Parliamentary questions

Arts Council

Gary Gannon

366. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the reasons the Arts Council cancelled a tender after four months of processing same have been investigated; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Arts Council has changed its reasons for cancellation; and her views on the inconsistency of the claim by the council that one tender was cancelled due to costs while it advertises another tender for HR services (details supplied). [35439/20]

Arts Council

Gary Gannon

367. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will request that the Arts Council also does a survey on its communications with artists in addition to the survey being carried of its board and staff in relation to its communications in order that a fuller picture may be gained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35440/20]

DEIS Scheme

Gary Gannon

483. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the reason there has not been a similar decrease in the staffing schedule for urban band 1 junior schools and vertical schools as there has been in mainstream classrooms, given that research shows the impact of class size and achievement is most effective in the first four years of schooling and that children from low socioeconomic backgrounds benefit most from lower class sizes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35443/20]

Education Costs

Gary Gannon

484. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to decrease the staffing schedule for urban band 1 and junior and vertical schools by one point in line with all other schools. [35444/20]

DEIS Scheme

Gary Gannon

485. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the further supports made available to DEIS schools catering for the highest concentrations of education disadvantage from the budget allocation of €2 million in 2021; and the detail of the full allocation of €5 million in 2022 announced in budget 2021. [35445/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gary Gannon

486. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education her views on the recent ballot outcome of a union (details supplied) and its members to take industrial action due to numerous issues of safety facing schools; and the action taken by her Department to engage with these concerns. [35446/20]

Pensions Reform

Gary Gannon

539. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether pension reforms require a specific gender perspective, given that only 16% of women receive the full State pension (contributory); her further views on whether this perspective and expertise is included in the newly announced membership of the pension committee; if so, the specific members in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35441/20]

DEIS Scheme

Gary Gannon

754. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the details of the way in which the additional €5 million for DEIS schools in Budget 2021 will be allocated and drawn from. [32876/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gary Gannon

755. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if the board of management which under the provision of the Education Act 1998 are charged with the direct governance of a school has the right to close a school after positive confirmed cases of Covid-19 within the school and concerns of an outbreak; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32880/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Gary Gannon

773. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated amount of money spent on the Educational Testing Service. [33101/20]

State Examinations

Gary Gannon

774. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if a new date for the planned leaving certificate exam 2020, which was scheduled to commence on 16 November 2020, has been agreed; if so, if she will provide details of same; if students who were planning on taking the exams have been contacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33103/20]

School Staff

Gary Gannon

775. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if she will provide details of the results of successful and unsuccessful appeals from the primary staffing appeals board 2020-21 school year in tabular form. [33104/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gary Gannon

776. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if the effects of Covid-19 were able to be considered as a factor for lower enrolment numbers that projected under appeals for the primary staffing appeals board 2020-21 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33105/20]

Pension Provisions

Gary Gannon

879. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide information on the planned membership of the Commission on Pensions; if the Commission will be independent and reflect all sections of society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32872/20]

Social Welfare Inspections

Gary Gannon

880. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if household social welfare inspections are permitted to take place under level 5 [32873/20]

Social Welfare Inspections

Gary Gannon

881. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will enact a review for social welfare inspections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32874/20]

Working Family Payment

Gary Gannon

882. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of lone parent households and two parent family households availing of the working family payment over the past 18-month period in tabular form. [32875/20]

Jobseeker's Payments

Gary Gannon

883. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if social welfare sanctions for jobseeker’s payments ceased during the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32879/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Gary Gannon

964. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department carried out a data protection impact assessment on the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter Bill 2020; and if so, if the assessment will be made available. [33100/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gary Gannon

1106. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the most up-to-date definition of a close contact used within the school environment; and the details of changes and dates of changes to this definition. [32877/20]