Parliamentary questions

Public Transport

Darren O'Rourke

59. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the 103 Bus Éireann bus service; its performance standard and plans to improve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22082/24]

Bus Services

Darren O'Rourke

88. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the 109 Bus Éireann bus service; its performance standard and plans to improve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22081/24]

Antisocial Behaviour

Darren O'Rourke

120. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on antisocial behaviour on public transport; his Department's work to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17702/24]

School Accommodation

Darren O'Rourke

39. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education for an update on the lease agreement in place for temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied); when the lease is due to expire; if plans are in place to extend the lease if necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21994/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Darren O'Rourke

67. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is further leave to appeal after a section 317 appeal within her Department or elsewhere; if appellants are entitled to an oral hearing to challenge a section 317 appeal refusal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21993/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

50. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of heat pumps installed to date relative to the 2030 target of 400,000; the challenges he has identified with heat pump installation; his plans to address these; if alternative technologies are being considered; if he is aware of the high number of calls made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SVP, regarding to high electricity bills associated with heat pump use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21896/24]

Electricity Generation

Darren O'Rourke

51. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total electricity generation capacity that has been energised since February 2020, broken down by fuel source and year; what percentage of Ireland’s electricity was imported in each of the years since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21897/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Darren O'Rourke

53. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures he is taking to address surplus renewable energy that is wasted; if he plans to introduce measures to redirect surplus energy to energy-poor households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21493/24]

Recycling Policy

Darren O'Rourke

60. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of ongoing concerns with the roll-out and operation of the deposit-return scheme; the measures he is taking to address these concerns; if he will report on Ireland’s experience thus far when compared with other EU states based on data he received (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21492/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

67. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on heat pump installations in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 as part of the national retrofitting plan; how this compares to the targets set for the same period; what percentage of the 2030 target have been installed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21495/24]

Energy Policy

Darren O'Rourke

78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update on the national biomethane strategy; when he expects this will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21496/24]

Grant Payments

Darren O'Rourke

120. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the reason a person (details supplied) did not qualify for a home heating upgrade as part of the SEAI's warmer homer scheme despite being an eligible applicant and having a suitable household; if there is sufficient scope to appeal the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21406/24]

Departmental Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

127. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applications received under the warmer homes scheme since its announcement; the number of homes completed in the country; the number of applications received in County Meath, by year, since 2020, in tabular form; the number of homes that have been completed under the scheme in Meath, by year, since 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21627/24]

Departmental Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

128. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applications waiting to be approved under the warmer homes scheme; the current average wait time for applications; the number of approvals, per month, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; the number of approvals, per year, since 2020, in tabular form; the average cost, per grant, per year, since 2020, in tabular form; the efforts that are being made to reduce the wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21628/24]

Tax Code

Darren O'Rourke

234. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance if there are plans to change the way VAT is applied to licenced taxi vehicles that are rented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21349/24]

Departmental Data

Darren O'Rourke

260. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current list of designated services of economic interest nationally as reported to the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21199/24]

Disability Services

Darren O'Rourke

510. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the existing staff, by grade, in the four CDNTs serving County Meath; the existing staff vacancies, by grade, in the same area; the number of children accessing services and on waiting lists; his plans to address staff vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21267/24]

Rural Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

33. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline, in relation to the local improvement scheme, the amount of funding available for County Meath under the scheme; the initiatives taking place in County Meath; if she plans to increase funding available to County Meath under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20810/24]

Departmental Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

46. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline, in relation to internships, apprenticeships and graduate schemes run by her Department, the places that are available in County Meath; the number filled in County Meath; if there are plans to increase same; the length of any waiting list for places in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20811/24]

Climate Change Policy

Darren O'Rourke

76. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to report on the measures/initiatives his Department is taking to support less-developed countries with climate change mitigation and adaptation; the progress that has been made to scale up climate financing through existing channels; the new funding initiatives planned and/or underway; the plans to enhance reporting on the gender responsiveness of Ireland's climate financing; if official 2023 figures have been submitted to the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20812/24]