Parliamentary questions

Defence Forces

Jim O'Callaghan

430. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the status of the implementation of the EU working time directive in relation to the Defence Forces. [24691/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Jim O'Callaghan

431. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence his plans for additional defence investment in strategic airlift, air intercept and airspace monitoring primary radar capability and cyber defence and intelligence. [24692/21]

Defence Forces

Jim O'Callaghan

432. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the number of additional recruits to the Permanent Defence Force to date in 2021 with regard to all three services; the gender breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24693/21]

Overseas Missions

Jim O'Callaghan

433. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are currently involved; the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24694/21]

European Defence Agency

Jim O'Callaghan

434. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the European Defence Agency projects which Ireland is currently involved in tabular form; and if he will provide an overview of the nature of the projects. [24695/21]

Departmental Funding

Jim O'Callaghan

561. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration is being given to the request by an organisation (details supplied) for financial support in order to enable the work of the organisation with young persons to continue in the aftermath of the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23644/21]

Departmental Staff

Jim O'Callaghan

646. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda band members that have been redeployed for the purposes of policing and enforcing Covid-19 guidelines. [24145/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

939. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he plans to seek an extension in relation to those provisions of Part 3 of the Health Act 2020 that are due to expire in June 2021; the factors that will be reviewed prior to any decision to seek an extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24699/21]

Brexit Issues

Jim O'Callaghan

235. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the impact of Brexit on companies from Northern Ireland applying for public works and Government contracts here. [23073/21]

Passport Services

Jim O'Callaghan

339. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the processing of non-urgent passport applications will recommence; the action his Department is taking to ensure that the backlog of applications resulting from the suspension of same will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22707/21]

Irish Sign Language

Jim O'Callaghan

365. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the reason Irish Sign Language has not yet been included in the post-primary curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22671/21]

School Funding

Jim O'Callaghan

381. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if funds will be provided to a school (details supplied) for the construction of an ASD classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22920/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

519. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the protections in place for children who are required to quarantine under section 38B of the Health Act 1947 (as amended); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22666/21]

Vaccination Programme

Jim O'Callaghan

521. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health when persons who do not wish to take a vaccine (details supplied) may be able to receive a different vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22670/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

522. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if it is necessary to seek a waiver of the trade and intellectual property rules for Covid-19 vaccines in order to protect developing countries from the threat of Covid-19; if so, the steps taken to obtain this waiver; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22677/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

19. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if no application for a rail order in respect of MetroLink will be made until such time as the feasibility study into the extension of the Metro to south-west areas of County Dublin has been completed. [22404/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

20. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the reason the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland business case proposal should be considered in the implementation of the transport strategy when that strategy never contemplated a city centre terminus nor the possibility that such a terminus could be in place for decades. [22405/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

21. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the reason the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland business case proposal should be considered in the implementation of the transport strategy when the clear outcome of the public consultation process was that there is currently no agreed southside solution to reach Sandyford, County Dublin. [22406/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

22. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the criteria used by the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to select Charlemont as the preferred MetroLink terminus. [22407/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

23. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the studies carried out by the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to substantiate the selection of Charlemont as the preferred MetroLink terminus location above other city centre locations such as St. Stephen’s Green or O’Connell Street. [22408/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

24. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if the proposed construction of a tunnel beyond a city centre terminus to Beechwood and the proposed construction of a station at Charlemont effectively preordains a future decision to proceed with the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s preferred route of a segregated aboveground metro route along the Luas green line to Sandyford, County Dublin. [22409/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

25. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the way in which expenditure on the partial construction of its preferred route of a city centre tunnel to Beechwood with a Charlemont station will be a valuable use of taxpayers’ money; and the way in which spending that money now will reduce the risk and cost of the ultimate Metro South project. [22410/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

26. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the estimated total costs of constructing MetroLink south beyond the two high profile city centre stations (details supplied). [22411/21]

Rail Network

Jim O'Callaghan

27. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the contractual arrangements in place between the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and a developer (details supplied) for the construction of the Charlemont station box; the capital cost of these works; when the developer is due to be refunded; the approval the NTA and TII have for incurring actual metro construction costs in advance of submitting the MetroLink business case and in advance of obtaining a railway order; if the NTA and TII requested the developer to apply for planning permission for the station box; the legal grounds on which the NTA and TII is of the view that a metro station box is not required to have planning permission granted as part of a railway order; and the legal grounds on which the NTA and TII is of the view that the Charlemont metro station box has obtained valid planning permission when it was included in the planning permission for an office development and it is not a requirement for or part of that office development. [22412/21]

Sports Facilities

Jim O'Callaghan

85. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the actions taken to obtain the view of young persons in increasing their participation in sport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21803/21]

Culture Policy

Jim O'Callaghan

123. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the cultural capital scheme 2019-2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21804/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

150. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the small business assistance scheme for Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22193/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

151. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the sustaining enterprise fund; the number of jobs it has protected during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22194/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

152. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the COVID-19 credit guarantee scheme; the number of businesses that have availed of the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22195/21]

Trading Online Voucher Scheme

Jim O'Callaghan

153. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the trading online voucher scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22197/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

154. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the business continuity voucher scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22198/21]

Departmental Schemes

Jim O'Callaghan

298. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance the status of the operation of the debt warehousing scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22196/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

334. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps being taken to support the return of live performances and events in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21183/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

339. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if a formal response has been delivered to an organisation (details supplied) in respect of a document that was furnished to her Department in October 2020. [21238/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

340. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she plans to permit the graduated return of antigen tested spectators to sport. [21239/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

341. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the UEFA European Football Championship games planned in June 2021 in Ireland will proceed with spectators' present. [21240/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

342. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps being taken to ensure that the UEFA European Football Championship games planned for June 2021 in Ireland will proceed; and if it is planned to implement a report (details supplied) rapid Covid-19 testing to facilitate the attendance of spectators. [21241/21]

Northern Ireland

Jim O'Callaghan

505. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps that have been taken to investigate the procurement of the rights of a book (details supplied) as was suggested in Dáil Éireann in December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21316/21]

Departmental Reviews

Jim O'Callaghan

536. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education when the independent review into the 2020 leaving certificate calculated grades system will be completed and published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21142/21]

State Pensions

Jim O'Callaghan

639. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason former gardaí who worked in the public sector prior to April 1995 do not have entitlement to a State pension (contributory); her plans to change this rule; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21259/21]

Enterprise Support Services

Jim O'Callaghan

680. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the enterprise support grant; the number of grants that have been approved to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22234/21]

Legislative Measures

Jim O'Callaghan

829. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the steps being taken to change the law to ensure that persons responsible for killing spouses or civil partners do not benefit from the estates of the deceased person. [22114/21]

Firearms Licences

Jim O'Callaghan

830. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of silencers for firearms that are licensed in Ireland. [22115/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Jim O'Callaghan

872. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to implement the recommendations of a report (details supplied) on Covid-19 rapid testing in respect of the graduated return of spectators to sport. [21234/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Jim O'Callaghan

873. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if regulations will be amended to permit the return of 2,000 antigen tested spectators to the RDS on 15 May 2021 for a rugby match in accordance with the findings of a report (details supplied). [21235/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Jim O'Callaghan

874. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if it is planned to permit a branch of an organization (details supplied) to allow 2,000 antigen tested spectators living within a 20km range of a stadium into the stadium on 15 May 2021 for a match as part of the graduated return of spectators to sport. [21236/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Jim O'Callaghan

875. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if it will be acknowledged that the antigen testing proposed by an organisation (details supplied) that will take place in advance of the rugby match that will take place on 15 May 2021 is compatible with the recommendations within the on a report on Covid-19 rapid testing. [21237/21]

Vaccination Programme

Jim O'Callaghan

876. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if there is a difference in payment for persons administering Covid-19 vaccinations depending on if they are nurses or doctors. [21242/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jim O'Callaghan

898. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if it is planned to vary the requirement for persons travelling to Ireland from the United Kingdom to quarantine in view of the low incidence of Covid-19 that exists in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21338/21]

Special Educational Needs

Jim O'Callaghan

76. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if all new school builds will include the construction of ASD classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20908/21]