Parliamentary questions

Early Childhood Care and Education

Seán Canney

453. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will increase the ECCE capitation grant to childcare providers to meet the additional cost of providing the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5440/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Seán Canney

593. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the different rates of pay given by SOLAS to apprentices who are undertaking the same off-the-job training programme, will get the same qualification and do the same work; if he will address the pay difference paid by SOLAS to electrical apprentices in the engineering industry and electrical industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5602/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Seán Canney

115. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that householders who install solar panels on their home will not be liable for any tax for the green electricity fed to the grid from the solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2961/24]

National Car Test

Seán Canney

182. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport the reason new checks for check straps on door hinges have been added to the checklist for the NCT; what the rationale is for this, as it does not impinge on the mechanical ability of the car; if he is aware of the additional expense that this is placing on motorists; if there is any analysis of the effect on consumers conducted before such checks are added to an already onerous system; if consumers have any voice in this process or who represents them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3652/24]

School Staff

Seán Canney

264. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education her views on the awarding of incremental credits for teachers for prior work in a related field; if she believes that the current system is overly restrictive; if she believes that the Appeals Committee established under section 6C of the scheme for the Award of Incremental Credits should have to issue comprehensive judgements following an appeal; if she would consider establishing an independent appeals process for this matter; if such appeals can be appealed to the Ombudsman; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3763/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Canney

379. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the review process by which carers are having their carers allowance reviewed and the invasive nature of the information being requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4092/24]

Energy Policy

Seán Canney

106. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he intends to ban the use of sulphur hexafluoride in wind turbines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2964/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Seán Canney

128. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider putting a stay on on-shore windfarms in line with the UK decision as they are causing much concern for communities in which they are being planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3056/24]

Energy Conservation

Seán Canney

133. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide more resources to ensure that the warmer homes scheme is delivered in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2962/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Seán Canney

137. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timeline he has set for legislation and regulations to be enacted to allow off-shore wind energy projects to be installed off the coast of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2963/24]

Road Projects

Seán Canney

195. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport what progress is being made to build a by-pass of Claregalway village, County Galway to ease traffic congestion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3568/24]

Active Travel

Seán Canney

199. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if he will instruct the NTA to support active travel projects in rural towns and villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3587/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Seán Canney

281. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if the credit scheme for electricity users will also cover consumers who have a credit built up on their account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3563/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Canney

373. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection what percentage of people on partial capacity benefit are in receipt of the benefit at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2351/24]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

524. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the lack of services available in the CDNT7 area in 2024 due to the shortage of staff and specialists; to provide a schedule of the staff in place and a schedule of the staff levels required to run the level properly; when the full complement of staff will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2703/24]

Visa Agreements

Seán Canney

256. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice if Colombian citizens can visit Ireland without a visa; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2255/24]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

63. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the solar PV scheme for schools will be amended to include free-standing solar structures as well as roof-top structures, given many schools could benefit from a dual-function structure as part of their solar PV deployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56341/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

67. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will extend the schools PV solar panel support scheme to include panels installed on secondary structures where the existing roof is not suitable to take panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56525/23]

Tax Code

Seán Canney

309. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if he will amend the rules regarding the imposition of the residential zoned land tax on land used for active farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56438/23]

School Accommodation

Seán Canney

516. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if her Department will provide funding for additional accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56878/23]

Schools Building Projects

Seán Canney

532. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education for an update on the development of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57170/23]

School Funding

Seán Canney

676. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she accepts that the STEM funding for schools was not allocated according to published specific criteria, and that the use of a lottery system was disrespectful to schools that made a serious application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1736/24]

School Staff

Seán Canney

683. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 7 December 2023, when arrears in pay will be made to secretaries who are now retired, given payment has not issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1929/24]

Broadcasting Sector

Seán Canney

695. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will ensure that the two funding schemes to support local radio stations will be in place in early 2023 to ensure local radio stations can prepare to implement the local democracy reporting scheme and the court reporting scheme in a timely fashion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56557/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

741. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the review of the housing adaptation grants, housing aid for older people grants and mobility aids grants will be complete; if the income thresholds will be increased; if the level of funding for works will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56506/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Seán Canney

860. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal by a person (details supplied) will be supported. [56435/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

903. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons who were born before 1 September 1946 cannot avail of home caring periods in terms of their pension; if she believes that this is discriminatory on the grounds of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57122/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1169. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is mandatory for organic farmers to register with organisations (details supplied) in order to qualify for grant payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56437/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1194. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider issuing an interim payment to farmers who have qualified for ACRES in light of the delays with the overall payments to help alleviate the financial burden on farmers at this time of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56524/23]

Beef Sector

Seán Canney

1221. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a compensation package for farmers whose animals have been devalued as a consequence of the change in star ratings as introduced by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56954/23]

Beef Sector

Seán Canney

1222. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will suspend the introduction of the changes introduced by an organisation (details supplied) to star ratings to allow for a full evaluation of the losses that some farmers will endure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56955/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1224. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the list of eligible measures under TAMS to include new agtech equipment and innovations which can improve animal health and welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56980/23]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

1319. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to support a matter (details supplied). [56433/23]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

1320. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to support a matter (details supplied). [56434/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

1747. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if a person on the drugs payment scheme gets two sets of 28-day medication in the one calendar month, if they are obliged to the pay the €80 a second time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1662/24]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

72. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the lack of services available in children's disability network team, CDNT, 7 area due to the shortage of staff and specialists; to provide a schedule of the staff in place and a schedule of the staff levels required to run the level properly; when the full complement of staff will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54562/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Seán Canney

76. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the DNA testing to family members who are cousins to identify remains at the mother and baby home in Tuam as a result of advancements in the science of DNA testing since the Bill was enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54569/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Seán Canney

81. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will allow for the redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes to be extended to include survivors who spent less time in a home than the current threshold of six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54568/23]

Childcare Services

Seán Canney

112. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that the reporting mechanism being requested by his Department from childcare providers is not workable and is creating unnecessary paperwork and cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54570/23]

International Protection

Seán Canney

130. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Ukrainian refugees who are now in the State; the projected number of refugees from Ukraine expected to come to the State over the next 12 months; the plans that are in place to deal with the additional people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54571/23]

International Protection

Seán Canney

131. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans that are in place to provide accommodation for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54572/23]

International Protection

Seán Canney

385. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice the number of asylum seekers who are now in the State; the projected number of asylum seekers expected to come to the State over the next 12 months [54572/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Seán Canney

78. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he intends to continue the long-standing and well-established pay-pension parity link which retired gardaí share with serving colleagues in An Garda Síochána (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55752/23]

Agriculture Industry

Seán Canney

598. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what supports are available to co-operative marts which have to upgrade infrastructure to meet health and safety standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54462/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

601. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he would reconsider the treatment of established woodland under the ACRES scheme, as currently farmers who have extensive parts of their land under established woodland are not getting sufficient benefit for this environmental benefit from the ACRES scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54589/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

602. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider establishing a scheme to maintain woodland due to the environmental benefits which will accrue, while recognising that this is a long-term project with no financial return for an individual landowner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54590/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

610. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if late applications will be accepted to the unharvested crop scheme in exceptional force majeure circumstances as a number of farmers who have suffered significant losses lost out on applying for the scheme due to the short duration during which applications were open and this has taken a significant toll on their physical, mental and financial health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54742/23]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

730. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if the dispute between his Department and dentists has been resolved in order to allow persons with medical cards to access free dental care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54486/23]

School Staff

Seán Canney

194. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when arrears in school secretaries pay will be paid to people who are now retired; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54259/23]

School Accommodation

Seán Canney

199. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the status of the approval process for additional school accommodation and toilets which is awaiting financial review to allow the works to proceed at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54305/23]