Parliamentary questions

Speech and Language Therapy

Martin Browne

1677. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently on the waiting list for speech and language therapy by county in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and his views on the situation of children that are in need of a multidisciplinary team approach occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and so on that cannot access them due to the Covid-19 crisis. [15100/21]

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Martin Browne

1678. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health his views on families having to access private autism spectrum disorder, ASD, assessments for children before they will be considered for treatment at CAMHS services; his views on the way one family in north County Tipperary is unable to get access for their six-year-old child with ADHD to occupational therapy services with CAMHS due to the fact they have no physical room for them to work in; the reason therapists are not in a position to provide the service to the child in question, who is in need of a multidisciplinary team approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15101/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Martin Browne

1706. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health his plans to reopen nursing homes for visits (details supplied); and if a framework is in place for same. [15178/21]

Environmental Schemes

Martin Browne

2027. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the importance of new grass in acting as an emissions sink; if progress is being made in providing financial support in reseeding; his views on the level of support per acre that would be appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15615/21]

Environmental Policy

Martin Browne

2028. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated amount of emissions such as carbon that is sequestered back into farming grassland; the way in which those figures are determined; his views on whether these figures show the actual level of sequestration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15617/21]

Climate Change Policy

Martin Browne

119. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to the fact that wood pellets are being imported from Australia; his views on the carbon footprint involved in importing such products over such a distance; the level of the importation of such alternatives; his views on the way this is compatible with environmental policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13076/21]

Rail Network

Martin Browne

262. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport if local community groups will be invited to participate in the upcoming strategic rail review; and if an estimated date for the start of this review will be provided. [13451/21]

Value Added Tax

Martin Browne

295. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance his plans to retain the 9% tourism VAT rate until 2025; his views on the way this would assist the recovery of the hospitality and hotel industry; his views on whether such a commitment must be made without delay as tourism contracting has commenced for 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13236/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Martin Browne

296. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance his views on increasing the Covid restriction support scheme for businesses with a 75% drop in revenue; his views on the way the hotel industry estimates that 44% of hotel bedroom stock is excluded from the scheme entirely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13238/21]

Wage Subsidy Scheme

Martin Browne

297. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance his views on extending the employment wage subsidy scheme until the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13239/21]

Home Loan Scheme

Martin Browne

366. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary contacted his office regarding a Rebuilding Ireland home loan application; and if he will ensure they are not excluded from same due to their medical history. [12500/21]

Local Authority Rates

Martin Browne

400. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend the local authority commercial rates waiver until the end of December 2021; his views on the hotel sector statement that the average local authority rate is €1,500 per bedroom and is therefore a sizeable contribution to overhead costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13240/21]

Social and Affordable Housing

Martin Browne

413. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average waiting times for approved housing applicants in County Tipperary by local electoral area in tabular form. [13452/21]

Housing Assistance Payment

Martin Browne

414. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cost of HAP payments in each local electoral area in County Tipperary over the past five years. [13453/21]

Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Martin Browne

979. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme does not include the prescription and funding of Dutch products for patients with specific conditions; the progress being made in resolving this issue (details supplied); his views on the need for patients to access these products; the reason Dutch products are not included under the access programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13493/21]

Foras na Gaeilge

Martin Browne

60. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 1 October 2020, if the revised scéim pobal Gaeilge has been launched (details supplied). [12281/21]

Special Educational Needs

Martin Browne

133. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to an application by a family (details supplied) for assistive technology for their child which has been rejected despite the recommendations of their doctor; and if there is another way the required assistive technology can be provided. [12246/21]

Better Energy Communities Programme

Martin Browne

92. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on expanding the communities energy grant scheme to allow grants to be made available to community organisations and not-for-profit businesses who have very limited finances available to them to meet their costs under the scheme; his further views on making grants available to these organisations for standalone projects such as the installation of solar panels without the need for large projects to be undertaken; his views on whether allowing grants for standalone projects in this way would result in cost savings that could lead these organisations to be in a position to carry out larger-scale projects in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11938/21]

Rail Network

Martin Browne

106. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has undertaken feasibility studies in regard to increasing the use of rail freight in Ireland. [11076/21]

Rail Network

Martin Browne

107. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has examined the possibility of reinstating the rail connection between Rosslare and the Waterford to Limerick line; and his views on whether developing this line to carry rail freight would reduce traffic pressure along the N24 and improve the connectivity of the region. [11077/21]