Parliamentary questions

Further and Higher Education

Fergus O'Dowd

135. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline his plans to further develop further and higher education and training for the hospitality sector to entice more persons to consider the sector as a long-term career opportunity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59671/22]

National Treasury Management Agency

Fergus O'Dowd

184. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on Louth County Councils plans to develop phase 1 of the Northern Cross Route in Drogheda using NTMA funding; if he will provide an update on recent discussions with Louth County Council on the proposed plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59954/22]

State Properties

Fergus O'Dowd

190. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the long-awaited transfer of ownership of the historic Westgate House, Drogheda County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59955/22]

Regeneration Projects

Fergus O'Dowd

206. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the long-awaited and much-delayed Westgate vision plan for Drogheda; the expected key project timeline; the expected cost of the initial proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59941/22]

Fire Stations

Fergus O'Dowd

209. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the long-awaited new fire station for Dunleer, County Louth; the location and details of the development; the key project expected timelines; the total number of staff expected to be employed once complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59971/22]

Student Visas

Fergus O'Dowd

313. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update in respect of allowing persons studying in Ireland under a student visa to work more than 20 hours per week during term time in order to assist the hospitality and other sectors to fill job vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59937/22]

Dormant Accounts Fund

Fergus O'Dowd

314. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice the total funding awarded over the years 2020 to date through the Dormant Account Funds by funding amount, organisation, and location in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59956/22]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Fergus O'Dowd

337. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update with respect to the progression of the 50-bed St. Joseph’s Hospital development in Ardee, County Louth; when the project is expected to be completed; if he will supply any other relevant information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59940/22]

Health Services Staff

Fergus O'Dowd

350. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if progress has been made with respect to recruitment of occupational therapists in County Louth; if neighbouring areas with suitable levels of occupational therapists could transfer or redirect services; if persons will be offered appointments in neighbouring areas, in order to deal with the absolutely unacceptable void in services in the Louth area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59993/22]

Nursing Homes

Fergus O'Dowd

352. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of facilities that have closed and ceased operations by name and location since the payments were awarded, of the recent TAPS payments of nearly €150 million distributed to nursing homes throughout the country to help manage the response to Covid-19; if any nursing homes voluntarily returned monies to his Department for any reason in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59996/22]

Departmental Schemes

Fergus O'Dowd

81. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will seek assurances that the role of the night-time economy advisers will be decided by an open competition call to ensure specialists in hospitality and night-time economies have an opportunity to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59708/22]

Domestic Violence

Fergus O'Dowd

135. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will urgently review cases whereby victims of domestic and coercive abuse who are accessing refuge services but who do not meet the criteria for IPAS/IPO status and who have not yet applied or received a stamp 4 status within Ireland, can access a weekly income instead of having to apply for exceptional needs’ payments which, while helpful, is not guaranteed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58820/22]

Energy Prices

Fergus O'Dowd

182. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on urgent concerns relating to new additional energy related costs in relation to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59531/22]

Special Educational Needs

Fergus O'Dowd

355. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the details for the reason that students (details supplied) are having to source and pay a psychologist to complete an assessment report in order to apply for the DARE scheme; and if there are plans to address the matter going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58965/22]

Education and Training Boards

Fergus O'Dowd

526. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on concerns raised (details supplied); if he will arrange for the appropriate officials to progress a meeting request in respect of the role of Personal Assistants who are contracted through ETBs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58770/22]

Departmental Contracts

Fergus O'Dowd

609. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the details of the awarding of a radiology contract, specifically, a DEXA scanner, to a company (details supplied); if a tendering process was required for the award; the date that this agreement was signed; the total cost of the agreement on a yearly basis; the timeline for when the agreement will finish; and if local DEXA scan providers that were contracted before Covid-19 will be in a position to tender for the service into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58735/22]

Health Services

Fergus O'Dowd

627. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the name and contact details of the relevant officials within his Department and the HSE that can be contacted by a company to propose solutions to the urgent home care assistant shortages being seen across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58841/22]

Special Educational Needs

Fergus O'Dowd

89. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education the total number of pupils currently accessing SEN units in primary and post-primary schools in the Louth and the east Meath catchment area; if there are plans to increase capacity in the catchment areas, given the significant population growth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58047/22]

School Transport

Fergus O'Dowd

141. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education her views on whether the response to the school transport crisis has been satisfactory; when she expects a new streamlined application system to be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58046/22]

Child Poverty

Fergus O'Dowd

121. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if a response will issue to concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of child poverty figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58276/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Fergus O'Dowd

190. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will meet again with persons (details supplied) who lost loved ones during the Covid pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58352/22]

Disadvantaged Status

Fergus O'Dowd

392. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the matrix breakdown for the way that the DEIS status assessment was carried out with respect to a school (details supplied) given that there are three other schools in the town and all three schools have DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57569/22]

Sports Funding

Fergus O'Dowd

16. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that County Louth received the lowest level of funding in the country through the Sport Ireland Dormant Account Funding announced on 27 October 2022 despite the key recommendations in the Geiran Report including the need for greater levels of funding for sports clubs and organisations for Drogheda to address disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56924/22]

Departmental Strategies

Fergus O'Dowd

29. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the provision of a night-time economy manager in Drogheda to help develop a night-time economy strategy; when the role is expected to be filled; the grade of the role; the time period of the contract; if other relevant information will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56925/22]

Childcare Services

Fergus O'Dowd

110. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that are being considered to ensure that childminders can access much-needed supports under the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56487/22]

Business Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

72. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance if any consideration has been given to allowing new businesses to access the temporary business energy support scheme given that they would be unable to show the 12-month energy price difference under the current criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56846/22]

State Examinations

Fergus O'Dowd

105. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if any consideration has been given with respect to students with a diagnosis of dyscalculia being considered for mitigating allowances when they sit their State examinations, similar to other diagnosed disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56851/22]

Community Employment Schemes

Fergus O'Dowd

124. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will respond to concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of the community employment scheme employment conditions and responsibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56823/22]

Domestic Violence

Fergus O'Dowd

166. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice if there are currently any plans to fund a new domestic violence refuge in the area of County Louth and east County Meath to help deal with the significant pressures on the current services provided in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56910/22]

Tax Code

Fergus O'Dowd

192. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance if a response will issue to matters raised by a company (details supplied) in respect of the taxation of biofuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56630/22]

Family Resource Centres

Fergus O'Dowd

441. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will advise a local organisation (details supplied) on the types of possible additional funding that might be available to assist them with their invaluable work in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56570/22]

Pharmacy Services

Fergus O'Dowd

122. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55715/22]

Primary Care Centres

Fergus O'Dowd

127. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress update on the new east Meath primary care centre; the latest expected date for completion of the project and for services to commence locally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55758/22]

Energy Prices

Fergus O'Dowd

276. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance his views on concerns raised from a local business (details supplied) in respect of concerns on the 40% cap on the proposed TBESS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54763/22]

Energy Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

414. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the expected publication of the revised wind energy development guidelines considering the very significant number of applications being submitted throughout the country at the moment; the reason for the significant delay in publishing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55299/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

495. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Defence the type of non-clinical assistance and administrative supports offered by location, cost and duration to nursing homes and other residential care settings during the first outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020; if any of these costs were subsequently recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54985/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

606. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update in respect of teachers and the special leave with pay for Covid-19 payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55262/22]

Disadvantaged Status

Fergus O'Dowd

615. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently review the decision to deny the DEIS appeal from a school (details supplied) despite the school being located beside three other schools which have been designated for DEIS status; if she will seek an urgent meeting between DEIS officials and the school’s management to discuss this matter further, given the vague decision letter issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55464/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Fergus O'Dowd

735. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if any further consideration has been given to extend eligibility of the disability support grant to include those in receipt of partial capacity benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55644/22]

Residential Institutions

Fergus O'Dowd

759. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will respond to concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of a local industrial school institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54509/22]

International Protection

Fergus O'Dowd

761. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional resources have been directed to the IPAS finance section to address the numerous accommodation providers which are purporting to have not been paid for some time for the services provided (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54730/22]

International Protection

Fergus O'Dowd

766. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will respond to concerns raised (details supplied) from a Ukrainian provider's perspective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54810/22]

Mental Health Services

Fergus O'Dowd

1058. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 214 of 19 October 2022 in which he referred to a previous reply (details supplied) which refers this matter back to his Department, if he will seek an urgent response on this funding which was originally submitted to a person, with consideration to the back-and-forth to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54738/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Fergus O'Dowd

1124. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the actual circumstances, criteria and protocols that were applied by HSE when it requested assistance from the Defence Forces for nursing homes and residential care facilities during phase 1 of the Covid-19 pandemic; the internal process and procedure followed by the HSE in seeking such assistance; the administrative level of such sign-off within the HSE; the reason that Defence Forces assistance subsequently was not sought by the HSE for Dealgan House, given that HSE staff within CHO8 raised the need with HSE colleagues in CHO8 regarding the need for Defence Forces support in Dealgan during the first wave of Covid-19; the level; the location in which the decision made not to seek assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54992/22]

Health Services Staff

Fergus O'Dowd

1231. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarity on reports that Covid testing services in counties Louth and Meath will cease from 22 November 2022; the plans to deal with expected surges in winter Covid numbers, given that the National Ambulance Service is already under-resourced to adequately deal with such large numbers of testing in the large populations' centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55532/22]

Industrial Development

Fergus O'Dowd

8. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the recently announced purchase by IDA Ireland from Louth County Council of further lands to increase IDA Ireland's land bank in north Drogheda; the total new acreage of the site; if the site will be serviced sooner than expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53404/22]

Enterprise Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

19. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the available supports for businesses to deal with the crippling energy prices being encountered across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53405/22]

Greenways Provision

Fergus O'Dowd

84. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the proposed works for the Mell greenway, Drogheda, for which Louth County Council received €200,000 through the outdoor recreational scheme in February 2020; if the moneys are at risk of return or if the funds have been secured for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53406/22]

Library Services

Fergus O'Dowd

94. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the long-term plans for the Drogheda library; if larger alternate sites are currently being considered for a future service provision; if so, if she will identify the potential premises earmarked in the town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53407/22]

Energy Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

151. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the implementation of the clean-export guarantee tariff to allow payment for electricity returned to the grid; his views on whether energy suppliers have been receptive to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53937/22]