Parliamentary questions

Health Services Waiting Lists

Gino Kenny

237. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the average waiting period for any genetic test in the public health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34449/23]

International Protection

Gino Kenny

57. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice what the new processes are that she introduced in 2022 to designate ‘safe countries of origin’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34024/23]

Work Permits

Gino Kenny

65. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if she will grant general employment permit holders full access to the labour market after two years rather than five years currently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34025/23]

Immigration Policy

Gino Kenny

79. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if there are specific work permits, processes or procedures for migrant workers in the circus sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34023/23]

Residency Permits

Gino Kenny

88. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware that the Irish residence permit costs €300 every year for most non-EU people over the age of 18, but an organisation (details supplied) estimates that the cost to the State of producing and delivering the permit is just €20.44; if she will reduce the cost of these permits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34022/23]

Asylum Seekers

Gino Kenny

514. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if fleeing Russia to avoid military conscription will be grounds for granting asylum in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32473/23]

Cabinet Committees

Gino Kenny

12. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on drugs policy will next meet. [32556/23]

Departmental Reports

Gino Kenny

68. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that the Government’s own Cost of Disability report indicated that people with disabilities incur between €9,482 and €11,735 a year on expenses related to their disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32470/23]

Equality Issues

Gino Kenny

72. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that Ireland ranks lowest in the EU for both its disability employment rate and disability employment gap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32472/23]

Departmental Reports

Gino Kenny

84. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will publish an action plan and allocate resources to support the findings of the Government’s own Cost of Disability report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32471/23]

Cancer Services

Gino Kenny

560. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he plans to lower the breast cancer screening age below the current level of 50 to 40 or 45 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32049/23]

Medicinal Products

Gino Kenny

665. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to progress drug availability in Ireland for rare forms of the neurological condition, spinal muscular atrophy, specifically adult types 3 and 4 (details supplied). [32647/23]

Health Services

Gino Kenny

411. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the progress he is making on expanding the national heel-prick test; how many diseases babies born today in Ireland are currently being tested for; when he will decide on including spinal muscular atrophy in newborn screening (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31721/23]

Legislative Measures

Gino Kenny

130. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he will make the order or orders required to bring the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31486/23]

Departmental Functions

Gino Kenny

5. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the non-statutory public service modernisation, development and reform functions for which his Department is responsible. [30980/23]

Pharmacy Services

Gino Kenny

679. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason he has not engaged with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to pay for services, as required by the Public Service Pay and Pension Act 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30853/23]

Universal Social Charge

Gino Kenny

93. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if he will announce in budget 2024 the abolition of the universal social charge for those earning under €100,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30169/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

70. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the Government’s recent discussions with the Women of Honour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29556/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

76. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on a complaint made by Defence Forces representatives over the failure to pay proper overtime to their members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29558/23]

Naval Service

Gino Kenny

80. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the deployment of the LÉ William Butler Yeats to the coast of Libya; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29557/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

100. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on how the role of the Irish Defence Forces would change if the Triple Lock were to be altered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29555/23]

Military Neutrality

Gino Kenny

101. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the progress of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29559/23]

International Relations

Gino Kenny

11. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that many journalists, trade union leaders, judges, civil society activists and politicians, including the Speaker of the Tunisian parliament (details supplied) have been arrested in Tunisia in recent weeks in concerted acts of state repression; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28774/23]

Human Rights

Gino Kenny

40. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the recent acts of severe repression carried out by the army and state institutions in Pakistan against opposition politicians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28775/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Gino Kenny

12. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) recently reported that the number of long-waiters for hospital treatment has increased by 12% since start of 2023 and has risen 22-fold over the past decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26577/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Gino Kenny

35. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that 309 children are waiting for scoliosis-related surgery and that just 12 spinal fusions have been completed to date in 2023 in Temple Street and Cappagh hospitals, a third of the number completed in the same period in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26575/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Gino Kenny

57. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) recently reported that over 1.1 million people are waiting for some form of hospital care, with 888,600 people on National Treatment Purchase Fund waiting list and a further 250,000 people waiting for diagnostics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26576/23]

Medical Cards

Gino Kenny

67. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware it is almost ten years since the HSE has reviewed medical card eligibility on medical grounds, and the effectiveness of the system of assessment for a discretionary medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26574/23]

Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Gino Kenny

73. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that a professor of palliative medicine at the National University of Ireland, Galway recently said the medical cannabis access programme was a welcome step, but is still not working for many patients; if he will immediately publish a long-awaited review into the medicinal cannabis access programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26573/23]

Research and Development

Gino Kenny

162. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to reschedule the chemical compound psilocybin for medical research and medicinal purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26461/23]

Health Services

Gino Kenny

609. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that community neuro-rehabilitation is a vital support for people living with neurological conditions, a community neuro-rehabilitation team was promised for every Community Health Organisation (CHO) area but most have not been delivered; if he will commit to a timeline to establish a team in every CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17656/23]

Legislative Measures

Gino Kenny

770. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) regulations 2023 will extend to Irish citizens who are prescribed cannabis medicines; if his Department has nominated a body to issue and verify such certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26245/23]

An Garda Síochána

Gino Kenny

2. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he will report on any discussion he has had with senior Garda authorities on the policing of anti-asylum seeker-refugee demonstrations and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25462/23]

An Garda Síochána

Gino Kenny

28. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he has plans to discuss the far right with the Garda Commissioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25315/23]

Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell

Gino Kenny

30. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide an update on the status of a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25316/23]

An Garda Síochána

Gino Kenny

35. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice his views on the policing of far-right protests and aggression against refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25313/23]

Departmental Schemes

Gino Kenny

449. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if people with long-term and serious allergies would be considered for the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23775/23]

Employment Rights

Gino Kenny

58. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail the position in relation to the High Court injunction preventing the implementation of an ERO in the security sector; if his Department has taken any steps to contest the attempt by some firms to stop this ERO; when the State will seek to enforce the ERO; when he expects to be able to clarify the State’s legal defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23274/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

26. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on remarks made recently by a Lieutenant Colonel (details supplied) in the Irish Defence Forces regarding recruitment and retention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22023/23]

Naval Service

Gino Kenny

47. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on proposals for an Irish naval vessel and personnel to participate in Operation Irini, part of which is to involve training of the Libyan Coast Guard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22025/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

51. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Government will instigate a public tribunal on bullying and sexual abuse in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22022/23]

Employment Rights

Gino Kenny

78. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, in light of proposed redundancies at a company (details supplied) he will review current legislation around redundancies and notice periods in order to enhance current protection for workers; if he or his Department will meet with worker of to hear their concerns at the limitations of the current legislation and the process undertaking by their employer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22143/23]

Medicinal Products

Gino Kenny

270. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the unavailability of medication for persons who suffer with diverticulosis, given that patients who are normally prescribed colofac and spasmonal cannot avail of this medication, and neither pharmacists nor GPs can confirm when these medications will be available from suppliers; the reason for the lack of supply of these medications; and if he will confirm when they will be available again. [22218/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Gino Kenny

558. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that a person (details supplied) has still not been paid the pandemic special recognition payment Covid bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21071/23]

Parking Provision

Gino Kenny

9. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport if he can clarify any plans to remove or penalise workers who avail of car-parking spaces in their workplace; how any scheme aimed at removing or charging for such places might affect front-line workers or those with no viable public transport option due to their shift patterns and workplace location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20771/23]

Departmental Consultations

Gino Kenny

66. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if a person (details supplied) will chair each of the four sessions of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy planned for June 2023. [20532/23]

Departmental Consultations

Gino Kenny

67. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the person or body that will be invited to the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy; and how their expertise will be determined. [20533/23]

Departmental Consultations

Gino Kenny

68. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how long the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy will sit on each of the four days scheduled for June 2023. [20534/23]

Departmental Consultations

Gino Kenny

69. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if all seven of the planned themes will be discussed at each of the four planned sessions of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy. [20535/23]

Departmental Consultations

Gino Kenny

70. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if members of the public will be permitted to attend the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy; and how they can apply for admission. [20536/23]