Parliamentary questions

Public Transport

Darren O'Rourke

250. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the counties that operate demand responsive services on the LocalLink scheme; the counties that do not or have recently stopped providing demand responsive services on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37853/21]

Insurance Industry

Darren O'Rourke

272. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons will lose their no-claims car insurance bonus if a third party makes a claim for a relatively small amount against them, for example, for a scratch, resulting in the insured party paying thousands of euro extra on their premium each year; his plans to address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37571/21]

School Transport

Darren O'Rourke

421. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the number of school buses owned by Bus Éireann that are used on the school transport scheme by the age of the vehicle in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37858/21]

Schools Building Projects

Darren O'Rourke

426. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the status of the new school building project at a school (details supplied) in County Meath; when work on the new school will commence; when it will be completed; if playing pitches will be included in the design; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37982/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Darren O'Rourke

435. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if taxi drivers are to be allowed stay on the pandemic unemployment payment until February 2022; the way this will work in practice; if there will be a reduction in payments or some transition to a jobseeker’s payment; the way this will work given the fact that taxi drivers are self-employed and not seeking a job; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37169/21]

School Transport

Darren O'Rourke

241. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the number of applications including unsuccessful applications for school bus transport in the 2019-2020 and the 2020-2021 school year, respectively; the number of successful applications categorised by eligible and concessionary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37053/21]

Waste Management

Darren O'Rourke

26. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are plans to introduce a disability waste waiver to support those living with long-term incontinence for example; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36569/21]

Departmental Bodies

Darren O'Rourke

129. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the establishment of the mobile phone and broadband taskforce; the members and objectives of the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36444/21]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Darren O'Rourke

130. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he consulted or will consider consulting the OPW to compile a register of State sites and assets that may be suitable for telecommunications infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36445/21]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Darren O'Rourke

131. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the implementation of the EU connectivity toolbox; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36446/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Darren O'Rourke

200. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the process for persons to obtain the EU Digital COVID Certificate; if persons will receive their certificate in advance of 19 July 2021; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35633/21]

Transport Costs

Darren O'Rourke

126. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the growing cost of cargo shipping to Ireland (details supplied); if his Department has conducted an assessment of this growing cost, the reasons behind it, the future trends and the implications for industry here; if he will provide details of this assessment and outline his plans to address this important issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34764/21]

Transport Costs

Darren O'Rourke

127. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the growing cost of cargo shipping to Ireland (details supplied); if his Department has conducted an assessment of this growing cost, the reasons behind it, the future trends and the implications for industry here; the details of this assessment; his plans to address this important issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34765/21]

Transport Costs

Darren O'Rourke

130. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he has an assessment of the practice of blank sailing in deep-sea shipping; his views on whether this practice is contributing to the increased cost of shipping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34769/21]

Cybersecurity Policy

Darren O'Rourke

59. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding needed to increase the budget of the National Cyber Security Centre to €50 million. [33744/21]

Electricity Grid

Darren O'Rourke

63. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent of electricity grid expansion in the past decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33950/21]

Bus Éireann

Darren O'Rourke

70. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a fee is being charged by Bus Éireann to persons with free travel passes to book seats in advance of travel which is now a requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33743/21]

Driver Test

Darren O'Rourke

71. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport when driving lessons and tests for non-essential workers will resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33745/21]

Driver Test

Darren O'Rourke

72. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons who have sat the driver theory test since it reopened by those who took the online test and those who took the test in a test centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33746/21]

Coast Guard Service

Darren O'Rourke

73. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by some members of the Irish Coast Guard on the eradication of morale, trust and pride for front-line members and a lack of confidence in management; if he is taking action to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33747/21]

Coast Guard Service

Darren O'Rourke

74. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the staff turnover at the Irish Coast Guard in 2019 and 2020. [33748/21]

Coast Guard Service

Darren O'Rourke

75. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of complaints lodged with the Irish Coast Guard in 2019 and 2020, by unit members or workers by category of complaint. [33749/21]

Airport Policy

Darren O'Rourke

80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of the Dublin Airport traffic recovery support scheme for the full year of 2022. [33829/21]

Air Services

Darren O'Rourke

81. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of passengers his Department estimate will use Cork Airport in 2022. [33830/21]

Air Services

Darren O'Rourke

82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of passengers his Department estimate will use Shannon Airport in 2022. [33831/21]

Air Services

Darren O'Rourke

83. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of passenger journeys in Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Kerry, Ireland West and Donegal Airports in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [33832/21]

Litter Pollution

Darren O'Rourke

122. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost of hiring ten additional litter wardens. [33741/21]

Exploration Industry

Darren O'Rourke

155. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current holders of the oil and gas licences for the Barryroe oil and gas field off the Cork coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32955/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Darren O'Rourke

159. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of Vote 29 with headings and subheadings for 2021, in tabular form. [33275/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Darren O'Rourke

191. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of Vote 31 with headings and subheadings for 2021, in tabular form. [33274/21]

Bus Services

Darren O'Rourke

194. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of providing one million additional passenger journeys on the LocalLink service in one year. [33335/21]

Public Transport

Darren O'Rourke

195. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of increasing the public transport fleet investment budget by 20%. [33336/21]

Road Network

Darren O'Rourke

196. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of increasing the road improvement and maintenance budget by 20%, excluding the cost of toll payments. [33337/21]

Departmental Budgets

Darren O'Rourke

197. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the total budget for cycling and active travel in 2021. [33338/21]

Health Services Staff

Darren O'Rourke

596. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the reason there is a disparity in funding and pay between trainee psychologists in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25737/21]

Health Service Executive

Darren O'Rourke

597. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of assistant psychologists currently working in a voluntary, unpaid capacity within HSE services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25738/21]

Health Service Executive

Darren O'Rourke

598. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if the HSE recruits assistant psychologists in an unpaid capacity; if so, the reason; if this practice will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25739/21]

Health Service Executive

Darren O'Rourke

599. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the date on which the review into the advertisement for seven unpaid assistant psychology roles (details supplied) will be complete; the date on which this review will be made public; if those seven positions will now be readvertised as paid positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25740/21]

Health Service Executive

Darren O'Rourke

600. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the date on which the HSE will make an announcement on whether the current national pilot assistant psychologist programme is to be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25741/21]

Aviation Industry

Darren O'Rourke

1. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the actions he is taking to support the aviation sector (details supplied); the discussions he has held with the Minister for Health and members of the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, regarding the use of serial antigen testing to aid the sector’s recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32822/21]

Transport Policy

Darren O'Rourke

2. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he will extend the ten-year rule for taxis, acknowledging the severe financial pressure taxi drivers remain under as a result of the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32823/21]

Rail Network

Darren O'Rourke

4. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the status of the ongoing review of the Navan rail line; the date on which the review will be completed; the date on which the results of the review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32459/21]

Public Transport

Darren O'Rourke

18. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the significant discrepancy in the reported funding level of the CIÉ 1951 scheme; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that it was reported on 28 May 2021 that the scheme was 93.8% funded at 1 May 2021 and six days later on 3 June 2021, it was reported that the scheme was 92.3% at the end of April 2021 (details supplied); if he will ensure the accurate figures are reported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32461/21]

Haulage Industry

Darren O'Rourke

28. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the problems still facing many hauliers with Transport Manager CPC qualifications (details supplied); his views on whether this residency requirement undermines the Common Travel Area rights of citizens to be able to live and work freely on these islands; if he will work with his counterpart in Northern Ireland to address this and seek approval from Europe to remedy this if necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32458/21]

Public Transport

Darren O'Rourke

78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the discussions he has held with public transport operators to discuss measures to curb antisocial behaviour on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32460/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Darren O'Rourke

82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he has engaged with travel agents and discussed the need to provide travel agents with continuing business supports with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment given the ongoing challenges the sector is facing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32457/21]

Aviation Industry

Darren O'Rourke

227. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of providing a rebate directly to airlines of all Dublin Airport charges and air navigation charges as recommended in the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery report from July 2020. [32793/21]

Aviation Industry

Darren O'Rourke

228. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of providing a common fixed amount per passenger to regional airports; as recommended in the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery report from July 2020. [32801/21]

Defective Building Materials

Darren O'Rourke

284. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide additional financial support under the pyrite remediation scheme to help homeowners cover the cost of initial investigative tests for pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32533/21]

Departmental Funding

Darren O'Rourke

52. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of the funding allocation for his Department for 2020 and 2021 by project. [32385/21]