Parliamentary questions

Jobseeker's Benefit

Norma Foley

833. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if seasonal workers who have been unable to take up employment due to the Covid-19 pandemic will be able to stay on jobseeker's benefit even in instances in which they no longer have a sufficient number of stamps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12048/20]

Flood Prevention Measures

Norma Foley

157. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if emergency funding will be provided for works at Carrahane, Ardfert, County Kerry. [11624/20]

Flood Prevention Measures

Norma Foley

158. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if emergency funding will be provided for works to repair a breach of the sea wall at the Kerries, Tralee, County Kerry. [11625/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Norma Foley

281. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if supports will be made available for students in view of the fact students are not eligible for jobseeker’s allowance and there are no summer employment prospects to help defray costs for education and so on due to the Covid-19 crisis. [11387/20]

Teacher Training

Norma Foley

282. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if student teachers will be accommodated on teaching practice in schools for the 2020 to 2021 school year. [11390/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Norma Foley

457. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will amend the restart grant to include a cohort of businesses and groups that are currently excluded, for example, bed and breakfasts, small bus operators and community centres; and if not, if she will consider introducing a new grant to meet the restart needs of those excluded. [11507/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Norma Foley

677. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health if persons can apply to have an antibody test to confirm definitively if they have had Covid-19. [11389/20]

Hospital Appointments Status

Norma Foley

707. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health the status of an orthopaedic hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) at Croom Hospital. [11509/20]

Dental Services

Norma Foley

725. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health if the issue of PPE provision for dentists in the medical card system will be raised with the HSE in view of the fact PPE was promised some weeks ago and has not been provided [11623/20]

Road Network

Norma Foley

809. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funds will be made available for emergency works on the Cliff Road, Ballyheigue, County Kerry, which is in a hazardous state at present. [11388/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Norma Foley

1015. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to pay arrears of the pandemic unemployment payment; and the time frame for same. [11386/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

1023. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address the urgent case of seasonal workers whose stamps are running out and are not being catered for by the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will address the issue of stamps running out for this cohort of workers due to the pandemic and include them in the payment. [11508/20]

Passport Applications

Norma Foley

31. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans for the reopening of passport offices; and the status of passport applications that were finalised as per tracking advice and awaiting dispatch. [10280/20]

State Examinations

Norma Foley

183. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will accommodate students that wish to take a written leaving certificate exam by allowing them to do so in August 2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10282/20]

Education Policy

Norma Foley

184. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide schools and students with the necessary software to accommodate blended learning in schools in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10283/20]

Teacher Training Provision

Norma Foley

185. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide training for teachers that may have to implement a blended teaching approach in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10284/20]

Mental Health Services

Norma Foley

186. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the specific mental health and well-being resources available to students at this time; the resources available to leaving certificate students that are coping with a particularly stressful and unprecedented experience of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10285/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Norma Foley

187. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial resources that will be made available to schools for the 2020/2021 academic year to facilitate the meeting of Covid-19 stay safe measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10286/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

188. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make training available to staff, management and school communities on best practice implementation of Covid-19 stay safe measures in advance of the 2020/2021 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10287/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Norma Foley

189. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if extra resources will be made available to schools to ensure students will not have to share resources, for example, library books and so on. [10288/20]

Special Educational Needs

Norma Foley

190. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the implementation of traditional summer programmes for children with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10289/20]

Education Policy

Norma Foley

191. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if arrangements for the leaving certificate in 2021 are being explored in view of the loss of class time in 2020 and a likely similar scenario in 2021; his plans to amend courses or make an allowance for same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10290/20]

School Transport

Norma Foley

194. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an extension of the school bus service will be provided for the 2021 school year from Annascaul village to Inch, County Kerry to accommodate nineteen students that are reliant on such a service. [10311/20]

School Staff

Norma Foley

205. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the need to maintain 2019/2020 teacher allocations will be addressed; and if teacher allocations will be increased for the 2020/2021 school year in view of additional demands placed on schools as a result of Covid-19 stay safe measures. [10429/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

298. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if sector specific guidelines are available to businesses for a safe reopening of same; if businesses are required to tailor guidelines to meet their own needs; and the person or body charged with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the guidelines. [10281/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

413. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health the definition of small, medium and large-sized gatherings in view of the fact this information is vital to those in the process of planning weddings and other events. [10277/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

414. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health if he will consider increasing the number of persons permitted to attend a funeral mass in view of the fact the current small numbers are adding to the stress and trauma of an already difficult situation for families. [10278/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Norma Foley

652. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending the contract of community employment supervisors that are obliged to retire at 66 years of age that wish to continue working by one year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. [9952/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Norma Foley

676. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to accommodate the payment of arrears due to persons in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment. [10279/20]

Housing Estates

Norma Foley

722. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the case of a housing estate (details supplied) will be investigated. [10404/20]

Tourism Industry

Norma Foley

134. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for his decision to close Skellig Michael to visitors this season; the reason the decision was taken so early prior to the lifting of restrictions for the tourism sector without an opportunity to gauge the way in which matters might progress or improve in the interim; and if the decision is subject to an ongoing review. [9315/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

216. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason newly qualified teachers who have not completed the required 60-day block teaching requirement by 12 March 2020 are being disadvantaged (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8854/20]

School Staff

Norma Foley

217. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for teacher allocation in primary and secondary schools for the 2020/2021 school term; and his plans to increase the allocation of teachers to meet the demands of social distancing requirements due to the Covid-19 crisis. [8855/20]

Third Level Education

Norma Foley

274. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will engage with third-level institutes and universities to seek clarification regarding their plans for online courses for the 2020/2021 academic year (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9252/20]

School Staff

Norma Foley

275. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools will not lose a teacher for the 2020/2021 school year in view of the fact increased health and safety requirements due to Covid-19 make it vital that schools have sufficient teachers available to implement same. [9271/20]

Special Educational Needs

Norma Foley

303. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to fully continue the July provision in summer 2020; and the details of same. [9494/20]

Special Educational Needs

Norma Foley

304. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the 2020 July programme (details supplied); his plans to run the programme in summer 2020; if it will be incorporated into the July provision initiative; and if he will consider involving SNAs in order to meet new health and safety requirements. [9495/20]

Enterprise Support Services

Norma Foley

494. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if sector specific supports will be made available to secure the viability of bus and coach operators going forward in view of the fact such operators are essential to the tourism sector and the transport network here. [9580/20]

Dental Services

Norma Foley

615. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health the reason dentists treating patients on behalf of the HSE are without the necessary PPE to carry out their work in view of the fact the receipt of same was guaranteed within 48 hours (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8853/20]

Speech and Language Therapy

Norma Foley

616. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Health the provision being made for the return to work of speech and language therapists (details supplied); and the point at which speech and language therapists will be free to return to work in view of the fact it is unclear in the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. [8856/20]

Tourism Policy

Norma Foley

980. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if representation from bus and coach operators will be included on the new Tourism Recovery Taskforce. [9581/20]

Childcare Services

Norma Foley

1025. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the childcare measures in place for front-line workers; and her definition of the term "front-line worker". [9316/20]

Childcare Services

Norma Foley

1026. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures and works which will be required in childcare facilities going forward to meet Covid-19 requirements. [9317/20]

Disability Allowance

Norma Foley

1125. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability appeal by a person (details supplied). [9338/20]

Carer's Allowance

Norma Foley

1126. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a carer’s allowance by a person (details supplied). [9339/20]

Drainage Schemes

Norma Foley

94. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the necessary funding will be provided as a matter of urgency to carry out emergency improvement works to the embankment at Cromane Lower, Killorglin, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8097/20]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes

Norma Foley

108. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Safe Pass training has resumed; the date for it to resume; and if Safe Passes that have expired have been extended. [8095/20]

Student Accommodation

Norma Foley

286. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take with operators of student accommodation to seek refunds for students who left the accommodation on the instruction of his Department on 12 March 2020. [8098/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Norma Foley

471. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when casual traders can return to work. [8100/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Norma Foley

472. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the supports in place to benefit bus and coach operators that are parked up as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. [8101/20]