228. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the support that is available to barbers to access continuous professional development and upskilling; and whether incentives will be introduced to encourage participation in accredited training programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27391/26]
3450. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if grant support is available for a student in receipt of disability allowance who is undertaking a part-time online course at ATU Sligo (details supplied) and is not eligible for SUSI funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24430/26]
3359. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health to provide a clear timeline for the conclusion of the reimbursement process for skyclarys given that more than 80 Parliamentary Questions have already been raised on this matter without any indication of when a decision may be reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27038/26]
3358. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to ensure that the HSE urgently concludes reimbursement negotiations for skyclarys given that it is currently the only available treatment for Friedreich’s ataxia and that the condition may be considered an unmet need under the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27037/26]
3346. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the current provision of care for patients with endometriosis; to outline any planned developments or improvements in endometriosis services in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26989/26]
3020. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to introducing additional relief or supports for old age pensioners to assist with the rising cost of private health insurance premia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25434/26]
3019. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether universal health insurance remains under consideration by the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25432/26]
2601. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which the ‘First Five’ early years consultation is taking place (details supplied); and the steps he will take to ensure all early years professionals have a meaningful opportunity to contribute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27249/26]
2254. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of recent footage circulating on social media which appears to show greyhounds being kept in conditions giving rise to serious animal welfare concerns at a premises (details supplied); whether his Department has initiated a formal investigation into this matter; the timeline for any such investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25224/26]
2202. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department intends to take following the EPA early insights nitrogen indicators report showing that nitrogen levels in rivers rose by 10% in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24406/26]
2201. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has assessed or considered the creation of a national strategic fertiliser reserve that would ensure adequate supplies are available to farmers in Ireland in the event of global supply chain disruption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24405/26]
2200. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of stocks of fertilisers are available in Ireland in the event of disruption to international supply chains; the supports in place to ensure adequate suppliers of fertiliser to Irish agriculture; if supplies are being actively monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24404/26]
2043. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of motorists who were breathalysed following a road traffic accident in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; the number of those motorists who returned a positive breath test in each year; the number of cyclists who were breathalysed following a road traffic accident in each of the same years and the number of those cyclists who returned a positive breath test in each year; the number of arrests or prosecutions arising from such incidents, broken down by motorists and cyclists, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24895/26]
1858. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if grant support is available for a student in receipt of disability allowance who is undertaking a part-time online course at ATU Sligo (details supplied) and is not eligible for SUSI funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24431/26]
1581. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether consideration is being given to strengthen powers of the Sports Ombudsman to investigate complaints and cases relating to women in sport at a local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25781/26]
1580. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether there is ongoing development of a safeguarding policy for women in sport in conjunction with Cuan; if he will provide details of any such policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25780/26]
1579. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if committee members of sports clubs are required to undertake the three safeguarding workshops provided by Sport Ireland; whether participation in these workshops is linked to eligibility for public funding; if not, whether the Minister will consider making such safeguarding training mandatory for committee members of all publicly funded sports clubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25779/26]
1412. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Grant, a pilot programme offering schools up to €10,000 to integrate physical activity into the curriculum, will be available for the 2026-2027 school year; to provide details on any planned continuation or expansion of the programme; whether her Department has evaluated the pilot's outcomes to date, including feedback from participating schools, to inform future funding decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25489/26]
1404. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total expenditure incurred by her Department on modular, prefab and temporary school accommodation, including both rental and leasing costs and purchased accommodation costs, in each year from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25431/26]
1149. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he is aware of concerns regarding the recall by a company (details supplied) on 24 March 2026 due to asbestos contamination in the sand contained within a toy; if he will provide details of the type and concentration of asbestos identified; the number of affected products sold in Ireland; the timeline of the recall in Ireland compared with similar recalls in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25241/26]
1118. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the current status of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; whether the Bill has been considered by the Oireachtas Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment since its referral in September 2025; if there are plans to progress the Bill to the next Stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24156/26]
1115. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide clarification on the number of critical skills employment permits issued annually in the past four years and the number issued in the ICT, technology sector specifically; whether permit holders under this scheme may take up graduate or entry-level roles, or if the scheme is intended solely for more experienced positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24080/26]
938. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if consideration will be given to introducing additional relief or supports for old age pensioners to assist with the rising cost of private health insurance premiums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25435/26]
937. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps being taken to address the rising cost of private health insurance premiums; whether consideration has been given to introducing additional tax relief or other offset measures for the cost of private health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25433/26]
748. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if he will take urgent steps to ban sulky racing to prevent further deaths and ensure the welfare of these animals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25579/26]
378. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there are plans to review current legislation to ensure consistency in how intoxication is assessed across all road users involved in collisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23464/26]
325. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the eligibility population threshold for towns applying under the newly announced Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund; to confirm whether the threshold is 10,000, 9,000, or another figure; the basis for the threshold applied; whether it is based on Census 2022 settlement populations; and whether towns with a population below 9,000 for example, Lusk approximately 8,806 can be considered under this fund or are intended to be directed to alternative regeneration schemes. [23502/26]
771. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Department intends to review Ireland's policy on long-distance live animal exports following the proposed shipment of up to 5,000 cattle on the MV Saleh; if he will outline plans to strengthen oversight or introduce further restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21971/26]
770. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he has considered the appropriateness of permitting the export of live cattle to the Middle East region at a time when charter aircraft are reportedly being organised to repatriate Irish citizens from the region; if he will outline the Government's policy considerations in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21970/26]
769. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific animal welfare inspections, veterinary supervision, and stocking density requirements that will apply to the transport of cattle on the MV Saleh; whether Department officials will be present during loading at Greenore Port; and how compliance with EU animal transport regulations will be monitored during the voyage, given the livestock vessel was delayed by a week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21969/26]
768. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that the MV Saleh has the capacity to transport up to 5,000 cattle; whether this represents the largest livestock export shipment to depart from Ireland to date; the additional welfare oversight measures that will be in place given the scale of the consignment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21968/26]
767. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department is aware that the livestock vessel MV Saleh (details supplied) has recently transported cattle shipments primarily to Israel; whether the Department expects the cattle being loaded in Greenore Port to be exported to that destination; whether any conditions have been attached to the export licence in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21967/26]
766. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has approved the loading of approximately 5,000 cattle at Greenore Port onto the livestock vessel MV Saleh scheduled to arrive on or about 10 March 2026; the destination country for these cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21966/26]
469. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on whether it is acceptable that where a child with additional needs cannot access an appropriate special school or ASD class placement, a parent may be forced to give up employment in order to care for and educate the child at home; the supports available in such circumstances, particularly where the parent may they be deemed ineligible for carer’s allowance despite the absence of a suitable school place due to capacity shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21439/26]
468. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she accepts that children with complex needs have a right to receive an appropriate education within their own community; the measures being taken to expand local provision Fingal, particularly given the planned opening of a new special school in 2027 will come too late for entry into school in September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21438/26]
467. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of additional special school places and ASD class places planned for Fingal between now and September; whether emergency measures will be considered where children remain without placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21437/26]
466. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps she will take to ensure better coordination between the National Council for Special Education, her Department, and local schools where a child with complex needs is at risk of having no school placement as they move from primary to secondary school; the supports available to families in such situations before the start of the school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21436/26]
465. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department is aware of cases where parents have applied to more than twenty special schools and mainstream schools with special classes yet have received only refusal letters due to lack of capacity; whether an emergency mechanism exists to ensure a school place is secured for such children before the start of the academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21435/26]
464. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on whether it is acceptable that children with significant additional needs, including autism and moderate intellectual disabilities, are being asked to travel to schools located in different counties, in some cases requiring journeys of over an hour each way by bus; the maximum travel distances considered appropriate for children with complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21434/26]
463. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children currently without an appropriate primary and secondary school placement in the constituency of Fingal, for the upcoming school year; the number of those children who have been diagnosed with mixed disability needs; the steps her Department is taking to ensure that every child requiring a special school or special class place will have an appropriate placement for September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21433/26]
365. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will engage with the Revenue Commissioners to review whether tariffs or import charges applied to small consignments of medical screening devices for volunteer-funded public-health trials are consistent with Government policy on preventative healthcare and community health promotion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21467/26]
364. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will clarify the policy basis under which import duties or related charges may be applied to medical devices imported for non-commercial community health initiatives, including cardiac-screening trials; whether his Department will engage with relevant agencies to ensure such initiatives are not impeded by inappropriate customs classifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21430/26]
363. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he is aware that a €290 import charge has been applied to a shipment of ECG sensors and electrode patches imported from Norway for use in a volunteer-led community cardiac-screening trial in Balbriggan; if his Department has any role in reviewing such charges where medical devices are imported for non-commercial public-health purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21429/26]
234. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will outline any discussions he has had with the Minister for Public Expenditure, , Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the Minister for Social Protection regarding additional supports to assist households struggling with rising fuel costs; whether the Government is considering a temporary reduction in fuel excise or VAT as a measure to alleviate pressure on families and commuters; and if he will provide a timeline for any proposed cost-of-living interventions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21257/26]
233. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps he will take to address the continued rise in fuel prices which is placing severe financial pressure on families and workers across the State; whether he has considered the introduction of an emergency cost-of-living payment to support households affected by these increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21256/26]
135. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific measures his Department intends to take to address the growing number of reported dog attacks on sheep and other livestock, including whether current dog control legislation and enforcement mechanisms are sufficient to protect farmers animals and livestock welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20584/26]
78. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in light of warnings from EU farm organisations that the price of EU-produced fertilisers has increased by approximately 25% in the past month compared with the 2024 average, and given that fertilisers account for between 15% and 30% of horticulture farmers’ input costs on average, the steps he is taking to support growers and the horticulture sector who are already facing severe pressure from rising input costs and negative margins across the arable sector for the third consecutive year; and the measures being considered to mitigate the impact of escalating fertiliser prices on the viability of growers and horticultural producers. [20735/26]
2266. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that will be taken to ensure that students attending the Youthreach centre in at a location (details supplied) are not academically disadvantaged due to the loss of programme time during the 2025/2026 academic year. [20282/26]
2265. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the oversight or intervention that was undertaken by SOLAS and the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board when it became apparent that the Youthreach centre at a location (details supplied) was experiencing repeated closures and restricted provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20281/26]