Parliamentary questions

Passport Applications

Mattie McGrath

306. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the online passports processing service will be operational again given the backlog of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41466/20]

Special Educational Needs

Mattie McGrath

337. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education the efforts her Department and the NCSE are making to address the lack of ASD units in primary schools in south County Tipperary; her plans to develop new ASD units in primary schools in south County Tipperary; and the details of same. [41506/20]

Mobility Allowance

Mattie McGrath

534. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the progress made to develop a new or alternative scheme to the mobility grant scheme which was suspended in 2013. [41249/20]

Young Farmers Scheme

Mattie McGrath

814. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the definition of "young farmer" in Ireland includes an upper limit of 35 years of age whereas the EU policy objective is 40 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41426/20]

Local Improvement Scheme

Mattie McGrath

870. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the reopening of the local improvement scheme for 2021; the level of funding available for Tipperary County Council for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41327/20]

Internal Audits

Mattie McGrath

597. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice if an internal audit of Muintir na Tíre (details supplied) has now been finalised to her and her Department’s satisfaction; if the contents of the audit will be made available to the public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40031/20]

Primary Medical Certificates

Mattie McGrath

64. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the date he will bring forward an amendment to the Finance Bill 2020 to provide for the existing medical criteria in primary legislation to allow for the primary medical certificate assessments to recommence. [38925/20]

Wildlife Control

Mattie McGrath

350. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the grounds upon which he ordered the release of hares, which had been legally caught under the 2020-21 hare netting licence as granted under the Wildlife Act 1976, when there is no precedent for the limit of time in which a hare can be held under said licence as long as it is within the period of validity of the licence. [38383/20]

Special Educational Needs

Mattie McGrath

474. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education the number of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units in operation in primary and secondary schools in County Tipperary; the details of same; and the primary and secondary schools in the county in which plans are under way to develop ASD units. [37810/20]

Agriculture Schemes

Mattie McGrath

986. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has a legal obligation to give data on the value of a single farm payment to a farmer from whose land those single farm payments were taken by a person leasing the land at the termination of the lease in view of the fact it is the lessee's personal data. [38727/20]

Agriculture Schemes

Mattie McGrath

987. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the removal of single farm payment entitlements from 150,000 hectares was illegal according to the European Court of Auditor's report 2006. [38728/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mattie McGrath

3. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason the Irish step dance community has been denied the right to run indoor solo classes following a pod system and adhering to strict social distancing guidelines at levels 3 and 4 in view of the fact that similar and comparable artistic and athletic activities, such as stage school, gymnastics and drama for children, have been allowed to continue and places the national dance form and cultural heritage under threat (details supplied). [36360/20]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Mattie McGrath

256. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Irish refugee protection programme has continued the resettlement programme under level 5 lockdown and travel restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37604/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mattie McGrath

220. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport his plans to refund or make concessions for vehicles that are off the road due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns. [36481/20]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Mattie McGrath

275. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the date primary medical certificate assessments will resume following the Supreme Court decision almost five months ago (details supplied). [36803/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mattie McGrath

183. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach if the national framework for living with Covid-19 has a regulatory basis in statute or regulation or of it is purely advisory. [32405/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mattie McGrath

537. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if extracurricular music education classes are allowed to continue during level 5 restrictions; if she will provide details on the guidelines relating to musical education under level 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33190/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mattie McGrath

785. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education if extracurricular music education classes are allowed to continue during level 5 restrictions; if she will provide details on the guidelines relating to musical education under level 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33191/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mattie McGrath

1144. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the provisions which prohibit the holding of public mass with a congregation in attendance in SI No. 413 of 2020; the provision or sections of the statutory instrument which prohibit or prevent the holding of public masses with a congregation in attendance; the legal basis for such a provision having regard to Article 44.2.1 of the Constitution which states freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion subject to public order and morality guaranteed to every citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32404/20]

Palliative Care Services

Mattie McGrath

1231. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of palliative care patients who required access to a palliative care bed in south County Tipperary since March 2020; the number of palliative care patients who were refused a bed in a palliative care facility in County Tipperary since March 2020 due to the of lack of beds; the number of patients who required convalescent care in south County Tipperary since March 2020; the number of patients who have been refused convalescent care due to the closure of St. Brigid's Hospital; the number of patients who have been refused respite due to the closure of St. Brigid’s Hospital since March 2020; the breakdown of the number of all patients who would normally use the St. Brigid’s Hospital facility for respite care who have been accommodated since March 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32725/20]