Parliamentary questions

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

437. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the average staff turnover rate for full day services based on the data collected in the Pobal Early Years Sector Profile 2019-2020. [33273/21]

Public Sector Staff

Kathleen Funchion

448. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost to employ an additional 50 social workers. [31656/21]

Public Sector Staff

Kathleen Funchion

449. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost to recruit an additional ten administrative support staff for social workers. [31657/21]

School Attendance

Kathleen Funchion

802. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to restore the school completion programme to 2010 levels. [31671/21]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

848. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the uptake and funding rates of the disability awareness support scheme between 2017 and 2021, in tabular form. [30609/21]

Maternity Leave

Kathleen Funchion

912. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to extend maternity leave by 52 weeks. [31655/21]

Parental Leave

Kathleen Funchion

915. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing six weeks of parental benefit which would be the same rate as maternity benefit but which could be taken by either parent or shared between the two at the end of the period of maternity leave. [31664/21]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

916. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing maternity, paternity and adoptive benefit by €10 per week. [31666/21]

Departmental Communications

Kathleen Funchion

928. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if officials in his Department have requested that a company (details supplied) contact service providers in disadvantaged areas; the methodology of the engagement by his Department with the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30553/21]

Youth Services

Kathleen Funchion

947. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of youth organisations in receipt of funding from his Department; the amount of funding allocated by organisation in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30942/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

952. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to the provision of youth services; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31172/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

953. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2020 and 2021 on the UBU your place, your space programme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2020, in tabular form. [31173/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

954. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 on the youth services grant scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31174/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

955. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 on the local youth club grant scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31175/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

956. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 on youth information centres; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31176/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

957. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 on the targeted youth funding scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31177/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

958. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated to Tusla for youth counselling services in 2019, 2020 and 2021; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31178/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

959. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to youth services from the dormant accounts fund; the services and programmes in receipt of this funding in 2019 and 2020; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31179/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

960. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated to Tusla for family resource centres in 2019, 2020 and 2021; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31180/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

961. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to national youth organisations; the organisations allocated funding; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31181/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

962. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to youth capital projects; and the amount of the allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31194/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

963. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to youth services to mitigate Covid-19 and its impact. [31266/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

968. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to the temporary wage subsidy childcare scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in tabular form. [31350/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

969. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to the childcare services reopening grants; and the amount of this allocation was drawn down to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in tabular form. [31351/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

970. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to early years sector; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in tabular form. [31352/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

971. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to ECCE service providers at the 70% rate; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31353/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

972. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to ECCE service providers at 100% rate; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31354/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

973. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated in 2020 and 2021 to national childcare scheme to mitigate the impact of Covid-19; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31355/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

974. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated in 2020 and 2021 to community childcare subvention plus to mitigate the impact of Covid-19; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31356/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

975. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated in 2020 and 2021 to access and inclusion model to mitigate the impact of Covid-19; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31357/21]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

976. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that was allocated to the Covid-19 support payment in 2021; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2021. [31358/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

977. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage of State spending and parental spending in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 on early learning care and school-aged care in tabular form. [31359/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

978. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to early learning care; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31360/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

979. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to school-aged care; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31361/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

980. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to the national childcare scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31362/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

981. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to after-school provision within the national childcare scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31363/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

982. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to the access and inclusion model; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31364/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

983. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to the training and employment childcare scheme; and the amount of this allocation that was drawn down for 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [31365/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

996. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2020 on the once-off reopening support payment for providers funded by his Department opening between 29 June and early September 2020; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020. [31646/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

997. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding allocated in 2020 on the once-off Covid-19 capital grant for providers funded by his Department opening between 29 June 2020 and early September 2020; and the amount of this allocation that was spent in 2020. [31647/21]

Childcare Qualifications

Kathleen Funchion

998. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated additional cost of increasing the learner fund to allow all childcare workers currently holding level 5 qualifications to progress to level 6. [31650/21]

Childcare Qualifications

Kathleen Funchion

999. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated additional cost of increasing the learner fund to a level which would allow 50% of childcare workers currently holding level 6 qualifications to progress to level 7. [31651/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

1000. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated additional cost of the roll-out of Aistear across the early years sector. [31652/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

1001. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated additional cost of the roll-out of Aistear across the childminding sector. [31653/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1002. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing the subsidy under the affordable childcare scheme from €20 to €100 per child per week. [31663/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1003. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost if the State were to provide by way of direct payment to childcare providers the money necessary to fund sectorwide pay increases of the living wage amount of €12.30 per hour for current level 5 childcare staff working in the sector. [31667/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

1004. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing funding for the access inclusion model by 15%. [31668/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

1005. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing the higher and lower capitation grants by €5, €6, €7, €8, €9 and €10 per week for the early childhood care and education scheme in 2022 assuming it is introduced in September of the year and the full year cost. [31669/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1006. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated additional cost in 2022 of increasing the universal minimum subsidy across the affordable childcare scheme, assuming the minimum targeted subsidy is increased so as never to be below the universal subsidy, in 50 cent intervals up to an additional €4.50 reaching €5.00, assuming a start date of September; the estimated cost for a full year; and the estimated number of children who would benefit. [31670/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1007. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of the reinstatement of the childminding advisory service. [31672/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

1008. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown in funding allocated under Vote 40 in the Revised Estimate for Budget 2021 for programme A: Children and Family Support expenditure, including current, capita and total voted expenditure in tabular form. [31674/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

1009. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown in funding allocated under Vote 40 in the Revised Estimate for budget 2021 for programme B: Sectoral programmes for Children and Young People expenditure, including current, capita and total voted expenditure in tabular form. [31675/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

1010. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown in funding allocated under Vote 40 in the Revised Estimate for budget 2021 for programme C: Policy and Legislative Programme expenditure, including current, capita and total voted expenditure in tabular form. [31676/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

1011. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown in funding allocated under Vote 40 in the Revised Estimate for budget 2021 for programme D: An equal and inclusive society expenditure, including current, capita and total voted expenditure in tabular form. [31677/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

1012. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown in funding allocated under Vote 40 in the Revised Estimate for budget 2021 for programme E: A Fair and efficient support system for international protection seekers expenditure, including current, capita and total voted expenditure in tabular form. [31678/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

1014. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of expenditure spent on advertising the public notice entitled Mother and Baby Home Records published on his Department’s website on 27 May 2021 (details supplied). [31726/21]

Departmental Advertising

Kathleen Funchion

1015. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will launch an advertising campaign explaining the way to make a subject access request to his Department. [31727/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

1016. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent by his Department and the commission on advertising the mother and baby homes commission of investigation outside Ireland. [31728/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

1017. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent by his Department and the commission on advertising the investigation committee of the mother and baby homes commission of investigation. [31729/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

1018. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent by his Department and the commission on advertising the confidential committee of the mother and baby homes commission of investigation. [31730/21]

Departmental Advertising

Kathleen Funchion

1019. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent on advertising for the consultation process on the development of the restorative recognition scheme. [31731/21]

Departmental Advertising

Kathleen Funchion

1020. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent on advertising to consult adopted persons, survivors, natural mothers and relatives on the general scheme of the birth information and tracing Bill 2021. [31732/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1022. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost if the State was to provide the funding necessary to fund the sector such as pay increases to the living wage of €12.30 per hour for the current level 5 childcare staff working in the sector by way of direct payment to childcare providers. [31905/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1023. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if staff salaries represent 70% of the cost of the childcare sector; his views on whether this is 70% of providers costs; and if not, if it is 70% of all costs including costs that are covered by the State funding. [31907/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

1024. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown including early childhood care and education, ECCE pay and non-pay, the access and inclusion model and so on of the €334.500 million provided for ECCE and AIM preschool in line B.3 of the revised estimate for 2021. [31908/21]

Education and Training Provision

Kathleen Funchion

1055. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the soaring cost in obtaining a valid Solas Safepass card and the issue of accessing training which has led to a decline in workers holding this essential pass; if he will consider allowing highly qualified health and safety practitioners to deliver this essential training; and if he will further consider a change in the criteria to include them as certified trainers. [31089/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

311. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the costs of his Department’s budget for the provision of after school in early years and childcare in tabular form. [30276/21]

Family Support Services

Kathleen Funchion

320. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the ABC and the PPFS programmes; and the breakdown on spend on these programmes in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [30392/21]

Family Support Services

Kathleen Funchion

185. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the budget in regard to parental supports across areas (details supplied); and the breakdown of costs for 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [30223/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

1. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the official complaint by an association (details supplied) to the United Nations and the Ombudsman for Children regarding the systemic discrimination against children and families by his Department in the context of its childcare policy under the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28588/21]

Youth Services

Kathleen Funchion

3. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he is taking to address the shortfall in volunteers in the youth sector given that the sector relies heavily on volunteer hours and that many services are now facing closure due to a serious shortfall in properly trained volunteers. [28589/21]

Cybersecurity Policy

Kathleen Funchion

35. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions his Department has taken in view of the serious cyber-attack on the HSE to negate the impact on Tusla’s significant child protection casework and child protection and welfare functions. [28593/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

72. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is examining the serious issues in relation to the current national childcare scheme exclusion of disadvantaged children as part of the wider review of childcare funding. [28590/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

79. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider commissioning research into capacity and forecasting in the childcare and early years sector to specifically map future population growth and capacity for childcare places (details supplied). [28591/21]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

79. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if a list will be provided of all new routes established by the National Transport Authority since March 2020. [28471/21]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

80. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if all recent purchases of buses for use on public service obligation routes have been undertaken by the National Transport Authority and as such hold the title to the buses. [28472/21]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

81. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if the National Transport Authority has the legal authority to remove vehicles from one operator and transfer them to another operator in cases in which that operator has been successful in a tendering process to operate a route instead of the existing operator. [28473/21]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

82. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if the National Transport Authority is the entity responsible for all scheduled bus services within the State; and if they be private or public service obligation services. [28474/21]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

83. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport the reason for buses running light, that is, empty from Kilkenny to Clonmel and vice versa before commencing the 245 service from Clonmel to Cork and vice versa. [28475/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

197. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there will be an increase in spending on childcare in 2022 in order to move Ireland towards a quality, affordable and sustainable childcare sector for all children. [28678/21]

Education Schemes

Kathleen Funchion

206. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost associated with widening access to student assistance fund support for migrant, asylum seeker and undocumented students. [28557/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

161. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if a pregnant and at high risk childcare worker can continue to be paid their supplemented employment wage subsidy scheme wage in cases in which they present a medical certificate to their employer but remain at home. [26861/21]

Grant Payments

Kathleen Funchion

179. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider extending the start-up grant to include businesses that have a turnover of less than €50,000; and if he will consider a smaller threshold or second tier of funding to take into account businesses that would not reach this turnover threshold. [26180/21]

Driver Test

Kathleen Funchion

259. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport his plans for the resumption of driver theory tests in line with wider easing of restrictions. [26047/21]

Community Development Projects

Kathleen Funchion

737. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to review existing community development programmes with a view in particular to review reopening the former RAPID programme (details supplied); her further plans to review the social inclusion activation programme in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26189/21]

Community Development Projects

Kathleen Funchion

738. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will review the roll-out of the social inclusion community activation programme with a view to providing more funding to support the employment and engagement of community development officers that will work on the ground with local communities to help build their capacity, help improve the quality of life in these areas and identify opportunities for residents within these communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26190/21]

School Costs

Kathleen Funchion

172. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated costs associated with extending the school meals programme to cover early years settings and after-school programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24776/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

181. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the particular vulnerability of childcare services that provide afterschool care owing to a continuing reduction in income caused by Covid-19 restrictions and remote working by parents; and if his Department will draw up an urgent plan to ensure the sustainability of these essential services. [24774/21]

Tax Reliefs

Kathleen Funchion

231. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance his plans to implement a tax incentive to support the purchase of capital equipment and investment in the manufacturing sector (details supplied). [24183/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

576. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a playgroup (details supplied) is entitled to apply for capital funding for a permanent building; the criteria for such an application; and if his Department will make funding available in the interim to avoid closure of the facility. [24177/21]

Maternity Services

Kathleen Funchion

227. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he plans to ease the restrictions for expectant couples using maternity services and ensure a consistent policy in all publicly funded hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23522/21]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

434. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the long-standing issue of suitable and sustainable accommodation for a community run childcare facility (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [22843/21]

Local Improvement Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

707. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of lanes that have been resurfaced under the local improvement scheme in the north Kilkenny area in 2019 and 2020. [22842/21]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

221. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if the NTA has been provided with the funding and green light to provide Carlow town centre with a bus service; and the status of the promised service. [21453/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

346. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will consider including traditional pubs in the cohort of businesses that can avail of the new outdoor grant for the hospitality sector. [21300/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

353. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the outdoor dining enhancement scheme will be available to businesses in rural parts of County Carlow that need to adjust their business to facilitate outdoor dining but are not located in urban centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21455/21]

Foster Care

Kathleen Funchion

714. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if foster parents are required to cease paid employment in order to provide foster care; if they are entitled to jobseeker's allowance and the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21885/21]

Taxi Licences

Kathleen Funchion

799. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice the status of the issuing of PSV licences for taxis; if the issuing of new PSV licences has been delayed due to Covid-19; and if there is a backlog (details supplied). [21301/21]

Vaccination Programme

Kathleen Funchion

866. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if certain essential personnel working in pharmaceutical companies will be prioritised for vaccination (details supplied). [21190/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Kathleen Funchion

981. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if his Department is considering allowing international travellers that have a vaccine (details supplied) an exemption from hotel quarantine. [21670/21]