Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Payments

Paul Murphy

241. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding the recent decision to change the children's allowance payment policy that parents will not get child benefit for the months between their 18th birthday and 1 May 2024, if he will reconsider this policy change and implement a fair and equitable system that provides financial support to all students over 18 years who are still in school and will she ensure that payments are retrospective to the date when a student turned 18-years-of-age. [13400/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Peter Fitzpatrick

242. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine a recent rejection of a social welfare claim which the office of appeal has awarded (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13424/24]

Social Welfare Payments

John McGuinness

243. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 331 of 21 November 2023, if she will now expedite payment of DA and arrears which was approved months ago under appeal (details supplied). [13425/24]

Pension Provisions

Richard Bruton

244. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the target of income adequacy in old age; the contribution which she hopes that auto-enrolment will make to achieving that; and by what date she expects people retiring to have reached that target. [13551/24]

Money Advice and Budgeting Service

Richard Bruton

245. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the role, if any, which MABS plays in advising on pension and financial planning for old age; and if she has considered developing a programme in mid-career by MABS which would equip people to plan better for their retirement. [13552/24]

Social Welfare Code

Richard Bruton

246. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has systems for identifying and supporting more vulnerable carers, such as older parents caring for ageing children with disabilities, in order that extra supports could be developed in partnership with other Government agencies. [13553/24]

EU Funding

Alan Kelly

247. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 359 of 27 February 2024, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to have this PQ answered. [13337/24]

Residency Permits

Alan Kelly

248. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the amount of revenue generated through the issuing of Irish residence permits in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [13338/24]

An Garda Síochána

Alan Kelly

249. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 91 of 28 February 2024, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to have this PQ answered. [13339/24]

An Garda Síochána

Alan Kelly

250. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí, by rank, attached to the Garda band as of 14 March 2024. [13340/24]

Immigration Policy

Paul Murphy

251. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice how many appeal applications to the regularisation scheme for undocumented people have been refused; and how many have not been processed at all, to date. [13363/24]

An Garda Síochána

Paul Donnelly

252. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí, by rank attached to each community policing unit in each Garda district within DMR as of 14 March 2024, in tabular form. [13374/24]

Immigration Status

Colm Burke

253. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice when an application (details supplied) will be completed, given it is over six months since the application was submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13471/24]

Legislative Measures

Brendan Smith

254. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if it is proposed to introduce a standalone offence in relation to the spiking of drinks, in view of the serious repercussions of such deplorable behaviour and the effects on victims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13478/24]

An Garda Síochána

Brendan Smith

255. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda stations operational in Cavan/Monaghan at present; when Bawnboy Garda station will be reopened as announced by Government previously; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13479/24]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Brendan Smith

256. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in an investigation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13494/24]

Legislative Measures

Brendan Smith

257. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the concerns of sporting clubs and other community groups which run small-scale lotteries and is generally their main fundraiser in relation to the effects of the new legislation concerning betting regulations and gambling laws; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13495/24]

Crime Prevention

Róisín Shortall

258. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice to provide details of the recently announced Ballymun Implementation Board; which departments and agencies will have representatives on the board; if the representatives of various Government departments and agencies on the board will be senior officials; the annual budget for this body; how the new body will align with the local drugs and alcohol task force and the joint policing committee; if the Brighter Ballymun Report will set the agenda for this group; if local members of the Houses of the Oireachtas will have a role in this body; and the inaugural meeting will take place. [13558/24]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

259. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a complaint (details supplied) was logged; and what action was taken. [13385/24]

Live Exports

Bríd Smith

260. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if cattle are still being exported to Israel from Ireland; if so, how this is appropriate, given that the people of Gaza are being starved and face famine; if the Government has any intention of halting the export of cattle and other foodstuffs to Israel in the face of impending famine in Gaza; if he accepts that this is seen by many as putting money before the lives of Gazans who are being slaughtered daily; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13488/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Healy-Rae

261. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13539/24]

Official Travel

Peadar Tóibín

262. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 441 of 7 February 2024, when a reply will issue to this Deputy; the number of times he embarked on visits to foreign countries on behalf of the State since the formation of the Government; the geographical location of each visit; the number of days he spent abroad on such trips; the dates upon which each trip took place; and the associated travel and accommodation costs which were incurred by his Department in relation to each trip, in tabular form. [13391/24]

Departmental Data

Ged Nash

263. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to the Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 22 February 2024, to address the issue outlined (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13393/24]

International Protection

Ged Nash

264. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide the full total spend by his Department to accommodate International Protection Applicants for 2023 alone (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13394/24]

International Protection

Chris Andrews

265. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps his Department is taking to address the worsening situation at the international protection office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13411/24]

Child Protection

Peadar Tóibín

266. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many children are currently in special emergency arrangement accommodation; if a breakdown can be provided on how many are children in the care of the State; how many are children in Ireland seeking international protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13413/24]

Child Protection

Peadar Tóibín

267. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of those children currently in special emergency arrangement accommodation, sourced by Tusla, the cost from January 2023 to date, split between children in the care of the State and children in Ireland seeking international protection. [13414/24]

Child Protection

Peadar Tóibín

268. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which suppliers of emergency accommodation for young people in State care he has met with since September 2023; and the dates on which those meetings took place. [13415/24]

Child Protection

Peadar Tóibín

269. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which suppliers of regulated residential services for children/young people in State care/aftercare he has met since September 2023; and the dates on which those meetings took place. [13416/24]

Child Protection

Peadar Tóibín

270. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a copy of the Tusla report which found that a company providing special emergency accommodation to children in State care had fabricated pre-employment checks and Garda vetting of staff, which has been heavily referenced in the media in recent times. [13417/24]

Childcare Services

Ivana Bacik

271. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of core funding provided in Budget 2022 which was used to uplift wages in the early years and school age childcare sector; the amount which has remained unspent; and if the balance is publicly available on an ongoing basis. [13419/24]

Disability Services

Brendan Smith

272. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date in improving services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13510/24]

Disability Services

Brendan Smith

273. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date in improving services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13511/24]

Childcare Services

Cian O'Callaghan

274. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 276 of 29 February 2024, the reason there have been such lengthy delays in issuing guidance to pre-schools and in opening the ICT portal for the upload of core funding applications; if he is aware that these delays may cause closures among pre-schools; if he is further aware that many accountants will not supply a quote until they know what is involved with the ICT portal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13514/24]

Food Safety

John McGuinness

275. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the proposed role of local authorities in inspections by vets of small abattoirs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13432/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Bríd Smith

276. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there are currently very long delays in obtaining an appointment for a blood test at the Mater Hospital, with reports of nine weeks to be seen by a phlebotomist; his plans to address these delays, given the importance of blood tests in early health interventions; the reason for the delays; the timeframe for their significant reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13297/24]

Hospital Services

Fergus O'Dowd

277. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to respond to direct concerns and questions raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of Cherry Orchard Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13330/24]

Hospital Staff

Alan Kelly

278. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE registrars in emergency medicine at Tipperary University Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased this year. [13343/24]

Hospital Facilities

Alan Kelly

279. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of theatres in use at University Hospital Limerick to date in 2024; and the hours that each theatre is available for procedures, in tabular form. [13344/24]

Hospital Staff

Alan Kelly

280. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant paediatric ENT surgeons at Cork University Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [13345/24]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

281. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the lack of developmental screening for children in the Dublin 8, 10, 12 and 20 areas, and that parents are being sent questionnaires in place of screenings; if he will acknowledge that this is not an appropriate replacement for face-to-face developmental screenings with trained professionals and that parents often feel unequipped to be able to administer and/or interpret these questionnaires; if he will further accept that early identification and intervention is crucial for addressing developmental issues and that the current situation may have serious implications for children who do not receive these important developmental checks; the issues in terms of recruitment of public health nurses; the steps being taken to address this; when parents in these areas will have these necessary developmental screenings by PHNs resumed for their children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13349/24]

Disability Services

Martin Kenny

282. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health why the children's disability network team have re-categorised a complex need in children and children with autism are no longer categorised as having a complex need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13356/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Claire Kerrane

283. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if he could advise as to avenues of funding available to a community group (details supplied) to replace and refurbish defibrillators in their area. [13360/24]

Disability Services

Steven Matthews

284. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to 30 children awaiting interventions through the disability teams (details supplied); if his Department can provide funding to provide parent training programmes for the families impacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13362/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

John McGuinness

285. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an immediate date will be confirmed for scoliosis surgery for a person (details supplied); the number of people on the waiting list for this type of surgery and the timeframe involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13365/24]

Hospital Staff

Michael Lowry

286. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that funding is provided to allow for the employment of the required neurologist for the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise; if he will confirm that they have received correspondence from the Neurological Alliance of Ireland who is campaigning to have a neurologist situated in the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13370/24]

Health Services Staff

Paul Donnelly

287. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE chiropodists employed by the HSE working in CHO9 by location in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [13373/24]

Primary Care Centres

Paul Kehoe

288. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a primary care centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13375/24]

Primary Care Centres

Ged Nash

289. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions No. 1043 of 2 November 2021 and 1672 of 26 July 2022, when the HSE plans to develop a primary care centre at the site referred to in Ratoath, County Meath; if the plans are included in the HSE's current capital program; the overall cost and timeline for completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13376/24]

General Practitioner Services

James Lawless

290. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to increase the number of GPs in County Kildare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13378/24]

Health Services

Eoin Ó Broin

291. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if a review has been carried out into the impact of the cessation of child developmental checks under the national healthy childhood programme for children in areas of Dublin mid-west (details supplied) due to staff shortages in the public health nurse service; if so, if the report will be made available; and if not, if a review will be considered at the earliest opportunity in order to assess the real consequences of the lack of service provision in the area. [13379/24]

Health Services

Eoin Ó Broin

292. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if there is a process through which parents who have been unable to access developmental checks for their children due to staff shortages in their area, can access an appointment in an alternative location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13380/24]

Health Services

Ged Nash

293. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will provide its conclusions and its determination of a complaint (details supplied); if he will outline all of the actions taken at the facility since the complaint was made to address the shortfalls and risks detailed in the complaint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13397/24]

Health Services Staff

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

294. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to list the number of public health nurses covering the Dublin 8, 10 and 12 areas; the catchment population they cover; the length of time there has been a vacancy or absence of cover due to staff holidays, unfilled posts or illnesses in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13398/24]

Health Services Staff

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

295. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health what measures are taken in the case of a vacancy in a local public health nurse's position to address a backlog which has built up when the new person is put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13399/24]

Home Help Service

Imelda Munster

296. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for elderly home support services in counties Louth and Meath, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13402/24]

Mental Health Services

Imelda Munster

297. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the total number of children on a waiting list for their first appointment to CAMHS in CHO8, by county; the breakdown under the various lengths of time that they have been on the waiting list, in tabular form. [13403/24]

Mental Health Services

Imelda Munster

298. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the average length of treatment an individual receives in the CAMHS system in each of the CHOs. [13405/24]

Home Help Service

Imelda Munster

299. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of people that were on the waiting list for homecare packages in counties Louth and Meath, at the end of each year from 2018 to 2023, in tabular form. [13406/24]

Dental Services

Imelda Munster

300. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health for an update on negotiations in relation to the dental treatment service scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13407/24]

General Practitioner Services

Imelda Munster

301. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs currently practicing in the counties Louth and Meath, respectively; the number of new GPs who have taken up work in each of those counties in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13408/24]

General Practitioner Services

Imelda Munster

302. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of people in the counties Louth and Meath, respectively who are without a GP and are currently on a waiting list for one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13409/24]

Health Services

Pádraig O'Sullivan

303. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the impact on current drug reimbursement waiting times that he expects to see as a result of the recruitment of 36 new staff within the decision-making reimbursement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13410/24]

Hospital Staff

Ivana Bacik

304. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the status of the independent review of the radiation therapist profession, which was agreed between the HSE, his Department and an organisation (details supplied) under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Committee, which has been underway since December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13433/24]

Vaccination Programme

Ivana Bacik

305. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of people who have participated in the Laura Brennan HPV vaccination catch-up programme to date; the targets set for the programme; if he will report on the programme extension review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13434/24]

Health Promotion

Ivana Bacik

306. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding to date which has been allocated to the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023 - 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13435/24]

Prescriptions Charges

Ivana Bacik

307. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of abolishing prescription charges for all medical card holders. [13436/24]

Health Services

Ivana Bacik

308. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the drugs payment scheme to a €60 threshold per month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13437/24]

Health Promotion

Ivana Bacik

309. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the amount of annual funding budgeted for the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026 to conduct its annual activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13438/24]

Public Procurement Contracts

John McGuinness

310. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the minimum value for the supply of goods or services to the HSE that requires the HSE to seek tenders via a public procurement process; if he is satisfied that the HSE is compliant with all Government regulations and policy relative to procurement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13450/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

311. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the amounts paid to each of the private diagnostics providers under the GP access to the community diagnostics scheme in each of the years since its launch in 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13465/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Steven Matthews

312. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to significant waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the national maxillofacial unit in St. James's Hospital; if staffing levels are at the required level in all positions in this unit; what processes are in place to attempt to reduce wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13477/24]

Hospital Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

313. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a dedicated outpatient neurology service is provided by a consultant neurologist at Letterkenny University Hospital to avoid the need for neurology patients in Donegal to have to travel long distances for care. [13481/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Michael Healy-Rae

314. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13508/24]

Health Services Staff

Cian O'Callaghan

315. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress update on the HSE recruitment freeze; when this recruitment freeze is likely to be lifted; if he will provide data, in tabular form, on waiting lists across adult mental health services compared to before the freeze was implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13512/24]

Home Help Service

Richard Bruton

316. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of man hours allocated to provide home help and homecare services; and the number of persons receiving those services in 2000, 2010, 2020 and allocated for 2024. [13524/24]

Home Help Service

Richard Bruton

317. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the steps necessary to be taken to put in place a national statutory homecare scheme; and the date on which he hopes to reach each milestone. [13525/24]

Home Help Service

Richard Bruton

318. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has carried out an audit of the assistive technology that is now available to support care in the home; if he has assessed the feasibility in each case of supporting their use to better manage care in the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13526/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

319. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated proportion of consultations with GPs, with medical consultants, with nurse practitioners and with therapists which were conducted at their peak during Covid; the extent to which this has been sustained as practices have returned to normal; if he has undertaken a review to see whether such approaches should take a more prominent position in future care; and the barriers which may need to be overcome to achieve that. [13527/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

320. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has conducted any census of carers to identify the circumstances of their care, their access to information and support, their age profile, and their capacity to continue; if he will indicate where the findings may be obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13528/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

321. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the performance reports which he receives on the HSE's enhanced community care initiatives and its component elements to illustrate its reach, its intensity and its impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13529/24]

Health Promotion

Richard Bruton

322. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health whether he has received reports on the evolution of the indicators in the Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework instituted in 2018 to date; and whether the impact of Covid and the return to more normal conditions illustrates challenges for public policy in this area. [13530/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

323. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the scale of the social prescribing initiative undertaken by the HSE in terms of resources deployed, people reached and impact of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13531/24]

Health Strategies

Richard Bruton

324. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the actions outlined in the Positive Ageing Strategy of 2013 were achieved; the areas where achievement fell short of expectations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13532/24]

Care Services

Richard Bruton

325. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has undertaken a manpower review of current and upcoming needs for care assistants who could support nursing home care or homecare; the predicted needs over the next ten years; the capacity to meet those needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13554/24]

Legislative Measures

Richard Bruton

326. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has considered amending health insurance legislation to encourage more insurers into the support of preventative health measures and improved management of continuing health vulnerabilities among their members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13555/24]

Vaccination Programme

Róisín Shortall

327. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 304 of 29 February 2024, in relation to the vaccine damage scheme, if he will give an assurance that the two-year statute of limitations rule will not adversely impact those who will likely have a claim under this scheme, due to delays in the introduction of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13557/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Ged Nash

328. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the work of his Department on the provisions of the National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Apprentices) Bill 2023 and based on the Government’s decision on a timed amendment to second stage of the Bill in the debate on the Bill in Seanad Éireann on 3 May 2023; if he will set out the next stage in the process of the Government’s consideration of the measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13420/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

329. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if option 1 (details supplied) was used for calculating the amount due for those in receipt of the award of no maintenance 50% SUSI contribution; if so, the reason option 2 was not considered which would have had a greater reduction in the net amount due; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13462/24]

International Students

Mairéad Farrell

330. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the restriction for international students becoming a sabbatical officer in a Union or as a society's auditor students due to Stamp 2 visas' terms of employment and engagement in business or trade, and if he has any plans to change this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13371/24]

Education and Training Boards

Mairéad Farrell

331. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science can he provide in tabular form the full list of ETBs broken down by county, and an email address for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13372/24]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Smith

332. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proposals, if any, there are to increase capacity and availability of courses in digital forensics, in view of the threats to society posed by the proliferation of misinformation through social media platforms and the need to tackle such abuses; if his Department is funding research into such issues; if so, the type of research; if it is in collaboration with other agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13483/24]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Smith

333. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current position regarding a proposed building project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13484/24]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Brendan Smith

334. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress to date in intensifying co-operation on a cross-Border and all-Ireland basis in further education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13485/24]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Smith

335. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional places proposed to be in place for the next academic year in medicine, nursing and other healthcare professions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13486/24]

Men's Sheds

Michael Lowry

336. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will introduce an annual men’s shed sustainability grant system to help with their running costs, for items such as electricity and insurance bills, similar to the one issued in 2023; if she will consider providing funding for small capital works projects; if she will make such grants available directly to individual men’s sheds instead of allocation through third party representative bodies; to provide an update on such funding measures that her Department will make available to men’s sheds in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13300/24]

Rural Schemes

Alan Kelly

337. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the capital projects that have been undertaken by her Department in Tipperary since January 2022; and the funding allocated each year, in tabular form. [13336/24]

Rural Schemes

Pádraig O'Sullivan

338. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on an application for funding (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13387/24]

Rural Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

339. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason for the delay with the commencement of the Leader Programme in County Galway; the number of companies that will deliver the Leader Programme there; the areas they will cover; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13470/24]

Rural Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

340. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the arrangements that have been made to deliver SICAP on the offshore Islands off the coast of Galway; when delivery of the Programme will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13469/24]