Parliamentary questions

Child and Family Agency

Patrick Costello

576. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of referrals to outside therapeutic services not including CAMHS by Tusla in 2020, by LHO. [11005/21]

Child and Family Agency

Patrick Costello

577. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent by Tusla on external therapeutic services in 2019 and 2020, by LHO for each year. [11006/21]

Departmental Strategies

Patrick Costello

611. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the commitment in action 61 of the National Migrant Integration Strategy for all Departments and agencies to provide intercultural awareness training; if staff in each Department and agency have been offered this training; the proportion of staff in each Department and agency that have done this training in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11993/21]

Garda Strength

Patrick Costello

662. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí stationed at Ballyfermot, Crumlin, Kilmainham, Sundrive Road and Terenure stations by rank in tabular form. [11090/21]

Residency Permits

Patrick Costello

697. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will report on the commitment in action 11 of the National Migrant Integration Strategy to introduce a statutory scheme for long-term residency; when such a scheme is expected to commence; the criteria that will apply to the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11990/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Patrick Costello

853. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if therapeutic horse-riding sessions for children with autism is allowed to continue under level 5 restrictions; and if families can travel outside the designated 5 km limit to avail of such services. [11529/21]

Vaccination Programme

Patrick Costello

856. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if persons with disabilities will be prioritised on the Covid-19 vaccination list; the progress of vaccinations for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11541/21]

School Curriculum

Patrick Costello

166. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education her Department's policy on distributing homework to primary school students; if studies have been conducted on the matter; the appropriate levels; and if she will look at re-evaluating homework in view of the onset of remote learning. [10737/21]

Child and Family Agency

Patrick Costello

202. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of psychotherapists, family therapists, filial therapists and counsellors directly employed by Tusla by Tusla area and service or team they are working in. [10926/21]

Child and Family Agency

Patrick Costello

203. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of play therapists, drama therapists, dance therapists and child art psychotherapists directly employed by Tusla by Tusla area and service or team they are working in. [10927/21]

Vaccination Programme

Patrick Costello

292. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE have a policy on which the Covid-19 vaccine is administered to persons, for example, which takes into account existing medical conditions such as gastrointestinal side effects. [10731/21]

Animal Welfare

Patrick Costello

284. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions taken by his Department and his predecessor in relation to 2018 whistleblowing reports of euthanasia being carried out by a controlled drug at a dog pound (details supplied); and the structures put in place to prevent future replication of same. [9416/21]

Brexit Issues

Patrick Costello

10. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the post-Brexit reality of the application of the rules of origin laws that sees Irish bread producers facing higher production costs than their UK counterparts due to having to import flour that is not being milled domestically; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7976/21]

Housing Policy

Patrick Costello

247. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the referendum on the right to housing will be held in accordance with the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7851/21]

Direct Provision System

Patrick Costello

533. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the confidential freephone support service for residents in direct provision has been shared with all residents; if so, the way in which it has been shared; and if not, if he will correspond with each resident with details of the freephone number. [8416/21]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

541. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider enshrining independent advocacy services in legislation to help protect children and young persons in care from abuse and poor practice, further to more than 20 investigations or reports over the past three decades into the State’s ability to adequately protect children in care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8692/21]

Care Services

Patrick Costello

542. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the age of aftercare to 26 years of age on a needs assessed basis (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8693/21]

Departmental Reviews

Patrick Costello

543. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the recommendation made more than 12 years ago by the report of the commission to inquire into child abuse that a longitudinal study be carried out over ten years, which would follow young persons who leave care in order to map their transition into adulthood, will be implemented given that a working group has been set up in his Department to advise on this objective but with no clear timeline for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8694/21]

Garda Data

Patrick Costello

602. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of districts and divisions of An Garda Síochána that have protective services units; and the number of personnel assigned to each, in tabular form. [8228/21]

Programme for Government

Patrick Costello

21. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the actions that have been taken to carry through on the commitment in the programme for Government that each local authority will be mandated to carry out an assessment of its road network to examine the reallocation of space for pedestrians and cyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7465/21]

Driver Licences

Patrick Costello

103. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport his plans for asylum seekers to obtain a driver licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6333/21]

Garda Vetting

Patrick Costello

536. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a legal lacuna (details supplied) which is causing serious issues for early years providers will be addressed; if he will instruct his officials to engage with the relevant officials in the Department of Justice in order to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6389/21]

Garda Vetting

Patrick Costello

606. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if a legal lacuna (details supplied) will be addressed which is causing serious issues for early years providers; if she will instruct her officials to engage with the relevant officials in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in order to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6388/21]

Forestry Sector

Patrick Costello

1029. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if tree felling for the purpose of clearing a site for non-essential construction is or is not deemed to be forestry; and his views on whether it should be classified as construction. [7171/21]

Airport Passenger Data

Patrick Costello

88. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the number of incoming passengers at Dublin Airport since 16 January 2021. [5101/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Patrick Costello

555. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of not detected PCR tests officials have checked and registered at Dublin Airport since 16 January 2021. [5098/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Patrick Costello

556. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if her Department has identified fraudulent PCR results presented at Dublin Airport; and if so, the number. [5100/21]

European Court of Justice Rulings

Patrick Costello

570. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the details of the pending cases taken by the European Court of Justice against Ireland; and if she will itemise the daily fines pending or being currently levied. [5301/21]

Garda Procedures

Patrick Costello

591. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if it is Garda policy to leave the engines of Garda vehicles running while at checkpoints; if the effects of the emissions of these vehicles on the occupational health of members of An Garda Síochána, the health of the public, the cost of fuel to the State and the damage to the environment are assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5797/21]

Health Services Staff

Patrick Costello

624. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if community prison links workers can be included in the section 39 pay restoration process. [5045/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Patrick Costello

632. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to determine if PCR test results are real and not fake. [5099/21]

School Textbooks

Patrick Costello

173. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education if the pilot DEIS schoolbook scheme will be reopened and expanded in 2021 (details supplied). [3026/21]

Irish Aid

Patrick Costello

257. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the full details in the 2019 annual report of overseas development aid disbursements, that are usually included as annexes in previous reports, are to be published by his Department. [2267/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Patrick Costello

628. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 729 of 6 October 2020, if he will confirm the PCT cycle thresholds in relation to the range of assays used by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2766/21]

Living City Initiative

Patrick Costello

205. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance the amount allocated annually to date to the Dublin City Council living city initiative; and the details of future expansion of funding and the geographic remit within Dublin city as facilitated by departmental funding. [1164/21]

Heritage Sites

Patrick Costello

271. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of tour guides and information officers that have been employed at Kilmainham Gaol since 2000 on an annual basis in tabular form with a distinction made between seasonal, part-time and full-time employees. [1177/21]

Heritage Sites

Patrick Costello

272. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of complaints the Office of Public Works received from staff, past and present, relating to members of management, head guides level and above at Kilmainham Gaol; the outcome of each case; the measures taken on foot of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1178/21]

Heritage Sites

Patrick Costello

273. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the departure of a person (details supplied) from their position of employment in Kilmainham Gaol ; the details of an investigation arising from same; the actions taken on foot of this in terms of on-site measures and any legal criminal action taken against the person; and if the particulars of the case are subject to a FOI request. [1179/21]

Election Monitoring Missions

Patrick Costello

373. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts was assured by Irish Aid officials that an election observers competition fully met public standards when the competition was conducted without an equality section or accommodations for disability; the reason the forms were not marked by a person independent of Irish Aid; the reason almost all marks were allocated on five competencies by serving or retired officials who had no actual experience of election observation; the reason a senior official decided that disability could not be considered in the competition; the reason a formal notice was issued stating the consideration of disability would be unfair to other candidates; the reason the appeal mechanism was only a numerical check of the marks of candidates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45025/20]

Election Monitoring Missions

Patrick Costello

374. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which it is possible for an Irish election observer to obtain top marks in independent tests with the official election bodies of OSCE and EU yet the same tests administered by Irish Aid officials on a candidate (details supplied) placed the candidate much lower than other Irish observers who failed the OSCE and EU tests; his views on whether this suggests flaws in the competition run by his Department; his further views on whether the matter should be independently investigated; if so, if an independent investigation will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45026/20]

Schools Building Projects

Patrick Costello

470. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education the timeline of works and proposed opening of a new autism spectrum disorder, ASD, school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1034/21]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Patrick Costello

715. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if files have been handed over to the UK authorities in relation to investigations (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1165/21]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Patrick Costello

716. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will seek an explanation from the Garda Commissioner for the reason all relevant Garda files into the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and the Glenanne gang have not been handed over to Operation Kenova; and if the necessary arrangements will be made for all relevant unredacted files to be handed to same without further delay. [1166/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Patrick Costello

1007. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the projected timeline of the Covid-19 vaccination plan. [1347/21]

Hospital Staff

Patrick Costello

1021. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health his plans for a supplementary payment to student radiographers in view of plans to issue a payment and-or grant to student nurses. [1450/21]

Leave to Remain

Patrick Costello

468. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons with an open application for leave to remain on humanitarian grounds at present. [44172/20]

Consular Services

Patrick Costello

138. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress by his Department in securing the return of a person (details supplied) detained in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43750/20]

Remembrance Commission

Patrick Costello

261. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 91 of 9 December 2020, the formal funding mechanisms available from the State, not at EU level, for victims of the Troubles here since the ending of the Remembrance Commission in 2008. [43622/20]

Election Monitoring Missions

Patrick Costello

292. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures his Department takes to capture information on disability provided by election observers; and the way in which the data collected in the EU and Organization for Security and Co-operation in European, OSCE, profiles, the only criteria for selection of election observers, is incorporated in his Department's selection of observers. [43062/20]

Election Monitoring Missions

Patrick Costello

293. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the legal rights in regard to disability possessed by persons serving as election observers who have been nominated by his Department; the number of disabled observers on the roster; his Department’s obligations to persons with disabilities in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43063/20]