Parliamentary questions

Appointments to State Boards

Carol Nolan

299. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the most recent guidance issued by his Department regarding State appointments. [44309/21]

Departmental Properties

Carol Nolan

306. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the length of time an organisation (details supplied) has had use of the buildings at a location free of charge; the reason such an arrangement was permitted; the reason the organisation was accommodated in this way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46190/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

307. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46196/21]

Planning Issues

Carol Nolan

324. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will publish the revised rural housing guidelines for planning authorities; the number of times the working group established to examine rural housing, including one-off-housing has met physically or virtually since 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46007/21]

Departmental Schemes

Carol Nolan

355. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will support a ring-fenced funding allocation of the disabled persons grant scheme and improvement works for use when adapting housing to bespoke requirements of an applicant who is blind or vision impaired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46484/21]

Housing Schemes

Carol Nolan

356. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request that the publication of annual figures by the Housing Agency related to those availing or requesting housing support are segregated by disability or specialised housing need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46485/21]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

357. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has invested in revised digital transformation to facilitate an online application system for housing support and transfers for persons with sight loss in accordance with the EU Web Accessibility Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46486/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

407. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 348 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46197/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

426. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 371 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46198/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

448. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 394 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46199/21]

Special Educational Needs

Carol Nolan

461. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will support the adoption of a national transition year programme for students who are blind or vision impaired with ring-fenced funding of an additional €150,000 per annum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46487/21]

Special Educational Needs

Carol Nolan

462. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide continuity funding and access to July provision for children who are blind or have a vision impairment beyond 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46488/21]

Teacher Training

Carol Nolan

463. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that a part of career guidance training, information and understanding of the challenges that face students with sight loss will be included; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46489/21]

Special Educational Needs

Carol Nolan

464. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will take steps to introduce access to immediate assistive technology, similar to the proposal by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46490/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

500. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 461 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46200/21]

Social Welfare Payments

Carol Nolan

504. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide €68.5 million to increase weekly carer payments by €8, the carer’s support grant to €2,000 and the carer’s allowance income disregards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46290/21]

Departmental Policies

Carol Nolan

505. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide €3 million in annual funding towards a dedicated carer’s pension for long-term family carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46291/21]

Departmental Policies

Carol Nolan

506. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the basic social welfare rate for the blind pension and disability allowance by €20 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46491/21]

Departmental Reports

Carol Nolan

507. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the cost of disability report will be published as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46492/21]

EU Directives

Carol Nolan

508. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will facilitate online application methods for the blind for social protection services through welfare.ie in accordance with the EU Web Accessibility Directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46494/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

530. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 497 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46201/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

547. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 507 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46202/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

571. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 533 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46205/21]

Care Services

Carol Nolan

729. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide €5 million in annual funding to deliver the carer’s guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46289/21]

Departmental Funding

Carol Nolan

730. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide €5 million to publish a refreshed National Carers’ Strategy Action Plan 2021-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46292/21]

Carer's Leave

Carol Nolan

731. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce the statutory home care scheme including an annual entitlement to 20 days respite and a carer needs assessment for full-time carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46293/21]

Care Services

Carol Nolan

732. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will work to establish a commission on care to include an examination on the role, reliance and recognition of family carers in long-term care provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46294/21]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

757. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ring-fence funding for the eye clinic liaison officer programme until 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46479/21]

Health Services

Carol Nolan

758. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the point of care for appropriate conditions such as wet AMD, out of acute hospitals into primary care settings in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46480/21]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

759. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will support the recruitment of 50 additional ophthalmologists at a cost of €10.3 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46481/21]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Carol Nolan

760. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will commit to the standardisation of the technical aids grant scheme run by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46482/21]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

761. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will request the HSE to produce CHO segregated annual figures related to adults and children with a diagnosis of vision impairment and in relation to their engagement with health and or disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46483/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Carol Nolan

762. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with HSE offices to offer the blind welfare allowance payment electronically to recipients going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46495/21]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

763. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he plans to expand the eye clinic liaison officer service countrywide with seven posts in total at an estimated cost of €490,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46496/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

850. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 761 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46203/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

872. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 825 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46204/21]

Foreign Conflicts

Carol Nolan

81. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions the Government has taken and is taking through its role on the UN Security Council and by other means to contribute to the search for the approximately 2,700 Yazidi women and children who are still missing as a result of being taken into captivity by ISIS seven years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45540/21]

Foreign Conflicts

Carol Nolan

82. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps the Government is taking through its role on the UN Security Council and by other means to specifically address the religious element to the violence between Fulani herders and sedentary farmers in northern Nigeria; if the Government has raised with the Nigerian Government the disproportionate impact this violence has on Christians in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45541/21]

Departmental Communications

Carol Nolan

81. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has deleted text messages or email correspondence related to Government or official communications at any point since January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45034/21]

Environmental Policy

Carol Nolan

98. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the conditions that must be fulfilled before a person may engage in the commercial sale of peat and-or peat-related products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44510/21]

Departmental Communications

Carol Nolan

120. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has deleted text messages or email correspondence related to Government or official communications at any point since January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45035/21]

Departmental Communications

Carol Nolan

159. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport if he has deleted text messages or email correspondence related to Government or official communications at any point since January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45046/21]

Haulage Industry

Carol Nolan

162. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport the status of the Programme for Government commitment to develop a ten-year strategy for the road haulage sector; if he has received the submission by an organisation (details supplied) on the strategy; his assessment of the submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45101/21]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

197. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing measures enabling agricultural land sales to be subject to a 3% rate of stamp duty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45007/21]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

198. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make the young, trained farmers stamp duty relief permanent as this would provide reassurance regarding future costs for farm families planning the transfer of their farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45008/21]

Universal Social Charge

Carol Nolan

199. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing an amendment to allow the deduction of pension contributions before the universal social charge is calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45009/21]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

200. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current 33% rate of capital gains tax continues to act as a significant deterrent to farm investment; if he will provide for a significant reduction in the 33% rate currently applicable to all chargeable gains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45010/21]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

201. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that low emission slurry spreading equipment has no VAT applied at purchase to encourage the further uptake of these spreading techniques; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45011/21]

Tax Reliefs

Carol Nolan

202. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing measures that provide for the introduction of a new stock relief measure in which farmers would be allowed 100% stock relief on additional expenditure of up to €100,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45012/21]

Tax Reliefs

Carol Nolan

203. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will introduce measures enabling farmers to be allowed to write-off capital expenditure on farm buildings and plant and machinery over a period of between three and eight years with a floating allowance of up to 50% allowable in any one year to promote farm investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45013/21]