500. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that Tailte Éireann has recently contacted community-based, not-for-profit early years services in Waterford indicating that they may be liable for commercial rates; if he will clarify Government policy regarding the rates status of such community services; if he will engage with Tailte Éireann and local authorities to ensure that community early years providers are not incorrectly deemed rateable and are protected from unwarranted threats of rates liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65981/25]
499. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that community-based, not-for-profit early years services are exempt from commercial rates; the guidance provided to local authorities to ensure that such community services are treated consistently with regard to rates liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65980/25]
484. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the current and planned funding streams to ensure that all sports grounds, clubs, and gyms have access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs); and if he will consider establishing a dedicated national fund to support the purchase, maintenance, and replacement of AEDs in sports facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65982/25]
156. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of embassies, missions and consulates operated by her Department; the total WTE staff and cost of each by host country/mission, for each year since 2015. [65804/25]
587. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health given the increasing number of older people presenting with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, if it is mandatory for all hospital staff , including those working in emergency departments, to receive dementia-specific training; the HSE or hospital protocols for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s who present with delirium and are left sitting on a chair in an emergency department for extended periods, including up to 24-hours; the measures which are in place to ensure that persons with dementia receive appropriate, safe, and dignified care when attending emergency departments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64690/25]
50. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport in light of other countries introducing restrictions on social media for under 16s or requiring parental consent, if his Department is considering similar measures in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64061/25]
8. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will ensure that his Department works closely with Coimisiún na Meán, An Garda Síochána, and education partners to strengthen prevention and protect victims, in order that our online spaces reflect the values of safety, respect, and democracy we expect offline (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64060/25]
366. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the reason the special leave with pay scheme for healthcare workers affected by long-Covid is due to end on 31 December without a suitable replacement; if she acknowledges that directing workers who are on phased or part-time return-to-work programmes into the standard sick leave scheme will require them to go fully out sick in order to receive income, despite clinical guidance that phased return is the safest and most appropriate option; the measures that will be put in place to prevent affected workers from being pushed into financial distress and from losing progress made in rehabilitation; and if she will urgently revise the policy to ensure continuity of care for staff and patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64331/25]
338. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health given the long waiting times for publicly funded speech and language therapy, what supports or funding are available for families to access private therapy when a child has been diagnosed as needing said therapy but may wait up to two years for public services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64080/25]
320. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the funding or supports available to enable a resource centre (details supplied) to secure a permanent building; if she will consider prioritising funding for centres that currently operate in temporary or rented premises to improve stability and service delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64111/25]
867. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider phasing out live exports of animals to non-EU countries and instead support the development of domestic or EU-based processing and slaughter capacity to reduce animal transport distances and improve welfare outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63376/25]
866. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that there have been only four live export shipments to non-EU countries this year, involving approximately 9,000 cattle out of a total of 325,000 exported, and given that cattle prices are currently high, his views that the limited economic benefit of these exports justifies the serious welfare risks animals face during transport and slaughter outside the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63375/25]
865. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position on the live export of Irish animals to countries outside the European Union, given the serious welfare concerns regarding the transport and slaughter of animals in destination countries where no enforceable animal welfare framework exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63374/25]
864. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether Ireland plans to support or advocate for stronger protections for unweaned animals during transport in upcoming EU negotiations on the revision of animal welfare and transport regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63373/25]
863. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which compliance with existing EU and national feeding and welfare requirements for unweaned animals in transport is monitored and enforced; the number of inspections carried out and enforcement actions taken in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63372/25]
862. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is considering providing additional supports or infrastructure to ensure proper feeding, watering, and rest facilities for unweaned calves during transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63371/25]
861. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken by his Department to ensure that unweaned calves receive adequate feeding, hydration, and rest during transport, particularly on long journeys within and outside of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63370/25]
860. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has examined the findings of the recent research published in the Journal of Dairy Science (August 2025), which shows that prolonged periods without feed cause dehydration, hypoglycaemia, low energy, muscle fatigue, and other stress responses in unweaned calves, and that enhanced pre-transport feeding cannot fully prevent such harm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63369/25]
822. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department will publish data on the number of cases in which interpretation was used in the courts since 2020, by language, jurisdiction, and interpreter accreditation, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63772/25]
821. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the actions which will be taken to restore public confidence in the integrity of criminal proceedings following revelations about interpreter standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63769/25]
820. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps his Department is taking to ensure every defendant in Ireland can effectively exercise their right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights when interpretation is required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63768/25]
819. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is satisfied that Ireland is compliant with its obligations under EU Directive 2010/64/EU, given the absence of a State register and formal testing for interpreters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63767/25]
818. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which Directive 2010/64/EU is currently implemented in practice to ensure the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63766/25]
817. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has received submissions from an organisation (details supplied) regarding pay and training for court interpreters; the action he has taken in response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63764/25]
816. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current rates of pay for court interpreters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63763/25]
813. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the quality assurance processes that currently exist to assess interpreters’ performance in courtrooms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63752/25]
812. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there is any requirement at present for interpreters working in court rooms to pass language competency or legal terminology examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63751/25]
811. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department intends to establish a central register of qualified legal interpreters and translators, as envisaged under Directive 2010/64/EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63750/25]
810. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there are plans to introduce State-accredited training and certification for legal interpreters in Ireland, similar to other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63749/25]
809. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if disciplinary, audit or quality assurance procedures exist for interpreters who provide services in criminal trials and, if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63748/25]
808. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure interpreters engaged by the Courts Service meet minimum professional standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63745/25]
738. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of the rise in racially motivated attacks in recent months; if he is concerned by reports that racism and racially motivated incidents are becoming increasingly aggressive; the specific measures being taken to address this growing problem, particularly in the Fingal west area where this Deputies office has received an increasing number of reports and emails on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62844/25]
335. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of any plans to conduct a review of app-based taxi fare models and their compliance with Irish taxi regulations; if he is aware of any plans to ensure transparency and parity in fare structures between licensed taxi operators and app-based platforms; if there are any Departmental plans to develop a publicly managed NTA taxi-hailing app; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63994/25]
268. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the ongoing blockages of bus lanes and bus stops that are creating serious safety risks and operational challenges for the Broadstone Garage bus fleet; if his Department will urgently intervene to ensure that 24-hour bus lane restrictions are enforced and that bus stops remain accessible for safe passenger boarding and disembarkation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62986/25]
1135. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the current SUSI grant assessment criteria, given that some parents are being penalised where a dependent child previously worked full-time but is now returning to full-time education, resulting in the loss of that income; if he will consider allowing this change in circumstances to be reflected in the means assessment so that families are not unfairly excluded from grant support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61272/25]
907. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a list of early years and school age childcare services that have withdrawn from the core funding scheme; the number and percentage of services that have signed up to the scheme to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62219/25]
815. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s response plan following the recent confirmation of avian influenza (H5N1) outbreaks on commercial turkey farms in counties Meath and Carlow; the measures being taken to prevent further spread of the disease; and if he will provide details of the compensation supports available to affected farmers, including the process and timeline for assessment and payment of losses incurred as a result of mandatory culling and movement restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61862/25]
632. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has issued or intends to issue guidance and instructions to local authorities regarding the implementation of the Short-Term Letting (STL) Bill, particularly in respect of the announced exemption from ‘Change of Use’ planning permission for properties located in towns and villages with populations of fewer than 10,000; and if he will confirm that consistent national guidance will be provided to ensure uniform application of the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61874/25]
597. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of the 39 homes in Fingal identified as being affected by defective blocks, or otherwise indicate how affected homeowners are being contacted and supported by the Department and local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61204/25]
596. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when and if homeowners in Fingal will be able to apply to Fingal County Council for grants to remediate their homes under the defective blocks scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61203/25]
595. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for when funding under the defective blocks scheme will be made available to affected homeowners in Fingal West; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61202/25]
594. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage he is willing to meet with constituents from Fingal West who are affected by defective concrete blocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61201/25]
572. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on whether organisations in receipt of public funding (details supplied) should continue to receive such funding when they fail to recognise or engage with a trade union representing their employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61248/25]
571. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken to have darts recognised by the Irish Federation of Sport as a sport in its own right; if consideration will be given to granting official recognition to darts so that local clubs and organisations may become eligible to apply for Sports Partnership and other forms of State funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61224/25]
529. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if he will consider supporting and promoting a nationwide ‘Power Hour’ campaign, encouraging schools across Ireland to turn off all classroom lights for one hour each day at 12 pm with the aim of reducing electricity usage, cutting carbon emissions, and raising awareness of energy conservation and sustainability among students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61641/25]
463. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will jointly develop and deliver a national public relations and information campaign with the Minister of Housing to provide clear and accessible guidance for short-term letting hosts ahead of the May 2026 implementation of the new regulatory framework; to provide details of the way in which host representative groups and stakeholders will be included in the consultation and communication process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61873/25]
462. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department intends to launch a national public awareness campaign in advance of the introduction of new regulations under the Short-Term Letting (STL) Bill, to ensure that property owners and hosts are fully informed of their obligations before the May 2026 commencement date; and if he will provide details of his Department’s engagement with the Department of Housing and Local Authorities to ensure consistent guidance and communication to the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61872/25]
405. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation his views on whether organisations in receipt of public funding (details supplied) should continue to receive such funding when they fail to recognise or engage with a trade union representing their employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61249/25]
341. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if he will review the public transport provision serving Garristown and the surrounding rural areas of North County Dublin; if he will consider extending or adapting the 142 bus service, or introducing a new local loop route from Ashbourne through Ballymadun, Nutstown, Adamstown and Newhaggard, returning to Ashbourne; to examine the feasibility of providing a door-to-door local link service to assist residents, particularly older and isolated individuals, who currently have no access to reliable transport for essential journeys such as medical appointments, shopping and collecting pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61852/25]
322. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the consideration of establishing a dedicated transport policing service, similar to the British Transport Police operating in Northern Ireland, to enhance safety and security across public transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61536/25]