Parliamentary questions

Passport Applications

Jim O'Callaghan

371. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason online renewals of passports have been stopped during level 5 Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12024/21]

Interest Rates

Jim O'Callaghan

685. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice her plans to introduce legislative or regulatory measures in response to the proposed imposition of negative interest rates on solicitors’ client accounts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11709/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

812. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if visits by family members to residents of nursing homes who have been vaccinated can now be permitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11355/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

881. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if bookmakers' shops will remain closed until at least 5 April following the most recent extension of level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11638/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

941. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken in order to prepare for new variants of Covid-19 and or other viruses that may manifest themselves from October 2021. [11875/21]

Driver Licences

Jim O'Callaghan

101. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if his Department can waive the requirement to have a recently expired certificate of competency exchanged for a full driver licence for a person (details supplied) necessary to start a new job due to misinterpretation of new regulations introduced in April 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9648/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

209. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if his Department will carry out a review of policy regarding the temporary wage subsidy scheme with regard to childminders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10177/21]

Heritage Sites

Jim O'Callaghan

288. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if steps can be taken by the State to retain ownership of the graving docks on the Grand Canal that were constructed in 1796; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9439/21]

Special Educational Needs

Jim O'Callaghan

407. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if a July provision in-school style programme will be run during the Easter holidays for children with special educational needs in autism spectrum disorder, ASD, classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9483/21]

Naturalisation Applications

Jim O'Callaghan

699. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if the question regarding court cases pending for naturalisation applications is a reference to criminal and civil cases; if not, if it is limited to criminal cases only; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9499/21]

Garda Equipment

Jim O'Callaghan

722. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if funding has been provided for the purchase of drones for use by An Garda Síochána; the number of drones currently in use by An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9812/21]

Crime Data

Jim O'Callaghan

723. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of bicycles reported to gardaí that were stolen from Irish Rail stations in Dublin in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9813/21]

Garda Transport Provision

Jim O'Callaghan

724. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda cars and vans attached to Donegal Garda division as of 31 December 2019 and 15 February 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9814/21]

Alcohol Sales

Jim O'Callaghan

725. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of special exemption orders granted in 2019 and quarter 1 of 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9815/21]

Bench Warrants

Jim O'Callaghan

726. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of bench warrants issued to gardaí in the R district in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9816/21]

Garda Recruitment

Jim O'Callaghan

727. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the estimated cost of recruiting four additional full-time intelligence analysts at the grade of higher executive officer for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9819/21]

Parole Boards

Jim O'Callaghan

736. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice when applicants can apply for membership of the Parole Board; and the process for submitting applications. [10129/21]

Maternity Services

Jim O'Callaghan

753. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health when pregnant women will be permitted to have the support of their partners at consultations in maternity hospitals in view of the vaccination of healthcare workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9364/21]

Special Educational Needs

Jim O'Callaghan

184. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if a review of ASD classrooms in the Dublin 4, 6 and 6W areas will be conducted urgently. [9158/21]

Public Transport

Jim O'Callaghan

71. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if an assessment will be carried out to ascertain whether hospital and nursing home staff could use public transport without charge during Covid-19 restrictions. [7864/21]

Public Transport

Jim O'Callaghan

105. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if a free travel scheme on public transport can be introduced during the pandemic restrictions for front-line healthcare workers. [8636/21]

Light Rail Projects

Jim O'Callaghan

118. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if he will meet representatives of a group (details supplied) in order to discuss the limitations and flaws in the terms of reference generated by the National Transport Authority, NTA, for the purpose of conducting a feasibility study into whether the MetroLink should continue to south-west Dublin. [8767/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

637. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the way in which persons over 70 years of age who do not hold a doctor visit card will be included in the plans for roll-out the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7872/21]

Hospital Facilities

Jim O'Callaghan

710. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if a company (details supplied) can be requested to approve high-tech surgical theatres as approved facilities for the purpose of carrying out skin treatments in view of the growing incidence of skin cancer and the need for immediate surgical treatment. [8123/21]

Animal Welfare

Jim O'Callaghan

1058. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the procedures available for persons who wish to complain about standards operating in puppy farms. [7926/21]

Legislative Reviews

Jim O'Callaghan

77. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018 is achieving the objective intended by the legislation to provide greater protection to consumers whose loans were transferred on to credit-servicing firms. [7845/21]

Legislative Reviews

Jim O'Callaghan

78. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if the definition of "owner of credit" in the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018 needs to be amended in order to ensure that it covers entities that retain the beneficial ownership of the credit but who have transferred legal ownership to another entity. [7846/21]

Legislative Reviews

Jim O'Callaghan

79. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018 requires further amendment to ensure that the beneficial owners of credit are regulated. [7847/21]

Northern Ireland

Jim O'Callaghan

371. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps taken by his Department to progress the purchase of the rights to a book (details supplied). [7185/21]

Special Education Review

Jim O'Callaghan

403. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if a review of ASD classrooms in the Dublin 2 and 4 areas will be conducted urgently. [6434/21]

Special Education Review

Jim O'Callaghan

404. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education her plans to conduct a section 37A review of schools in the Dublin 2 and 4 areas. [6435/21]

Road Traffic Offences

Jim O'Callaghan

603. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of breaches detected via the HGV permit tracker application that were referred to An Garda Síochána for fine and penalty point issuing; the number of fine payments that were paid or are outstanding for 2020, respectively; the individual quantum of fine and the total value for 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6353/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

608. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the steps being taken to ensure that Covid-19 certificates produced on entry to the country are authentic and not fraudulent. [6439/21]

Residency Permits

Jim O'Callaghan

182. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if front-line workers employed by the HSE that are not citizens of Ireland can have their residency and work permits extended automatically to 1 September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6106/21]

Investor-State Dispute Settlement

Jim O'Callaghan

36. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on claims that there is no need in modern trade deals for the investor court system proposed under CETA; if it is the case that recently concluded international trade agreements such as EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement; the EU-Singapore Free Trade and Investment Agreement and EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment have not included an investor-state dispute settlements element or have even removed them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6023/21]

EU Directives

Jim O'Callaghan

577. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the EU directives not yet transposed into law; the deadline imposed by the EU for the transposition of same; the estimated date for transposition into law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5504/21]

Garda Equipment

Jim O'Callaghan

623. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice her plans to introduce body-worn video systems to be worn by the Garda armed support unit in the first instance along with a comprehensive set of rules on body camera usage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3620/21]

Heritage Sites

Jim O'Callaghan

135. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to protect the heritage associated with the Anglo-American cable house on Valentia island, County Kerry which is the site of the first transatlantic cable link; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3267/21]

Childcare Services

Jim O'Callaghan

267. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the approach he is taking to ensure the continued operation of early learning childcare facilities for essential and front-line workers after 31 January 2021; the publication date for the plan; the plan to reopen for all workers; the level of engagement with representative bodies in the childcare sector to date in tabular form, the funding options available to childcare providers after 31 January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3347/21]

Prison Accommodation

Jim O'Callaghan

428. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the amount spent to date in relation to major refurbishment works being carried out at Limerick Prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2731/21]

Garda Transport Provision

Jim O'Callaghan

429. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of new marked and unmarked Garda vehicles that were allocated to Garda National Technical Bureau in 2019 and 2020; the number of vehicles withdrawn during the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2732/21]

Garda Transport Provision

Jim O'Callaghan

430. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if funding will be made available in 2021 to purchase additional Garda command and control vehicles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2733/21]

Garda Deployment

Jim O'Callaghan

431. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí by rank attached to each divisional protective services unit as of 11 January 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2734/21]

Garda Recruitment

Jim O'Callaghan

432. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the estimated full-year cost if 1,000 additional gardaí were recruited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2735/21]

Irish Prison Service

Jim O'Callaghan

433. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the transport budget for the Irish Prison Service in 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2736/21]

Garda Civilian Staff

Jim O'Callaghan

434. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the estimated cost to recruit six additional full-time analysts at higher executive officer level for the Garda cybercrime unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2737/21]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Jim O'Callaghan

1. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if the papers and documentation generated by a person (details supplied) in their inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings will be handed over to Operation Kenova; and if not, the reason. [45184/20]

Energy Conservation

Jim O'Callaghan

8. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if regulations can be introduced to ensure the presence of doors on supermarket fridges in order to reduce the amount of energy required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44868/20]

Local Authority Functions

Jim O'Callaghan

68. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a citywide master plan for carbon reduction exists for Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44866/20]

Bus Services

Jim O'Callaghan

136. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent to date on the BusConnects project. [44928/20]