Parliamentary questions

School Transport

Gary Gannon

198. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the status of bus route D520 remains the same; and if Enfield-based students of schools (details supplied) that were accessing the service as concessionary travel will continue to be accommodated and transported to their school in view of the fact that are relocating to an educational campus one kilometre away from a school. [10352/20]

Schools Building Projects

Gary Gannon

199. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the overall capital construction cost of schools (details supplied) in County Meath. [10353/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Gary Gannon

200. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure by year incurred in the rental of past and present premises since the opening of schools (details supplied). [10354/20]

State Examinations

Gary Gannon

201. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if predictive grades will have an impact on the points reduction offered to students that are eligible for the higher education access route. [10355/20]

State Examinations

Gary Gannon

202. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps which will be taken regarding the 994 students that failed to sign into the portal in time for the predictive grade deadline; and the way in which this compares to previous years for leaving certificate non-sits. [10356/20]

Direct Provision System

Gary Gannon

250. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which persons in direct provision are being supported in terms of being able to social distance, PPE provision and online tools and internet that is vital at this time for education, well-being and communication. [10361/20]

Nursing Staff

Gary Gannon

421. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend nurse prescribing to include opioid substitution therapies such as methadone in order to alleviate pressure on services arising from Covid-19; if the issue is being examined as part of the 2021 review of the National Nurse and Midwife Medicinal Product Prescribing Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10348/20]

National Maternity Hospital

Gary Gannon

422. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 486, 502 and 519 of 27 May 2020, the action the State plans to take when the 99-year lease for the land on which the new national maternity hospital will be built expires; the plans in place for the continuity of public maternity care at the site after the 99 years have expired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10350/20]

Health Screening Programmes

Gary Gannon

423. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health when cancer screenings will resume. [10360/20]

Child Maintenance Payments

Gary Gannon

678. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the progress of the judge-led group announced as part of Budget 2020 to examine and make recommendations in relation to child maintenance payments. [10347/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Gary Gannon

679. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the Covid-19 payment will be reinstated to asylum seekers in direct provision; if an increase to the rate of the daily expenses allowance will be reconsidered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10359/20]

EU Funding

Gary Gannon

739. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of the structural funding from the EU that will be ring-fenced for culture and arts here. [10358/20]

Passport Services

Gary Gannon

36. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the passport office will be reopened to provide its necessary function; and when the postal method, that is, passport express will be operational again. [9502/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gary Gannon

306. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the decision by the Teaching Council to not allow virtual teaching to be included in the probationary period, Droichead, of newly qualified teachers (details supplied). [9503/20]

Information and Communications Technology

Gary Gannon

307. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the book grant scheme for 2020/2021 will allow schools to secure information technology tools and e-books in view of the recent learnings from Covid-19 and the fact that schools have not been able to use the funds in the past due to licensing fees. [9504/20]

Third Level Admissions

Gary Gannon

308. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will recommend to higher level institutions to increase dedicated places for students progressing on from post-leaving certificate courses in view of the expected decrease in international students. [9505/20]

State Examinations

Gary Gannon

309. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are dedicated advocates for DEIS schools, students with disabilities and experts in inclusive assessment and education in the advisory group for contingency planning for State examinations 2020; and if not, if he will ensure representation of such advocates. [9506/20]

State Examinations

Gary Gannon

310. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the system put in place for external candidates and students who are home tutored in their sixth year in view of the fact that predictive grades rely on the expertise of teachers and knowledge of a student. [9510/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gary Gannon

417. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the guidelines given to supermarkets in cases in which members of their staff have been diagnosed with Covid-19 but have recently been carrying out their duties on the premises. [9516/20]

Dental Services

Gary Gannon

507. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the process for the school dental screening programme and Covid-19 (details supplied). [9515/20]