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]

Teaching Qualifications

Duncan Smith

80. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education how citizens who qualified as a secondary school teacher prior to, when a Hons Degree and H.Dip were sufficient to qualify and register as a teacher can become eligible to register as a secondary school teacher since the qualification standard has been changed to Masters level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23111/24]

Housing Policy

Duncan Smith

104. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that persons such as pensioners who are eligible to purchase their dwellings under the tenant purchase scheme, are allowed to avail of SDA-type loans, especially where they have additional fixed income along with their pensions, which augments their repayment capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23119/24]

Public Services Card

Duncan Smith

107. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any restrictions on a service (details supplied) that would result in public service card users only being allowed to book seats in a limited manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23128/24]

Dental Services

Duncan Smith

160. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to address the scarcity of dentists who accept the medical card scheme which is particularly distressing and detrimental for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23117/24]

Dental Services

Duncan Smith

161. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing a refund of dental fees to medical card holders which would allow people to avail of emergency appointments locally, shorten waiting times and support better dental health for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23118/24]

Hospital Charges

Duncan Smith

175. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the amount generated through parking charges at public car parks within Beaumont Hospital in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23182/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

176. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the staffing budget allocation to Mercy University Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [23183/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

177. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE radiographers, by grade, working in Mullingar Regional Hospital in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23184/24]

Primary Care Services

Duncan Smith

178. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant WTE physiotherapist roles currently within children's primary care services in CHO5. [23185/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

179. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant orthopaedic surgeons and orthopaedic registrars based at Roscommon University Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23186/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

180. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the staffing budget allocation to Louth County Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [23187/24]

Departmental Data

Duncan Smith

181. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of violations of the Public Health (Sunbeds) Act 2014 in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23188/24]

Hospital Facilities

Duncan Smith

182. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the nature of refurbishment works that were carried out at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23189/24]

Emergency Departments

Duncan Smith

183. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of major treatment bays and resuscitation bays within the accident and emergency department of Portlaoise Regional Hospital in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23190/24]

Hospital Facilities

Duncan Smith

184. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of funded ICU beds at Galway University Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23191/24]

Primary Care Centres

Duncan Smith

185. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the primary care centres within CHO6 that currently have an audiology clinic based within PCC; the number of WTE audiologists based in each primary care centre within CHO6 in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23192/24]

Disability Services

Duncan Smith

186. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the CHO2 adult ADHD clinic is fully staffed; the number of vacancies, if any, that exist in CHO2 adult ADHD services; and the current caseload of the team serving the CHO2 ADHD clinic. [23193/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

187. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultants in foetal medicine at the Rotunda maternity hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23194/24]

Home Help Service

Duncan Smith

188. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the amount paid to each external agency within CHO9 to provide home help services on behalf of the HSE in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23195/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

189. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant ophthalmologists based at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23196/24]

Emergency Services

Duncan Smith

190. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE rapid response vehicles based in Limerick on a 24-7 basis in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024. [23197/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

191. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant paediatric interventional radiologists based at CHI Temple Street in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23198/24]

Hospital Facilities

Duncan Smith

192. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of funded and staffed critical care beds at University Hospital Waterford in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23199/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

193. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant anaesthetists based in Naas General Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23200/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

194. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE advanced nurse practitioners in movement disorder at Beaumont Hospital in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23201/24]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

195. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant orthopaedic surgeons with a special interest in ankle surgery at Letterkenny University Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form [23202/24]

Departmental Reports

Duncan Smith

198. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport to provide a timeline for release of the Killucan-Rathwire and Kinnegad area transport environs study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22645/24]

Tax Data

Duncan Smith

230. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Finance to provide an estimate of the Exchequer contribution made by the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland, including corporation, payroll taxes and other relevant Exchequer contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22933/24]

Schools Building Projects

Duncan Smith

317. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the status of the provision of a new primary and secondary school in Rush, County Dublin, given the population increase in the area, with a lack of school places for new families moving into the area; when these much-needed schools will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22886/24]

Housing Schemes

Duncan Smith

366. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, in any updates to the affordable housing scheme, he would consider increasing the threshold for single-parent families based on the number of dependants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22923/24]