Parliamentary questions

Beef Environmental Efficiency Scheme

Michael McNamara

454. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 894 of 17 November 2020, when an appeal will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42568/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Michael McNamara

250. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 1580 of 3 November 2020, the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42415/20]

Road Projects

Michael McNamara

143. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport the status of progress on the Limerick northern distributor road; when a contract for the first phase will be signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41337/20]

Driver Licences

Michael McNamara

151. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport if the NDLS will take appointments over the phone in Ennis, county Clare as persons there are encountering problems with the online system in obtaining appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41534/20]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Michael McNamara

182. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to implement section 92 of the Finance Act 1989, as amended; when he will replace the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations, 1994, determined to be ultra vires of the Minister by the Supreme Court on 18 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41338/20]

Animal Culls

Michael McNamara

273. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 240 of 26 November 2020, if his Department and the National Parks and Wildlife Service will liaise with voluntary organisations involved in conservation to develop a more cost-effective strategy for feral mink control and or eradication than that which would cost €100 million over five years for the island of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41336/20]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Michael McNamara

383. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41353/20]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Michael McNamara

384. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number will issue to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41354/20]

Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme

Michael McNamara

815. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41470/20]

Pension Provisions

Michael McNamara

224. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education when retired teachers will receive their 2% increase which was due to them since October 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40890/20]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael McNamara

386. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an exemption will be made for a person (details supplied) in County Clare who missed the closing date for the beef finisher payment scheme which had a very short window for application and given the stresses and strains on farmers due to Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40830/20]

National Broadband Plan

Michael McNamara

40. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated with a broadband connection given that the infrastructure is in place and all that is required is a card or switch to be activated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40713/20]

National Broadband Plan

Michael McNamara

147. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the scheduled and planned enabling of broadband exchanges in County Clare under the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39686/20]

Telecommunications Services

Michael McNamara

155. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to provide additional resources or statutory powers to the Commission for Communications Regulation to deal with telecommunications, in particular in regard to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39926/20]

Pension Provisions

Michael McNamara

167. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport the reason the new hybrid Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, superannuation pension scheme is being operated without agreement and outside the requirements of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993 (details supplied). [39583/20]

Sports Capital Programme

Michael McNamara

245. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the 2021 sports capital application programme will open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40232/20]

Schools Health and Safety

Michael McNamara

404. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if she will direct school principals and teachers to allow students to wear additional layers of clothing, including coats, hats and scarves, to offset the effects of windows being opened to improve ventilation in classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39904/20]

Fines Data

Michael McNamara

580. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the number of fines handed out by An Garda Síochána and the monetary value of the fines, pursuant to the new Health (Amendment) Act 2020, which amended the Health Act 1947; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39677/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

647. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if his Department has assessed the negative impact of long-term mask wearing in secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39661/20]

Hospital Services

Michael McNamara

648. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to provide additional services at the Ennis hospital, County Clare, in view of confirmation received from the HSE that a business case was submitted for further expansion of the level of services provided at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39669/20]

Hospital Appointments Status

Michael McNamara

650. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 814 of 24 November 2020, when a person will be facilitated with surgery (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39675/20]

Nursing Staff

Michael McNamara

700. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the reason the rate of pay for intern nurses has reduced from €14 per hour to €9.48 per hour, which is under the minimum wage of €10.10 hourly rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39929/20]

Animal Culls

Michael McNamara

240. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce a cull on feral mink in view of concerns regarding mink carrying a mutated Covid-19 strain and their detrimental effect on the ecosystem. [39319/20]

Judicial Appointments

Michael McNamara

327. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice if the expressions of interest by three sitting members of the superior courts in a vacancy on the Supreme Court was conveyed to her Department by the Office of the Attorney General prior to the most recent appointment to the Supreme Court. [39322/20]

Judicial Appointments

Michael McNamara

343. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice if the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board that recommended the appointment of a person (details supplied) to the Supreme Court, included the Chief Justice, who was the chairperson of the board, the President of the Court of Appeal, the President of the High Court, the President of the Circuit Court, the President of the District Court, the Attorney General, a practising barrister nominated by the chairman of the council of the Bar of Ireland, a practising solicitor nominated by the president of the Law Society of Ireland and persons appointed by the Minister to be members of the board whose terms had not expired; if not, if a list will be provided of the persons who did not participate in the board that made the recommendation; and the reason received from each for their non-participation. [39537/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

380. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the approach taken by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre to the classification of deaths as Covid-19 related or not, subject to a coroner's report, in circumstances in which a patient dies from traumatic injuries subsequent to having been admitted to hospital but tested positive for Covid-19 upon admission to hospital. [39381/20]

Forestry Sector

Michael McNamara

411. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status on an objection to afforestation by a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39273/20]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Michael McNamara

147. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection when PPS numbers will issue to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39171/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Michael McNamara

206. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport if an extension will be granted for the works programme funding allocation to local authorities (details supplied) due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38132/20]

National Car Test

Michael McNamara

242. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport the reason a person (details supplied) has not been facilitated with a 12 month NCT certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38252/20]

Drug Treatment Programmes

Michael McNamara

808. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a tendering process was last carried out for the provision of prefilled packs that are provided to pharmacies for distribution to drug users as part of needle exchange programme; when the contract for the provision of the said goods expired; when the next tendering process will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38027/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

812. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the specific areas or regions of the State in respect of which Ireland will provide data to the European Centre for Disease Control to give effect to the recommendation on a co-ordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, arising from the European Council meeting of 13 October 2020 that member states apply those restrictions to persons coming from specific areas or regions of the State particularly affected rather than to the entire territory of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38055/20]

Hospital Appointments Status

Michael McNamara

814. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a person will be facilitated with emergency surgery (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38095/20]

Hospital Services

Michael McNamara

818. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will get an urgent transfer to the dean clinic at St. Patrick’s University Hospital Dublin, in view of the fact there is a bed available for this person at present, who would be transferring from Limerick University Hospital; and that it be noted that this person is Covid-19 free and the protocol provincial team is happy and willing to facilitate this transfer immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38143/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

842. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if there will be a lead-in time of seven days’ notice of any new restrictions at the start of December 2020 to allow for proper planning and increased employment levels arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38295/20]

Hospital Procedures

Michael McNamara

892. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive an orthodontic appointment at St. Camillus's Hospital, Limerick, following a referral on 9 October 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38571/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

113. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport if the recommendation on a co-ordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic arising from the European Council meeting of 13 October 2020 requires member states to limit restriction measures restricting free movement on grounds of public health to that strictly necessary. [37514/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

114. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport if, arising from the recommendation on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic arising from the European Council meeting of 13 October 2020, Ireland will apply those restrictions to persons coming from specific areas or regions particularly affected rather than to the entire territory of a member state. [37515/20]

Third Level Education

Michael McNamara

271. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on a circular distributed recently to students of a college (details supplied) which has taken the decision to continue with its online delivery mode for the spring semester that is to stay the remainder of the academic year 2020-2021; the effect this online delivery mode is having on first year students that are lacking the experience of college and the interactions with other first year students; if he will consider intervening with the college to facilitate students to return to campus even on a part-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37519/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

293. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if, arising from the recommendation on a co-ordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic arising from the European Council meeting of 13 October 2020, Ireland will provide data to the European Centre for Disease Control on specific areas or regions on the State in respect of the extent to which they are affected by Covid-19, rather than only in respect of the entire territory of the State. [37516/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

294. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the specific areas or regions of the State in respect Ireland will provide data to the European Centre for Disease Control to give effect to the recommendation on a co-ordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic arising from the European Council meeting of 13 October 2020 that member states apply those restrictions to persons coming from specific areas or regions of the State particularly affected rather than to the entire territory of Ireland. [37517/20]

Emergency Departments

Michael McNamara

196. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the data obtained by his Department relating to self-harm presentations to emergency department per day and emergency department during the period 27 March to 31 August 2020, including the data collected and collated by the HSE National Clinical Programme for the Assessment and Management of Patients presenting to emergency departments following self-harm. [37302/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

197. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to improve the quality of data on Covid-19 deaths both inside and outside of hospitals with respect to identifying persons for whom Covid-19 was the cause of death, a co-factor and a nosocomial infection, respectively. [37303/20]

Electricity Generation

Michael McNamara

171. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider extending the operation of Moneypoint power station beyond the proposed closure date of 2025 to enhance the energy security of Ireland into the future; the consideration being given to converting electricity generating methods from coal to a more sustainable energy source in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36310/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

466. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if fogging is being used as a solution to Covid-19 in schools, notwithstanding the WHO advice against this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36227/20]

School Transport

Michael McNamara

519. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 242 of 13 October 2020, when a person (details supplied) will be facilitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36769/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Michael McNamara

583. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons (details supplied) on a community employment scheme can complete their six-year term which is due to expire in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36815/20]

Health Services

Michael McNamara

692. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if an association (details supplied) is classified as an essential service following the implementation of level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36146/20]

Dental Services

Michael McNamara

704. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the number of dental surgeries carried out; the number of dental surgeries cancelled; the current dental surgery waiting list at Ennis General Hospital from the period March to October 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36239/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael McNamara

718. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if vitamin D3 and-or zinc supplementation has an effect on reducing respiratory infection and Covid-19; if so, his views on whether it is appropriate to include same in NPHET public health advisories and HSE information campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36270/20]