Parliamentary questions

Cost of Living Issues

Dara Calleary

104. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount that he has sanctioned in expenditure measures to ease cost of living pressures since and including Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29749/22]

Pension Provisions

Dara Calleary

226. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has plans to review current pension abatement arrangements for public service staff who complete their employment in one area of the public sector and subsequently take-up employment in another area of the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31712/22]

Rural Schemes

Dara Calleary

244. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when community activity grants will be announced. [31163/22]

Arts Council

Dara Calleary

429. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason that there is such a delay in considering a request on behalf of the superannuation fund of a semi-State body (details supplied) to increase the pension awarded to its members; his views on whether such delays are unfair on those awaiting the decision; and if he will give urgent attention to the situation given the current cost-of-living crisis. [30365/22]

Sports Facilities

Dara Calleary

443. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the financial support or grants that are available for a rural school to build a small all-weather sports facility on its grounds for the use of its students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29344/22]

Housing Schemes

Dara Calleary

510. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to re-examine the means testing criteria for social housing. [29628/22]

Schools Building Projects

Dara Calleary

961. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education the financial support or grants that are available for a rural school to build a small all-weather sports facility on its grounds for the use of its students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29343/22]

Care Services

Dara Calleary

1147. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider improving measures within the social welfare system to support existing foster carers and to encourage additional foster carers such removing the 20 year cap on homecare provision for foster carers, changes in the contributory pension to allow for periods spent fostering to count towards a state pension (contributory); and her views on the initiatives she is pursuing with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to assist foster carers and promote foster caring. [30772/22]

Child and Family Agency

Dara Calleary

1206. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will comment on Tusla’s preparations for the introduction of the child abuse substantiation procedure; the number of foster carers who have received training on the issue as of 8 June 2022; the training that is planned; if the introduction date of 27 June 2022 is still proceeding given the lack of training to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30768/22]

Child and Family Agency

Dara Calleary

1207. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the different procedures in place across different Tusla regions in relation to a number of issues affecting foster carers including issues such as therapy provision and dental care provision; if he will engage with Tusla to ensure standardisation at the higher level of service to foster children and their carers across each region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30769/22]

Social Welfare Schemes

Dara Calleary

1208. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has had or intends to have engagement with the Minister for Social Protection around issues within the social welfare system to support existing foster carers and to encourage additional foster carers, including removing the 20 year cap on homecare provision for foster carers, changes in the State pension (contributory) system to allow for periods spent fostering to count towards same; the initiatives that he is pursuing with the Minister for Social Protection to assist foster carers and to promote foster caring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30770/22]

Sports Funding

Dara Calleary

2010. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the financial support or grants that are available for a rural school to build a small all-weather sports facility on its grounds for the use of its students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29346/22]

Departmental Schemes

Dara Calleary

2020. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of a CLÁR application by a club (details supplied). [30521/22]

Ukraine War

Dara Calleary

29. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that his Department has in place for Ukrainian nationals arriving in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28461/22]

Departmental Strategies

Dara Calleary

73. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Community Integration Fund will be ready for announcement; if he will outline the aims of the fund and the type of projects which have been funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28462/22]

Rail Network

Dara Calleary

125. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport the reason that a number of rail projects have been given approval to proceed whilst others are delayed under the All-Ireland Rail Review; the method of selection for the projects that are proceeding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27683/22]

Rail Network

Dara Calleary

126. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport the work that has been completed to date on the All-Island Rail Review; the timeline for the completion and publication of the review; the monies spent to date; the remaining budget to be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27684/22]

Road Projects

Dara Calleary

201. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she plans to re-introduce funding for the repair of local roads in Gaeltacht areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27648/22]

School Transport

Dara Calleary

373. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education if her Department is in receipt of an application for a new school bus route (details supplied) in County Sligo; if the application is being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27265/22]

Social Welfare Schemes

Dara Calleary

488. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures that are in place to support people with chronic illnesses and with disabilities who require additional heating to access the fuel allowance on compassionate grounds. [28059/22]

Legislative Programme

Dara Calleary

587. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice the proposed timeline for passing the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27644/22]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Dara Calleary

712. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no unit for the treatment of intestinal failure in adults in Ireland and up to 100 people are diagnosed with intestinal failure in Ireland every year and must travel to England for treatment; and if he will engage with the HSE to pursue the establishment of this unit, particularly when one exists for children in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin. [27641/22]

Rural Schemes

Dara Calleary

844. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the application process and qualification criteria for a community services programme scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27643/22]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Dara Calleary

19. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice if she intends to increase sentences for sexual assault and violent offences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25995/22]

Proposed Legislation

Dara Calleary

36. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice if she plans to update and revise bail laws; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25994/22]

Planning Issues

Dara Calleary

211. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options that are available to a community in which an unauthorised development is being constructed in spite of the first planning enforcement letter having been issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25735/22]

Enterprise Support Services

Dara Calleary

76. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of companies in each of counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal that have applied for funding under the Irish Innovation Seed Fund Programme in tabular form; the number that have been successful in each county; and the total funding awarded in each county to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24973/22]

Regional Development

Dara Calleary

83. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the progress made to date in the implementation in the West region of the IDA Strategy - Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021 – 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24972/22]

Third Level Costs

Dara Calleary

105. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline measures to improve funding supports for students in further and higher education, including an update on the review of the SUSI grant scheme and an update on the implementation group to look at the issue of future funding of our higher education institutions, grant supports and reform implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25268/22]

Further and Higher Education

Dara Calleary

172. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way his Department is seeking to target CAO places in areas of acute skills needs as identified through our national skills architecture and workforce planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25269/22]

Employment Support Services

Dara Calleary

107. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the tender process for all public employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24668/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Dara Calleary

147. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department’s strategy to make sure that social protection payments keep pace with the higher cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24667/22]

Care Services

Dara Calleary

551. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the initiatives he has undertaken to promote fostering in Ireland since his appointment; the steps he has taken to support existing and potential new foster parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24581/22]

Departmental Data

Dara Calleary

552. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of foster parents and families who have left the fostering system in the past five years; if any work has been carried out to identify the key reasons for their leaving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24582/22]

Child and Family Agency

Dara Calleary

553. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of social workers in Tusla who are dealing with foster children and foster families; if he has plans to recruit additional social workers for this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24583/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Dara Calleary

554. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address the concerns of smaller early childhood care and education scheme sessional pre-school services in respect of the proposed new core funding model, particularly the lack of remuneration for non-contact hours (details supplied); and if an assurance will be given that no service should be financially worse off under the new model compared with the current model. [24584/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Dara Calleary

555. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to fund early childhood care and education scheme operators to finance a graduate uplift payment for childcare staff who have skilled up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24586/22]

Renewable Energy Generation

Dara Calleary

764. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the benefits and the consequences of farmers installing solar panels on commonage and in particular the impact on entitlements and payments. [24463/22]

Education Policy

Dara Calleary

66. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education her strategy to improve access to the transition year programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23660/22]

School Staff

Dara Calleary

151. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the improved employment conditions for school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23659/22]

Passport Services

Dara Calleary

85. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications for passports from counties Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway and Donegal, respectively, that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22652/22]

EU Meetings

Dara Calleary

112. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the next European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22653/22]

Defective Building Materials

Dara Calleary

378. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the working group into defective housing, in particular in relation to fire safety and structural safety deficits; if he anticipates including an expenditure provision for same in his 2023 estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23392/22]

School Transport

Dara Calleary

522. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education the steps that she is taking to ensure the viability of the school transport service in view of the large cost increases for operators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23319/22]

Community Welfare Services

Dara Calleary

560. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of community welfare officers in each county in tabular form; if she has plans to expand these numbers given the importance of ease of access to a CWO; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23321/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Dara Calleary

561. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the domiciliary care allowance in each of the years 2019 to 2021; the percentage of these applications that were successful on the first application in each year; the percentage of unsuccessful applications that were appealed; the percentage of these applications that were successful in their appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23322/22]

Parental Leave

Dara Calleary

562. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if she supports the extension of the parental leave allowance to the parents of foster children in order to assist the parents and the children and to encourage more persons to come forward to act as foster parents. [23323/22]

Tourism Industry

Dara Calleary

9. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her strategy to support building the capability of employees to help businesses to bridge the skills gaps they are experiencing and to drive greater employee retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22101/22]

Irish Language

Dara Calleary

42. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on the Irish language planning process including outstanding commitments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22102/22]

Air Quality

Dara Calleary

150. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the agency that has the responsibility for the ban on burning smoky fuel in designated towns; the number of any complaints received in relation to the burning of smoky fuels in each town, in tabular form; the number of successful prosecutions taken as a consequence of any complaint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21538/22]