Parliamentary questions

Heritage Sites

John McGuinness

162. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will investigate the extent of the maintenance required to make safe the structure known locally as Ballyshaun Castle (details supplied); if information boards will be provided at each location giving a brief history of the structures; if there are grants available to local community groups or property owners for such work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22183/24]

Schools Building Projects

John McGuinness

179. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education the reason that after receiving official sanction on 30 April 2019 for a school building project, a school (details supplied) is still waiting for construction to commence; and if she will confirm a date to commence the project as a matter of urgency. [22243/24]

School Funding

John McGuinness

182. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education if she will review immediately the arrangements for payment of the ancillary services grants and the SSSF secretary grants, as communicated to schools on 26 April 2024, given that what is being proposed will cause serious financial problems for some schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22278/24]

Housing Provision

John McGuinness

193. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a complaint submitted to him (details supplied) relative to the purchase of 17 houses at Ogenty, Gowran, County Kilkenny, is being processed; and if he will confirm a timeframe for a response. [22241/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

203. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance submitted in November 2022, which was refused in 2023 and then reconsidered and refused again under review in the name of a person (details supplied), will be approved based on the further information submitted being considered in far greater detail in the appeal process. [22244/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

John McGuinness

204. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for invalidity pension in the name of a person (details supplied) has been fully processed. [22245/24]

Health Services

John McGuinness

254. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if section 39 funding will be put in place immediately for a project (details supplied) as the project is under considerable financial pressure.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22180/24]

Road Projects

John McGuinness

162. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport if he has assessed the recent submission from Kilkenny County Council dated 19 April 2024 in response to the SRAD queries relative to the next phase of the Kilkenny ring road extension; if he will provide the appropriate level of funding to allow the project to proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21241/24]

Road Projects

John McGuinness

163. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport if the required amount of funding will be allocated immediately to allow a continuation of the N24 road project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21242/24]

Rail Network

John McGuinness

171. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport if the lift, which was installed by a company (details supplied) to facilitate access for all passengers to the railway station and which was to be commissioned by Iarnród Éireann, will be made operational; the reason the lift has never been used since it was installed 20 years ago; and if immediate action will be taken. [21278/24]

Flood Relief Schemes

John McGuinness

250. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the indicative timeframe for the various stages of planning and construction of a flood relief scheme for Freshford, County Kilkenny; and if he will confirm the current status of the scheme. [21269/24]

Special Educational Needs

John McGuinness

283. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the rationale relative to the decision to withdraw the sanction for five classrooms to accommodate special needs children at a school (details supplied) and instead to offer a standalone prefabricated single classroom, completely disconnected from the existing building; if the decision was based solely on cost and method of construction; if the needs of the children and families waiting for a place in the school this year carried any weight in the decision process; if she is aware that the school's board of management will accept the modular-build five classrooms connected to the existing building, as approved, contrary to what her Department states; if her Department will now engage with the school to find an immediate solution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21294/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

399. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for invalidity pension, which is under appeal, will be approved for a person (details supplied). [21274/24]

Probation and Welfare Service

John McGuinness

433. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice if the issues regarding funding of an organisation (details supplied) by the probation services and the HSE have now been resolved; the status of the appeal; and if a decision will be expedited as the funding is urgently required. [21276/24]

Child and Family Agency

John McGuinness

511. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if family support payments will be put in place immediately for the grandparents of the children referred to in a Tusla report (details supplied) as they have been supporting the children for weeks without the appropriate financial support; and if the matter will be expedited. [21273/24]

Disability Services

John McGuinness

512. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an assessment for autism will be arranged immediately for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21275/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

John McGuinness

557. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an urgent appointment will be arranged for a person (details supplied) at the neurosurgical clinic at Cork University Hospital as this was requested by their GP on 9 January 2023; if he will expedite a positive response as the patient's condition has seriously deteriorated; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21271/24]

Hospital Procedures

John McGuinness

558. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a date for an operation will be arranged for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21272/24]

Addiction Treatment Services

John McGuinness

559. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the issues regarding funding of an organisation (details supplied) by the probation services and the HSE have now been resolved; the status of the appeal; and if a decision will be expedited as the funding is urgently required. [21277/24]

Wind Energy Generation

John McGuinness

211. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the indicative timeframe for receipt of the Attorney General’s response to the landmark High Court ruling on noise from wind turbines; if he has considered the wind energy policy outlined in the Kilkenny county development plan which was submitted to his Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications for consideration by both Ministers; if he has carried out any analysis on the regulations required relative to the Kilkenny plan; if he is aware of the different legal opinions obtained by Kilkenny County Council and Government Departments which are at odds relative to the interpretation of the planning laws and regulations that should be applied during the current impasse; if he will accept it is bad practice in terms of good governance to allow this unsatisfactory situation to continue as it is causing serious concerns for local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21103/24]