Parliamentary questions

Residential Institutions

Catherine Connolly

217. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the additional benefits over those of the 'ordinary medical card' that accrue if a person is in possession of an 'enhanced medical card', as proposed by the Survivors of Institutional Abuse Bill 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20713/24]

Residential Institutions

Catherine Connolly

218. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the analysis undertaken to establish the number of survivors who may be entitled to an enhanced medical card pursuant to the Survivors of Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 already in possession of a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20714/24]

Residential Institutions

Catherine Connolly

219. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the balance of funds remaining in the residential institutions statutory fund; the purposes for which those monies will be used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20715/24]

Residential Institutions

Catherine Connolly

220. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the number of applications approved by Caranua which remain incomplete; the length of time those applications have been ongoing; the timeline for the completion of those application/works, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20716/24]

Child Abuse

Catherine Connolly

221. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the outstanding balance owed by religious congregations further to the 2002 indemnity agreement and the additional commitments after 2009 following the publication of the Ryan report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20717/24]

School Staff

Catherine Connolly

231. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education her plans to extend the special education diploma allowance to include eligible teachers who started working post-2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20831/24]

Pension Provisions

Catherine Connolly

301. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 20 February 2024, to provide an update on the long-term carers’ contribution scheme; the number of applications received to date; the number approved; the number rejected; the number pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20174/24]

Medical Cards

Catherine Connolly

614. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health to outline, in tabular form, the benefits provided by a medical card and an enhanced medical card (as available to some persons pursuant to the mother and baby institutions payment scheme); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20724/24]

Hospital Closures

Catherine Connolly

33. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the details of his engagement to-date in 2024 with HSE West regarding the ongoing closure of Clifden District Hospital; the steps he has taken to ensure that the hospital reopens on a permanent basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19534/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Catherine Connolly

38. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 29 February 2024, for an update on the development of the SAR/PBC by the project team and the Galway University Hospitals Capital Programme Oversight Board for the new emergency department, women and children's block in UHG; the expected timeline for it to move to pre-tender stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19533/24]

Flood Relief Schemes

Catherine Connolly

90. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 23 April 2024, for an update on the engagement between the steering group and the consultants regarding the fee proposal for the Coirib go Cósta project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19531/24]

National Development Plan

Catherine Connolly

104. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 67 of 21 February 2024, for an update on the delivery to-date of National Development Plan 2021-2030 projects for County Galway; for an update on his Department's work on updating the NDP sectoral allocations to 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19532/24]

Eating Disorders

Catherine Connolly

302. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of the new national model of care for eating disorders; the reason for the delay in the delivery of the promised 20 new inpatient beds; the timeline for when these 20 new beds will be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20091/24]

Eating Disorders

Catherine Connolly

303. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of eating disorder outpatient teams across the country; the number of teams established to-date and the locations of same; the funding allocated to eating disorder outpatient teams in 2023 and 2024; his plans to allocate additional funding to eating disorder outpatient teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20092/24]

Hospital Facilities

Catherine Connolly

241. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 162 of 28 February 2024, for an update on the development of the new elective hospital in Merlin Park; if the architect led design team has been appointed to-date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19544/24]

Primary Care Centres

Catherine Connolly

242. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 28 February 2024, the status of the proposed primary care centre for Galway city; the expected timeline for the delivery of the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19545/24]

Primary Care Centres

Catherine Connolly

243. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 28 February 2024, the status of the development of a primary care centre on Inisbofin; the status of the land transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19546/24]

Disability Services

Catherine Connolly

244. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown of all respite beds in County Galway; the locations of same; the number of same that are currently operational and currently closed, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19547/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Catherine Connolly

84. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1148 of 20 March 2024, if the negotiation process between the expert negotiator and religious orders with regard to the mother and baby institutions redress scheme has been completed to date; if he has received any interim reports or updates during the process; if he plans to publish the final report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18992/24]

Departmental Reports

Catherine Connolly

119. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on his Department's response to the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme; the status of the review by his Department, as referenced in an article (details supplied), of the findings and recommendations of the report; the progress to-date on the implementation of the recommendations of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18993/24]

Visa Applications

Catherine Connolly

534. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the status of a visa application for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay and when a decision is likely; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19454/24]

Child Protection

Catherine Connolly

572. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to recommendation 5.3.2 of the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme, the details of any investigation and follow up action that has been undertaken by HIQA into the findings of the report; the details of any audit carried out by HIQA of residential care centres on foot of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19001/24]

Child Abuse

Catherine Connolly

573. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to recommendation 5.3.2 of the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme, the details of any investigation and follow up action that has been undertaken by HIQA into the findings of the report; the details of any audit carried out by HIQA of residential care centres on foot of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19001/24]

Child Abuse

Catherine Connolly

574. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the research into the area of organisational and institutional abuse of children commissioned by the Working Group on institutional and organisational abuse; the terms of reference for the research; the expected timeline for the research to be completed; the expected timeline for the publication of the final report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19002/24]

Child Protection

Catherine Connolly

575. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the development of a national policy on protecting children from sexual exploitation, as per recommendation 5.3.1 of the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19003/24]

Child Protection

Catherine Connolly

576. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the implementation of recommendation 5.3.3 of the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme, which recommends that all professional care staff are provided with training and support to speak and listen to children and young people who disclose experiences of sexual exploitation to them; if Tusla have to date extended their training of the Child Sexual Exploitation procedure to all care staff in all residential centres; what actions Tusla has taken to ensure that all residential care units have clear policies and procedures for staff to follow to ensure the safeguarding and protection of children in their care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19004/24]

Child Protection

Catherine Connolly

577. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the implementation of recommendation 5.3.6 of the Protecting Against Predators report by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19005/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Catherine Connolly

589. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of applications received to-date under the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; the number of applications processed to date; the number of applications approved to date; the number of applications rejected to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19322/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Connolly

18. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline, further to the recent scrapping of the green paper on disability reform, her plans to introduce a cost of disability payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18376/24]

Pension Provisions

Catherine Connolly

22. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection what value-for-money analysis has been carried out in relation to the different rates of participation in the proposed automatic enrolment pension scheme; the different rates of opt-outs; the different rates of suspension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18377/24]

Fisheries Protection

Catherine Connolly

89. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 21 February 2024, the status of plans for the introduction of measures to protect the sprat fishery, which is concentrated within the six-nautical-mile zone; to provide an update on the recent public consultation on trawling activity inside the six-nautical-mile zone and the baselines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18275/24]

Departmental Bodies

Catherine Connolly

92. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 74 of 22 February 2024, for an update on the work of the wool council; if the €30,000 in departmental funding has been drawn down to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18274/24]

Health Services Staff

Catherine Connolly

344. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of epilepsy specialist nurse posts in the State; the number of these which are currently unfilled; the location of each epilepsy specialist nurse post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18653/24]

Pension Provisions

Catherine Connolly

112. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to the proposed automatic enrolment pension scheme, what analysis has been carried out regarding the consequences; if there are fewer participants than the 750,000/800,000 on which the scheme is predicated; what analysis has been carried out regarding the consequences of varying numbers of participants opting out of and/or suspending participation in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18375/24]

Legislative Reviews

Catherine Connolly

14. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 23 of 22 February 2024, the status of the independent review of part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017; her plans to revisit the decision for the review to be completed by the data and research unit of her Department; if she will recruit another independent reviewer to complete the work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17851/24]

Middle East

Catherine Connolly

39. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 35 of 22 February 2024, the number of people currently in Gaza who have permission to remain in Ireland, or who have a visa to live, study or work in Ireland; the steps being taken by her Department to assist them in exiting Gaza; the details of any engagement between her Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs in this regard since October 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17852/24]

Flood Relief Schemes

Catherine Connolly

48. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the estimated cost of the revised Coirib go Cósta flood relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14382/24]

Flood Relief Schemes

Catherine Connolly

50. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 8 February 2024, the status of the review by the Coirib go Cósta steering group of the draft revised programme incorporating the additional scope for the Coirib go Cósta flood relief scheme; the timeline for the publication of the revised project programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14381/24]

Military Aircraft

Catherine Connolly

109. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 16 April 2024, to clarify the steps taken to ensure that US Air Force C17 Globemaster aircraft number 08-8021 was not carrying weapons or munitions when it travelled through Shannon Airport on 10 April 2024 and landed in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 11 April 2024, and was further tracked flying over Israel, Jordan and Egypt on 13 and 15 April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17984/24]

Health Strategies

Catherine Connolly

599. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to establish a diabetes taskforce to develop a National Diabetes Strategy; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17481/24]

Hospital Services

Catherine Connolly

600. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the details of any analysis carried out or commissioned by his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department into the number of hospital-based diabetes clinics in Ireland that currently meet the recommended staffing levels of multidisciplinary diabetes team members, including consultant endocrinologists, advanced nurse practitioners, diabetes nurse specialists, dietitians, psychologists; the steps being taken to ensure that recommended multidisciplinary diabetes staffing levels are met in all paediatric and adult diabetes clinics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17482/24]

Cancer Services

Catherine Connolly

619. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of the promised new cancer care centre in Galway University Hospital; the timeline for the construction of the new centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17637/24]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Catherine Connolly

10. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán i dtaca le Ceist Uimh. 7 den 15 Feabhra 2024, soiléiriú a thabhairt ar an bplean a d’eascair as an obair athbhreithnithe a rinne Údarás na Gaeltachta faoin bpunann iomlán maoine atá aige agus faoi na féidearthachtaí forbartha atá ann; soiléiriú a thabhairt ar na hacmhainní airgeadais a bheidh ag teastáil chun an plean a chur i gcrích; an dtabharfaidh sí an t-eolas is déanaí ar aon teagmháil idir a Roinn agus Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir le tithíocht a chur ar fáil ar thalamh agus réadmhaoin atá faoi úinéireacht an údaráis; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [16854/24]

Limistéir Pleanála Teanga

Catherine Connolly

21. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán soiléiriú a thabhairt ar aon teagmháil idir a Roinn, an Roinn Tithíochta agus brúghrúpa (sonraí tugtha) maidir leis na ceithre bhunéileamh atá acu faoin easpa tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [16855/24]

Departmental Funding

Catherine Connolly

35. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 9 of 15 February 2024, the status of the drawdown of the €1 million in Galway 2020 legacy funding; the amount drawn down to date; the breakdown of where any funds drawn down to date have been allocated; the amount allocated to date via open calls for funding applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16852/24]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Catherine Connolly

38. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 24 of 15 February 2024, the status of the Údarás na Gaeltachta housing initiative approved in December 2023 to develop a model of affordable housing for Irish speakers on Údarás lands in three Gaeltacht areas; the details of her Department’s role in this housing initiative; the expected timeline for delivery of the affordable housing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16853/24]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Catherine Connolly

51. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 62 den 15 Feabhra 2024, maidir leis an obair athbhreithnithe atá déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta i ndáil leis na córais agus leis an gcur chuige atá i ngníomh ag an Údarás chun tacú le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge sna client-chuideachtaí agus i ndáil leis na bealaí ina ndéantar an t-ábhar a bhaineann leo a riaradh; soiléiriú a thabhairt ar stádas na scéime píolótaí; cé mhéad client-chuideachta atá ag glacadh páirt sa scéim; soiléiriú a thabhairt ar na téarmaí tagartha don scéim; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [16856/24]

Departmental Priorities

Catherine Connolly

60. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 37 of 8 February 2024, for an update on his Department’s engagement with the Department of Foreign Affairs with a view to developing a new business and human rights action plan and implementation body; the number of meetings held to date by the stakeholder forum; the dates of same; the terms of reference of the stakeholder forum; the expected timeline for the new national plan on business and human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16851/24]

Regional Development

Catherine Connolly

69. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 30 of 8 February 2024, the status of the implementation of the West regional enterprise plan, REP, to 2024; the date of all meetings to date of the steering group; for an update on the most recent meeting of the steering group; if the West REP progress report, which was expected in quarter 1 of 2024, has been published to date; how many of the nine REP progress reports expected in quarter 1 of 2024 have been published to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16850/24]

Export Controls

Catherine Connolly

76. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 8 February 2024, the number of dual-use export licence applications in respect of end-users in Israel approved by his Department since 7 October 2023; the value of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16847/24]