Parliamentary questions

Emergency Accommodation

Neasa Hourigan

612. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether the IPAS facility at a location (details provided) was procured under a formal tender process or as emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34784/23]

International Protection

Neasa Hourigan

615. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of eviction notices issued to current and former international protection applicants living in IPAS accommodation, by body, by region between March 2022 to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34821/23]

European Council

Neasa Hourigan

9. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent attendance at the European Council meeting. [33682/23]

Childcare Services

Neasa Hourigan

218. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to ensure appropriate provision of childcare services for babies aged six to 12 months in the Dublin 1, 3, 7, 9 and 11 areas, respectively; if he will outline the most up-to-date research conducted by his Department into the capacity of existing childcare provision in the same areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34537/23]

Childcare Services

Neasa Hourigan

219. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the progress made since 2020 to expand childcare provision for children under one year old; the steps he will take in budget 2024 to address availability and affordability for the same group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34542/23]

Health Service Executive

Neasa Hourigan

236. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the HSE’s plans to conduct research on the prevalence and use of cannabinoids in vapes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34427/23]

Health Services

Neasa Hourigan

251. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase capacity in HSE audiology clinics; if consideration is being given to offering adult medical card holders the option to be assessed and treated by community audiologists under the Department of Social Protection’s treatment benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34516/23]

Budget Process

Neasa Hourigan

230. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the methodologies his Department will utilise within this year's budgetary process to ensure equality proofing of budgetary policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33698/23]

Budget Process

Neasa Hourigan

231. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will direct his Department to provide plain English and accessible versions of all Budget 2024 documents on Budget Day this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33699/23]

Budget Process

Neasa Hourigan

232. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform how a report (details supplied) will be reflected in budgetary policies in his Department for Budget 2024; what methodologies will be employed to disability proof budgetary policies within his Department for Budget 2024 and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33700/23]

United Nations

Neasa Hourigan

572. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he or his officials plan to attend the UN Food Systems Summit in July 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33871/23]

Mental Health Policy

Neasa Hourigan

681. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline in what way the removal of the locked status of unit 3, St. Stephen's Hospital, as reported by the Mental Health Commission in November 2022, can compensate alone for the broader loss of other quality-of-life benefits incurred by a resident who was moved to that ward in July 2022 from another approved centre in breach of a condition of its registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33536/23]

Mental Health Policy

Neasa Hourigan

682. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline how the Mental Health Commission can reconcile concerns it raised in its annual report from June 2022 regarding 2,000 people living in congregated settings with their approval in court in November 2022 of HSE proposals to build a 50-bed continuing care and rehabilitation service on the isolated grounds of St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire; under which mental health policy the Mental Health Commission made this approval; in what way this can be said to offset any of the disadvantages incurred by a resident who was moved to unit 3, St. Stephen's Hospital from another approved centre in breach of a condition on the registration of unit 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33537/23]

Health Services

Neasa Hourigan

747. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline how each individual CHO funds interpreting services in general practices; if he plans to improve access to interpreters in general practice by establishing a central service for use across all CHOs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33798/23]

Hospital Facilities

Neasa Hourigan

798. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 272 of 25 May 2023, if he will explain why three arborist companies (details supplied) carried out assessments of trees outside Cork University Hospital; the reason these assessments incurred no financial cost to the HSE; if he will provide these assessment reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33999/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Neasa Hourigan

799. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will bring the repeated failure on the part of Cork HSE mental health management to provide clarity in responses to numerous Parliamentary Questions on the alleged offering of first-dose Covid vaccines to non-patient-facing corporate staff, including management HSE staff, based in the Model Business Park, Cork in early January 2021, prior to the scheduling of vaccines for some of the most at-risk client and staff cohorts in congregated mental health settings, to the attention of the recently appointed HSE CEO; if the sequencing of vaccines by HSE managers to service-users and staff according to the agreed protocols will form part of the State's inquiry into its handling of the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34032/23]

Traveller Accommodation

Neasa Hourigan

248. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason there is such a delay in supplying Dublin City Council with the funds to complete the upgrade work that is so urgently needed in the Labre Park halting site; the reason there is a delay in supplying the funds required to commence the regeneration of the Labre Park halting site; what is causing the delays in paying Dublin City Council outstanding funds for work already carried out in respect of Traveller accommodation by Dublin City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33339/23]

Cabinet Committees

Neasa Hourigan

5. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with drugs policy will next meet. [30915/23]

Transport Policy

Neasa Hourigan

14. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach the policy in his Department regarding the use of the Government jet. [30916/23]

Departmental Staff

Neasa Hourigan

141. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to outline what training the human resources disability officer in his Department has undertaken and is scheduled to undertake in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32636/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Neasa Hourigan

175. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the full cost of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy, in tabular form, to include the cost of policing and security, the use of locations, and the cost of Department staff involvement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32195/23]

Register of Electors

Neasa Hourigan

352. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that there will be no requirement for the provision of a Personal Public Service Number for inclusion on the electoral register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32270/23]

Departmental Staff

Neasa Hourigan

372. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline what training the human resources disability officer in his Department has undertaken and is scheduled to undertake in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32634/23]

Departmental Staff

Neasa Hourigan

467. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline what training the human resources disability officer in his Department has undertaken and is scheduled to undertake in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32635/23]

Health Services Staff

Neasa Hourigan

553. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health to provide, in tabular form, the number of HSE psychology posts that remained unfilled after being advertised since January 2022, by CHO and by service type, i.e. child disability, adult disability, adult mental health, child and adolescent mental health, primary care psychology and hospital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32028/23]

Medical Qualifications

Neasa Hourigan

554. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will seek to address the lengthy delays in the process of accreditation of psychologists who trained and qualified overseas and who wish to work in Ireland; what steps he may take to this end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32029/23]

Medical Qualifications

Neasa Hourigan

555. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the rationale for working off a clinical-population based framework of accreditation for psychologists who have trained overseas rather than a competencies-based framework, as is preferred in other countries; if he sees this as a barrier to the efficient accreditation of those psychologists who could take up positions in the Irish health system but who are prevented from doing so through not having had clinical placement experience with a particular care group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32030/23]

Health Services Staff

Neasa Hourigan

556. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the funding of counselling psychology and educational psychology training courses as part of a move towards equity of training for psychologists, as well as a means to address difficulties with recruitment and retention of psychologists in particular service areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32031/23]

Industrial Development

Neasa Hourigan

14. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the work of his Department and Enterprise Ireland on the CIRCULÉIRE Programme; the expected outputs of the programme for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31160/23]

Enterprise Policy

Neasa Hourigan

29. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline any work or reviews undertaken by his Department on the carbon emissions impact of strengthening the Irish export sector as outlined in his Department's White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31159/23]

School Funding

Neasa Hourigan

117. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the capital funding plans for the expansion of a school (details supplied) to accommodate growing numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31162/23]

State Examinations

Neasa Hourigan

147. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the schedule for the review of the Reasonable Accommodation Policy for Exams; who will carry out the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31161/23]

Industrial Disputes

Neasa Hourigan

211. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of the failures in the statutory consultation process surrounding redundancies at a company (details supplied); the proposed policy measures planned by his Department to ensure people are not treated this way in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24359/23]

Greyhound Industry

Neasa Hourigan

122. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds who were microchipped and registered on the RCETS whose year of birth was 2021. [31530/23]

Greyhound Industry

Neasa Hourigan

123. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing 'un-named' greyhounds recorded as 'dead' on RCETS whose year of birth was 2021. [31531/23]

Healthcare Policy

Neasa Hourigan

141. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date on expanding the national heel-prick test; the number of diseases babies born today in Ireland are being tested for currently; when spinal muscular atrophy will be included in newborn screening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31411/23]

Programme for Government

Neasa Hourigan

7. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach if he is considering new divisions in his Department. [30914/23]

Departmental Meetings

Neasa Hourigan

97. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of the number of meetings held by his Department with international diplomats or agencies in relation to criminal and misdemeanour charges being brought against a person (details supplied) for search and rescue work they have conducted in Greece; the dates for any such meetings; if he will estimate the amount of working hours spent by his Department on the case since the case came to its attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31039/23]

Tax Code

Neasa Hourigan

193. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Finance when legislation will be brought forward to remove the anomaly whereby a registered charity employing general practitioners such as one (details supplied) is not exempt from professional services withholding tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30585/23]

Recycling Policy

Neasa Hourigan

296. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education if her Department has provided any policies or circulars to schools on recycling furniture they no longer want; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30623/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Neasa Hourigan

414. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question 83 of 23 May 2023, if she will provide an update on her engagements with the Minister for Health and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to supports for health care workers experiencing long-Covid as a result of their service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30633/23]

Health Service Executive

Neasa Hourigan

655. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of the HSE's communication policy for persons wishing to record, film or take photographs on a HSE site. [30750/23]

Mental Health Services

Neasa Hourigan

702. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 604 of 25 April 2023 and 468 of 18 May 2023, the number of people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties under the care of the Cobh/Glenville and Midleton/Youghal adult mental health teams who have been transferred to continuing care or high-support hostels outside those HSE catchments since February 2021 when the Owenacurra Centre took its last referral for residential placement; the number of people in this cohort of service-users within those HSE catchments who have been transferred in the same timeframe to nursing homes, either within those HSE catchments or outside them; the reason that this information was not provided in the response to the two aforementioned Parliamentary Questions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31035/23]

Mental Health Services

Neasa Hourigan

703. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1154 of 21 March 2023 and 597 of 25 April 2023, if he will provide an update on the formation of the development team, announced by Cork HSE management in May 2022, tasked with conducting an options appraisal for the construction of a new ten-bed mental health rehabilitation/continuing care residential service in Midleton, County Cork; the names of HSE management staff who have been appointed to the team; the dates of any development team meetings held to date or engagements with the local authority; if he will provide details on progress the development team has made on identifying a site for the service over the past thirteen months and on the acquisition of capital funding; if he will provide an update on the timeframe for commencement and completion of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31036/23]

Mental Health Commission

Neasa Hourigan

704. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1219, 1292 and 1294 of 13 June 2023, what assurances were given to the Mental Health Commission by the HSE regarding the breach of a condition of registration of Unit 3, St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire, such that the Mental Health Commission decided to suspend enforcement proceedings it had initiated against the HSE in September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31037/23]

Mental Health Commission

Neasa Hourigan

705. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 602 of 25 April 2023 and 617 of 9 May 2023, the reason the Mental Health Commission has declined a request from the Oireachtas Committee on Health to benchmark the provision of community residential mental health placements serving the combined East Cork HSE catchments of the Cobh/Glenville and Midleton/Youghal adult mental health teams in respect of A Vision for Change-recommended allocations; the reason, in particular, the Commission has refused to do so given that it reviewed such services nationally in 2019 and benchmarked those provisions against A Vision for Change and given that the Mental Health Commission has repeatedly made reference to A Vision for Change-recommended staffing allocations in its interim CAMHS report from January 2023 in the context of assessing current service provision; what barrier prevents specifically the Mental Health Commission from doing likewise with the East Cork mental health catchments of Midleton/Youghal and Cobh/Glenville given that the request made in respect of East Cork adult mental health services does not call on the Mental Health Commission to "set targets" in a statutory manner but to confirm from the standpoint of an independent oversight body recommended with actual service provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31038/23]

Mental Health Policy

Neasa Hourigan

706. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will identify the national mental health policy guiding Cork HSE management in its plans to replace long-stay mental health facilities in hospital campus locations in St. Stephen's Hospital and St. Finbarr's Hospital with new congregated settings involving a 50-bed unit in St. Stephen's Hospital and a 20-bed unit in St. Finbarr's Hospital; if he will provide an estimate of the cost of these services, if they are pursued; if any similar mental health service projects are being proposed in other CHOs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31040/23]

Health Service Executive

Neasa Hourigan

707. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the names of the companies or individuals contracted by the HSE to remove 70 trees from Merlin Woods in 2023; the name of the arborist who carried out an assessment of the trees in advance of the works; if he will provide details of how the timber from the removed trees was disposed of, and in particular the destination of this timber and its use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31041/23]

Environmental Policy

Neasa Hourigan

65. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the measures Iarnród Éireann has in place to foster biodiversity along its routes and land banks; the funding provided for and actions that have been taken on biodiversity since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28432/23]

Climate Action Plan

Neasa Hourigan

1. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the first progress report for the first quarter of 2023 of the climate action plan. [29296/23]