Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brian Stanley

78. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider changing the criteria for entitlement to invalidity pension for self-employed people who became permanently incapacitated prior to December 2017 (details supplied); if she will review this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49002/23]

Teaching Qualifications

Brian Stanley

436. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education to extend recognition to route 4 training through the Teaching Council for trained staff to work with special needs children. [47324/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brian Stanley

1104. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the Government’s up-to-date position regarding a scheme to assist those frontline workers who are absent from employment due to long-Covid. [47348/23]

Community Welfare Services

Brian Stanley

78. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the location in County Laois where face-to-face meetings with a community welfare officer takes place; and the procedure to obtain such a meeting. [46322/23]

Community Welfare Services

Brian Stanley

114. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of face-to-face meetings that took place between community welfare officers and applicants for supplementary welfare allowance in the first six months of 2023. [46323/23]

Workplace Relations Commission

Brian Stanley

223. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how many cases have been taken to the Workplace Relations Commission by employees against employers regarding tips, service charges and other gratuities in 2022 and 2023. [46218/23]

Living Wage

Brian Stanley

224. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline his Department's plans for the introduction of a living wage. [46219/23]

Student Accommodation

Brian Stanley

633. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what plans there are for developing on-campus student accommodations units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46220/23]

School Transport

Brian Stanley

48. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education to insist that county-based co-ordinators are put in place for school transport to avoid the problems that arise each year with the scheme. [42410/23]

Local Authorities

Brian Stanley

341. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans through further resources to aid Dublin City Council in dealing with its significant backlog in conveyancing works (details supplied). [45277/23]

Departmental Data

Brian Stanley

50. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the expenditure in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 on generators purchased to provide dispatchable power to the grid when other sources are not supplying sufficient quantities. [44238/23]

Housing Schemes

Brian Stanley

262. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities are experiencing delays in housing acquisitions from members of the public. [43559/23]

Housing Schemes

Brian Stanley

263. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of housing acquisitions by local authorities that go beyond 12 weeks during the conveyancing process. [43560/23]

Local Authorities

Brian Stanley

60. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport to devolve powers to local authorities to enable them to erect bus shelters as their councillors and engineers are best placed to decide on the safest and most appropriate location; and to change the current process whereby the funding is administered by the National Transport Authority. [42411/23]

Credit Unions

Brian Stanley

151. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance the legislation, Irish or EU, that must change before Irish credit unions are able to avail of the same ECB deposit interest rates as commercial retail banks. [42609/23]

Legislative Programme

Brian Stanley

155. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance when it can be expected to see the Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2022 completed and enacted. [42608/23]

Fuel Prices

Brian Stanley

159. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average price, per barrel of oil, that the State is paying. [42830/23]

Approved Housing Bodies

Brian Stanley

380. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated number of approved housing bodies, AHBs, that are understood to be continuing to operate and collect rents, but are not registered with the Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority; to set out, in tabular form, a list of AHBs that have their entire housing stock 'out-of-mortgage' (i.e., where the mortgage term has expired); and the estimated number of AHB units that will become 'out-of-mortgage' for each year from 2023 to 2053. [42843/23]

Approved Housing Bodies

Brian Stanley

381. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, based on data collected as part of the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority's monitoring survey conducted earlier in 2023 for its sectoral analysis 2021-2022, he will set out information (details supplied) in tabular form. [42844/23]

Medicinal Products

Brian Stanley

575. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health to include the drug ketamine, used for cerebral palsy patients, in the long-term illness scheme. [42197/23]

Electricity Generation

Brian Stanley

47. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of generators purchased to provide dispatchable power to the grid when other sources are not supplying sufficient quantities; to set out the fuel type they use; and the cost of purchasing them. [41849/23]

Grant Payments

Brian Stanley

262. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport to review the grant scheme for taxi operators to buy EVs, as the current scheme is unworkable for many due to their inability to access loans to finance new EVs. [37562/23]

National Car Test

Brian Stanley

339. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider stopping the move by NCT centres to go cashless as this goes against having an inclusive society. [38368/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Brian Stanley

976. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the farm assist scheme to ascertain if changes are needed to the criteria, given that there are only approximately 4,500 farmers in receipt of the scheme. [37183/23]

Forestry Sector

Brian Stanley

1247. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress on the commencement of 2023-2027 forestry programme; and to address the continuing delays in obtaining forestry licences. [37314/23]

Medicinal Products

Brian Stanley

1579. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if his Department has made a decision on the approval of the drug, Evenity (manufacturer Amgen), for the treatment of osteoporosis, given that this has been approved at EU level. [37611/23]

Health Services Staff

Brian Stanley

1754. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health to take action to ensure an occupational therapist is recruited in Laois for the elderly, and also to provide a service to three nursing units in the county. [38367/23]

Housing Policy

Brian Stanley

577. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 6 July 2023, if he will clarify the specific cost of getting two health care professionals to sign HDM-Form 1 (details supplied). [35914/23]

Housing Provision

Brian Stanley

8. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions that are being taken to increase the number of homes built by local authorities beyond the 1,666 that were constructed last year. [32921/23]

Housing Policy

Brian Stanley

52. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to change the requirement for applicants for social housing to have medical certificates signed by two practitioners as this is placing a cost on them of up to €120, and more in some cases. [32920/23]

School Facilities

Brian Stanley

300. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education if her Department will consider financing a joint project with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Sport Ireland to build a PE hall at a school (details supplied). [32339/23]

Tax Yield

Brian Stanley

204. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance the projected revenue raised in first-year 2024 and full-year terms from the scheduled increase in carbon tax on 1 May 2024 and 9 October 2024, respectively and combined. [30794/23]

Vaccination Programme

Brian Stanley

711. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if he can clarify whether the main vaccination centre for CHO 8 is going to be located in Ardee, County Louth (details supplied). [31060/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brian Stanley

731. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the arrangement that has been put in place regarding the pandemic bonus payment for employees of a nursing home (details supplied), given that to date they have not received this payment. [31151/23]

Postal Voting

Brian Stanley

264. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to change the requirement for those seeking a postal vote on medical or disability grounds to have their application form certified by a medical practitioner, as this is costing €60 to €70 (details supplied). [30479/23]

Defence Forces

Brian Stanley

183. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current progress on providing alternative accommodation for the UN Veterans facility at Portlaoise Garda Station, which is a consequence of the construction works and extension to the Garda Divisional HQ. [29783/23]

Defence Forces

Brian Stanley

184. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will confirm whether the Department of Justice and the prison authorities in the Midlands, along with the OPW, have finalised agreement on the construction of the Defence Forces Unit, including the UN Veterans facility at the Midlands Prison. [29784/23]

Community Welfare Services

Brian Stanley

144. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider the complaints from charities and public representatives regarding the difficulties that people are having in contacting a community welfare officer when applying for supplementary welfare allowance and the additional needs payment. [25128/23]

Community Welfare Services

Brian Stanley

145. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department recognises that the removal of the physical clinics held by community welfare officers has led to difficulties for applications who are in a financially vulnerable position; and if her Department will now reinstate this face-to-face service. [25129/23]

Legislative Process

Brian Stanley

233. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance when we can expect the Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2020 to complete all stages in Dáil Éireann and be enacted. [24312/23]

Tax Code

Brian Stanley

403. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when we can expect to see the residential zoned land tax imposed. [24235/23]

Tax Code

Brian Stanley

404. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the significant number of property developers that are seeking to delist property to avoid the residential zoned land tax being imposed upon their vacant lands; his plans to provide oversight to ensure the tax is properly and efficiently imposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24236/23]

Sustainable Development Goals

Brian Stanley

188. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications following the announcement by his Department that credit unions have been appointed sustainable development goal champions for 2023 and 2024, if he will outline the tangible outcomes that can be expected from this announcement; and if any KPIs have been agreed between his Department and the credit union sector. [23723/23]

Departmental Investigations

Brian Stanley

213. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance if the State will be investigating whether a company (details supplied) has leaked any confidential State documents relating to tax to its own private clients, as could be the case with the company in Australia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23914/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Brian Stanley

220. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform his views on whether a company (details supplied) will continue to be able to bid for State contracts while the Australian government investigates it for leaking confidential state tax documents to its own clients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23913/23]

State Pensions

Brian Stanley

355. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the Government’s intentions regarding the pension road map in 2018 to bring the State pension to the level of 34% of average income. [23749/23]

Energy Conservation

Brian Stanley

166. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if those working on community employment schemes and in receipt of fuel allowance are entitled to apply for SEAI better energy warmer homes scheme. [22638/23]

Banking Sector

Brian Stanley

262. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance his views on the very low interest rate levels that retail banks are offering for deposit rates to customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22560/23]

Banking Sector

Brian Stanley

263. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has spoken to the Central Bank or retail banks around increasing deposit interest rates for customers. [22561/23]

Medical Cards

Brian Stanley

734. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when the commitment given in Budget 2023 to give GP medical cards to those with an income of less than the median wage will be implemented. [23193/23]