Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Appeals

Willie O'Dea

744. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an appeal for a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48145/23]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Willie O'Dea

1231. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the proposal to develop a 'surgical hub' in Limerick; where exactly is the preferred site that has been identified; when he expects it to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48157/23]

Hospital Facilities

Willie O'Dea

1275. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when the new 96-bed block in UHL is going to be completed and ready to accept patients; how many of the beds will go towards increasing existing capacity and not replace existing beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48364/23]

Education and Training Boards

Willie O'Dea

1400. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason the Leaving Certificate (Established) is being taken from the College of Further Education and Training, O'Connell Avenue, Limerick, which has provided same since 2000; if he agrees that this decision is all the more shocking, because of the fact that in July 2023, Tusla reported a dramatic rise in early school leavers over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47908/23]

Third Level Reform

Willie O'Dea

1401. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the University of Limerick's application to become the location for Ireland's second veterinary school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47909/23]

Flood Risk Management

Willie O'Dea

13. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the capital investment in flooding projects associated with flood risk-management that is being provided in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46914/23]

National Development Plan

Willie O'Dea

40. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform how many major flood relief schemes have been completed under the national development plan since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46915/23]

Education and Training Boards

Willie O'Dea

119. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the long outstanding issue of regularising the terms and conditions of adult education tutors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45553/23]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Willie O'Dea

147. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there are any plans to shorten the length of time an apprentice waits for training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45552/23]

Capitation Grants

Willie O'Dea

55. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education how much the increased capitation announced in Budget 2024 will be worth to schools in each of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44920/23]

School Textbooks

Willie O'Dea

79. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education her estimate of the number of secondary students in each of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary who will benefit from the introduction of free school books next year; the number of primary students that are currently benefitting from free school books in each of the counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44919/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Willie O'Dea

370. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in respect of a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45192/23]

Artificial Intelligence

Willie O'Dea

12. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a progress report on the national artificial intelligence strategy.. [44169/23]

Enterprise Policy

Willie O'Dea

59. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans for regulation of technology in business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44168/23]

Mortgage Interest Rates

Willie O'Dea

74. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the Government’s proposals to deal with the dramatic increases in mortgages held by vulture funds, which is causing great distress to individuals with these mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44279/23]

Public Sector Staff

Willie O'Dea

80. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if negotiations are ongoing in relation to grade restructuring for conservation rangers to go from an effective clerical officer grade to executive officer grade; when he expects these negotiations to conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44420/23]

Immigration Policy

Willie O'Dea

153. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware that there is a 15-16 week waiting time for immigration appointments in Limerick city; if there is a plan in place to deal with this significant backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44236/23]

School Staff

Willie O'Dea

205. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education when a resolution will be reached (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43982/23]

Tax Credits

Willie O'Dea

124. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on a county basis of the number of people in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary who are currently availing of the rent tax credit, in tabular form; if he has plans for any changes to the credit in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42867/23]

Business Supports

Willie O'Dea

139. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on a county basis of the number of businesses in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary that successfully applied for inclusion under the temporary business energy support scheme, in tabular form; the estimated value or worth of the support in each county; if he has plans for any other similar scheme in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42866/23]

Legal Aid

Willie O'Dea

289. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she plans to restore criminal legal aid fees to pre-2008 levels in order to address the underfunding of the criminal legal aid system and ensure access to justice for all; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43238/23]

Defence Forces

Willie O'Dea

82. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the implementation of the Defence Forces infrastructure plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42529/23]

Defence Forces

Willie O'Dea

89. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who are currently serving on peacekeeping missions overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42530/23]

Vaccination Programme

Willie O'Dea

572. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when a vaccine compensation scheme will be introduced in this country to fast-track compensation for people who have been damaged as a result of taking Covid vaccines and other vaccines, as recommended by a committee (details supplied); if the recommendations of the committee are acceptable to the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42180/23]

Middle East

Willie O'Dea

31. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans for a formal recognition of the state of Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41715/23]

Official Engagements

Willie O'Dea

32. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent attendance at the UN General Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41716/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Willie O'Dea

593. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when the rapid HTA, undertaken by HIQA in November 2022, reviewing the evidence of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of continuous (including the Dexcom, Medtronic and GlucoRx CGMs) and intermittent (Freestyle Libre) glucose monitoring systems for people with type 1 diabetes, will be published; if it recommends the widening of access to these devices, if funding will be provided to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41624/23]

Coast Guard Service

Willie O'Dea

78. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will ensure that the terms and conditions of current workers will be protected following the recently awarded ten-year helicopter service contract to a company (details supplied) to operate the Irish coastguard helicopter rescue 115 based at Shannon Airport; if he will insist that TUPE applies, given that it was emphasised by his Department throughout the tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39580/23]

Departmental Funding

Willie O'Dea

102. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide funding, on a pilot basis or otherwise, to local authorities to implement noise mitigation action plans on major roads such as the M20 motorway beside Glencairin, Dooradoyle, Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40066/23]

Legislative Measures

Willie O'Dea

418. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update to the response received from An Taoiseach in early May 2023 to this Deputy’s Question on Promised Legislation (details supplied) regarding the residential zoned land tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39687/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Willie O'Dea

733. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any financial assistance is available to farmers who need to remove ash trees infected with ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39775/23]

Animal Welfare

Willie O'Dea

787. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will appoint an animal welfare inspector for Limerick; what efforts the Government is making to deal with the increase in cases of animal cruelty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40472/23]

Childcare Services

Willie O'Dea

849. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider removing the requirement for crèche operators to have professionally produced accounts; if he will consider increasing funding to the sector to keep pace with the rising cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40320/23]

Approved Housing Bodies

Willie O'Dea

955. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that Government funded approved housing bodies are now competing with potential owner occupiers to buy houses, as they are bulk purchasing homes before they even hit the market; if a strategy is in place to ensure a good mix in future housing developments, to allow owner occupiers purchase houses in new estates and to avoid the mistakes of the past, whereby there was often an over concentration of social housing in certain areas of Limerick and across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39127/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Willie O'Dea

1049. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that an individual (details supplied) is having money deducted from their pay which they did not agree to; if she will request that the deductions be stopped; if she will provide a full breakdown of the total overpayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38899/23]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Willie O'Dea

1787. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the proposal to develop a 'surgical hub' in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38585/23]

Disability Services

Willie O'Dea

271. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport if the criteria to qualify for a disabled person's parking permit will be reviewed, as there are many individuals who previously had a parking permit that are not qualifying for these permits at renewal time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37120/23]

School Transport

Willie O'Dea

469. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that 14 pupils in a school (details supplied) have been refused concessionary bus tickets despite the fact that the bus has increased in size from last year; if she will take steps to assist the parents of these pupils, many of whom will be significantly inconvenienced by this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36361/23]

General Practitioner Services

Willie O'Dea

1120. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of GP clinics in the country to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35759/23]

Health Services

Willie O'Dea

1121. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of family planning centres in the country to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35760/23]

Medical Cards

Willie O'Dea

1256. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the reason an application by a person (details supplied) for an over 70s medical card has been refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36336/23]

Student Visas

Willie O'Dea

477. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice when a decision will be made regarding an application for a student visa (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33568/23]

Healthcare Policy

Willie O'Dea

690. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when the income limit for the GP visit card will be increased to include people on a median household income of €46,000 or less, as announced in Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33574/23]

Housing Schemes

Willie O'Dea

15. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the new pilot scheme that offers grants to ready vacant farmhouses for refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32917/23]

National Planning Framework

Willie O'Dea

41. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the Revision Process for the National Planning Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32916/23]

Legislative Measures

Willie O'Dea

244. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of legislation to provide for a directly elected mayor of Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33284/23]

Disabilities Assessments

Willie O'Dea

74. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on how his Department is addressing the waiting lists for clinical assessments identified through the assessment of needs (AON) process; if the budgetary allocation for this year is enough to tackle this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32243/23]

Child and Family Agency

Willie O'Dea

116. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details on the €700,000 in dormant accounts funding to Tusla; what this funding will be used for; what organisations will benefit from this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32244/23]

Teaching Qualifications

Willie O'Dea

297. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if there are any plans to allow teachers who are already registered with the teaching council in the UK to be recognised by the Irish Teaching Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32329/23]

Teaching Qualifications

Willie O'Dea

298. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if there are any plans to allow teachers who are already registered in the UK to be recognised by the Irish Teaching Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32333/23]