Parliamentary questions

Ministerial Advisers

Catherine Murphy

495. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of advisers and special advisers appointed by him since becoming Minister; the starting annual salary of each person appointed by him; if an open interview process was conducted for each appointee; the duration and terms of each contract issued to each adviser and special adviser; and if an advisory role has been split to facilitate job sharing in tabular form. [16555/20]

Greyhound Industry

Catherine Murphy

500. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to instances of greyhounds being used in the racing sector that are pups bred from litters outside of the permitted threshold in the past two years to date; the sanctions he can impose on breeders and or the Irish Greyhound Board as a result of these breaches; if his officials have investigated these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16622/20]

Greyhound Industry

Catherine Murphy

509. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional funding has been released to the Irish Greyhound Board in respect of works to be carried out at Mullingar greyhound stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16829/20]

Greyhound Industry

Catherine Murphy

510. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Irish Greyhound Board is compliant with fire safety regulations at each track it operates; the number of inspections carried out at tracks in the past three years to date; the outcomes of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16830/20]

Horse Racing Ireland

Catherine Murphy

511. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and or his predecessor engaged with Horse Racing Ireland in relation to an alliance formed with an organisation (details supplied); if so, the nature of the engagements; and if another organisation remains a fully owned subsidiary of Horse Racing Ireland. [16831/20]

Ministerial Advisers

Catherine Murphy

542. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of advisers and special advisers appointed by him since becoming Minister; the starting annual salary of each person appointed by him; if an open interview process was conducted for each appointee; the duration and terms of each contract issued to each adviser and special adviser; and if an advisory role has been split to facilitate job sharing in tabular form. [16557/20]

Ministerial Advisers

Catherine Murphy

573. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of advisers and special advisers appointed by her since becoming Minister; the starting annual salary of each person appointed by her; if an open interview process was conducted for each appointee; the duration and terms of each contract issued to each adviser and special adviser; and if an advisory role has been split to facilitate job-sharing, in tabular form. [16567/20]

Crime Data

Catherine Murphy

578. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of thefts of domestic dogs and-or pets reported to An Garda Síochána in the past three years to date. [16619/20]

Crime Data

Catherine Murphy

600. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of cash seized by An Garda Síochána under the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2016 that was returned to the persons from whom it was seized by way of appeal in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [17181/20]

Ministerial Advisers

Catherine Murphy

619. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of advisers and special advisers appointed by him since becoming Minister; the starting annual salary of each person appointed by him; if an open interview process was conducted for each appointee; the duration and terms of each contract issued to each adviser and special adviser; and if an advisory role has been split to facilitate job-sharing in tabular form. [16565/20]

Maternity Services

Catherine Murphy

650. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to develop guidelines (details supplied) which have been identified as best practice in the UK to be rolled out here instead of each hospital clinical governance board self-selecting which guidelines it uses for multiple births; if he has consulted with UK counterparts on these guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16743/20]

Sport Ireland

Catherine Murphy

58. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the terms and conditions of the funds released to an association (details supplied) in advance of the emergency general meeting of the association in September 2020; the meetings, online and or telephone meetings he has had with the association since becoming Minister; the instructions issued to Sport Ireland in respect of releasing funding to the association since becoming Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16402/20]

Traffic Management

Catherine Murphy

86. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to conduct a survey of the number of motorised vehicles that pass through the Phoenix Park on a daily basis; his plans to expand and improve the existing cycle and pedestrian access and infrastructure through and around the Phoenix Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16369/20]

Cycling Facilities

Catherine Murphy

87. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the cycle and pedestrian pathways on Chesterfield Avenue in the Phoenix Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16370/20]

Public Services Card

Catherine Murphy

116. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of her appeal in the Circuit Court regarding directions issued to her by the Data Protection Commissioner; the costs incurred to date in the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16330/20]

Public Services Card

Catherine Murphy

117. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the SAFE scheme and public services card and the invitation of tenders (details supplied); if she plans to develop use of the card throughout the public sector by multiple agencies; the names of the agencies and public sector bodies that she will give utilisation of the card to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16331/20]

Public Services Card

Catherine Murphy

118. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has engaged with the Data Protection Commissioner regarding her investigation of the biometric element of the public services card; if she is disputing and-or contesting aspects of the investigation; if she has engaged legal and-or consultancy firms to assist her in this regard; if so, the costs of same and names of the firms engaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16332/20]

Public Services Card

Catherine Murphy

119. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has engaged with and-or notified the Data Protection Commissioner regarding the invitation for tenders (details supplied) relating to the public services card; if the Commissioner has requested that she defer a tender invitation relating to the public services card and-or SAFE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16333/20]

Meat Processing Plants

Catherine Murphy

146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will remove inability or vices as grounds to destroy a horse in licensed abattoirs; the number of State veterinarians posted permanently at licensed horse abattoirs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16337/20]

Animal Culls

Catherine Murphy

147. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds culled in 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16338/20]

Local Authority Housing

Catherine Murphy

94. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the original cost of each project, grant aid and projected output for each project in respect of LIHAF; the revisions to same; the date of each; the amount of grant aid paid out to each project; the delivery of housing units per project to date; the discount given to each purchaser for each of the past four years to date in 2020; the number of departmental officials by grade working on LIHAF in each of the past four years to date; the details of staff that have left the section over that time in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16183/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Catherine Murphy

16. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the modelling that has been undertaken to quantify the impact of Covid-19 on the sectors he plans to provide assistance to in the context of the proposed July stimulus; the persons that conducted the modelling and analysis; if it will be factored into the stimulus measures; if he has consulted with his Ministerial colleagues in the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the stimulus; and if aspects will require an early budget. [16040/20]

Taoiseach's Communications

Catherine Murphy

60. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach his counterparts he has spoken to since his appointment as Taoiseach. [15269/20]

Enterprise Support Services

Catherine Murphy

79. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if business support policies can be reviewed to provide greater help to microbusinesses that contribute to the national economy on a smaller scale but to the local community on a bigger scale than many other businesses; if he will give consideration to reviewing wage subsidies for casual staff in view of the fact that longer operating hours are now required and wage subsidies should be proportionate to new working hours as opposed to looking at pre-Covid-19 payments; if he will give consideration to offering more direct grants for businesses stay afloat until the end of the Covid-19 emergency as opposed to grants for hiring business consultants; if he will give consideration to offering restart grants to cover the additional costs for trading during the Covid-19 emergency, such as PPE, sanitiser and screens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15646/20]

Driver Licences

Catherine Murphy

170. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which the issuing of road haulage licences will commence; the number of pending applications; and the anticipated timeframe required to clear the backlog. [14819/20]

Driver Licences

Catherine Murphy

171. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to change the driver licence criteria that would allow licenceholders in category D and D1 to drive vehicles in category CE and C1E. [14820/20]

Local Authority Funding

Catherine Murphy

196. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding the NTA has awarded to Kildare County Council in each of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020; the amount awarded to each individual scheme in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15080/20]

Dublin Airport Authority

Catherine Murphy

221. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of taxi permits issued by the Dublin Airport Authority to taxi drivers in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [15265/20]

State Bodies

Catherine Murphy

303. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of vacancies by job title in the Office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman as of 3 July 2020; and the estimated full-year cost of filling those vacancies, in tabular form. [15263/20]

Forensic Science Ireland

Catherine Murphy

332. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if construction on the new forensic science laboratory has started; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and the estimated cost of the project. [15266/20]

Ministerial Meetings

Catherine Murphy

474. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken formally to his Japanese counterpart to date in 2020. [15264/20]

Naval Service

Catherine Murphy

486. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if funding will be secured for the 20 mm secondary gun replacement on each Naval Service ship. [15279/20]

Defence Forces Equipment

Catherine Murphy

487. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if funding for the upgrade of explosive ordnance disposal robots will be provided. [15280/20]

Defence Forces Properties

Catherine Murphy

488. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence when construction works will commence on a new headquarter block for the Army Ranger Wing at the Defence Forces training centre; and the timeframe for the completion of this project. [15281/20]

Teacher Training

Catherine Murphy

597. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring grants for student teachers' attendance at mandatory Gaeltacht courses. [15267/20]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Catherine Murphy

598. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional teachers required to reduce average size class at primary level from 24.3 pupils to 23.4. [15268/20]

Carer's Support Grant

Catherine Murphy

715. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a respite payment will be made to a person (details supplied); if the amount will be paid in full; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14949/20]

Departmental Functions

Catherine Murphy

822. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to re-establish an investigations division in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15086/20]

Prisoner Complaints Procedures

Catherine Murphy

910. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of category B, C, D and E complaints made by prisoners in 2019 and to date in 2020; the details of the outcomes upheld, not upheld, not proven, terminated, incomplete or withdrawn; the length of time it took to complete and communicate the outcomes of complaints to prisoners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14826/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Catherine Murphy

911. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the number of public health passenger locater forms issued and processed by her officials during their tenure of the collection of same on a temporary administrative basis on behalf of the health authorities will be provided; the number of follow-up checks conducted on persons that submitted forms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14856/20]

Garda Data

Catherine Murphy

929. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of marked and unmarked Garda cars and motorcycles attached to each roads policing unit as of 1 July 2019 and 1 July 2020, in tabular form. [15273/20]

Garda Stations

Catherine Murphy

930. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of cells in each Garda station in Dublin as of 3 July 2020. [15275/20]

Garda Data

Catherine Murphy

931. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of cash seized by An Garda Síochána under proceeds of crime legislation returned to the Exchequer in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [15276/20]

Garda Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

932. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of funding provided for the building programme of An Garda Síochána under the 2016-2021 capital plan; and the amount spend in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020. [15278/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Catherine Murphy

1027. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the authority responsible for the collection of public health passenger locator forms in view of the agreement with the Department of Justice and Equality on a temporary administrative basis to undertake same on behalf of the health authorities, an arrangement that ceased at the end of June 2020; the number of staff assigned to it; the way in which the handover was conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14855/20]

Hospital Staff

Catherine Murphy

1125. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of consultants by specialist posts that are vacant in each hospital that is part of Dublin Midlands hospital group as of 1 July 2020; the length of time each post has been vacant; and the position regarding the filling of each post. [15270/20]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Catherine Murphy

1126. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list to see a consultant cardiologist at Naas General Hospital; and the average waiting time to see the consultant. [15271/20]

Hospital Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

1127. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year current and capital costs of extending the period the sleep clinic is available at Naas General Hospital from half a day per month to two full days per month. [15272/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Catherine Murphy

18. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the business supports available that are specific to the taxi and small private bus hire sector in the context of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13849/20]

Football Association of Ireland

Catherine Murphy

107. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to meet an association (details supplied) in respect of ongoing governance issues and the referral of a report to An Garda Síochána and the ODCE. [14099/20]