Parliamentary questions

Bus Services

Mairéad Farrell

67. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the cancellation of a service (details supplied) from Galway to Dublin Airport; if he is considering steps to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13234/24]

Road Network

Mairéad Farrell

107. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he will be focusing his Department's attention on the infrastructural deficit with the maintenance of roads in Connemara; if he will allocate resources to address the persistent flooding at Cuan na Loinge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13235/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

135. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a fisheries matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13482/24]

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]

Shannon Airport Facilities

Mairéad Farrell

57. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the US Air Force Gulfstream 5 executive jet number 99-0402 was permitted to fly and through Irish air space and land and refuel in Shannon Airport on 3 March 2024 on its way to Frankfurt (callsign SAM265) and from there to Cyprus and then Tel Aviv Israel on 4 March 2024; if he has concerns that this may breach Irish neutrality, given the allegations of war crimes and the potential genocide taking place in Palestine according to the ICJ, for which arms and munitions are being supplied by the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12147/24]

Passport Services

Mairéad Farrell

65. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in instances in which a person has recently changed their name to its Irish version by deed poll and therefore cannot provide the requisite proof of two years' habitual usage or more of their Irish name, if such a person may legally continue to travel on their old passport which displays the English version of their name during the interim two year period only after which they can provide evidence of two years' habitual usage; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty which current rules on habitual usage timeframes present to such individuals when travelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12488/24]

Rail Network

Mairéad Farrell

177. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport in relation to a recent reply to correspondence from a person with a disability (details supplied), where the NTA confirmed that 42,000 booked a seat on Irish Rail and that a charge exists to book a seat to mitigate against some customer behaviours that impact everyone; how much were the 42,000 disabled customers charged in fees; exactly how many incidents are there of those with disabilities 'behaviour's impacting other customers; and is he aware that the use of data collected using the public services card free travel pass in the manner described by the NTA is not the purpose for which this data was collected in the first instance. [12617/24]

Company Law

Mairéad Farrell

333. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a complaint can be referred to the Corporate Enforcement Authority by an Oireachtas Committee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12493/24]

School Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

375. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education when the second modular classroom in a school (details supplied) will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11777/24]

Housing Policy

Mairéad Farrell

616. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason local authority tenants are allowed to rent a room in their home, but those in accommodation owned by the approved housing bodies are not allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11791/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

728. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 455 of 5 March 2024, the reason her Department requires the destination of a person's travel as evidence of travel in order to access the two week holiday entitlement under the disability allowance scheme; and in what case or circumstance would a signed letter from the recipient not be sufficient evidence. [11952/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Mairéad Farrell

749. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if a public services card is required for a person to collect their pension from their local post office or if it is acceptable to use another form of identification, a passport for example to do this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12325/24]

Legislative Programme

Mairéad Farrell

799. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the Sale of Alcohol Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11587/24]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Mairéad Farrell

1156. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the full list of purpose-built student accommodation complexes that are currently being paid to house Ukrainian refugees; the current number of refugees each is currently housing; the amount that has been paid to each provider to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12475/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Mairéad Farrell

1178. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children waiting and the length of time they are waiting for initial contact from CDNTs in CHO2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12667/24]

Hospital Services

Mairéad Farrell

1290. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if there are clear guidelines for treating the symptoms of Paediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, PANS, and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections, PANDAS, in paediatric hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11906/24]

Middle East

Mairéad Farrell

31. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland, in light of Belgium’s move to support South Africa’s case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, has plans to shift its position to one of support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3821/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Mairéad Farrell

111. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a school in the Connemara Gaeltacht (details supplied) will be placed on the spring roll-out worklist for fibre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10131/24]

Tax Collection

Mairéad Farrell

204. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 144 and 145 of 27 February 2024, it is stated that it is “the responsibility of the employer to ensure that all payments made to the individual are processed through the payroll system with PAYE, PRSI and USC deducted from the payments and remitted to the Revenue Commissioners; Currently the PRSI liability is being “reviewed” by the employment status investigation unit; at what stage will (details supplied) be assessed for commensurate tax liabilities and the reason this has not already happened with the employees already reclassified by (details supplied) and the Scope Section. [11385/24]

General Practitioner Services

Mairéad Farrell

402. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of people in Galway who are without a GP and are currently on a waiting list for one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11384/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

61. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 27 February 2024, if he can clarify if there was no cost of the Exchequer in the years 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, or if the Revenue Commissioners does not have this information, if he can provide the uptake in terms of the number of properties that were availing of section 50 in each of the years 2000 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10976/24]

Harbours and Piers

Mairéad Farrell

86. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide a further update on the work her Department has carried out with regard to progressing the pier projects on Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin; what the next steps are in relation to these projects,; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10183/24]

Financial Services

Mairéad Farrell

216. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of a particular investment product (details supplied) and if he has had any correspondence with the Central Bank in relation to the number of Irish investors which could have been impacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10145/24]

Raidió Teilifís Éireann

Mairéad Farrell

231. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance in regard to RTÉ making a voluntary qualifying disclosure of €1.2 million to Revenue in the wake of the Eversheds Review, and given that in 2021, RTÉ stated that €1.2 million was the end of RTÉ's liability, and Revenue had confirmed it was the end of RTÉ's liability, if he can explain under what compliance procedures this figure has grown to €15 million set aside for misclassification by RTÉ. [10556/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

455. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 323 of 27 February 2024, the meaning of travel itinerary; what information must be included in this as evidence of travel; if a signed letter from the DA recipient outlining the dates they will be abroad is acceptable; and the legal basis for requesting and holding the travel data of DA recipients. [10612/24]

Immigration Policy

Mairéad Farrell

481. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the reason that a Danish marriage certificate is not acceptable as proof of marriage for immigration purposes; the reason that applicants are not advised of this prior to their appointment at their local immigration office; and if she will provide an update on an application (details supplied). [10190/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

805. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1 of 27 February 2024, if it is now his position that the refurbishment grant for which he sought Cabinet approval will be provided to universities in order that they can purchase vacant properties on the market; if so, if they will apply through the vacant property refurbishment grant under the croí cónaithe towns fund as mentioned; when he will publish the criteria on how this will operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10616/24]

Tax Code

Mairéad Farrell

166. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the total cost of the seafarers' allowance in the years 2021 and 2022; the total number of recipients per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9759/24]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Mairéad Farrell

215. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Mairéad Farrell den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán i dtaobh Scéim Cothabhála na mBád Seoil a bhí á riaradh ag Údarás na Gaeltachta, cad é iomlán na ndeontas a bronnadh in aghaidh na bliana faoin scéim seo sa chúig bliana deireannacha a raibh sí á feidhmiú lena linn; an bhfuil measúnú déanta ar an éifeacht a bhí le deireadh a chur leis an scéim; agus an bhfuil machnamh déanta ar an scéim a athbhunú; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [9869/24]

Education and Training Boards

Mairéad Farrell

333. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a breakdown of the total number of craft apprentice education tutors in ETBs in the years 2022 and 2023, broken by craft apprenticeship type, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9760/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mairéad Farrell

83. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the situation with relation to her Department’s negotiations with the Irish Dental Council regarding payments for treatment benefit; if she is aware of dental practices increasing prices for patients availing of dental services through their PRSI benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9641/24]

Legislative Measures

Mairéad Farrell

87. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if she intends to introduce legislation to prohibit sex-for-rent exploitation in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9415/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

1. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the new student accommodation policy for which he sought Cabinet approval, if he can he provide details of the refurbishment grant which he had outlined. [9106/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

3. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science following on from his confirmation that his officials were examining the issue of 51-week leases for purpose-built student accommodation, if he can update on same. [9105/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

5. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he is taking to tackle the growing backlog of apprenticeship off the job training. [9107/24]

Education and Training Provision

Mairéad Farrell

18. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the dentistry school for Cork, for which the ground was broken, but has yet to be delivered. [9109/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

26. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work that has been carried out to fast track the delivery of the proposed new veterinary school. [9111/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

29. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work his Department has carried out to promote the new guidelines in relation to student digs accommodation. [9110/24]

Third Level Reform

Mairéad Farrell

34. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures he is taking to address the current shortcomings in the provision of mental health supports for third level institutions. [9112/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

43. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason some of the craft apprenticeship curriculum course syllabuses are almost 15 years old; and the steps he will take to modernise them. [9108/24]

Military Aircraft

Mairéad Farrell

55. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps taken to ensure that neither of two US military aircraft (details supplied) were on intelligence gathering missions, in contravention of Irish Government prohibitions, on 11, 12 and 15 February 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8768/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

81. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if it is the latent policy of the inland fisheries division to legitimise all anthropogenic freshwater fish introductions in County Galway (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8827/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

82. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if officials in the inland fisheries division are content to see a population of pacu, conserved in Garadice Lake and the Shannon-Erne Waterway under the Conservation of and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse Fish By-Law No. 806 of 2006 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8828/24]

Departmental Consultations

Mairéad Farrell

83. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason the appropriate assessment screening document was not made available to angling stakeholders during the four-week consultation period (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8829/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

84. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if officials in the inland fisheries division plan to conduct retrospective appropriate assessment screenings on the Conservation of and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse Fish By-Law No. 806 of 2006 and the Conservation of Pike By-Law No. 809 of 2006 for SAC/Natura 2000 waterbodies, when reviewing the said by-laws as per recent statements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8830/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

137. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 104 of 7 February and 220 of 20 February 2024, if he will identify those Irish-registered companies involved directly or indirectly in purpose-built student accommodation, for which the ISIF or a subsidiary thereof holds an equity stake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9334/24]

Tax Collection

Mairéad Farrell

144. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the number of contracts for service workers in RTÉ that have had tax deduced at source through PAYE by the Revenue Commissioners since 1980; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8837/24]

Tax Collection

Mairéad Farrell

145. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the validation process used by the Revenue Commissioners to validate written RTÉ contracts for employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8838/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

149. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 131 of 17 February 2021, the value of section 50 tax expenditures provided to purpose-built student accommodation in each of the years 2000 to 2010, and 2019 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9070/24]

Rental Sector

Mairéad Farrell

273. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide updated figures on the number of private rental inspections completed; the number of dwellings inspected not meeting regulatory requirements; the number of improvement letters, improvement notices, and prohibition notices issued; and the number of legal actions initiated by Galway City and County Councils in 2023. [8817/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

323. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that persons in receipt of disability allowance must share their boarding pass with her Department in order to avail of their 14 day holiday entitlement; the length of time this information is held by her Department; what the information included in these travel documents is used for by her Department; and the legislative basis for requesting this information. [9372/24]

Health Services

Mairéad Farrell

497. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the practices of the national gender service that consultants are concerned would be affected by a potential ban on conversion therapy, as referenced in a newspaper article (details supplied) in June 2023. [8744/24]

Health Services

Mairéad Farrell

498. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the reason the national gender service believes a conversion therapy ban would make it impossible to develop a children's service as referenced in a newspaper article (details supplied) in December 2023. [8745/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

635. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 581 of 7 February 2024, the breakdown, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8834/24]

Third Level Costs

Mairéad Farrell

643. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what financial supports are available for undergraduate students who study in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9235/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

646. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current rates of pay for all craft apprentices, by the different phases; the dates on which the rates were last increased, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9332/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

647. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the pay scales for craft apprentice education tutors under the current Public Service Pay Agreement; the pay scales under the previous agreement, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9333/24]

Work Permits

Mairéad Farrell

19. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the discrepancy in treatment of doctors who transitioned from stamp 1 permits to stamp 4 permits prior to the introduction of the stamp 1H permit, where those who have a stamp 1H permit can then get a two-year stamp 4 permit and those who previously had a stamp 1 permit must renew their stamp 4 permit on an annual basis; if she intends to address this discrepancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8151/24]

Work Permits

Mairéad Farrell

121. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if psychotherapists accredited by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy are considered under the medical professional occupation category for critical skills employment permits. [8437/24]

Departmental Schemes

Mairéad Farrell

34. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the situation whereby the SEAI will not disburse grants from its better homes scheme to holders of credit union accounts and if he has engaged with the SEAI in relation to same. [8120/24]

Local Authorities

Mairéad Farrell

99. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the revenue raised by each local authority from local property tax for 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8179/24]

Local Authorities

Mairéad Farrell

100. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 280 of 1 February 2024, when he expects the data for 2023 related to local authorities' income from commercial rates and income from the provision of goods and services to be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8185/24]

Middle East

Mairéad Farrell

122. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he believes further action from Ireland is warranted following attacks from Israel on civilians in Rafah; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7598/24]

Military Aircraft

Mairéad Farrell

124. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 136 of 13 February 2024, what steps were taken to ensure that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation, especially as no US military aircraft ever leaves its bases in the US or its foreign bases around the world unless it is on a military operation or on a military exercise, and that US soldiers travelling to war zones on these military aircraft are normally required to bring their personal weapons with them; and how he reconciles these DFA restrictions on military aircraft with the fact that successive Ministers for Transport since 2001 have been approving the transit of over three million US soldiers through Shannon Airport on civilian aircraft on contract to the US military and approving the fact that most of the US soldiers are carrying their personal automatic rifles with them on these aircraft. [7813/24]

Defence Forces

Mairéad Farrell

149. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in relation to the NATO Partnerships for Peace agreements and the attempt to increase Ireland’s Defence Forces interoperability with NATO standards and systems, if these agreements have any requirements for arms, equipment, systems or other infrastructure to be procured from manufacturers in NATO members states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7814/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

220. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 7 February 2024, the return on investment and internal rate of return for each investment in each year of its existence, compared to the ISIF's annual benchmark, that is, the average cost of Irish Government debt, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7815/24]

Land Issues

Mairéad Farrell

340. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the new practice with the land registry whereby if a change of deeds form is submitted incorrectly, when the form is returned to the solicitor the section which requires correcting is no longer identified, and thus slows down the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7484/24]

National Children's Hospital

Mairéad Farrell

519. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health for the cost to date of the State Solicitor’s Office’s expenditure on external legal and consultancy fees related to all litigation arising from the National Children’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8076/24]

Primary Care Services

Mairéad Farrell

600. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the current progress and planned delivery date for each of the primary care centres planned for Connemara; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7926/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

648. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 578 of 30 January 2024, when an answer can be expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7978/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

651. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 131 of 17 February 2021, the value of direct financial supports provided to purpose-built student accommodation providers in 2000 to 2010, and 2019 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8077/24]

Local Authorities

Mairéad Farrell

245. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how his Department supports local authorities to complete maintenance works on council-owned homes in a timely fashion. [7335/24]

Local Authorities

Mairéad Farrell

246. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of improvement letters, improvement notices and prohibition notices issued by Galway City Council and Galway County Council, respectively in 2023; and if he will provide additional resources to local authorities to ensure properties in private rental market meet minimum standards. [7336/24]

School Staff

Mairéad Farrell

173. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she plans to increase the grant paid to schools to provide for transport assistants who work on buses assisting those with profound mental/physical disabilities, as these workers have not had an increase since 2020, which was only 26 cents per hour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7089/24]

Sports Facilities

Mairéad Farrell

183. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the outcome of the preliminary report on the provision of a swimming pool in Loughrea, County Galway under the local authority swimming pool programme; the reason this project did not progress; if her Department's review of the large scale sport infrastructure fund has been completed; if a report of the review will be completed; if she intends to reopen the fund to provide for the development of public swimming pools in towns such as Loughrea; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6774/24]

Hospital Staff

Mairéad Farrell

328. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health considering that patients from University Hospital Galway (UHG) are being sent to Kingsbridge Hospital in the North for certain urology procedures as part of the national treatment purchase fund, and additional expenses related to travel and accommodation are incurred, if he has considered hiring an additional urologist for UHG as a cost saving measure. [7069/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

333. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the delivery of purpose built student accommodation for the technological universities, if he envisages a role for the Irish Strategic Investment Fund through Activate Capital, which has already part funded some other PBSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6802/24]

Military Aircraft

Mairéad Farrell

136. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a US Navy Hercules KC130T aircraft was allowed to land and refuel at Shannon Airport on two occasions recently (details supplied); the reason this aircraft was allowed to land and refuel at Shannon Airport in breach of international laws on neutrality; and if steps were taken to ensure that this aircraft was not transporting military materials to Israel in breach of the Government's duties under the Genocide Convention. [6105/24]

Student Travel Card

Mairéad Farrell

208. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport in relation to fines levied on students who fail to present their student travel card on bus and rail services, if the National Transport Authority provides an appeal mechanism where this can be waived if they can later show that they had simply forgotten the card; and if he would support such an initiative if one does not already exist. [6350/24]

National Asset Management Agency

Mairéad Farrell

238. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if NAMA keeps a record of all properties and sites that it has disposed of, and if this information is publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6516/24]

Pension Provisions

Mairéad Farrell

439. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible for an Irish citizen and resident, who previously lived in Australia and obtained Australian citizenship, to receive an Australian state pension; whether the procedure for applying to receive this must also involve her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6241/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

616. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that have been taken to combat the practice of compulsory lease lengths imposed on students by private student accommodation providers in Dublin and Cork including a company (details supplied). [6354/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

617. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how his Department will ensure the enforceability of the definition for student accommodation as provided for in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended by the Residential Tenancies Act 2019 (details supplied) for the purpose of ensuring that licence agreements and other measures designated for student specific accommodation is not used by providers that place their properties outside the scope of the said definition through imposing a lease length that is longer than the academic term. [6355/24]

Business Supports

Mairéad Farrell

48. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the increased cost of business scheme will be rolled out to businesses and how local authorities will be advertising the scheme. [5665/24]

Legislative Measures

Mairéad Farrell

261. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the recommendations contained in the report the 'human and financial cost of clinical negligence claims: the case for pre-action protocols’; the plans, if any, she has for tort reforms in the area of dental practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5999/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

42. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the review of two bye-laws (details supplied) will commence; if the Office of the Attorney General will participate in the review; the terms of reference for the review; the timeframe for the review to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5783/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

104. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 212 of 30 January 2024, if the initial information requested will be provided in the manner in which it was initially sought, in tabular form with the variables specified therein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5232/24]

Rental Sector

Mairéad Farrell

279. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is providing supports for older renters who are unable to retire due to the high cost of their rent, particularly those whose incomes put them over the threshold for social housing support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5498/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

290. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a series of matters in relation to the detrimental impact that invasive pike have on the freshwater pearl mussel's reproductive cycle by extirpating native juvenile salmonid populations (details supplied) will be examined and rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5782/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

581. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current numbers of apprentices awaiting off-the-job job training for phases 2, 4 and 6, broken down into the two categories of waiting 0-6 months and waiting more than six months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5133/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

592. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the fire safety procedures and policies by which university-owned student accommodation must abide; if this incudes fire extinguishers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5559/24]

Community Development Projects

Mairéad Farrell

602. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the grants that are currently available for women’s sheds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5640/24]

Road Network

Mairéad Farrell

47. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport how he intends to address regional imbalance in the quality of road infrastructure, particularly in the west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4582/24]

Bus Services

Mairéad Farrell

78. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if ongoing capacity issues with the No. 424 bus following the implementation of the new timetable have been brought to his attention; and if his Department is working with the National Transport Authority to address these issues. [4581/24]

Middle East

Mairéad Farrell

160. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he is taking to ensure that the order made by the ICJ to prevent genocide in Gaza is followed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4768/24]

Local Authorities

Mairéad Farrell

280. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the revenue raised by each local authority from local property tax, commercial rates and service charges, and the funding each received from the Exchequer by way of the Local Government Fund in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4769/24]

Derelict Sites

Mairéad Farrell

281. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of derelict sites and their total market value, by each local authority in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4770/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

282. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of craft apprentices currently working in each local authority, disaggregated by apprenticeship typology in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4771/24]