Parliamentary questions

Departmental Data

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

440. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of State-owned modular homes overseen by the Office of Public Works that have been delivered; the average cost per unit in each of the years 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and to provide a breakdown of the average capital costs of land and site servicing and costs of building and materials respectively, in tabular form. [20396/24]

Departmental Data

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

441. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of State-owned modular units that are currently in development; to specify the stage of development of each project; and the estimated average capital cost per project and per unit, in tabular form. [20397/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

442. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many of the six reception centres targeted under the 2021 White Paper on Ending Direct Provision have been delivered to date; how many further are in development; the estimated number of persons that may be accommodated under the reception centres delivered to date and those in development, respectively; and to provide a breakdown of the average capital cost to build or acquire these centres, and the annual current cost to operate the centres, in tabular form. [20398/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

443. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many of the 75 urban renewal units targeted under the 2021 White Paper on Ending Direct Provision have been delivered to date; how many more are in development; to provide a breakdown of those built and those purchased; the estimated number of persons that may be accommodated under the units delivered and in development respectively; and to provide a breakdown of the average capital and current cost to construct these units. [20399/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

444. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many applicants of international protection have been accommodated under the hosting in the community accommodation strand, as outlined under the 2021 White Paper on Ending Direct Provision. [20400/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

445. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the 13,000 State-owned IPAS units targeted by 2028 under the ‘Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection Applicants’ that will be dedicated to reception and integration centres and accommodation centres respectively; and the estimated number of centres needed to accommodate the targeted unit capacity for reception and integration centres and accommodation centres respectively, in tabular form. [20401/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

446. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown, in tabular form, of how many of the 11,000 commercially owned contingency accommodation units targeted by 2028 under the ‘Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection Applicants’ are estimated to be delivered through the acquisition of new IPAS centres; and how many through upgrades of existing IPAS centres. [20402/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

447. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the rationale of his Department’s targeted IPAS capacity of 35,000 by 2028 for arrivals of 13,000-16,000 per annum under the ‘Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection Applicants’ – specifying, in tabular form, the estimated duration of accommodation between phase 1, phase 2 and post-status approval respectively, with a breakdown of the duration estimated for standard and accelerated procedures; and to outline the level of flexibility and flow-through within these estimates. [20403/24]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

310. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education what protections are in place for teachers who suffer an injury at work and their ‘assault leave’ has expired, but they still remain certified as unfit to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19045/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

460. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the proposed jobseeker’s benefit pay related scheme; when in particular it is expected to be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19247/24]

Residency Permits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

532. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice the action she intends to take to resolve the lengthy delays of 90 days for appointments for IRP renewal in Cork city; if she will consider following the model in place in Dublin and providing online service; if not, if she will ensure that applicants for the Cork city office can attend other offices in County Cork where the backlog may be less. [19446/24]

Education Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

594. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether children based in designated accommodation centres will receive education while based there; and if so, where they will receive this education. [19422/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in light of her not proceeding further with the consultation on the Green Paper on disability payments, she intends to examine a cost-of-disability payment; and whether she intends to introduce different reforms to the disability payments. [18467/24]

Citizens Information Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

3. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she and her Department are taking to ensure workers in citizens information companies are provided with a pay increase, given the length of time since their last pay increase; and if she will provide the funding to ensure this happens [18468/24]

EU Directives

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

5. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify whether she intends to taper benefits received by beneficiaries of temporary protection in advance of the ending of the temporary protection directive in 2025. [18469/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

23. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on her examination of the issues facing kinship carers who receive nominal contributions from birth parents and who may then be prevented from receiving guardianship allowance. [18470/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

33. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection whether she is aware of the substantial discrepancies that exist between initial applications for domiciliary care and the level of success of appeals with regard to same; and what she intends to do to address this. [18473/24]

Employment Support Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

35. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the tender for EmployAbility which was due to be published in April 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18471/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

50. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection what steps she intends to take regarding the extent of the backlog in processing disability allowance claims. [18474/24]

Sentencing Policy

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

16. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice if she has received from the Judicial Council the sentencing guidelines committee's three-year work plan for sentencing guidelines, as committed to in the Judicial Council's 2022 annual report. [15783/24]

Sentencing Policy

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

27. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice if she has received from the Judicial Council, the sentencing guidelines committee's procedure for developing sentencing guidelines, as committed to in the Judicial Council's 2022 annual report. [15782/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

62. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to discuss the differing pension entitlements that exist for members of An Garda Síochána based on joining the force pre- or-post 1995. [7917/24]

Widow's Pension

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

75. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms of the widows' or widower's pension, particularly in respect of non-married or co-habiting couples and the judgment of the Supreme Court on 22 January 2024; the expected timeline in terms of the legislative changes that are required in respect of this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16782/24]

School Facilities

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

326. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education to address the need to provide additional funding for sports halls in schools. [16451/24]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

327. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education to address the recent changes to the allocation model for special education. [16452/24]

Housing Provision

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

38. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable houses, cost rental and cost purchase, homes planned for Cork City and County Council and on the targets he has set for same. [15707/24]

Regeneration Projects

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

90. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the progress of the regeneration of the Noonan Road and surrounding streets regeneration. [15706/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

155. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of a €1 increase in each of the social insurance schemes, social assistance schemes, other weekly schemes and other scheme payments, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15916/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

156. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the current young jobseeker’s rate of €129.70 by €1 per week. [15917/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

157. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of introducing a child benefit double payment. [15918/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

158. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending child benefit to 18-year-olds still in secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15919/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

159. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost to the Exchequer of the JobPath scheme. [15920/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

160. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of including the working family payment as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. [15921/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

161. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the annual carer’s support grant by €1. [15922/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

162. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the qualified child increase by €1 for children under the age of 12 years and €1 for children over the age of 12 years, respectively. [15923/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

163. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending carer’s benefit to the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15924/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

758. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection when the earnings disregard for disability allowance was last increased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14263/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

759. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection when the capital disregard for disability allowance was last increased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14264/24]

Departmental Contracts

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

760. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection what the remaining length of time is in respect of the Department's contract for JobPath and when the contractual obligations with Seetec and Turas Nua expire; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14265/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1078. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of places that have been provided in designated accommodation centres for the purposes of the temporary protection directive. [13895/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1079. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it remains the policy of his Department that those in 'designated accommodation centres' for the purposes of the temporary protection directive and the Social Welfare Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024, shall only be newly arrived beneficiaries of the directive, and that no persons will be accommodated in these centres who arrived prior to the enactment of the Act. [13896/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1080. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any intention to open further designated accommodation centres; and how many places he intends to provide in this category of accommodation. [13897/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1081. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether there were any persons residing in the designated accommodations centres prior to their designation; if they are going to remain there; and if not, where they will be accommodated subsequently. [13898/24]

International Protection

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1082. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the duration that such designated accommodation centres are expected to serve a person, by location if the dates in question are different. [13899/24]

Primary Care Centres

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1575. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on whether a primary health care centre is planned for the Douglas area in Cork. [15138/24]

Energy Prices

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

124. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to address the challenges that rural communities are facing in relation to increased costs with household energy and fuel. [10553/24]

Housing Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

42. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on her Department’s plans to address dereliction and vacancy in rural towns and villages. [10548/24]

Island Communities

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

46. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has engaged with Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann since the publication of its report on the housing needs of Ireland’s offshore islands in November 2023, and if her Department discussed its recommendations with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. [10552/24]

Control of Dogs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

50. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development what efforts are being made by her Department to ensure that local authorities are enforcing the legislation to collect fines under dog control regulations. [10551/24]

Legislative Process

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

54. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023. [10550/24]