Parliamentary questions

Hospital Facilities

Duncan Smith

6. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what actions his Department is taking to lower car parking charges at hospitals in circumstances where car parking charges are currently at unacceptable levels and waiting times in hospitals can mean that undertaking a CT scan can cost a patient €15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25065/24]

Departmental Funding

Duncan Smith

14. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to provide State funding to an organisation (details supplied) that is currently fully reliant on donations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25063/24]

Ambulance Service

Duncan Smith

16. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to introduce a consultant-led helicopter emergency service that would bring lifesaving expertise to the scene of crashes rather than waiting for the injured to arrive at a hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25062/24]

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 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]

Foreign Birth Registration

Duncan Smith

48. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide a status update in respect of a foreign birth registration (details supplied); if he will expedite the application process for reasons (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24947/24]

National Broadband Plan

Duncan Smith

97. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the provision that has been made in the National Broadband Plan for issues known as direct buried ducting which can preclude premises or an entire estate from being connected to fibre broadband; and if he would direct the providers to investigate the issues affecting [details supplied]. [25396/24]

Air Services

Duncan Smith

116. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport to provide an outline of all flight paths out from Dublin Airport; if any new flight paths have commenced this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24745/24]

Special Educational Needs

Duncan Smith

268. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education her views on the need for additional space to safely accommodate ASD special classes at a school (details supplied); the resources that can be provided in order to open the ASD classes while addressing the schools issues with requiring additional learning support teachers, car parking spaces, a secure play area accessible from the classroom, adequate storage, a sensory area and an activities room with a daily living skills space connected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24692/24]

Rental Sector

Duncan Smith

393. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is an official pause on the cost-rental tenant-in-situ scheme; if such a pause exists, how long it is intended to last for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24924/24]

Medical Cards

Duncan Smith

677. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made in respect of an appeal against a decision to remove a medical card from a person (details supplied), given there was just a €5 increase in income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24634/24]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

766. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE posts allocated to cancer services as per his letter of determination to the HSE outlining his funding priorities following Budget 2024; the overall number of WTE posts allocated to health services for 2024; the number of WTE posts allocated to areas (details supplied) in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25042/24]

Road Safety Authority

Duncan Smith

53. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the reason there are two vacancies on the Board of the Road Safety Authority that arose on 1 January 2024, given the alarming increase in road deaths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24245/24]

Capitation Grants

Duncan Smith

83. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the reason her Department has cut the annual grant for primary schools from €96 a year per pupil to €80; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24196/24]

Capitation Grants

Duncan Smith

84. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she plans to reverse the decision to cut the annual grant for primary schools from €96 a year per pupil to €80; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24197/24]

Vaccination Programme

Duncan Smith

191. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the HSE expenditure on vaccines, excluding Covid-19 vaccines, for each of the years 2019 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24254/24]

Cancer Services

Duncan Smith

466. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health his views on the discrepancy in access to innovative oncology treatments for Irish cancer patients in the public health system, compared with patients with private health insurance; if he is aware of the extent of this discrepancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23945/24]

Cancer Services

Duncan Smith

467. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his Department is monitoring the discrepancy in access to innovative oncology treatments for Irish cancer patients in the public health system, compared with patients with private health insurance; if he will request the HSE to commence tracking of this data as part of its role in assessing and reimbursing medicines for patients in the public health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23946/24]

Cancer Services

Duncan Smith

468. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the impact of delays in access to innovative oncology treatments on disease progression; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23947/24]

Departmental Regulations

Duncan Smith

45. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport to outline all current regulations around rickshaws and tuk-tuks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23164/24]