Parliamentary questions

Greyhound Industry

Paul Murphy

225. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been taken by Greyhound Racing Ireland to permanently close Youghal track (details supplied); and if he is aware that the average per-race attendance last year by paying members of the public was just 16, and that the track was the worst in the country in 2022 for the total number of greyhounds killed at race meetings. [15623/23]

Oireachtas Committees

Paul Murphy

166. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he plans to correct the statement he made to the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade and Defence, on 8 February 2022 (details supplied). [14943/23]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

290. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the findings by an organisation (details supplied) in Northern Ireland in relation to the prevalence of badger baiting; if he has statistics on the numbers of badgers killed in badger baiting here; if so, the number of individuals involved; the number of detections and prosecutions over the past ten years; if he will carry out an investigation into badger baiting, similar to that carried out by the organisation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15058/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

292. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria used by the housing authorities to assess medical priority applications for housing. [15065/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

293. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the obligations of housing authorities under the Disability Act 2005 to provide reasonable accommodation and services to individuals with disabilities. [15067/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

294. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the appeals process for medical priority housing decisions; and what the rights of applicants are to appeal. [15068/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

295. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures that are in place to ensure that housing authorities are complying with their legal obligations to provide suitable housing for individuals with disabilities. [15069/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

296. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way the Government is working to improve communication and transparency in the housing application process for individuals with disabilities. [15070/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

297. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support available for families with children with disabilities who require suitable housing; and how can they access this support. [15071/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

298. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a national policy for providing a 35% discretionary top-up for housing assistance payment recipients with exceptional medical needs; and if so, the criteria and procedures for accessing this top-up. [15072/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

299. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options for HAP recipients who have exceptional medical needs but are not eligible for the 35% discretionary top-up; and if there is a right of appeal or any other mechanism for requesting additional support. [15073/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

300. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way local authorities are held accountable for their decisions regarding HAP recipients with exceptional medical needs; and if there is any oversight or monitoring of these decisions to ensure that they are fair, transparent, and consistent across different local authorities. [15074/23]

Housing Policy

Paul Murphy

301. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide examples of best practices for supporting HAP recipients with exceptional medical needs, including the provision of top-ups and other forms of support. [15075/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Paul Murphy

508. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the campaign to save the existing grounds of Bessborough House, the former mother and baby institution, from development; if he will ensure there is a thorough forensic investigation on the grounds to establish the presence of a mass grave there; if he will ensure a director of authorised intervention is appointed; if he will he guarantee the remaining grounds are preserved as parkland to serve the community in memory of the loss experienced by mothers and their children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14921/23]

Schools Building Projects

Paul Murphy

265. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will instruct her Department, to reconsider the decision to put the construction of a new building for a school (details supplied) in Citywest on hold, given the negative impact this will have on the staff and students of two schools in close proximity to one another; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14459/23]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

349. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he agrees with the need to ensure that fibromyalgia, which affects one in 50 Irish people, is recognised in Ireland as a long-term illness, that causes disability (details supplied); if he will instruct his Department to expedite this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14462/23]

Industrial Relations

Paul Murphy

134. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will instruct a company (details supplied) to provide written confirmation to staff in relation to the news that they will no longer be directly employed by the company; if he will ensure that the owners enter negotiations with staff in relation to their contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12329/23]

Industrial Disputes

Paul Murphy

151. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will examine the legislation in relation to the non-payment of salaries by a company (details supplied); if the legislation will be updated to ensure further protections for employees in cases in which an employer has not provided wages due, given that the process in the WRC can be lengthy and staff who are owed wages should not have to wait; if he will make legislative changes to accelerate this process to reduce the wait time for staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13581/23]

Financial Services

Paul Murphy

307. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will instruct the Irish Credit Bureau to close a loan account (details supplied). [12325/23]

Tax Exemptions

Paul Murphy

309. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the reason a list of sporting groups receiving tax exemption under Section 235 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is no longer available to view on the Revenue Commissioners' website (details supplied); and if, in the interests of transparency, he will provide a copy of the list [12546/23]

Banking Sector

Paul Murphy

325. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he agrees that it is a common strategy by Irish banks to assign their legal or equitable rights over debts and securities to so-called vulture funds; if he endorses this practice; his views on whether this practice is in the best interests of the Irish consumer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13133/23]

Banking Sector

Paul Murphy

326. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he accepts that Irish banks have sought to move lending off their balance sheets to improve their standing under capital adequacy rules; his views on whether the effect of the securitisation of Irish mortgages gives rise to questions regarding the true ownership of these assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13134/23]

Departmental Properties

Paul Murphy

400. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the security contract for the Department of Housing, 90 North King Street has been awarded to a company (details supplied); and his views in relation to same, given the ongoing industrial dispute in relation to the company. [12331/23]

Housing Schemes

Paul Murphy

497. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions the Government will take to ensure that local authorities are purchasing properties under the tenant purchase scheme, given reports that only 13 homes were bought by Dublin local authorities, even though 400 were offered to local authorities by landlords exiting the market; his views on whether this scheme should be implemented alongside an extension to the eviction ban; and his views in response to an article in the media (details supplied). [13770/23]

Foreign Conflicts

Paul Murphy

534. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the reports of Aleppo Airport being out of service due to an air raid (details supplied); if he will publicly condemn this attack as a human rights abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13131/23]

School Accommodation

Paul Murphy

756. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 130 of 8 March 2023, if this project has gone to tender; if not, if there has been a hold-up in this process; if so, the specific reasons for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13561/23]

Disabilities Assessments

Paul Murphy

903. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will instruct his Department to take immediate action to ensure provisions are made for an assessment and treatment for a child (details supplied). [12566/23]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

1025. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether it is unfair that part-time lecturers in NCAD are being treated less favourably than their full-time colleagues (details supplied); if he will intervene and instruct NCAD to provide equal opportunities to all staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13114/23]

Citizenship Applications

Paul Murphy

1038. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the difference in timelines for receipt of acknowledgment letters and e-vetting requests for those who applied for citizenship in 2021 and 2022 when compared to those who applied in 2023; the reason some who applied in 2022 are still pending their e-vetting request while others who applied in 2023 have already received this and started the process (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14177/23]

Policing Authority

Paul Murphy

1045. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if the security contract for the Policing Authority, 90 North King Street has been awarded to a company (details supplied). [12332/23]

Citizenship Applications

Paul Murphy

1118. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the implications of the excessively long waiting time for those with pending citizenship applications from restrictions on getting mortgages to having professional, work-related restrictions; the current waiting time for an application; and the improvements his Department is putting in place to reduce this waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13864/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

1212. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of all emails between the HSE, CRT and HIQA with a care facility (details supplied) in Limerick in the lead-up, during and after the Covid outbreak of April and May 2020. [12520/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

1213. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of concerns that were raised about care facility (details supplied) in Limerick, to HIQA and to his Department in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and the categories they fall into. [12521/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

1214. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the exact supports that were offered to a care facility (details supplied) in Limerick during the Covid outbreak in 2020, when there was a huge loss of life; if they went in to take over the service; and if not, the reason therefor, given the facility had little to no staff to care for dying residents. [12522/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

1215. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of concerns that were received regarding the Mercy Hospital Cork in 2020, 2021, 2022, and to date in 2023, broken down into categories. [12523/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

1216. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of concerns that were received about Cork University Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, and to date in 2023, broken down into categories. [12524/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

1217. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of concerns that were received about Mullingar General Hospital in 2020, broken down into categories. [12525/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

1218. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of concerns that were received by his Department and HIQA regarding a nursing home (details supplied) in 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will provide a breakdown of those complaints. [12526/23]

Health Services

Paul Murphy

1228. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct his Department to take immediate action to ensure that provisions are made for an assessment and treatment for a child (details supplied). [12565/23]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

60. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to a message on the Electric Ireland website about the use of the March Government credit in which it advises that, if one has an outstanding balance on one’s account prior to 1 March, one cannot use the Government credit against this balance; if he will instruct the CRU to inform Electric Ireland that there are no caveats on this credit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11772/23]

Driver Test

Paul Murphy

72. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport in relation to the major delays experienced by those trying to complete their full driving license test, if he will ensure that a healthcare worker is able to do their test urgently; the steps being taken to tackle these delays (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11734/23]

Schools Building Projects

Paul Murphy

130. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education when construction on a secondary school (details supplied) will commence; if she will ensure that this building work begins as urgently as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11685/23]

Special Educational Needs

Paul Murphy

136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will instruct her Department to make provisions for a student (details supplied).; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11771/23]

Disability Services

Paul Murphy

176. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will meet with a group (details supplied) to discuss the National Report of Children’s Disability Networks Team Staff Census and Workforce Review for 2022 and to ensure that progress is made. [11754/23]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Paul Murphy

218. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 214 of 22 February 2023, if he will confirm whether persons paying for IVF treatment between now and September 2023 will be reimbursed for their costs from September onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11727/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Paul Murphy

186. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will not sign any amending statutory instrument changing the benefits of members of the CIÉ '1951 Scheme' because the '1951' Committee of Trustees' independent actuary has confirmed that the '1951 Scheme' now meets the minimum funding standard provisions of the Pensions Act 1990 and is solvent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10819/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Paul Murphy

187. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will insist that CIÉ provides a detailed explanation including all of the outstanding information sought by the statutory '1951 Scheme' Committee of Trustees. [10820/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Paul Murphy

188. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will take action in respect of the failure of the CIÉ board to act in a timely manner in relation to investment decisions from the end of March 2020 to 13 May 2020 and which led to as yet unspecified financial loss to the pension scheme it was responsible for. [10821/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Paul Murphy

189. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will insist that CIÉ provides answers to the preliminary questions in relation to the CIÉ '1951 Scheme' outlined in the Elected Trustee Bulletin, dated the 20 February 2023 (details supplied). [10822/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Paul Murphy

190. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will insist that CIÉ answers the questions posed in relation to the CIÉ '1951 Scheme' by your Elected Trustees in relation to agreed actuarial protocols, as outlined in their Elected Trustee Bulletin, dated 20 February 2023. [10823/23]