Parliamentary questions

Child Poverty

Kathleen Funchion

1066. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48405/23]

Equality Issues

Kathleen Funchion

1067. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the proposed Equal Participation Model; how he envisages it will support children who may be vulnerable or are experiencing disadvantage; what changes are being made to the sponsorship process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48406/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1072. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, given the 25% fee reduction in Budget 2024, he will outline if he has any plans to go further than freezing fees and begin the process of reducing fees charged by services; to qualify how families who use a childminder will be able to access NCS subsidies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48404/23]

Mental Health Policy

Kathleen Funchion

1166. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the practice of night-time confinement in all units (except high-secure) at the National Central Mental Hospital, Portrane, continues to be operational, despite the ceasing of this activity being a condition of its registration, as set out by the Mental Health Commission and HSE, dated 12 May 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47689/23]

Community Care

Kathleen Funchion

1335. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the Caredoc phone services for St. Dymphna's Hospital, Carlow is run out of Dublin, and not locally in Carlow, and as a consequence, the phones are not being answered all the time, nor are calls being returned in an efficient manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48600/23]

Third Level Education

Kathleen Funchion

1375. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost to increase the number of places on social workers’ graduate programmes by 25%; how many additional places this equates to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47263/23]

Technological Universities

Kathleen Funchion

1376. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will support SETU’s bid for a new veterinary medicine school at its campus, given that there is only one veterinary school in the country presently, and given the proven track record SETU has in delivering land sciences education and related research in conjunction with regional stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47264/23]

Meteorological Services

Kathleen Funchion

196. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the flood forecasters at Met Éireann meet daily, including weekends; if there are minutes or notes available from these meetings; if there was a meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, 17 and 18 October 2023; if information from those meetings on those dates can be shared with the public; if there is a plan to share this type of information going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47074/23]

Wind Energy Generation

Kathleen Funchion

204. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for the delay in considering the Kilkenny wind energy strategy proposed by Kilkenny County Council; if he will outline the process involved in considering the matter and confirm a timeframe for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47183/23]

International Protection

Kathleen Funchion

262. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will intervene in the case of a Ukrainian family who are living at a location (details supplied). [47136/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Kathleen Funchion

349. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual, total first and full-year cost to increase equally the guardian payment by 100% over three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46063/23]

Children in Care

Kathleen Funchion

448. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated annual, total first and full-year cost to increase the number of State residential care units for children in care by 10%, 25% and 50%, in tabular form; what this equates to in bed numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46061/23]

Children in Care

Kathleen Funchion

449. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated annual, total first and full-year funding allocated to private, for-profit foster care organisations for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [46062/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

450. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first year, full-year and annual cost to reduce childcare fees by 50% from September 2024. [46064/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

264. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first, full year and annual cost of increasing the current minimum rate of pay for an early years educators, by 0.85cent, €1.00, €1.25, €1.50, €1.75 and €2.00; and the first, full year and annual estimated cost to increase all other grades covered by the early years employment regulation order. [46033/23]

Budget 2024

Kathleen Funchion

116. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance if Budget 2024 reduced the VAT rate for print maps or eMaps to 0% given that the VAT rate on eBooks and audio books was reduced to 0%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45750/23]

Health Services Staff

Kathleen Funchion

261. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health what actions he has taken to shorten and streamline the vetting process for fully qualified medical doctors from the UK post-Brexit with the IMC; given that many doctors are waiting in excess of two months for their affiliation to be able to work with the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45492/23]

Grant Payments

Kathleen Funchion

297. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a third level student who is completely estranged from their parents, but has not reached the age of 23 years, can apply for support through a SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45726/23]

Passport Services

Kathleen Funchion

88. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to explain the rationale in section 14 of a child passport renewal stating that a guardians/parents signature is not required when the child is married; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44681/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

350. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of childcare career events held by the European Employment Services (ERS Ireland) in the Department of Social Protection held outside Ireland in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively; and the cost of each event and the outcome. [44712/23]