Parliamentary questions

Tax Reliefs

Brendan Howlin

278. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to make adjustments in the tax saver rail ticket system to facilitate workers who are returning to the workplace on a two day or three-day work basis rather than a five-day commute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46022/21]

Tax Reliefs

Brendan Howlin

201. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the way he plans to facilitate rail users who have purchased commuter rail tickets to travel to work and who are now returning to the workplace on a two to three day basis; if he has discussed this issue with Irish Rail and with the Minister for Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45914/21]

Proposed Legislation

Brendan Howlin

311. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the expected timeline on the publication and presentation to the Dáil Éireann for the proposed new hate crime legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45796/21]

Hospital Staff

Brendan Howlin

321. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes multidisciplinary team; his views on whether psychosocial support in diabetes care is not formally embedded as part of diabetes management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45778/21]

Health Services

Brendan Howlin

322. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if a diabetes psychology resource will be provided to each community diabetes specialist team hub under the integrated model of care for the prevention and management of chronic disease implementation guide; his views on whether access to psychosocial support in these teams should be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45779/21]

Hospital Staff

Brendan Howlin

323. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a 0.5 whole-time equivalent clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes paediatric diabetes team; his views on whether psychosocial support in paediatric diabetes care should be available in each team; the reason there is no access to this support outside of Dublin paediatric diabetes services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45780/21]

Hospital Staff

Brendan Howlin

324. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding for a post of clinical psychologist to the multidisciplinary team in Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45781/21]

Brexit Supports

Brendan Howlin

353. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if subsequent to the implementation of rules prohibiting the landing of live bivalve molluscs including wild caught scallops in UK ports he will address the serious financial cost to scallop fishers fishing off the coast of the UK now required to land their catch in EU ports; the reason these fishers are not included in other support schemes; if his attention has been drawn to the impact of this requirement on all involved in fishing, processing and transporting these products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45773/21]

Road Network

Brendan Howlin

146. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a recent assessment estimated that Wexford County Council requires €196 million to bring secondary roads in the county up to standard; his plans to address this urgent issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42682/21]

Planning Issues

Brendan Howlin

398. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to grant a further extension to planning permissions for residential housing delayed by Covid-19 and by building supply issues; if he has estimated the numbers of such permissions due to expire without completion in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43029/21]

Legal Aid

Brendan Howlin

903. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if the relocation of the Legal Aid Board office in County Waterford has been brought to her attention; if discussions have taken place with staff of that office concerning the move; if she has given formal consent under section 3(2) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 for this new premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42170/21]

Home Care Packages

Brendan Howlin

1252. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the recruitment crisis in the homecare sector; if he is satisfied that his Department’s policy on this sector will deliver on policy to allow all persons who wish to remain living in their own homes to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42218/21]

Visa Applications

Brendan Howlin

297. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the reason that visas are required for Colombian nationals visiting or studying in Ireland; if the cost of such visas is greater than the cost of visas for other nationals; the reason that the proof of economic solvency for Colombian applicants is much greater than for other South American applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36981/21]

Citizenship Applications

Brendan Howlin

336. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice when an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied) will be determined. [35429/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Howlin

408. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if matters raised by a person (details supplied) in hotel quarantine will be addressed; his views on whether the experience is acceptable; if a survey will be carried out of all persons who have used quarantine hotels to determine if they had similar experiences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28823/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Howlin

410. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the temporary assistance payment scheme available to nursing homes will continue beyond 30 June 2021, having regard to the ongoing risk from Covid-19 and the consequent need for nursing homes to have extensive infection-prevention control measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28825/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Howlin

237. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that a person (details supplied) on a waiting list to see a consultant neurologist in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin has been given an appointment for 1 January 2024; if this is in keeping with policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27762/21]

Vaccination Programme

Brendan Howlin

238. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 525 of 5 May 2021, his understanding of the effectiveness of each vaccine authorised for use in Ireland against each identified variant of Covid-19 in tabular form; his understanding of the relative effectiveness of first dose and two doses against each variant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27763/21]

Heritage Projects

Brendan Howlin

190. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will identify a source of funding to assist the restoration of an historic musical organ (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34254/21]

Driver Test

Brendan Howlin

190. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons awaiting a driving test in the RSA Wexford driving test centre in each category (details supplied); the number of weeks candidates are on a waiting list for a test date broken into four weeks tranches in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34129/21]