Parliamentary questions

Schools Amalgamation

Seán Canney

350. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the status of the amalgamation of two primary schools (details supplied); the stage it is at; when she expects work to start on the construction of the new school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2864/23]

Childcare Qualifications

Seán Canney

277. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his proposals for childcare professionals in their 50s who have a level 5 qualification with up to six years practical experience who now are required to obtain a level 6 qualification to remain in the service; if he will give recognition for years of service and allow progression to level 6 without having to undergo a third level degree course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2622/23]

Transport Policy

Seán Canney

222. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if there is any funding available to someone in receipt of social protection payments such as invalidity pension who wishes to buy an electric bike; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1129/23]

Driver Test

Seán Canney

241. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider an exemption for drivers who already have a driving licence from the need to be tested to tow a trailer with a vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1382/23]

Rail Network

Seán Canney

242. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport when the freight hub at Athenry train station, County Galway, will be developed under Irish Rail plans to increase rail freight services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1385/23]

Water Services

Seán Canney

466. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide funding for a municipal wastewater treatment plant for Corofin, County Galway to allow for the development of the village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63297/22]

School Staff

Seán Canney

674. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will consider changing the current regulations in order that teachers can transfer job location in an easier fashion (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63347/22]

Special Educational Needs

Seán Canney

682. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will support a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63406/22]

Special Educational Needs

Seán Canney

762. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if the case of a child (details supplied) will be examined and a second level place provided for them. [1381/23]

Disadvantaged Status

Seán Canney

773. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) will be included in the DEIS scheme due to the school demographic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1608/23]

Social Welfare Rates

Seán Canney

843. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will index link all social protection payments to meet the cost of living going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63283/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

852. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that a person (details supplied) who is in receipt of domiciliary care allowance and the carer’s support grant in respect of their son did not get the carer’s support grant of €500 as part of the recently announced budget supports given that they did receive the disability bonus payment due to their being in receipt of disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63423/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

918. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if participants on CE schemes and rural social schemes qualify for the €500 cost-of-living grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1938/23]

Legislative Process

Seán Canney

985. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the redress scheme will be open to applicants to apply for; the timeframe that the process is expected to take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1380/23]

Rights of People with Disabilities

Seán Canney

986. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the optional protocol will be enacted to give credibility to the adoption of the UNCRPD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1383/23]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

1249. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the provisions his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders in County Galway; the services available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current dental treatment services scheme will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63545/22]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

1250. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in County Galway which have ceased providing medical card services to persons with disabilities in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to adult persons with disabilities; the provisions in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63546/22]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

1251. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in County Galway which have ceased providing medical card services in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to medical card users; the provisions in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63547/22]

Ambulance Service

Seán Canney

1469. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the National Ambulance Service to put a second ambulance in place in Tuam, County Galway, on a full 24/7 basis to deal with the demand in Tuam and the catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1387/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Seán Canney

1472. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will make equipment and medications for sleep apnoea available on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1392/23]

Health Strategies

Seán Canney

1494. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the plan to create a population-based community neurorehabilitation team in CHO 2 or the associated new regional health area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1454/23]

Health Services Staff

Seán Canney

1519. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on recruiting a permanent consultant ophthalmologist post for County Galway who will provide a service at the Tuam primary care centre; the progress that has been made on the recruitment of clinical optometry staff for Galway; when the integrated primary care eye team for County Galway will be fully in place to address the current acute capacity issues in community ophthalmology in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1595/23]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Seán Canney

1528. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the assistance that is available to persons who are in receipt of social protection payments and who are paying for IVF treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1622/23]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

1545. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the supports that his Department will put in place to help parents and patients of a dental practice (details supplied) that has closed or have been left without a service and are unable to access another service; if he will request the Dental Council to provide assistance and advice on the way to claim back money paid for treatments that were not provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1693/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Seán Canney

1638. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who are waiting for pain management at University Hospital Galway; the length of time that they have been waiting; his plans to address the crisis in waiting times for pain management in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1940/23]

Grant Payments

Seán Canney

1760. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider overhauling the current grants regime in order that farmers can bank the money they receive year by year and not face recoupments going back up to five years in relation to money that is long spent; if his attention has been drawn to the stress that these recoupments are placing on farmers and the fact that changes to schemes can ensure that a farmer’s payments are withheld if they do not reach targets, as opposed to recouped over many years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63365/22]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1768. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that the areas of the Ballyboy, Cregaclare Turlough, Ballyboy, Ardrahan, County Galway, are excluded from the ACRES scheme given that they are areas of important ecological value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63472/22]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1827. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person who has been willed a farm holding as a sole beneficiary but probate has not yet been completed can participate in the ACRES scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1138/23]

Rural Schemes

Seán Canney

1919. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will increase the amount of funding available to local authorities for the streetscapes and shop fronts scheme to meet the demand the application process has identified and ensure all eligible businesses receive funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1688/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

3. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding that she envisages providing in 2023 for the local improvement scheme; if she intends to increase the level of funding to meet the demand for this very important scheme for rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63051/22]

Health Services

Seán Canney

364. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the services that are currently available to those diagnosed with foetal valproate spectrum disorder; the way that families can access these services within their communities following a diagnosis; the discussions that have taken place between the HSE and his Department to improve access to services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63062/22]

Community Development Projects

Seán Canney

411. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding that she has set aside for the community centre support scheme for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63052/22]

Bus Services

Seán Canney

212. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport when half-price fares will be operable on private buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61832/22]

Tax Code

Seán Canney

244. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty that the increase in benefit-in-kind tax is having on persons who require a car for work, who have no other option and for whom a car is a necessary tool for work; if he will reverse the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61929/22]

Water Services

Seán Canney

304. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the next round of the rural water programme will be published given that this programme is vital for extensions to local group water schemes and small sewerage schemes which are awaiting funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62013/22]

School Transport

Seán Canney

376. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on an application by a pupil (details supplied) for a special transport grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62208/22]

Forestry Sector

Seán Canney

671. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the compensation plans that his Department is putting in place to support farmers whose forest has been affected by ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61831/22]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

119. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will open applications for the ACRES in early 2023 to allow farmers who could not meet the 2022 application deadline to qualify for a payment in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61447/22]

Housing Schemes

Seán Canney

245. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will change the criteria for the Croí Cónaithe scheme to include houses which have a functioning septic tank built to the standards prevailing when the house was constructed. [61743/22]

School Transport

Seán Canney

134. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if he will extend the active travel scheme to include active travel measures to be carried out at schools located in rural areas which do not have a reduced speed limit but would benefit enormously if they could qualify for the scheme. [60189/22]

Driver Licences

Seán Canney

152. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport the licence that is required in order to drive an e-bike on public roads; the training that will be required prior to obtaining a licence; the speed restrictions and age restrictions, if any, that will apply for e-bikes to be used on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60668/22]

Wastewater Treatment

Seán Canney

226. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide funding for a municipal wastewater treatment plant for Abbeyknockmoy, County Galway to allow the proper development of the village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60446/22]

Housing Schemes

Seán Canney

238. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will change the criteria for the croí cónaithe scheme to include houses which have a functioning septic tank built to the standards prevailing when the house was constructed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60635/22]

Community Care

Seán Canney

654. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when a community neuro-rehabilitation team will be established for CHO2 given a team was promised to every CHO area but only two of nine have being delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60768/22]

Technological Universities

Seán Canney

91. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that is being made on the delivery of the new STEM building for the Galway Campus of the Atlantic Technology University; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60119/22]

Road Safety

Seán Canney

176. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport the current status of a Safe Routes to School Programme 2021 for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59908/22]

Public Services Card

Seán Canney

265. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the options that are available to a person who cannot go into an Intreo centre to get a public services card due to severe social anxiety; if this person will be allowed to get a photo in a pharmacy similar to a passport application or if there is any other avenue available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59897/22]

Education and Training Provision

Seán Canney

307. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the creation of a new further education and training college in Galway to consolidate the provision by the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board of education in the city and to enable the Board to deliver on the national Further Education and Training Strategy and on his Department's policy mission to develop Ireland's further and higher education and research and innovation system to ensure that they are capable of meeting the diverse needs of all; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60120/22]

Third Level Fees

Seán Canney

308. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that part-time students are excluded from the reduction in student fees outlined in Budget 2023; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many students are trying to progress their careers in difficult circumstances by pursuing part-time education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60121/22]

Community Employment Schemes

Seán Canney

69. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection when the agreed gratuity payments will be paid to CE supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53771/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Canney

111. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the €500 once-off payment to people with a disability to include disabled persons who have transferred to other State pension due to them reaching the pension age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53773/22]

School Meals Programme

Seán Canney

114. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to increase the funding for the school meals programme to take into account the increase in the costs of providing the meals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53775/22]

Community Employment Schemes

Seán Canney

119. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if participants on CE schemes with a disability will be included in the €500 top-up for people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53772/22]

Social Welfare Rates

Seán Canney

132. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the rural social scheme top-up of €5 announced in Budget 2023 to €20 to keep pace with current inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53774/22]

Schools Building Projects

Seán Canney

350. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the status of progress of a new school (details supplied) for Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58874/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

442. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who has been living alone in Ireland for 19 years and who is in receipt of €215 per week in workman’s compensation from the United States of America can receive the living alone allowance and fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59350/22]

Agriculture Supports

Seán Canney

782. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of entitlements in the national reserve for young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59106/22]

Renewable Energy Generation

Seán Canney

179. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the percentage of the country’s electricity that he envisages solar panels could provide; when this can be achieved; if he will consider fully grant aiding the provision of solar panels to increase the country’s security of electricity supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57540/22]

Environmental Schemes

Seán Canney

191. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason that persons who are on invalidity pension are not included as eligible to benefit from the SEAI warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57895/22]

Departmental Programmes

Seán Canney

225. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport the current status of a safe routes to school programme 2021 for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57961/22]

Legislative Measures

Seán Canney

302. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the recent provisions in the Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022 as passed by Dáil Éireann on 24 July 2022, will be enacted (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57868/22]

Departmental Funding

Seán Canney

430. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to reports that CE supervisors currently receive a pay rate of €11.01 per hour, which is lower than that received by CE scheme participants (details supplied); if she will provide more funding for the pay of CE supervisors to their employing groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57473/22]

Departmental Funding

Seán Canney

431. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to reports that RSS and Tús scheme supervisors currently receive a pay rate of €11.01 per hour, which is lower than that received by scheme participants (details supplied); if she will provide more funding for the pay of RSS and Tús supervisors to their employing groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57474/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Canney

460. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that a person (details supplied) is not in receipt of the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57878/22]

Education and Training Boards

Seán Canney

516. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the creation of a new further education and training college in Galway to consolidate the provision by the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board of education in the city and to enable the board to deliver on the national Further Education and Training Strategy and on his Department’s policy mission to develop Ireland’s further and higher education and research and innovation system to ensure they are capable of meeting the diverse needs of all; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57841/22]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

701. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the progress that is being made in relation to resolving the current impasse with dentists providing services to the HSE, as many patients across the country are unable to access services due to the current dispute, which is causing great hardship to persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57956/22]

Departmental Reviews

Seán Canney

704. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to address the failure in leadership and management, the failure to tell the whole truth, the false reassurance and attempts to play down the seriousness of the Cervical Check debacle as highlighted in the Government Cervical Check State apology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57975/22]

Probation and Welfare Service

Seán Canney

792. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider changing the criterial for the ACRES scheme to allow flock keepers to make applications as many farms throughout the country are going through probate following the death of a herd owner and these families risk losing out on the ACRES scheme as they are herd keepers as opposed to herd owners while legal matters are being dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57893/22]

Animal Diseases

Seán Canney

793. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will change the current regime to ensure that scans are accepted as proof of a cow being in-calf in cases of TB outbreaks as farmers risk losing significant sums of money if a post-mortem examination fails to pick up on the fact that a cow was in the early stages of being in-calf; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57894/22]

Sports Funding

Seán Canney

166. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will support a matter (details supplied). [57194/22]

School Attendance

Seán Canney

236. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will support a matter (details supplied). [57196/22]

National Car Test

Seán Canney

168. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to reports that NCT tests are now being conducted by non-qualified workers; his views that this should revert to the previous situation whereby only qualified mechanics were employed as testers; if he will introduce appropriate legislation to ensure that all NCT inspectors are fully trained and certified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56057/22]

Taxi Regulations

Seán Canney

169. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider waiving the requirement for taxis to be less than ten years old due to the ongoing disruption in the supply chain for new cars, and the unnecessary expense that this is placing on taxi drivers, who are already facing increased business costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56110/22]

Post Office Network

Seán Canney

202. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance the steps being taken to create a community banking system within the post office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56309/22]

Flood Risk Management

Seán Canney

220. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress that has been made on the creation of a single authority to control the flow of water in the River Shannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56097/22]

Flood Risk Management

Seán Canney

221. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the work that has been undertaken to reduce the level of water in the three main lakes on the River Shannon to prevent winter flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56098/22]

Flood Risk Management

Seán Canney

222. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress that has been made on the removal of pinch points in the Shannon callows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56099/22]

Flood Risk Management

Seán Canney

223. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the involvement that the OPW has had with ESB, Waterways Ireland and the various local authorities along the river Shannon to prevent winter flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56100/22]

Social Welfare Code

Seán Canney

372. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider raising the number of hours that a carer in receipt of carer's allowance can work from 18.5 hours to 20 hours to recognise the valuable role family carers play in keeping people safe and well in their own homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56153/22]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

603. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department intends to remove the dribble bar as a suitable mechanism for low-emissions slurry spreading from the TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56180/22]

Agriculture Industry

Seán Canney

604. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he can provide an assurance that if farmers purchase a dribble bar for low-emissions slurry spreading, that this will continue to be an acceptable practice into the future, given that many farmers are fearful of making the necessary investment only to find that the rules change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56181/22]

Agriculture Supports

Seán Canney

605. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports he will put in place for sheep farmers in view of the fact they have missed out on the fodder scheme and that the sheep welfare scheme has not provided any additional money in budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56182/22]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

334. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider extending the deadline for the ACRES past the current deadline of 21 November 2022 for a further four weeks to allow farmers and agri-planners to arrange the necessary on-farm inspections in advance of applications being made, given many farmers will be locked out of the scheme otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56026/22]

Inshore Fisheries

Seán Canney

114. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the tourist angling measure funding for the Clare river system has delivered the 37 galvanised metal stream crossings and angling stands which were to be installed; if the funding was drawn down by Inland Fisheries Ireland from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54522/22]

Rented Dwellings Register

Seán Canney

363. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there will be a rebate for landlords who registered their property with the Residential Tenancies Board in 2021 and paid €90 and who now have to re-register the property in 2022 and pay another €40; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54369/22]

Rental Sector

Seán Canney

364. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm that tenants who fail to pay their HAP payment can be evicted from their tenancy during the eviction ban period as proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54374/22]

Defective Building Materials

Seán Canney

369. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage with insurance companies and the Fire Service to delay any evacuations from an apartment block (details supplied) pending the introduction of a support scheme by his Department and the procurement of remedial works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54447/22]

Departmental Funding

Seán Canney

551. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will extend the recently announced decision to provide funding to a cohort of final-year psychology students in named colleges by contributing towards fees and expenses to second-year students, or to clarify whether NEPS will sponsor a cohort of trainees in the following academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54485/22]

Cost of Living Issues

Seán Canney

700. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has plans to introduce targeted measures to improve the circumstances of one-parent families in 2023, given that there were no targeted measures for these families in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55139/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

701. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to increase the living alone allowance to one-parent families in receipt of fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55140/22]

Departmental Reviews

Seán Canney

702. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Child Maintenance Review Group Report will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55141/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

703. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will amend social protection legislation to allow persons in receipt of farm assist payments to receive the household benefits package, given that low-income farm families are among those struggling with increasing energy costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55166/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Canney

721. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that bonus payments are not being paid to persons in receipt of illness benefit; her views on whether this is permitted and if it is punishing ill persons who were formerly working; if she plans to introduce a mechanism whereby persons on illness benefit who have low means can apply for the bonus payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55498/22]

Child Poverty

Seán Canney

740. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to develop a new National Child Poverty Plan with a dedicated unit to ensure an integrated and cross-governmental approach to address high levels of poverty in households headed by one parent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55142/22]

Third Level Fees

Seán Canney

811. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that the reduction in the student contribution of €1,000 is not extended to students who have changed college course and are deemed to be repeating first year even though it is a different course; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty that this is causing for a great number of families where a student has changed courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54439/22]

Health Service Executive

Seán Canney

977. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied). [54445/22]

Primary Care Services

Seán Canney

978. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of claims for reimbursement which were made under the primary care reimbursement scheme for termination of pregnancy in each of the years 2019 and 2020. [54446/22]

Nursing Homes

Seán Canney

993. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the additional supports that will be put in place to help private nursing homes by way of an increase in the fee payable under the fair deal scheme to achieve pay equalisation with HSE nursing homes to ensure the sustainability of the private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54484/22]

Healthcare Policy

Seán Canney

1152. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the input that midwives, clinicians and women’s health advocates had in framing the HSE recommendation to limit home births to women who live within 30 minutes of a maternity hospital; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this recommendation restricts options for women and families in rural areas around one of the most important life events; and his views that this recommendation is contrary to the National Maternity Strategy’s priority to ensure that ‘women have access to safe, high quality, nationally consistent, woman-centred maternity care'. [55124/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Seán Canney

1154. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when agency nurses will receive their Covid payment, given that eight months have now passed since the payment was announced and three months have passed since HSE nurses were paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55127/22]