Parliamentary questions

Coastal Erosion

Brendan Howlin

165. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 161 of 18 April 2024, and in view of the timelines set out by him for the development of an appropriate coastal and flooding protection scheme for Rosslare, County Wexford, if he will ensure that progress of this scheme is accelerated, having regard to the impact of climate change on the coastline at this location; if he will arrange to have interim measures put in place to protect the coastline until the major scheme is developed. [18588/24]

Dental Services

Brendan Howlin

300. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists that will be trained in Ireland in 2024; the capacity of the existing schools of dentistry; his views on whether the number of dentists currently being trained is sufficient to meet the future needs of a growing Irish population; if he supports the building of a new school of dentistry and dental hospital in University College Cork; the discussions he has had with the Minister for Higher and Further Education in relation to the future provision and training of dentists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18484/24]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Howlin

329. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress to date of the strategic taskforce on general practice; when he expects the taskforce to publish its conclusions; to set out the groups and individuals contacted to date in the work of the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18604/24]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Howlin

330. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health to set out the number of single-person GP practices, by county, registered with the GMS; the number of two-person GP practices, by county, registered with the GMS; the number of larger GP practices, by county, registered with the GMS, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18605/24]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Howlin

331. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if there is a central register of locum GPs available for general practice in the State; the number of locum GPs paid from the GMS in 2023; if he is satisfied that there is adequate locum GP cover available to meet requirements in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18606/24]

Coastal Erosion

Brendan Howlin

161. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if funding will be allocated in 2024 to address the ongoing serious coast erosion in Rosslare, County Wexford, and other coastal areas of the county; his plans to protect the coastline in these areas and the total funding allocated to this task; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17154/24]

Special Educational Needs

Brendan Howlin

181. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education the reasons the application of a school (details supplied) in County Wexford for an increase in special education teaching hours has been denied; if the needs of pupils in this school, contained in a 34-page document submitted to the National Council for Special Education, were fully considered; the reasons the case made failed to meet the criteria for additional SET hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17104/24]

Family Reunification

Brendan Howlin

246. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if she has reviewed the requirements for family reunification and the granting of stamp 1G visas for spouses and-or dependants of eligible permit holders employed as healthcare assistants in the health service; if she is aware that the refusal of permission to have close family members join such workers in Ireland is having an impact on the recruitment and retention of healthcare assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17126/24]

Rail Network

Brendan Howlin

255. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport his views on the proposal by the National Transport Authority to terminate the Wexford to Dublin Intercity rail link in either Greystones or Wicklow town and to require passengers to disembark there to access commuter DART services; if he accepts that this substantial down grading of a main intercity link is totally unacceptable, if he will contact the NTA and Irish Rail on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15282/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Howlin

774. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlements to illness benefit for a person (details supplied); if their situation was addressed in the post-Brexit settlement between Ireland and the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14436/24]

Mental Health Services

Brendan Howlin

1209. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will set out the current waiting list for service assessment for CAMHS services in County Wexford; the number of children and adolescents currently receiving services from CAMHS in the county; the number of professionals set out by professional discipline currently working in CAMHS services in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13600/24]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

2. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the specific projects that are being undertaken by Ireland under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, including Permanent Structured Cooperation, PESCO; his plans for future projects under this programme and the Individually Tailored Partnership Programme, ITPP, through NATO’s Partnership for Peace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12256/24]

Naval Service

Brendan Howlin

29. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the optimum number and type of naval vessels for the Naval Service; when he expects the Naval Service to acquire a multi-role vessel to replace the L.E. Éithne; the progress made in ensuring that double crews are available for all vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9156/24]

Military Aircraft

Brendan Howlin

38. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the optimum number and type of aircraft for the Air Corps; his plans to acquire new aircraft; the timelines for their delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9411/24]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

46. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress made to date on the acquisition of a primary radar system for Ireland; when he expects such a system to be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9155/24]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

62. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress made on the recommendation of the Commission on the Defence Forces to significantly strengthen the military intelligence and cyber defence capabilities of the Defence Forces and the creation of a joint cyber defence command; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9157/24]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

134. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the specific equipment for the Army, Naval Service and Aer Corps that he expects to acquire in 2024; the specific capital allocated to each acquisition in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12275/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Brendan Howlin

1508. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange for an early assessment for ADHD and ASD for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13050/24]

Human Rights

Brendan Howlin

2. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he supports the call of the UN Secretary General for an independent investigation into the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians as they sought aid in Gaza; the action he has taken to avoid mass starvation in Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11215/24]

United Nations

Brendan Howlin

132. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will set out his views on the escalating security crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the reason for the withdrawal after a 25-year presence of UN Peacekeepers, MONUSCO, from the DRC; if adequate protection will remain in place for the civilian population of the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11214/24]