Parliamentary questions

Hospital Overcrowding

Martin Browne

521. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the details of the specialist team tasked with addressing trolley numbers at University Hospital Limerick; the options that will be open to this specialist team to improve patient pathways; the way this specialist team will address the impact that high trolley numbers at UHL is affecting services at Nenagh Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22169/22]

Vacant Properties

Martin Browne

17. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance if he is committed to introducing a vacant property tax following the collection of data on vacancy levels under objective 19.12 of Housing for All; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21438/22]

Tax Reliefs

Martin Browne

59. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance the reason that the eligibility criteria for access to the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme were inequitable and needed to be changed; the further reason that he and his Department failed to respond to those concerns despite warnings from members of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal and when those warnings were first raised with him. [21437/22]

Hospital Services

Martin Browne

156. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the staffing allocation for the room at the emergency department at Tipperary University Hospital that is specifically for patients presenting with mental health issues; the grades of staff attending; the hours that staff are in attendance; the number of hours per week the room is staffed; if the room is fully resourced and staffed to accept patients on a 24-7 basis; the regularity with which the room is available to patients presenting with mental health issues on a 24-hour basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21391/22]

Departmental Policies

Martin Browne

158. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 352 of 24 February 2022, the status of the feasibility study into remunerating service user family member carers. [21415/22]

Rail Network

Martin Browne

157. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport his views on the benefits that more focused strategic planning to ensure a minimum level of rail services and standards for rural and regional railways would have for rural Ireland and for regional connectivity; his further views on extending public service obligation services to foster greater development in and use of these rail services with particular reference to the Limerick-Ballybrophy line and services involving Limerick junction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21065/22]

National Car Test

Martin Browne

344. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport his plans to address the current backlog in NCT tests given that wait times are currently up to four months in some test centres; and his plans to take action to address the backlog. [19264/22]

Child and Family Agency

Martin Browne

1096. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that a person (details supplied) had their tender proposal to Tusla rejected despite their successful provision of services since 2020. [19265/22]

Disability Services

Martin Browne

1554. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of staff who are needed to reach full staffing levels in each children’s disability network team in the CHO 3 and CHO 5 areas; the number of staff who are currently in place in each children’s disability network team in the CHO 3 and CHO 5 areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20112/22]

Passport Services

Martin Browne

286. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); the progress to date in the processing of the application for renewal; if all efforts will be made to ensure that the passport issues in time for travel on 13 April 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18992/22]

School Funding

Martin Browne

511. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if additional resources will be made available by her Department for schools that are facing a significant demand for translation services; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is uncertainty in this regard among some schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18405/22]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Martin Browne

566. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a database or other such resource is available on a localised level to assist in the identification of housing availability for Ukrainian refugees; if his attention has been drawn to schools seeking housing for children in emergency accommodation due to the lack of a local resource on housing availability and his efforts to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18402/22]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Martin Browne

567. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a structure is being put in place to ensure that services such as the HSE medical card services are notified of the presentation of Ukrainian refugees at their offices in order that preparations can be made to deal with their needs such as ensuring adequate numbers of staff are available and the presence of translators can be arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18403/22]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Martin Browne

568. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration is being given to provide publicly funded translation services to assist agencies dealing with Ukrainian refugees given the high costs that are being encountered by Tusla and other organisations that acquire the services of private providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18404/22]

Forestry Sector

Martin Browne

138. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the weekly targets for forestry licensing, by type, in 2022. [16993/22]

Horticulture Sector

Martin Browne

166. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in the appointment of an independent expert as referenced in the working paper to address challenges related to peat supply in the horticulture sector; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the meantime businesses in the horticultural sector are experiencing difficulties in raising queries with Bord na Móna regarding the availability of suitable peat stocks. [16992/22]

Post Office Network

Martin Browne

213. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide certainty to postmasters regarding future support for the post office network before the end of current supports in June 2022. [16184/22]

An Garda Síochána

Martin Browne

640. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health his views on the pressure being put on members of An Garda Síochána to respond to calls for help from young persons with mental health issues or suicidal ideation. [15894/22]

Hospital Services

Martin Browne

641. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of rooms at accident and emergency departments that are specifically for the use of patients presenting with mental health issues. [15895/22]

Disabilities Assessments

Martin Browne

35. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he has had with the Department of Health to address the difficulties children are experiencing in accessing a timely assessment of needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15103/22]