Parliamentary questions

State Examinations

Sorca Clarke

285. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a list of alternative leaving certificate courses recommended for students with ASD and learning disabilities that do not include the leaving certificate applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22447/24]

School Staff

Sorca Clarke

288. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that breastfeeding breaks for teachers are supported by extra resources to avoid knock-on effects of workload for other staff members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22490/24]

School Textbooks

Sorca Clarke

296. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will explain the reasoning behind the reduction of the money allocated for the schoolbook scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22516/24]

International Protection

Sorca Clarke

505. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of people currently being accommodated at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22529/24]

International Protection

Sorca Clarke

506. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if more appropriate lines of communication be opened between IPAS and the local community of Kinnegad. [22530/24]

EU Meetings

Sorca Clarke

178. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the next date scheduled of the EU Transport Ministers Council meeting; and if he will attend this meeting. [21410/24]

Office of Public Works

Sorca Clarke

251. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of wholetime equivalent, WTE, fire and security engineers at grades 1 and 2 who are employed by the OPW in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21416/24]

State Bodies

Sorca Clarke

262. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if IDA Ireland put out a tender for a full-time United Arab Emirates based business development consultant in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [21417/24]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

290. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the amount of capital funding her Department has provided to a school (details supplied) in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21400/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

291. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed; and the estimated cost for these works. [21401/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

292. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will move to detailed design stage. [21402/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

293. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed; and the estimated costs for these works. [21403/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

294. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the amount of capital funding her Department has provided to a school (details supplied) in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21404/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

295. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will move to construction stage of works. [21405/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

315. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that the planning permission for the new school building for a school (details supplied) is set to expire in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21516/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

316. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if her Department has initiated the process of renewing planning permission at a location (details supplied). [21517/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

317. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if the construction of a building for a school (details supplied) is not completed within the previously communicated timeline, if there are contingency plans in place for accommodation during the 2025-2026 academic year. [21518/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

318. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will take all of the necessary steps in her power to help speed up the construction of the permanent building for a school (details supplied). [21519/24]

Departmental Contracts

Sorca Clarke

319. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the duration of the rental contract between an organisation (details supplied) and her Department for a school. [21520/24]

Film Industry

Sorca Clarke

352. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she plans to visit the west coast of the US later in 2024 to meet senior officials from major film production companies to increase the number of major films being made in Ireland. [21396/24]

Departmental Staff

Sorca Clarke

373. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of WTE qualified archaeologists by grade employed by his Department in the years 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [21411/24]

Departmental Staff

Sorca Clarke

411. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE staff by grade working in the local debt recovery unit of her Department as of 7 May 2024. [21413/24]

An Garda Síochána

Sorca Clarke

444. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí, by rank attached to the public service vehicle inspector unit within Westmeath division, in tabular form. [21407/24]

An Garda Síochána

Sorca Clarke

445. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the amount of revenue currently owed to An Garda Síochána as of 3 May 2024 in respect to non-public duty charges for policing concerts and so on in 2023 [21408/24]

An Garda Síochána

Sorca Clarke

446. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí, by rank attached to public service vehicle inspector unit within Roscommon-Longford division, in tabular form. [21409/24]

Animal Welfare

Sorca Clarke

483. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of calls received by his Department's animal welfare helpline in 2023 and for the first four months of 2024, in tabular form. [21412/24]

Disability Services

Sorca Clarke

515. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of high support disability residential placements available in County Westmeath in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [21414/24]

Disability Services

Sorca Clarke

516. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE psychologists available to children in Longford within children's disability network teams, in tabular form. [21415/24]

Disability Services

Sorca Clarke

526. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of full-time permanent residential places for adults with disabilities in County Roscommon, in tabular form, per provider, both utilised and available at present. [21650/24]

Hospital Staff

Sorca Clarke

578. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant dermatologists in each hospital part of Ireland East Hospital Group that are dealing with public-only patients in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21397/24]

Care of the Elderly

Sorca Clarke

579. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the locations where the community specialist teams for older persons have yet to be established; and the timeframe for when those teams will be established. [21398/24]

Hospital Staff

Sorca Clarke

580. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant spinal surgeons based at the Mater Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21399/24]

Departmental Schemes

Sorca Clarke

167. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of people excluded from the Caranua scheme; the number of people covered by this scheme, multiplied by the contribution pension. [20949/24]

Rail Network

Sorca Clarke

134. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the plans he has to solve the parking shortage at Athlone train station; if he will explore options for expanding parking facilities or implementing alternative parking arrangements to better serve commuters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20656/24]

Departmental Schemes

Sorca Clarke

236. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of HAA cards that are currently in existence. [20927/24]

Departmental Schemes

Sorca Clarke

237. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the annual cost of services provided under HAA. [20928/24]

Residential Institutions

Sorca Clarke

238. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of people excluded from the Caranua scheme. [20929/24]

School Meals Programme

Sorca Clarke

332. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans she has in place to ensure that children with coeliac disease are properly catered for in the school meals programme; if she will provide additional funding to ensure same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20830/24]

Care Services

Sorca Clarke

617. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the case of a child (details supplied) who was allocated an additional four hours of care in 2022, funded by the HSE, and is still waiting to have these hours fulfilled two years later; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20759/24]

Care Services

Sorca Clarke

618. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health where a person (details supplied) is on the waiting list for additional hours of care. [20760/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

294. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education for an update on the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. [18958/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

303. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the average teacher to pupil ratio in special schools in Ireland. [19017/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

304. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the recommended class size average in special schools in Ireland.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19018/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

306. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the average teacher-pupil ratio in special classes in Ireland. [19025/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

307. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the recommended class size average in special classes in Ireland. [19026/24]

Fee Paying Schools

Sorca Clarke

339. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the amount of public funding provided to fee-charging schools in 2021 and 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19305/24]

Departmental Schemes

Sorca Clarke

115. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide details of the number of SEAI warmer homes applications received in the past three years for County Longford; and the number of these applications that were approved, in tabular form. [17420/24]

Defence Forces

Sorca Clarke

144. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline, in relation to the ongoing investigation into historic abuse allegations in the Defence Forces, how those who now wish to engage in the process for the first time can do so; and if legal representation is required. [17348/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

145. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his Department's capital underspend, if any, in 2023; and his Department's projected spend in 2024. [17418/24]

Rail Network

Sorca Clarke

156. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport if Iarnród Éireann will have onboard catering facilities fully restored on trains in time for the busy summer period. [17408/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

263. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils availing of SEN supports in integrated settings in mainstream primary schools and post-primary schools in the past five years. [17344/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

270. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a date for when the permanent school building project at a school (details supplied) is due to proceed to tender; if she can explain in detail the delay behind the project not proceeding to tender already; if she will name the projects from lot 7 that have proceeded to tender, if any; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17389/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

271. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if an extension of the planning permission has been lodged for a school (details supplied). [17390/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

273. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a breakdown of the anticipated number of additional school places for primary, post primary and special schools for school building projects in County Offaly during 2020 to 2023, in tabular form. [17402/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

274. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the amount of capital funding her Department provided to (details supplied) in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; the nature of the refurbishment works carried out at this station during this period, in tabular form. [17403/24]

Departmental Staff

Sorca Clarke

275. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of WTE structural engineers employed by her Department as of 15 April 2024; and if she will provide same figures as of 30 September 2021, in tabular form. [17404/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

276. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when her Department expects refurbishment works at (details supplied) to be completed; and the estimated cost of these works. [17405/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

277. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when her Department expects refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) to move to construction phase. [17406/24]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

278. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when her Department expects refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) to be completed; and the estimated cost for these works. [17407/24]

Educational Disadvantage

Sorca Clarke

279. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider assigning a school (details supplied) in Galway City with DEIS status; if she will explain in detail the reasoning behind the school's application being rejected for DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17429/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

336. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her Department's capital underspend, if any, in 2023; and her Department's projected spend in 2024. [17421/24]

Community Welfare Services

Sorca Clarke

394. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE staff, by grade, working in the National Community Welfare Contact Centre as of 15 April 2024. [17415/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Sorca Clarke

395. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for invalidity pension that were refused by her Department in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17416/24]

Departmental Staff

Sorca Clarke

396. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a list of all assistant secretaries and principal officers in her Department, with their current responsibilities. [17417/24]

An Garda Síochána

Sorca Clarke

432. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the amount spent on the replacement of ballistic shields for use by An Garda Síochána in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17423/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

479. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's capital underspend, if any, in 2023; and his Department's projected spend for 2024. [17419/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Sorca Clarke

582. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time to see a consultant paediatric ophthalmologist at CHI Temple Street. [17409/24]

Hospital Facilities

Sorca Clarke

583. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the nature of refurbishment works that were carried out at Mullingar Regional Hospital in the years 2022 and 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17410/24]

Health Services

Sorca Clarke

584. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health how the €1.4 million new development funding in 2024 for the expansion of the newborn bloodspot screening will be spent. [17411/24]

Hospital Staff

Sorca Clarke

585. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant urologists and urology registrars part of each hospital in the Ireland East Hospital Group in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17413/24]

Departmental Data

Sorca Clarke

586. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of births in the maternity unit of Mullingar Regional Hospital in the years 2022 and 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17414/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

699. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his Department's capital underspend, if any, in 2023; and his Department's projected spend in 2024. [17422/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

190. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of increasing capitation rates for primary and post-primary school pupils, respectively, by an additional €10 per pupil in the 2024-25 academic year compared with the baseline capitation rates allocated in the academic year 2023-24 academic year, in tabular form. [17187/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

191. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of increasing capitation rates for primary and post-primary school pupils, respectively, by 10% in the 2024-25 academic year compared with the baseline capitation rates allocated in the 2023-24 academic year, in tabular form. [17188/24]

School Staff

Sorca Clarke

43. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 499 of 20 March 2024, the date for when she expects the survey to commence; when the survey will be completed; and when action, if any, can be expected to be taken in response to the findings of the survey. [16901/24]

School Staff

Sorca Clarke

44. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on any engagements her Department has had with a union (details supplied) regarding the issue of caretakers. [16902/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

46. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the measures and solutions that can be offered in the case of a child with additional needs who is receiving the home tuition grant but cannot source a tutor as tutors are not willing to travel the distance to the child living in rural Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16945/24]

State Examinations

Sorca Clarke

54. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to address the concerns raised by organisation (details supplied) in relation to the 2023 draft specifications in leaving certificate biology, chemistry and physics. [16255/24]

School Accommodation

Sorca Clarke

56. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education her plans to tackle the oversubscription of secondary schools across Ireland. [16256/24]

School Admissions

Sorca Clarke

58. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure that no child is left without an appropriate school place. [16257/24]

Teaching Qualifications

Sorca Clarke

76. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she plans to remove the Catholic certificate that is required to teach in most schools in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16253/24]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

88. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the engagements her Department has had with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in relation to the school transport scheme. [16339/24]

School Staff

Sorca Clarke

103. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the latest update on the pay negotiations deal between her Department and a union (details supplied) in respect of increased salaries and additional leave entitlements for school caretakers; when her Department will publish the study her Department had committed to as a means to understanding the current working patterns as well as the terms and conditions of work for school caretakers; when her Department will implement a similar pay and conditions package for grant-funded school caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16337/24]

Departmental Programmes

Sorca Clarke

104. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the engagements her Department has had with the Department of Transport in relation to the safe routes to school programme. [16254/24]

National Educational Psychological Service

Sorca Clarke

126. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education her plans to address the staffing crisis within the National Educational Psychological Service. [16338/24]

Departmental Programmes

Sorca Clarke

197. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport to outline the proportion of the funding allocated to the safe routes to school programme that has been expended for the purposes of improving walking and cycling infrastructure in each of the years 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and to provide a breakdown of the projects funded to date and the nature of works carried out. [15977/24]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

268. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to outline the first- and full-year current cost of increasing capacity on school transport by 1,000 places, in tabular form. [15978/24]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

269. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to outline the capital cost of increasing capacity on school transport by 1,000 places. [15979/24]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Sorca Clarke

270. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the estimated first and full-year current cost and one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary level in academic year 2024/2025 and by a further one point in academic year 2025/2026, in tabular form. [15980/24]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Sorca Clarke

271. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the estimated first and full-year current cost and one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at post-primary level in academic year 2024/2025 and by a further one point in academic year 2025/2026, in tabular form. [15981/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

272. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of increasing the number of special needs assistants by 500, 1,000 and 1,500 respectively, in tabular form. [15984/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

273. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the first and full-year cost of recruiting 100, 500, and 1,000 special education teachers respectively, in tabular form. [15985/24]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

274. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the cost of increasing the salary of special education teachers by 1%, 2% and 5%, in tabular form. [15986/24]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

275. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated net savings from withdrawing the annual State subsidy to private schools. [15987/24]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

276. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimate cost of increasing the minor works grant ceiling by 1%, 5% and 10% respectively, in tabular form. [15988/24]

School Textbooks

Sorca Clarke

277. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of extending the free schoolbooks to all pupils in public secondary schools, in tabular form. [15989/24]

School Facilities

Sorca Clarke

278. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of restoring the school libraries fund of €10 per child in academic year 2024-2025 and increasing this by a further €2.50 per child in academic year 2025-2026, in tabular form. [15990/24]

School Facilities

Sorca Clarke

279. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of providing €10 per child to each primary and post-primary school library. [15991/24]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

280. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first and full-year cost of increasing the guidance counselling funding by 5%, 10% and 20% respectively, in tabular form. [15992/24]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

281. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the total projected demand for mainstream transport services and the additional demand for services compared to the as-is scenario respectively in each of the school years 2024/2025 to 2029/2030, in tabular form, if recommendation 4.1a of the phase 3 report of the review of the school transport scheme is implemented in full from the start of the 2024/2025 school year. [16004/24]