Parliamentary questions

Schools Amalgamation

Éamon Ó Cuív

220. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the number of small rural schools that have closed or amalgamated with a larger school each year in the past ten years, by county, in tabular form; the reason for these closures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49151/23]

Special Educational Needs

Éamon Ó Cuív

221. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education if she is willing to make special arrangements for the 12 schools on offshore islands in relation to special education teachers as it is not possible for island schools to share hours with a mainland school and the difficulty in attracting teachers to work in such posts on a part-time basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49152/23]

Special Educational Needs

Éamon Ó Cuív

222. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education what arrangements are being made to ensure that there are sufficient places in all secondary schools in a city (details supplied) for children that require an ASD class as parents have already been made aware of a shortage of such places for the school year 2024/2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49153/23]

Scéimeanna Teanga

Éamon Ó Cuív

223. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an bhfuil sé i gceist ardú deontais a thabhairt do na teaghlaigh a choinníonn scoláirí faoi Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge le haghaidh na bliana 2024 á chur san áireamh an t-ardú mór ar an gcostas maireachtála; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [49157/23]

Housing Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

240. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide in tabular form the number of application received by county for the croí cónaithe vacant house grant; the number of approvals of a grant and the number of grants paid out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49155/23]

Wastewater Treatment

Éamon Ó Cuív

241. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the changes proposed to be made to the wastewater systems grant for private properties (septic tanks grant); when these changes will become operable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49156/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Éamon Ó Cuív

263. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for carer’s allowance will be processed and a decision made on it; and if she will make a statement on the matter (details supplied). [49134/23]

Legislative Measures

Éamon Ó Cuív

276. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice when the Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Act 2023 will be fully implemented so that transfers of prisoners can take place from other EU states, from Britain and from Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49154/23]

International Agreements

Éamon Ó Cuív

312. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if there are new protocols or arrangements under discussion at the WHO in relation to dealing with future pandemics; when it is proposed that the final documents in relation to this will be agreed; whether in the event of Ireland signing this protocol or arrangement this country will then be legally obliged to follow instructions from the WHO as to how future pandemics would be handled here; whether it is Ireland's intention at present to sign up to such a protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49148/23]

Health Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

313. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health whether it is intended to appoint the President of the University of Galway or their nominee ex-officio to the Board of the new Health Region (HSE West and North West) Board in view of the close co-operation between the university and the health services particularly in research and education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49158/23]

Clár Tógála Scoileanna

Éamon Ó Cuív

46. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais cén uair a dhéanfar cinneadh ar iarratas ó bhunscoil (sonraí tugtha) le haghaidh Cóiríocht Scoile Bhreise (foirm ASA) a cuireadh chuig an Roinn tamall ó shin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [49019/23]

Departmental Staff

Éamon Ó Cuív

47. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media why the recently advertised position of Secretary General for her Department does not require that applicants have a capacity to do their work in Irish as well as well as English, as this Department has responsibility for the Gaeltacht and Irish language, and there are Department offices where the main working language is Irish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48973/23]

General Practitioner Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

134. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health whether it is intended to apply increases in line with the public pay agreements to general practitioners in receipt of DMO salaries going forward with also an element of retrospection, as these salaries have not been increased since the benchmarking pay increases of in 2008; whether such increases would also apply to retired GPs who have DMO salaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49005/23]

General Practitioner Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

136. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when adequate facilities for modern medicine will be provided at a health centre (details supplied) as this health centre lack the necessary space suitable for the wider range of services that are and will in the future need to be provided from rural health general practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49033/23]

Passport Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

97. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when passports will issue to children (details supplied) who are siblings; the reason for the delay in issuing said passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47385/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Éamon Ó Cuív

259. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport what proposals he has to ensure that pensioners who were in the CIÉ and Bus Éireann pension schemes, and have not received an increase in their pension since 2008, receive such an increase in pension in line with the cost-of-living since 2008; whether the question of an Exchequer subvention to these schemes has been examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48269/23]

Bus Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

260. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to ensure there is an adequate bus service on the 419 bus route from Galway to Clifden and Letterfrack; the improvements that are planned for the service on the route particularly at peak traffic hours and late night services leaving Galway up to 11.00 pm to Clifden and Letterfrack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48271/23]

Seirbhísí Iompair

Éamon Ó Cuív

261. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Iompair cén uair a chuirfear tuilleadh seirbhísí bus, mar a gealladh i ráiteas a rinneadh faoi Connecting Ireland idir Gaillimh agus an Cheathrú, Leitir Mealláin agus Carna, agus á chur i gcuntas go mbíonn na busanna lán, mar a bhíonn siad go minic, agus go mbíonn orthu paisinéirí a fhágáil ina ndiaidh, an fáth go bhfuil moill leis sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [48277/23]

Tax Data

Éamon Ó Cuív

301. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance whether there are new proposals for treating the income of doctors who are in partnerships together; the details of these proposals and the reason for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47575/23]

Tax Credits

Éamon Ó Cuív

317. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance whether, in circumstances where a parent is in rented accommodation and has a son/daughter in third level education also renting in a different property, he intends increasing the maximum tax credit for renting to double the proposed limit of €750; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47842/23]