Parliamentary questions

Housing Schemes

Richard Bruton

507. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extra charge on a local authority loan to cover mortgage protection; if this is subject to change; and the equivalent monthly charge per €1,000 borrowed on a 30-year loan. [44206/22]

Local Authorities

Richard Bruton

593. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that executive planners and assistant town planners cannot carry increments from previous public service posts, unlike other positions in local government; and if he will indicate whether there are plans to change this arrangement. [43302/22]

Housing Provision

Richard Bruton

674. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the affordable homes developed by the Land Development Agency either on delayed sites contracted the private sector or on its own sites, will be sold with the option to participate in the local authority affordable purchase scheme or the first homes scheme; and if so, the proportion of those offered for sale that will be under these options. [44207/22]

Housing Policy

Richard Bruton

675. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way that the quota of 10% affordable homes in new private developments will be made available to eligible applicants; the way that prices for this quota shall be set; and if buyers can use the first homes scheme to assist purchase. [44208/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Richard Bruton

1189. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility conditions for a person who does not have a social welfare pension to qualify for the household benefit package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44211/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Richard Bruton

1279. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the core funding scheme applies only to hours not covered by ECCE; and if it applies to hours delivered for children who have completed ECCE. [44209/22]

Further and Higher Education

Richard Bruton

1357. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports that his Department makes available to support the learning of digital skills for adults who do not have any. [44037/22]

Residency Permits

Richard Bruton

1434. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered changing the requirement that the spouse of an Irish citizen has to fulfil Irish residency requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43456/22]

Visa Applications

Richard Bruton

1451. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if the wait time for a joint family visa has been lengthened to 12 months; if she has assessed the difficulty that this is causing for some families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43631/22]

Medical Cards

Richard Bruton

1501. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the free medical card to those over 80 years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42010/22]

Mental Health Services

Richard Bruton

1755. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to in reduce waiting times in the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service service in each of the CHO areas; if new approaches are deemed necessary; the progress that has been made to date in the audit of CAMHS following the Maskey Report, the progress of the review being undertaken by the Mental Health Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42933/22]

Medical Cards

Richard Bruton

1786. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the need to index the means test for the medical card or to make other improvements to assist access-to-need care and appliances for those currently not eligible but who are significantly affected by the rising cost of living. [43024/22]

Dental Services

Richard Bruton

1844. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will consider a scheme to address the long waiting times for children listed for orthodontic treatment in order that they can access private treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43261/22]

Medical Cards

Richard Bruton

2049. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase medical card limits for persons over the age of 70 years or to make it easier for such persons to qualify for medical appliances needed in older age. [44210/22]

Employment Rights

Richard Bruton

36. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the start date for the sick pay scheme; and the date on which it is proposed to increase cover from the current three days. [40973/22]

Energy Conservation

Richard Bruton

124. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of contractors who are now participating in the one-stop-shop for the roll-out of retrofitting; the estimated aggregate capacity in terms of homes done per month that they can deliver; and his plans to recruit more to the scheme. [40996/22]

Energy Conservation

Richard Bruton

125. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the contractors under the one-stop-shop arrangement will confine themselves to deep retrofits to achieve the target BER rating; and if not, if they will also deliver service to those doing shallow retrofits. [40997/22]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Bruton

126. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the terms of the low interest loans for retrofitting have been agreed; and if he will outline the provisions of same. [40998/22]

Public Sector Pensions

Richard Bruton

127. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the procedure for approving the increase in An Post pensions has been agreed by the fund trustees; and when the outstanding 2% will be paid. [41022/22]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

259. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the charges that are being made for charging electric vehicles in the different categories of public chargers; and the way that they compare with the charge made to domestic users charging at home and to those using a smart meter to charge at off-peak times. [40994/22]