Parliamentary questions

School Meals Programme

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

9. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has measured the progress and success of the school meals programme in the context of diet, attendance and educational attainment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18078/24]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

40. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on the provision of refuge spaces to underserved areas under the zero tolerance strategy. [17546/24]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

41. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on the provision of a women’s refuge in County Carlow. [17545/24]

Public Sector Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

64. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when he will be bringing forward legislation to increase the mandatory retirement age for certain public sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17648/24]

Rail Network

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

166. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the nature of refurbishment works carried out at Kilkenny and Carlow train stations in the years 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; the future refurbishment works that are scheduled to take place at these stations over the next 18 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17619/24]

National Car Test

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

167. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the estimated full-year cost to recruit an additional 25 NCT testers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17620/24]

Driver Test

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

168. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the estimated full-year cost to recruit an additional 25 driving testers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17621/24]

Public Sector Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

219. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the steps being taken to ensure those suffering from long-Covid are not penalised in the public sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17918/24]

Special Educational Needs

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

256. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education when a child (details supplied) will receive the support they need in an educational setting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17323/24]

Sports Funding

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

338. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the expected date of the sports capital funding announcements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17616/24]

Social Welfare Fraud

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

409. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons prosecuted for social welfare fraud in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17626/24]

Social Welfare Rates

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

410. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer to increase child benefit by €10 per child in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17627/24]

Prison Service

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

437. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the estimated full-year cost if an extra 185 prison officers were recruited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17615/24]

Alcohol Sales

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

438. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the number of inspections Gardaí within the Carlow-Kilkenny division carried out on pubs, clubs and so on, to ensure full compliance with liquor licensing regulation in 2023 and to date in 2024; the percentage of premises that were found in breach of legislation in each of the years in question, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17617/24]

Disability Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

546. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the adult and children overnight services that are currently operating in counties Carlow and Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17618/24]

Hospital Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

614. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant respiratory medicine and respiratory medicine registrars based at Beaumont Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17622/24]

Departmental Data

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

615. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients aged 40 years and younger diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17623/24]

Hospital Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

616. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant paediatric ENT surgeons working in the public health service; his plans to expand this number; the international recommended best practice ratio for paediatric ENT surgeons to population and current ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17624/24]

Hospital Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

617. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant plastic surgeons based at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17625/24]

Business Supports

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

89. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford that have registered to date for the increased cost of business, ICOB, grant; when payments under the grant will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16879/24]

Regional Development

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

90. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the implementation of the south-east regional enterprise plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16880/24]

Grant Payments

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

59. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education for an update on the minor works grant; when she expects this to be paid this year for schools in Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16156/24]

Schools Building Projects

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

111. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on school building projects in Carlow; how many new schools are in planning stage; how many new school builds have started; how many have yet to be tendered for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16157/24]

Tax Code

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

230. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance if he will cancel the increases in excise duty on petrol and diesel scheduled for August and October of this year, given the cost-of-living pressures facing households, and their impact on trade for businesses and road users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16602/24]

Currency Circulation

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

231. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance if establishments and organisations are entitled to refuse to take cash; if there are steps being taken to ensure consumers can continue to use cash in transactions; if there are plans to put such an entitlement to use cash on a statutory basis; how his Department proposes to protect the role of cash in the Irish society and economy in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16603/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

232. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance the changes that are being considered to the debt warehousing scheme to support private businesses availing of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16605/24]

State Bodies

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

264. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits hosted by the IDA in County Carlow in 2023 and for the first two months of 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16606/24]

Special Educational Needs

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

352. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the number of schools in County Carlow which have applied for ASD units; the number which were successful; the reasons for which those that were not successful; the timeline on delivery of the units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16612/24]

Sports Events

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

381. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an update on a meeting she had with an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16600/24]

Housing Schemes

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

404. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend the social housing retrofitting programme to Approved Housing Bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16607/24]

Defective Building Materials

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

405. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants who have applied for the defective concrete block scheme grant in Carlow; when he expects the first grants to be issued to those applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16608/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

485. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the free travel pass is only assigned to those in receipt of the carer’s allowance and cannot be assigned to both the recipient of the carer’s allowance and the other parent or guardian, where the second parent or guardian can prove they contribute to the care of the child whose care needs gives rise to the eligibility for the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16609/24]

Hospital Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

742. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of staff at St Luke’s, Kilkenny paediatric diabetes clinic; if his Department is aware that all new insulin pumps have been put on hold as they no longer have the staff to facilitate training and after care; to provide an estimated timeline on the recruitment of new staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16601/24]

Health Services Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

743. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the team in Caredoc is the only national team not to have received the building momentum pay rises and 37.5-hour week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16613/24]

Housing Provision

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

31. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for the delivery of affordable housing in Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15703/24]

Housing Provision

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

56. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on social housing delivery in Carlow in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15702/24]

Parking Provision

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

199. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the supports his Department is giving to Irish Rail to provide ample car parking in Carlow town at the Carlow train station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14105/24]

Schools Refurbishment

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

439. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the status of a school application for works funding (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14099/24]

Schools Refurbishment

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

440. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the status of a school application for works funding (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14100/24]

School Management

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

547. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if she will outline her Department's policy in respect of the management of a student who has been allowed to withdraw from a curricular subject; if such a student should be accommodated within the school by way of free/study period, placement in an alternative class, or if the student should be required by the school to remove themselves from the school environs during the period of the class from which the student has withdrawn, all in circumstances where no disciplinary or other problems arise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15292/24]

Sports Funding

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

562. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the sports capital funding allocations will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14108/24]

Sport and Recreational Development

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

563. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the support her Department is providing for the proposed water hub in Carlow (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14113/24]

Septic Tanks

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

628. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many septic tanks have been inspected in Carlow to date, in tabular form, annually since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14106/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

629. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the consideration he has given to extending the retirement age for retained firefighters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14107/24]

Office of Public Works

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

692. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are any plans to assist a service in supplying a support (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15037/24]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

851. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the Carlow women's refuge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14096/24]

An Garda Síochána

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

852. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice an update on the refurbishment of Leighlinbridge Garda Station; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14097/24]

Closed-Circuit Television Systems

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

890. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the community-based CCTV system; if there are plans to announce how local authorities can apply for funding to operate community-based CCTV systems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14572/24]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

891. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice what discussion her Department has had with the HSE and Carlow County Council and the Minister for Health regarding the provision of a building or a site for a women's refuge in Carlow; if the provision of a safe house has been secured in an interim measure; if her Department is aware of how many safe houses are available in Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14609/24]

Health Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

1094. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of funding to support community-based service providers in the provision of health services across the country for a service in County Carlow (details supplied). [14055/24]