174. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being taken to ensure the continuity and security of electricity supply given the continued reliance on fossil fuels for more than half of electricity generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27872/26]
326. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether all relevant service providers in Laois have submitted disability support management advisory team forms to the HSE in respect of unmet residential support needs; the steps being taken to move from crisis-based emergency placements towards planned, long-term supported housing in line with the objectives of a campaign (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27563/26]
325. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of supported residential housing units available for adults with intellectual disabilities; the number of additional units currently planned or in development, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27562/26]
324. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the most up-to-date data available on the number of adults with intellectual disabilities living at home with ageing or elderly parents who are their primary carers, particularly where carers are over retirement age, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27561/26]
306. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports, advisory services or pricing models are currently available to farmers who may wish to diversify. [27543/26]
305. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has examined historical and current practices of crop diversification, including the cultivation of hemp in Ireland; whether engagement has taken place with farms or enterprises currently producing hemp for industrial or construction purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27542/26]
304. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares of agricultural land currently classified as set-aside or otherwise unused; whether an assessment has been undertaken of the potential to utilise such lands for the cultivation of alternative sustainable crops, including hemp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27541/26]
303. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a national tillage sustainability support scheme is under consideration in light of increased input costs, particularly fuel and fertiliser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27540/26]
302. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being considered to address the indirect impact of rising fuel and fertiliser costs on farm operations, including contractor services and transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27539/26]
301. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to expanding the existing farm diesel carbon tax relief to include agricultural contractors and to simplify the scheme to improve uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27538/26]
300. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Government intends to introduce a national temporary farm fuels support scheme to provide monthly payments to farmers and agricultural contractors in respect of increased fuel costs compared to 2025 levels, and if such a scheme will be backdated to 1 March 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27537/26]
263. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the use of hemp-based construction materials, including hempcrete, has been assessed as part of sustainable building strategies; if any pilot schemes or supports exist for its development in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27546/26]
226. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether any assessment has been undertaken of the ownership structure and trading activity of companies operating within the State, including those owned by entities subject to international sanctions regimes, to ensure full compliance with EU and Irish law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27559/26]
225. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to clarify the export control, sanctions compliance and due diligence mechanisms that are in place to ensure that materials processed in the State are not indirectly contributing to the supply chains of entities associated with the Russian military or the prosecution of the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27558/26]
224. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the timeframe for the introduction of digital product passports for priority product categories, including textiles, furniture, tyres and mattresses; the enforcement mechanisms that will apply to ensure regulatory compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27555/26]
223. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the preparations that are underway to implement the digital product passport under the EU Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation; the way consumers and SMEs will access and use the DPP; the supports that will be provided to businesses in priority sectors to ensure compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27554/26]
220. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide further detail on the proposed legal reforms contained within the Accelerating Infrastructure – Report and Action Plan, including the anticipated scope and timeline for the proposed Critical Infrastructure Bill; how the reforms to the judicial review process will balance the need to reduce delays with the protection of environmental and community rights; and whether any assessment has been made of the potential impact of these changes on public participation in planning decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27532/26]
219. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the specific timelines and key performance indicators attached to the thirty measures outlined in the Accelerating Infrastructure-Report and Action Plan; the way in which progress on these measures will be monitored and reported; the mechanisms that will be put in place to ensure accountability across Departments, agencies and semi-State bodies for the timely delivery of critical infrastructure projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27531/26]
218. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the actions being taken to strengthen workforce capacity and recruitment across the public service, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare, planning, and education services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27529/26]
204. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to expanding the existing farm diesel carbon tax relief to include agricultural contractors, and to simplify the scheme to improve uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27534/26]
200. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to including alternative fuels, including hydrotreated vegetable oil and other low-emission fuels, within the Revenue Commissioners rebate scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27389/26]
193. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport whether current regulations permit the use of hemp-derived biodiesel in private vehicles and generators; whether any regulatory or technical barriers exist, particularly in relation to newer diesel engines; if plans are in place to support wider adoption of locally produced biofuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27547/26]
184. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has assessed the potential of hemp as a source of biodiesel production, including estimates of fuel yield per hectare and its potential contribution to national renewable energy targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27545/26]
176. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the role the National Reuse and Repair Network will play in designing and delivering the repair voucher scheme; the supports that will be provided to local repair businesses and community enterprises nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27553/26]
175. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide details of the proposed national pilot repair voucher scheme, including eligibility criteria, estimated cost, projected uptake and the timeframe for rollout by 2027; the way the scheme will be funded through the Circular Economy Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27552/26]
174. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the specific policy measures that will be introduced to increase Ireland’s circular material use rate by 2 percentage points annually to reach 12% by 2030; the interim milestones that have been established to ensure this target is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27551/26]
173. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the implementation plan, timelines and funding allocations underpinning Ireland’s Circular Economy Strategy 2026–2028; the way progress will be monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27550/26]
172. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on the Government’s commitment, as outlined in the Programme for Government, to utilise surplus renewable energy that would otherwise be wasted to support households experiencing fuel poverty; and the timeframe for full implementation of this commitment. [27549/26]
159. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has assessed the economic and social impact of continued renewable energy wastage, including the estimated value of lost clean energy and the associated opportunity cost for households in energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27530/26]
3324. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will consider conducting a temporary review of mileage rates for home support workers in light of the rising cost of fuel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26833/26]
2300. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that the cost of agri-diesel has increased by approximately 50% in recent weeks, representing the most significant percentage increase across fuel categories; the extent to which the Government has assessed the impact of these increases on farm viability and contractor operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26958/26]
2094. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to confirm whether he intends on opening a further IPAS centre in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25562/26]
2093. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current number of IPAS centres in County Laois,; the total number of occupants in each centre disaggregated, by gender and age, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25561/26]
1937. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any special exceptions under which a person under the age of 66 years-of-age, who is living with a medical condition that significantly restricts but does not limit their ability to drive, may qualify for a free travel pass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26844/26]
1622. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the safeguards being put in place in the development of revised regulations governing cabins, modular units and similar accommodation in domestic gardens to ensure that such developments do not give rise to unintended negative impacts on adjoining or neighbouring properties, including issues relating to privacy, access and residential amenity; to confirm whether consideration has been given to requiring that all such accommodation, where occupied as residential tenancies, be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board to ensure appropriate oversight and tenant protections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27560/26]
990. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will outline the way in which the excise duties collected on fuels are allocated and spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26962/26]
989. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps being taken to establish a national flood insurance scheme to protect homeowners, renters and businesses increasingly exposed to flood risk; whether international models that stabilise insurance markets and cover both households and businesses are being examined; if engagement is under way with insurers, regulators and EU bodies; if he will outline a timeline for the scheme to be operational before next winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26961/26]
988. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to urgently review the Government's position on taxation of agricultural fuels, including carbon tax, in order to alleviate financial pressures on the farming sector, particularly in light of the current seasonal demands, including peak tillage operations, slurry and fertiliser application, and the forthcoming silage season, as well as the reliance on LPG gas in the poultry sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26960/26]
987. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the measures his Department intends to take to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on farmers' incomes, agricultural contractors, and the wider agri-food supply chain, particularly in circumstances where farm margins cannot absorb additional costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26959/26]
986. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to outline the rationale for the Government’s recent decision to implement limited excise duty reductions on agricultural fuels; if he will acknowledge that such measures have resulted in only a marginal reduction of approximately 3% in fuel costs for farmers and agricultural contractors, which is insufficient in the context of recent price increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26957/26]
1081. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures being taken to support rural communities in the Slieve Bloom area of County Laois, including investment in outdoor recreation, walking trails, and community infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22475/26]
1080. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the supports available in 2026 for community centres and voluntary groups in County Laois seeking capital or operational funding; the measures being taken to ensure continuity of essential community services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22474/26]
1079. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the status of Rural Regeneration and Development Fund applications relating to County Laois; the expected timelines for delivery of approved projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22473/26]
1078. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the actions his Department is taking, in collaboration with other Departments and agencies, to improve access to essential services in rural areas, including transport links, community facilities and digital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22472/26]
1077. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress made in expanding the connected hubs network; the number of additional remote working hubs expected to come online in 2026; the steps being taken to improve digital infrastructure to support remote working in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22471/26]
1076. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures being taken to ensure long-term funding stability for community organisations and voluntary groups, particularly those providing essential social supports in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22470/26]
1075. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the status of projects approved under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in 2025; the expected timelines for commencement and completion in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22469/26]
1058. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans in place to sustain the education, skills and regional innovation initiatives in the Midlands that have been supported under the EU Just Transition Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22134/26]
1057. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to prepare regional economies, including the Midlands, for the impact of artificial intelligence and digital transformation on employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22133/26]
1056. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans in place for 2026 to enhance regional access to further education and training through ETBs; the investment being made in new campuses, digital learning infrastructure and community-based provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22132/26]