Parliamentary questions

Road Safety

Kathleen Funchion

201. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider working with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to distribute high-visibility jackets to children arriving to Ireland from Ukraine, given the number of children walking on unfamiliar roads as the evenings become darker; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51019/22]

Driver Licences

James O'Connor

202. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details regarding the use of private operators for school transport (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51042/22]

Traffic Management

Bernard Durkan

203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which measures to alleviate traffic congestion in Celbridge, County Kildare are in hand at present, with particular reference to road and footpath realignment and extra or new bridges required, all of which are necessary to facilitate existing and future housing development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51048/22]

Road Tolls

Bernard Durkan

204. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the total amount raised in each of the past five years from toll charges and penalties on the M50 and separately in respect of each of the other roads currently tolled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51051/22]

Transport Policy

Paul McAuliffe

205. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport the amount that has been spent on the active travel investment programme to date; the amount that has been spent on construction and consultancy fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51084/22]

Environmental Impact Assessments

Gary Gannon

206. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport when the services of the independent experts, RINA, for residents on the MetroLink project are due to be completed; and if there will be independent expert advice for residents during the enabling works and construction works. [51089/22]

Departmental Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

207. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance if gyms and sports clubs qualify for the temporary business energy support scheme. [50815/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

208. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body and-or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and-or active; and the totality of costs incurred by his Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50756/22]

Tax Reliefs

Fergus O'Dowd

209. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance his views on concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of the upcoming changes to benefit-in-kind, which are of great concern to the many recipients who believe it will force them from the scheme from 2023 due to the expected increase in payments and the current cost-of-living crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50786/22]

Tax Reliefs

Pearse Doherty

210. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered delaying the introduction of the new benefit-in-kind regime for company vehicles to be introduced in 2023, given the wider context of the rising cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50789/22]

Departmental Schemes

Bríd Smith

211. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if the names of the companies that access the temporary business energy support scheme will be published by his Department; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50800/22]

Departmental Schemes

Joe Flaherty

212. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Finance if dentists, doctors, physiotherapy practices and so on will be eligible for the energy supports for businesses announced in budget 2023 (details supplied). [50809/22]

Primary Medical Certificates

Noel Grealish

213. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 414 of 8 September 2022, the status of the disabled drivers' medical board of appeal; if a new board has been appointed; when it will commence hearing appeals; the estimated timeframe to clear the backlog of appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50812/22]

Departmental Data

Catherine Murphy

214. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the amount in totality that will be distributed from the central funds. [50817/22]

Legislative Measures

Colm Burke

215. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will give serious consideration to include an amendment in the Finance Bill 2022 which will amend Section 84 of the Finance Act 1996 which currently gives a power to the tobacco manufacturers to set the price which retailers can charge for cigarettes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50922/22]

Tax Reliefs

Richard O'Donoghue

216. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the increase benefit-in-kind recipients will have in January 2023 due to the new calculations by the Revenue Commissioners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50933/22]

Regulatory Bodies

Pearse Doherty

217. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the average annual costs to the Central Bank of preparing, producing and publishing the National Claims Information Database; the options that are being considered by his Department with respect to the reimbursement mechanism provided in Section 11 of the Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51036/22]

Revenue Commissioners

Pearse Doherty

218. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to instances of the Revenue Commissioners providing a cohort of firms with seven days to clear outstanding debt in the final demand stage; his views on same; and if he plans to introduce provisions in the Finance Bill 2022 to provide flexibility to firms in similar circumstances in the context of rising energy costs and the difficulties that they face in this context. [51037/22]

Tax Credits

Bernard Durkan

219. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance if a special tax credit for families with children with special needs is available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51059/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

220. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body and or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and or active; and the totality of costs incurred by his Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50762/22]

Budget 2023

Thomas Pringle

221. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the nature and extent of his engagements with the Taoiseach in relation to access to child benefit, the back-to-school allowance and the once-off payments for foster parents (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50835/22]

Budget 2023

Thomas Pringle

222. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the possible options or changes in relation to child benefit, the back-to-school allowance and the once-off payments for foster parents as averred to in the statement by the Taoiseach (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50836/22]

Budget 2023

Thomas Pringle

223. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will meet with a delegation (details supplied) prior to the passage of the Finance Bill 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50837/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

224. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she will indicate in the reply the body and or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and or active; and the totality of costs incurred by her Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50765/22]

Departmental Correspondence

Fergus O'Dowd

225. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she was consulted about the appointment of a judge to review the recent allegations concerning cheating and fixing of Irish dancing competitions as revealed in a newspaper (details supplied); the extent of such consultation and or advice requested and offered by her Department, if any; when the attention of her Department was first drawn to such allegations. [50976/22]

Local Authorities

Catherine Murphy

226. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the 2023 allocations for each local authority. [50817/22]

Rail Network

Michael Ring

227. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the new metro will have implications for the various cultural and archaeological artefacts in St. Stephen's Green; if iconic statues and architectural structures will be preserved; if a cultural audit has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50965/22]

State Bodies

Gary Gannon

228. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider putting an ABP submission cost-waiver in place for those in receipt of social welfare payments in order to allow them to participate fully in the planning process, given that the National Transport Authority opted to run the MetroLink railway order and Ballymun CBC application processes at the same time. [51088/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

229. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body and or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and or active; and the totality of costs incurred by his Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50760/22]

State Bodies

Jackie Cahill

230. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a timeframe for when a referendum will be held on the ownership of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50778/22]

Housing Schemes

Steven Matthews

231. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding changes to the cost rental equity loan scheme; if the total level of funding available from his Department that has been increased to account for these changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50818/22]

Housing Schemes

Michael Healy-Rae

232. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 192 and 193 of 6 October 2022, if he will provide this Deputy with the most up-to-date unit ceiling costs for new-build social housing schemes for houses and apartments built in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50856/22]

Departmental Correspondence

Michael Healy-Rae

233. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to any three-bedroom house in good condition in a primary county town of Kerry for sale (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50857/22]

Defective Building Materials

Richard O'Donoghue

234. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when engineers for the Pyrite issue in County Limerick will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50934/22]

Housing Policy

Robert Troy

235. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details on the updated social housing income bands for County Westmeath. [50957/22]

Defective Building Materials

Ivana Bacik

236. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline any changes to law or to procedures that have been or will be made, in order to ensure that homeowners will in future have effective remedies in the event of damage caused by defective construction or materials. [50960/22]

Flood Risk Management

Denis Naughten

237. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 7 July 2022, the steps that he is taking on foot of the correspondence he has received from the OPW on legislative concerns with regard to flood relief measures at Lough Funshinagh, County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50974/22]

Housing Schemes

Denis Naughten

238. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the policy whereby the HAP payment cannot be paid to families lucky enough to secure a holiday home to rent where the planning conditions prohibit semi-permanent occupancy, or where the rental is not solely for the purposes incidental to holiday homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51011/22]

Rental Sector

Catherine Connolly

239. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the protections that are in place or are planned to be put in place for tenants or licensees whose utilities are under the control of their landlords; the protections that are in place for tenants if a landlord or utility company turns off that utility in circumstances where a landlord wants to evict a person or in circumstances where the landlord fails to pay the bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51018/22]

Housing Schemes

Bernard Durkan

240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which LIHAF funds awarded to Maynooth, County Kildare, some years ago, have been drawn down to date; the extent to which the works for which the funding was intended has been initiated; when it is expected that the entire programme will be completed given that delays are hampering the building of much needed houses in the area and the contributing to the ever-increasing traffic congestion arising from the lack of an eastern bypass in the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51045/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

241. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body and or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and or active; and the totality of costs incurred by his Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50757/22]

Passport Services

Michael Healy-Rae

242. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason that a child who is in foster care is not treated in the same as any other child when it comes to receiving a passport (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50822/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

243. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the number of judicial reviews taken against his Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will indicate in the reply the body and-or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and-or active; and the totality of costs incurred by his Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50752/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Neale Richmond

244. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education her views on whether Covid-19 signage in schools should be removed as there are no Covid-19 safety measures in place in Ireland at this time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50749/22]

Judicial Reviews

Catherine Murphy

245. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the number of judicial reviews taken against her Department in the past ten years to date in 2022, in tabular form; if she will indicate in the reply the body and-or person that initiated judicial review proceedings; the number of judicial reviews that remain open and-or active; and the totality of costs incurred by her Department as a result of judicial reviews over that time period. [50753/22]

School Transport

Michael Ring

246. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify the seating capacity of a vehicle (details supplied) and the actual tickets issued for a school transport service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50769/22]

School Transport

Seán Sherlock

247. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the status of a school transport application (details supplied). [50773/22]

Education Policy

Brendan Smith

248. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the timeline for the roll-out of accessibility statements in schools for school websites to be achieved; and the work that her Department is conducting on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50784/22]

Education Policy

Brendan Smith

249. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education her Department's plans, if any, to review its policy in relation to the use and provision of online electronic devices, such as notebooks, used in schools with regard to ensuring that all students have access to such, that costs are not disproportionately placed on parents where such devices are compulsory in schools, to ensure standard quality and to achieve economies of scale by centrally procuring them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50785/22]

Departmental Correspondence

Fergus O'Dowd

250. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of possible training requirements for school escorts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50788/22]