance; the total amount of tax assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9338/26]
397. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will confirm that carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit are treated as taxable income for income tax purposes; to clarify under which tax codes or Revenue rules this treatment is applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9336/26]
391. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his Department or the Revenue Commissioners publish figures on actual Exchequer tax revenue generated specifically from carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit; if so, to provide those figures for the past three tax years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9339/26]
646. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether that, notwithstanding significant Exchequer investment through the capital assistance scheme, the delivery of supported housing in Dublin is increasingly constrained by exceptionally high construction and land costs; whether additional CAS supports or revised cost ceilings are under consideration for Dublin-based projects; the way in which the Government plans to ensure that CAS funding translates into actual units delivered in high-cost urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7456/26]
645. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the construction cost assumptions currently used by his Department when approving CAS-funded housing projects; whether these assumptions differ for Dublin compared with other local authority areas; when these benchmarks were last reviewed; his views on whether outdated or insufficient cost ceilings are impacting the delivery of supported housing in Dublin (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7455/26]
644. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of CAS-funded projects in Dublin that have been delayed, redesigned, or deemed unviable in each of the past five years due to construction cost inflation; the average cost overruns identified in such cases; the measures in place to address viability gaps for approved housing bodies delivering CAS projects in high-cost urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7454/26]
643. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total capital assistance scheme (CAS) funding allocated in each of the years 2021 to 2025; the average CAS funding approved per unit nationally and in Dublin in each of those years; and whether he is satisfied that current CAS funding levels adequately reflect the significantly higher construction, land, and professional costs associated with delivering new-build supported housing in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7453/26]
537. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider early childhood educators to provide July provision (details supplied); if she plans to extend July provision eligibility to all early childhood educators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8143/26]
396. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will review or extend the current Revenue deadlines in view of a case (details supplied) to allow National Governing Sports Bodies and other volunteer-led organisations sufficient time to assess roles, seek guidance, and implement changes in a compliant and sustainable manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8305/26]
460. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to ensure urgent access to the medication welireg (belzutifan) (details supplied); whether compassionate or exceptional access mechanisms are available while national reimbursement processes are ongoing; the safeguards currently in place to protect such patients from avoidable permanent harm during administrative delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7307/26]
392. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of an anomaly within the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) whereby children in receipt of AIM Level 7 supports during their ECCE session are unable to access AIM Plus funding for an additional 30 minutes offered by their early learning and care service, given that AIM Plus has a minimum allocation of one hour and does not allow rounding up in the same way as the National Childcare Scheme, resulting in children either being excluded from the additional 30 minutes or the cost of Level 7 support being borne by the provider; if she accepts that this places children with additional needs at a disadvantage compared to their peers; if she will outline the steps her Department will take to address this inequity and ensure equitable access to AIM Plus for any additional hours offered by services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7099/26]
2. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his response to a recent fatal farm incident in County Limerick involving a farmer in his 90s; and, in light of provisional Health and Safety Authority figures showing that 23 people died in the agriculture sector in 2025, accounting for 40% of all workplace fatalities despite the sector employing approximately 4% of the workforce, the urgent actions his Department is taking to improve farm safety and prevent further loss of life. [6544/26]
104. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection whether records are kept on the purpose of community welfare officer grants; if so, if that data includes grants awarded in domestic violence cases where families were required to leave the family home; if so, the number of such grants issued and value in each year from 2022 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6653/26]
1113. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the level of funding provided by her Department and the HSE to Central Remedial Clinic services in each of the past five years and to date in 2026; the way in which this funding is allocated across clinical services and administrative costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6356/26]
829. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether additional funding is planned for Central Remedial Clinics in 2026 to address wage pressures, recruitment difficulties, and service demand; if she will outline the timeline and scale of any such funding increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6360/26]
828. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the HSE provides ring-fenced funding to Central Remedial Clinics (CRC) specifically for the payment of staff wages; whether CRC clinics are expected to absorb pay increases or wage-related costs within existing budgets; if she will clarify the HSE's obligations in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6359/26]
827. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the assessment that has been carried out on the impact of funding constraints, including wage funding, on staffing levels, waiting lists, and service availability within Central Remedial Clinics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6358/26]
826. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether funding provided to the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) is sufficient to meet the full cost of staff wages and related employment costs; whether CRC-funded staff are paid in line with comparable grades within the public health service; to outline any measures being taken to address pay disparities and staff retention issues within CRC services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6357/26]
796. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it has been brought to his attention that the 117 dairy heifers exported to Libya on 5 January 2025, at the time of certification and approval for transport from Ireland to Spain, were intended for onward export by sea to Libya; whether any assessment was undertaken by his Department of animal welfare conditions on that onward journey; if he will clarify what responsibility his Department accepts once animals certified in Ireland are exported onward to third countries with known animal welfare concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6414/26]
684. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the individualisation of social welfare payments has been examined by his Department; whether any costings or timelines exist; if he will commit to publishing this analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5463/26]
683. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement his Department has had with women’s organisations regarding concerns that the qualified adult system classifies women as dependants; whether these concerns will inform future reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5462/26]