Parliamentary questions

Hospital Equipment

Matt Carthy

2. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will commission an appraisal of the demand for CT and MRI scanners at Monaghan Hospital, with a view to ensuring that these services are made available in Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25552/24]

Home Help Service

Rose Conway-Walsh

3. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of home help workers employed directly by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25760/24]

Health Services

Aindrias Moynihan

17. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health for the urgent reinstatement of podiatry services for a town in County Cork (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25737/24]

Medicinal Products

Louise O'Reilly

18. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health to outline Ireland's position in respect of the European Commission's revision of the general pharmaceutical legislation; if he is concerned about the impact of the proposals on the attractiveness of Ireland as a location for investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23116/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Catherine Connolly

19. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 38 of 2 May 2024, to provide an update on the SAR/PBC by the project team and the Galway University Hospital’s capital programme oversight board for the new emergency department, women and children’s block in UHG; the timeline for when it is expected to move to pre-tender stage; to provide an update on the master plan for the UGH campus; the timeline for when it is expected to be completed and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25538/24]

Self-Harm Prevention

Pádraig O'Sullivan

20. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health to outline the supports available to teenagers at risk of self-harm and suicide-related ideation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25703/24]

Departmental Funding

Duncan Smith

21. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what State funding provisions have been provided to an organisation (details supplied); if, in Budget 2025, these provisions are to be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25064/24]

Hospital Facilities

Matt Carthy

22. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health his proposals to ensure that the affected children can complete their orthodontal treatment in the orthodontal clinic in Louth County Hospital, following the resignation of their orthodontist. [25553/24]

Ambulance Service

James O'Connor

23. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a timeline for the provision of a new ambulance base in Youghal, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25769/24]

Hospital Services

Rose Conway-Walsh

24. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health what steps he is taking to increase productivity and health outcomes in Mayo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25759/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Richard Bruton

25. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the waiting list activity of the NTPF to date in 2024; if it is on track to deliver its targets for the year; and if he envisages any extension of its remit in this sphere to meet other areas where waiting times can be a problem. [25751/24]

Dental Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

26. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists across the State still treating medical card patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25718/24]

Abortion Services

Patrick Costello

27. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health for an update on the review of abortion legislation taking place by his Department; and to provide a timeline for the completion of same. [23316/24]

Hospital Transfers

Patrick Costello

28. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with the families of individuals moved from Cherry Orchard Hospital. [23317/24]

Hospital Facilities

Pearse Doherty

29. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health what plans, if any, are in place to deal with the crisis in diabetes care at Letterkenny Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25768/24]

General Practitioner Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

30. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to increase the number of GPs available to private patients in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25719/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

31. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the severe shortage of medical scientists working in hospitals; if he is aware of the impact this is having on patients nationwide; if he will consider an amendment to legislation that would allow CORU to accredit scientists in a single discipline to provide an instant boost in numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25061/24]

Health Strategies

Aindrias Moynihan

32. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position of a review and updating of the national carers' strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25386/24]

Emergency Departments

Bernard Durkan

33. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which his Department and the HSE continue to engage with the various hospitals throughout the country, with a view to improving the throughput at accident and emergency services in order to ensure early diagnosis/full triage in the quickest possible time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25745/24]

Health Services

Bernard Durkan

34. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he and his Department continue to monitor, assess and remedy any shortcomings in the delivery of health services, whether in regard to access to homecare, general medical services and capacity requirements in whatever area, with a view to resolution in the short term in order to make the health services in this country a more attractive place to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25746/24]

Health Services Staff

David Stanton

35. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health to outline the current situation with regard to the recruitment embargo on the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25743/24]

Care Services

Richard Bruton

36. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if his Department has commenced work on the carer's guarantee which was an element of the Programme for Government; what range of services (fuel, emergency assistance, recuperation supports, and so on) are envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25412/24]

Hospital Facilities

Gino Kenny

37. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) recently stated that it has yet to see any of 1,500 additional public hospital beds across 15 acute public hospital sites he announced in April 2023 and that it sought clarification as to how the 1,541 beds due by the end of 2028 and the 2,997 beds due by 2031 announced recently by himself differ from those already promised in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25785/24]

Trade Agreements

Matt Carthy

40. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements with his Cabinet colleagues regarding the Mercosur trade agreement. [25541/24]

Control of Dogs

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

47. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what his Department is doing to encourage responsible dog ownership. [25644/24]

Departmental Schemes

Aindrias Moynihan

48. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for consideration in including Japanese larch under the ash dieback scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25740/24]

Agriculture Industry

Richard Bruton

49. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the acreage of agricultural land which he envisages will be devoted to new bio-based activities by 2030 under plans for biofuels and anaerobic digestion, and so on; and how the price of feedstock will be set to ensure stable income to growers. [25752/24]

Agriculture Industry

Niamh Smyth

50. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to change the overrepresentation of females in lower grades within farming bodies and their underrepresentation in senior positions within these same farming bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25631/24]

Forestry Sector

Matt Carthy

51. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his targets for new afforestation in 2024; the amount planted since the formation of the Government; and the current total amount licensed but unplanted. [25542/24]

Regulatory Bodies

Rose Conway-Walsh

53. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the powers of the food regulator, An Rialálaí Agraibhia, to ensure family farm incomes are protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25761/24]

Forestry Sector

Aindrias Moynihan

54. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action being taken to ensure afforestation licence applications are issued within six months; the measures being taken to deal with the backlog of current afforestation licence applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25741/24]

Food Industry

Bernard Durkan

56. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that agri-food imports into this country from whatever source are only allowed from countries adhering to similar carbon reduction measures that apply in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25748/24]

Departmental Schemes

Violet-Anne Wynne

57. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of the newly announced ash dieback scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25772/24]

Trade Sanctions

Thomas Pringle

67. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether, in the course of the Government’s diplomatic engagements in the United States for St. Patrick’s Day this year, he, other Ministers or any Irish officials challenged the United States regarding the decision of the current administration to continue to enforce the Cuban embargo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25798/24]

Passport Services

James Lawless

68. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to expedite passport applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25840/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Mattie McGrath

69. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a decision will be made on an application for a foreign birth registration (details supplied); the reason for the delay in processing the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25846/24]

Taxi Regulations

Martin Kenny

70. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Finance the support his Department plans to provide for taxi drivers to ensure they are not at risk of losing their SPSV licence due to the VAT liability created by platforms using the ‘reverse charge’ mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25801/24]

Taxi Regulations

Martin Kenny

71. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if he has discussed with Revenue the provision of updated guidance on the VAT rates for drivers using platforms operating a reverse charge model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25802/24]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

72. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the special assignee relief programme is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively, and the amount in the base for each of those years. [25835/24]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

73. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance for a full list of current tax expenditures and reliefs currently in operation; and if each tax expenditure is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 respectively, and the amount in the base in each of those years, in tabular form. [25836/24]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

74. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the current regime with respect to the taxation of carried interest paid to private equity managers; and the revenue raised by tax-carried interest at rates of 20%, 33% and 40%, respectively. [25838/24]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

75. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of non-domiciled individuals who have availed of the remittance basis of foreign income and gains in each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; the number of individuals who availed of this basis for more than three years; and if such figures are not recorded, whether he has any concerns that the remittance basis of foreign income and gains with respect to non-domiciled individuals is undermining equity within the taxation system. [25841/24]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

76. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the rent tax credit is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively, and the amount in the base for each of those years. [25852/24]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

77. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of private renters deemed eligible for the rent tax credit under the allocation provided for it in Budget 2024. [25853/24]

Coast Guard Service

Paul Kehoe

78. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide an update on the status of the proposed new station at Kilmore quay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25783/24]

Public Sector Pay

Rose Conway-Walsh

79. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if public sector pay increases are incorporated within the expenditure projects in the SPU, making specific reference to the second half of 2026 and 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25805/24]

Heritage Sites

Bernard Durkan

80. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to indicate, in light of recent developments at Castletown, Celbridge, County Kildare, whether the spending of €25 million on the project was wise given that the next door neighbour clearly intends to impede access to the house and gardens by placing a locked gate on the access route from the M4; if such a possibility was considered previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25833/24]

Heritage Sites

Bernard Durkan

81. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform what provision is currently available for emergency services to access Castletown House, Celbridge, County Kildare from the M4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25834/24]

Trade Unions

Thomas Pringle

82. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what measures his Department currently employs to ensure that practices, commonly understood to constitute union busting, are not carried out in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25799/24]

National Minimum Wage

Bríd Smith

83. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions the Government is considering in relation to the implementation of the adequate minimum wage Directive; if certain policy changes will be included (details supplied); the other policy changes being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25806/24]