41. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the commitment to develop a Traveller and Roma training, employment and enterprise strategy as committed to in July 2021 under Pathways to Work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57932/21]
6. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Wicklow who were in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment but who have since returned to work in some capacity and are no longer in receipt of this payment or the jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57935/21]
208. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the campaign and recent results of a survey published by a group (details supplied) seeking amongst other things a ban on alcohol advertising prior to the watershed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57853/21]
207. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the National Gender Service multidisciplinary team; when it will become operational; and the approximate timeframe expected to get an appointment for a 16-year-old based in County Wicklow, first referred to a similar service in the United Kingdom in August 2020 by CAMHS. [57852/21]
206. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to calls for a new coordinator to be appointed in a facility (details supplied); if a timeline and hiring process can be outlined for this vacancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57844/21]
79. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of compulsory purchase orders undertaken under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 as amended by each local authority in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57848/21]
78. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount collected under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 as amended by each local authority in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57847/21]
154. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding a site for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57198/21]
89. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the extension for a school (details supplied); if timelines can be provided for both construction and the provision of new special educational needs rooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57199/21]
17. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the delay in processing passport applications for first-time passports for children and new citizens; the steps his Department is taking to alleviate this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56351/21]
112. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to ongoing concerns in a school (details supplied) in relation to an inability to get substitute teachers to cover staff absences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56401/21]
325. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and expedited;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56164/21]
314. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to delays in the provision of two special educational needs classrooms due to planning complications at a school (details supplied); if this matter can be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55403/21]
170. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the position regarding the universal basic income pilot for artists; the qualifying criteria that will be applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54835/21]
149. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to ensure Ireland will maintain strong representation in international events such as the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games and World and European Championships; the steps being taken at all levels to support elite athletes and coaches who are currently competing, in addition to plans to build a pipeline of talent that will increase Ireland’s medal contention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54943/21]
91. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the Departmental working group that was set up to investigate potential amendments to building regulations to require changing places (details supplied) in suitable public buildings; the number of times the group has met; if he proposes to meet with the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54830/21]
6. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the role that biodiversity officers play in local authorities; his views on a nationwide roll-out of these positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53501/21]
129. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55013/21]
122. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the foreign birth registration application for a person (details supplied) can be reviewed and expedited; and if he will address matters in relation to the delays in this process. [54796/21]
129. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding his engagement with the insurance sector specifically related to persons and businesses that operate recreational facilities and outdoor activities; if his attention has been drawn to businesses being forced to close due to prohibitive insurance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54244/21]
114. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Finance if discussions are expected with senior officials of a bank (details supplied) regarding the future use of its soon to be vacated units in towns and villages across Ireland; if consideration has been given to the repurposing of these units as community digital hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54245/21]
110. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the proposed development of the DART to Wicklow town; the next steps required to progress this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53496/21]
95. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the proposed development of the Luas to Bray, County Wicklow; the next steps required to progress this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53497/21]
78. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he will take to ensure that middle income households are supported in accessing retrofitting programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53502/21]
109. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to appeals by school management in a school (details supplied) with regard to the special needs assistant allocation; if this matter can be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53444/21]
143. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timescale for the introduction of the new micro-generation support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52479/21]
29. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the €22 million budget allocation designed to assist local businesses modernise practices (details supplied); the details of same; the timeframe on the way this funding will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53123/21]
219. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding a site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51822/21]
96. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the need to clean and carry out minor repairs to the old courthouse façade in Wicklow town (details supplied); her views on whether this work can be prioritised in the coming months to coincide with the large investment in the town square; the position regarding the proposed return of court services to this building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51092/21]
91. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Justice if discussions are expected in the coming weeks with the Garda Commissioner on the plans of An Garda Síochána to ensure a safe Hallowe'en; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51093/21]
53. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether a close to nature model of forestry is likely to be adopted as policy in the new forestry strategy currently being developed through Project Woodland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51555/21]
30. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to specific concerns raised by Wicklow County Council in relation to the delay in awarding felling licences (details supplied); the steps he is taking to reduce wait times and specifically in relation to the ongoing concerns in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51554/21]
506. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50853/21]
218. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to concerns in relation to medical card holders being unable to get dental appointments due to ongoing issues between dentists and the HSE; his plans to alleviate this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50773/21]
125. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health his views on the adequacy of existing mental health supports for children in County Wicklow; the number of children under 18 years of age who are waiting three months or longer to see a psychologist following a referral from a general practitioner; the steps he is taking to reduce the wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50772/21]
122. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education her views on the adequacy of the number of teachers currently allocated to supply panels for substitute teachers at a primary school level; if her attention has been drawn to cases in which three substitute teachers are covering up to 14 schools in a district as is the case in north County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50191/21]
121. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education her plans regarding teacher supply panels at both primary and secondary school level; if she plans to expand the existing coverage of supply panels to make them accessible to schools nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50189/21]
120. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education her plans regarding the banking of hours by primary schools in cases in which mainstream classroom teachers are replaced by special education teachers due to absences; if her attention has been drawn to the demands of a union (details supplied) to reinstate this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50188/21]
135. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the average pupil teacher ratio in primary schools at a national level if only schools with a full-time administrative principal are included (details supplied); the steps she is taking to improve this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50064/21]
134. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the requests from a union (details supplied) to restore the level of AP1 and AP2 posts in primary schools to pre-2010 levels; if her attention has been drawn to the need to restore these positions to ease the burden on school management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50063/21]
133. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if the level of retirement from the primary school system is matched by the number of newly qualified teachers; the research her Department has commissioned to ensure the system is future-proofed in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50059/21]
132. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education her views on the adequacy of the school capitation grant levels for primary schools; if she will report on the basis for the discrepancy between the per pupil allocation between primary and secondary school students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50058/21]
117. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which a local authority can apply for funding to employ a full-time biodiversity officer; the number of officers that he proposes to be employed nationally; and the local authorities that currently employ a biodiversity officer in tabular form. [50162/21]
85. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the percentage of third-level courses that have not yet returned to full-time in person learning; the steps he is taking to reduce this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49346/21]
81. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the initiatives that he has facilitated to encourage the recruitment of mature apprentices; if he is considering additional measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49347/21]
593. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the campaign led by an association (details supplied) seeking extra neurology nurse specialists across Irish hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49622/21]
296. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to proposals by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment that appear to suggest a change in the Irish leaving certificate exam for students in Gaelscoileanna; if she will outline the full consultation process for such a change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49662/21]
183. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if second-hand homes are to be included in a Housing for All initiative or related schemes other than the Rebuilding Ireland home loan in cases in which an individual or couple purchasing earn more than the income threshold for this scheme but still require support. [49505/21]
182. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby individuals and couples who wish to purchase a second-hand home but earn above the limit for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan; the supports available to persons in this situation in the context of the Housing for All strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49504/21]
115. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of refugees from Afghanistan that have been accepted into the IRPP following the seizing of power by the Taliban in August 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48302/21]