Parliamentary questions

Business Supports

Louise O'Reilly

169. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses, broken down by every local authority area in the State, that have registered for the increased cost of business grant to date. [18587/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

49. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he supports or opposes the changes to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive which reduces the number of companies covered under the Directive to companies with more than 1,000 employees and €450 million annual turnover. [18153/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

50. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, if he supports the lengthy approach to transposition of the Directive which would delay the provision in the Directive; if not, if he will commit to ensuring that cross-departmental work is initiated as soon as possible to transpose the directive into Irish law as quickly as possible. [18154/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

51. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will commit to supporting the value chain definition based on the internationally agreed standards (UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for MNCs) and work to ensure that serious downstream human rights impacts are not excluded when it comes to transposing the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive into Irish law. [18155/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

52. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he supports the agreed compromise in relation to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive which excludes the financial sector from carrying out due diligence on its clients; and if not, the steps is he willing to take to rectify this domestically. [18156/24]

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Louise O'Reilly

169. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if a regulatory impact assessment was carried out before he signed S.I. No. 703 of 2022 implementing Article 7.3 of Directive 2014/94/EU; if so, if a copy of the assessment will be provided; and if not, the reason this was not done. [17645/24]

Statutory Instruments

Louise O'Reilly

170. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if industry was consulted, with particular reference to small and medium enterprises, before he signed S.I. No. 703 of 2022 implementing Article 7.3 of Directive 2014/94/EU. [17646/24]

Driver Test

Louise O'Reilly

177. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport the measures a person can take in a situation (details supplied) in order to apply for the driver theory test. [17827/24]

Tax Reliefs

Louise O'Reilly

208. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance if any consideration has been given to increasing the tax-free threshold for travel and subsistence payments known as country money within the construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17691/24]

Departmental Meetings

Louise O'Reilly

288. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if her offices received correspondence on 8 April 2024 on behalf of the parents association of a school (details supplied); if she will meet with the school and parents association; when the parents association can expect a reply; and if the reply will address the substantive issues raised within the original correspondence. [17532/24]

Schools Building Projects

Louise O'Reilly

318. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education the current status of the construction of a permanent building for a school (details supplied); the timeline for the delivery of the new school given it has been in temporary accommodation for over 40 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17976/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Louise O'Reilly

406. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to expand the training support grant to cover longer-term courses and those above QQI Level 6; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17563/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Louise O'Reilly

407. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to someone returning to education part-time and continuing to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17564/24]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

530. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can provide an update on the development of a youth services action plan to provide a strategic direction for the delivery of youth services over the lifetime of the Young Ireland Framework; the timeframes for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17501/24]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

531. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how his Department intends to support the provision of high-quality and inclusive youth opportunities, spaces and services, by providing funding, guidance and other supports to organisations that deliver youth services as per the Young Ireland Framework; the plans for a multi-annual funding that are in place; the timeframes for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17502/24]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

532. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how his Department intends to implement a robust data collection and evaluation system in order to ensure that young people’s participation in youth services and, in particular, the inclusion of young people who are marginalised, vulnerable or disadvantaged, can be measured and enhanced; the timeframes for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17503/24]

Health Services Staff

Louise O'Reilly

606. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the impact of the recruitment embargo on cardiac services; the number of positions that cannot be filled; if services will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17508/24]

Health Services Staff

Louise O'Reilly

607. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the impact of the recruitment embargo on stroke services; the number of positions that cannot be filled; if services will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17509/24]

Home Help Service

Louise O'Reilly

625. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of concerns raised by HSE home support service workers who fear the recruitment freeze in the health service is accelerating the privatisation of home support services; the steps he is taking to protect and grow HSE home support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17682/24]

Home Help Service

Louise O'Reilly

626. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that HSE home support service is not listed on hospital discharge forms, but private care companies are included as an option; the reason this is the case; and if he will ensure that the HSE home support service is listed. [17683/24]

Grant Payments

Louise O'Reilly

701. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the SUSI grant will be rolled out for part-time courses from September 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17562/24]

Third Level Education

Louise O'Reilly

702. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the closure of a college (details supplied) and the impact it is having on students and their families; and if he will engage with students on the Bachelor of Education in Montessori (early years) Education course to find alternative options to complete their degrees. [17581/24]

Industrial Relations

Louise O'Reilly

57. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of times the Labour Employer Economic Forum sub-group on collective bargaining has met in 2024; and if he can provisionally indicate when the action plan on collective bargaining coverage to be presented to the European Commission as part of its transposition of the EU directive on adequate minimum wages will be published. [16747/24]

Departmental Consultations

Louise O'Reilly

59. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will engage with stakeholders regarding the employment (restriction of certain mandatory retirement ages) Bill 2024. [16748/24]

Employment Rights

Louise O'Reilly

78. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the paper from a report by an organisation (details supplied) ‘Challenging Myths and Improving Working Conditions in a Strong Economy’. [16750/24]

National Minimum Wage

Louise O'Reilly

82. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the possibility of the State providing supports for businesses in meeting their obligations as regards a living wage, where the business in question has taken a case to the Labour Court under section 41 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. [16751/24]

National Minimum Wage

Louise O'Reilly

105. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he intends to bring forward new legislation to transpose the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages; and if he will meet with four unions (details supplied) in relation to a campaign and the transposition of this directive. [16845/24]

Co-operative Sector

Louise O'Reilly

106. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on whether employee-owned businesses and workers co-operatives offer a solution to succession crises, where they arise, among family-owned businesses; and if he will expedite the delivery of the co-operative societies Bill, inclusive of the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade, and Employment. [16753/24]

Schools Building Projects

Louise O'Reilly

293. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education for an update on the building works at a school (details supplied); when the project will move past the tender stage; when the school and parents can expect for the project to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16105/24]

Rental Sector

Louise O'Reilly

459. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if tenants in cost rental tenancies are able to access rent supplement; and if not, the reason this is the case. [16172/24]

Departmental Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

535. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of abolishing the parental levy on the school milk scheme; the costs of the levy for each of the past five years inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15994/24]

Healthcare Policy

Louise O'Reilly

626. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the unit in his Department that has responsibility for liaising with Coimisiún na Meán in respect of the development of online and media safety codes pertaining to the marketing of breastmilk substitutes specifically; the unit that is responsible for the policy guidance on breastmilk substitutes more broadly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15996/24]

Healthcare Policy

Louise O'Reilly

627. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if the HSE's Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland action plan has been extended; if so, for how long; what plans are in place for the development of a successor policy; when stakeholder engagement will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15997/24]

Healthcare Policy

Louise O'Reilly

628. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what measures are currently in place to improve and monitor compliance with the WHO International Code of Marketing Breastmilk across Departments and in partnership with cross-sectoral agencies; who in his Department and the HSE is responsible for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15998/24]

Healthcare Policy

Louise O'Reilly

629. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the results of the Irish World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative Report; if his Department will establish an infant feeding communication forum for Government Departments and the HSE, as per the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15999/24]

Health Strategies

Louise O'Reilly

630. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the work that is being undertaken to review and develop a new Healthy Ireland Framework, given that the current Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025, is set to finish next year; what consultation and engagement process will be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16000/24]

Housing Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

16. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average length of time from initial inquiry regarding the tenant-in-situ scheme to completed purchase under the tenant-in-situ scheme in the Fingal County Council area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15029/24]

Housing Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

76. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses purchased by Fingal County Council under the tenant-in-situ-scheme since it was established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15028/24]

Employment Rights

Louise O'Reilly

61. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a second pay increase will be commenced under the Employment Regulation Order for workers in the security sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15666/24]

Health and Safety

Louise O'Reilly

62. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of health and safety issues in the fishing sector (details supplied); the steps he is taking to ensure that the health and safety of fishers is prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15687/24]

Passport Services

Louise O'Reilly

40. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when person (details supplied) will be issued with their passport document. [14917/24]

National Broadband Plan

Louise O'Reilly

90. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a property (details supplied) will be provided with high-speed broadband. [13975/24]

National Broadband Plan

Louise O'Reilly

91. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a housing estate (details supplied) will be provided with high-speed broadband. [13976/24]

Defence Forces

Louise O'Reilly

132. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he plans to bring forward changes to the public service pension to allow workers to work past their contracted retirement date, as per the recent announcement from the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14564/24]

Fiscal Data

Louise O'Reilly

298. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance his views on forecasted data taken from the Central Statistics Office earnings, hours and employment costs survey and using 2024 forecasts of wage growth of 5% as projected by the Central Bank and inflation of 2.9% as projected by the ESRI, all of which indicate two consecutive years of real wage decline, 2023 and 2024, projecting that workers will be worse off by the end of 2024 than they were in 2020. [14404/24]

Income Inequality

Louise O'Reilly

304. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance what the rules governing the salary multiples for mortgages were in 2007; if he can provide details of the rules in place at that time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14721/24]

Income Inequality

Louise O'Reilly

382. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on forecasted data taken from the Central Statistics Office earnings, hours and employment costs survey and using 2024 forecasts of wage growth of 5% as projected by the Central Bank and inflation of 2.9% as projected by the ESRI, all of which indicate two consecutive years of real wage decline, 2023 and 2024, projecting that workers will be worse off by the end of 2024 than they were in 2020. [14403/24]

Small and Medium Enterprises

Louise O'Reilly

383. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what supports are available where an entrepreneur is seeking to set up a groundworks and civil engineer company in Ireland and Germany; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14531/24]

Legislative Measures

Louise O'Reilly

386. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the Cooperative Societies Bill 2022; when drafting is expected to be completed; and if there is a timeline for the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14936/24]

School Staff

Louise O'Reilly

453. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the current staffing crisis facing a school (details supplied); if there is any scope for the school to increase their staffing complement to alleviate pressure on class sizes at infant level and meet their needs due to exceptional accommodation difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14249/24]