Parliamentary questions

Nursing Homes

Fergus O'Dowd

625. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice the number of files related to allegations of sexual, physical, psychological, financial, institutional abuse or neglect of residents living in nursing homes or disabilities centres which have been received by Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, since 2015; the number of files which resulted in a decision to prosecute by type of crime; the number of subsequent successful prosecutions which resulted from a decision to prosecute by type of crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9106/22]

Child Protection

Fergus O'Dowd

626. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice if there ever been a prosecution of a person under the Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons Act 2012 (details supplied); if so, if she will provide statistical information relating to the cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9107/22]

Nursing Homes

Fergus O'Dowd

669. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of social work investigations, reviews, NIRP reports, independent reviews or other investigative processes that have been completed and or underway and or scheduled within the HSE Older Persons Services Department since 2015 by type of concern and process of review or investigation used; the details relating to HSE funded services in which the processes were initiated following reports and or concerns related to physical, sexual, emotional, financial or institutional abuse or neglect of adult residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9102/22]

Nursing Homes

Fergus O'Dowd

670. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if any complaints or concerns which were received by line management of the HSE from staff working in the private nursing home sector since the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to neglect, institutional, emotional, physical, sexual or financial abuse of residents in those homes, defining abuse as set out in the HSE's 2014 adult safeguarding policy; the number of said concerns that were subsequently referred to HIQA and-or An Garda Síochána by the HSE, broken down according to whom the concerns and complaints were reported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9104/22]

Health Strategies

Fergus O'Dowd

820. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a full update on the implementation to date of the National Cancer Strategy Implementation Report since its publication on 5 May 2021; the way he plans to reduce the overall cost to persons being treated for cancer in cases in which they do not have private health insurance or medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9789/22]

Dental Services

Fergus O'Dowd

823. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will report on his and his Departments discussions with an association (details supplied) in respect of the provision of appropriate dental services for medical card holders; the date he will next meet with the association; the way he will address the urgent crisis in counties Louth and Meath in which over two thirds of registered dentists have left the general medical service scheme since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9808/22]

Care Services

Fergus O'Dowd

827. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 678 of 8 February 2022, if HIQA has taken action in relation to the residential nursing homes or designated residential disability centres that did not report the six situations of alleged sexual abuse allegations to An Garda Síochána which subsequently HIQA did report to An Garda Síochána; the nature and outcome of such actions by HIQA with each individual home or centre; if mandatory reporting will be introduced for such incidents in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9822/22]

Rural Recreation Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

57. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the proposed works for the Mell Greenway, Drogheda for which Louth County Council received €200,000 through the outdoor recreational scheme in February 2020; if there are timelines for the commencement of the project; if the funding is at risk of being lost if it remains unused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8477/22]

Voluntary Sector

Fergus O'Dowd

73. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the work to support volunteering and the provision of volunteer centres for each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8478/22]

Domestic Violence

Fergus O'Dowd

105. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice her plans to progress the strategy to combat domestic violence across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8539/22]

Crime Prevention

Fergus O'Dowd

111. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice the work to support An Garda Síochána in preventing and combatting crime perpetrated against older persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8540/22]

Energy Prices

Fergus O'Dowd

63. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the proposed electricity rebate will be reviewed in relation to full-time residents in mobile home parks who are not account holders but who have individual meters; if there will be a mechanism by which they will receive the much-needed rebate given that in many cases they are extremely vulnerable persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8645/22]

Health Services

Fergus O'Dowd

134. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the future use of Sruthán House, Dundalk, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7965/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Fergus O'Dowd

137. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the options his Department is examining in order to meet the needs and concerns of the families who lost a family member in a nursing home (details supplied) during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7948/22]

Legislative Measures

Fergus O'Dowd

554. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice if she will address the queries raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011. [7550/22]

An Garda Síochána

Fergus O'Dowd

562. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice if figures are available relating to concerns raised with An Garda Síochána in respect of sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse, institutional abuse or neglect of residents living in nursing homes or disabilities centres which have been received since 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7551/22]

Hospital Procedures

Fergus O'Dowd

687. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital bed days required by patients subdivided into persons under 65 years of age and persons over 65 years of age who were treated for foot ulcerations which did not require a full or partial limb amputation in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, by county and by CHO; the number of those patients who had diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7624/22]

Hospital Procedures

Fergus O'Dowd

688. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital bed days required by patients subdivided into persons under 65 years of age and persons over 65 years of age who were treated for foot ulcerations which led to a full or partial limb amputation in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022 by county, by CHO and the number of those patients who had diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7625/22]

Enterprise Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

53. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he plans to publish the regional enterprise plans; the amount of funding that will be allocated to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6815/22]

Enterprise Support Services

Fergus O'Dowd

95. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports that his Department has offered to a company (details supplied) since the company announced a proposed 77 redundancies following a review of its operations at the Drogheda plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6814/22]

Brexit Issues

Fergus O'Dowd

125. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement his Department has had with other stakeholders regarding the need to minimise the impact of Brexit in the longer term on Irish agri-businesses particularly those heavily engaged in exporting. [6793/22]

Farm Safety

Fergus O'Dowd

185. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ways in which he and his Department are raising awareness of farm safety and communicating with farmers on this important issue. [6794/22]

National Broadband Plan

Fergus O'Dowd

205. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a broadband connection in the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if the appropriate official within his Department will contact the person to advise on the situation. [7116/22]

Nursing Homes

Fergus O'Dowd

119. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to serious concerns raised (details supplied) in respect of additional nursing home charges that has become a widespread scandal across the country; his plans to address these unacceptable charges that are leaving nursing residents without any disposable weekly income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6768/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Fergus O'Dowd

168. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the way a person can obtain an EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel purposes in circumstances (details supplied); and if advice will be provided for this cohort. [7086/22]

Technological Universities

Fergus O'Dowd

91. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities including the urgent need to progress technological university status in the north-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6117/22]

Third Level Admissions

Fergus O'Dowd

122. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there has been a noticeable difference in CAO applications given that the new format includes all options available to school leavers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6116/22]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Fergus O'Dowd

490. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the date or timeline for financial payments and a form of enhanced medical card for eligible applicants to be made available and to be in place for the mother and baby institutions payment scheme being agreed by Government and published on 16 November 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6527/22]

Vaccination Programme

Fergus O'Dowd

635. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if a response will issue to correspondence from a person (details supplied) in respect of the need for clarity on access to the booster certificate for children aged between 12 and 15 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6002/22]

Shared Services

Fergus O'Dowd

662. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the status of the memorandum of understanding, cooperation and information sharing signed in June 2015 between HIQA and the Office of the Ombudsman; the number of meetings that have taken place; the level at which they have taken place; the number of cases by HIQA and the Office of the Ombudsman in which information was shared; the number of cases in which HIQA has been informed of a complaint which had already been dealt with at local level since the memorandum was signed and transferred to the Office of the Ombudsman by year; the outcome of all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6102/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Fergus O'Dowd

666. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in respect of the Covid recognition payment will receive a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6133/22]

Departmental Data

Fergus O'Dowd

678. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of reports of alleged sexual abuse of residents in residential nursing homes or designated residential disability centres that HIQA has received since 2015 directly through unsolicited concerns and through its inspection work; the breakdown on the source of the allegations; the number of said reports that HIQA subsequently reported to An Garda Síochána.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6151/22]

Regulatory Bodies

Fergus O'Dowd

679. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the way in which HIQA publishes its reporting policy and procedure used to decide the way that the allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse, institutional abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse and neglect received in respect of nursing homes are reported to An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6152/22]

Departmental Data

Fergus O'Dowd

683. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the overall budget allocated to CAMHS in 2022 in the CHO8 region; the breakdown of the funding by county; the names of the individual CAMHS services provided with funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6168/22]

Departmental Data

Fergus O'Dowd

698. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each community healthcare organisation or CHO area and subdivided into primary care centres waiting for a podiatry appointment through primary care services at present for zero to 12, 12 to 24, 24 to 36 and over 36 months; the number of podiatrists employed in each CHO, by each individual primary care centre; the vacancies in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6253/22]

Dental Services

Fergus O'Dowd

791. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of dental practitioners participating in the dental treatment services scheme in January 2021 and in January 2022, by county in tabular form; the total waiting list of patients by each county in January 2021 and January 2022; the category of each such patient including special needs patients and children and high risk categories; the emergency waiting list for the scheme by category and waiting time by month for January 2021 and January 2022; the number of dentists and other staff employed directly by the HSE in each such county for January 2021 and January 2022 in the provision of the dental treatment services scheme in January; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6653/22]

Health Services

Fergus O'Dowd

792. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the podiatric waiting list by location and waiting time by month in counties Louth and Meath in January 2021 and January 2022; the number of HSE podiatric clinics by location; the number of staff employed; the number of vacancies for podiatrists by location; when it is expected these vacancies will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6654/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Fergus O'Dowd

10. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to review the household benefits package due to the increases in cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5021/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Fergus O'Dowd

107. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has provided funding to help carers in accessing education and employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5022/22]

International Protection

Fergus O'Dowd

173. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons to date that have been granted visa waivers to enter the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in respect of persons fleeing the present crisis in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5213/22]

Immigration Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

190. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding supports his Department can provide to support community migrant integration in Drogheda, County Louth following the publication of the Geiran report which highlighted concerns in relation to the current or potential challenges migrant integration is facing in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5212/22]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Fergus O'Dowd

339. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of the resources and processes that are currently available to persons in counties Louth and Meath who wish to access personal information and data release from time spent in mother and baby homes and institutions (details supplied); the current waiting time for processing such applications; the way he plans to reduce waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5613/22]

Health Services

Fergus O'Dowd

452. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if the HSE is currently assessing the viability of a minor injury unit for the settlement area of east County Meath to cater for the substantial population in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5667/22]

Film Industry

Fergus O'Dowd

47. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will seek advice and a meeting with officials in her Department to discuss possible funding and support avenues for a local film project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5459/22]

Planning Issues

Fergus O'Dowd

57. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide planning exemptions for farmers who are trying to develop their businesses in a sustainable way with regard to improving agri-tourism through farming diversification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5254/22]

Disability Services

Fergus O'Dowd

164. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will review the situation in regard to the review of children's disability network teams which was due to be completed for CHO8 and in particular for areas (details supplied) a number of months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5466/22]

Disability Services

Fergus O'Dowd

165. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have been transferred from their existing children's disability network team services to a new service following the recent review of services that has taken place in County Louth and east County Meath; if he will seek a copy of the final report and the details of the exchange of clients between services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5467/22]

Schools Building Projects

Fergus O'Dowd

80. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education the budget for new school building projects for 2022 and for the next five years; the amount of funding available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4598/22]

Schools Building Projects

Fergus O'Dowd

117. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education the status of the major build project for a school (details supplied); and the expected timelines of progression to the next stage of planning and other relevant details. [4597/22]

Schools Building Projects

Fergus O'Dowd

481. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will address a series of matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to a school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4745/22]