Parliamentary questions

Medicinal Products

Willie O'Dea

371. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if medical cannabis can now be prescribed to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32389/21]

An Garda Síochána

Willie O'Dea

540. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider requesting the Garda Commissioner to allow members of An Garda Síochána who are suspended for alleged offences to at least do duties of a clerical nature in view of the fact that Garda resources are under pressure. [37167/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Willie O'Dea

179. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that due to the Covid-19 pandemic many pilots are in the position in which their ratings have expired and although they are on the pandemic unemployment payment they have to pay thousands of euro to now fund their own recurrent training and the additional expense of a renewal; if it is correct to add VAT to these training fees which is creating a significant additional financial burden on these individuals; if the VAT could be waived; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36893/21]

Voluntary Sector

Willie O'Dea

255. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which the requests for tenders in phase 2 for the regional employment services differ from that of phase 1 given that the requirements and the funding model does not lend itself to the community and voluntary sector being in a position to participate in the tendering process and would be an obstacle to them engaging in it; and the way in which the national employment service will differ from the regional employment services. [36892/21]

Nursing Homes

Willie O'Dea

183. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he plans to continue with the temporary assistance payment after 30 June 2021; if not, the measure that will be introduced to replace the scheme to ensure that no cliff edge will present in regard to Covid-19 supports for nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30593/21]

Medicinal Products

Willie O'Dea

366. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the status of the establishment of an inquiry into the historical licensing and prescribing of sodium valproate and the filling of the four currently unfilled epilepsy nurse specialist posts approved in 2018 to manage the mandatory patient safety requirements for women who are prescribed sodium valproate; if he will also consider establishing a stakeholder group to review safety and risk measures around prescribing and distributing this drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28431/21]

National Broadband Plan

Willie O'Dea

163. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timeframe for national broadband roll-out in the area of Meentulla, Murroe, County Limerick; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the urgency of the roll-out is now more critical than ever, as the only company that can supply a sufficient broadband strength of 7mb in the locality is now withdrawing the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33354/21]

Control of Firearms

Willie O'Dea

488. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice the number of semi-automatic centre fire rifles that have been licensed by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021; if the proposal to amend legislation to declare any such firearms licensed post 2015 as invalid licences and revoke same with immediate effect infringes on the constitutional rights of citizens; if she will instruct her Department to consult with persons who own such firearms before signing off on such legislation via an appointed group; and if the State will compensate Irish citizens for their loss of property given that this proposal will affect persons who have invested large sums in these firearms in some cases. [32835/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

92. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons in County Limerick receiving support under the employment wage subsidy scheme; the number who were in receipt of the payment in May 2021; the number in County Limerick who have received support under the scheme and its predecessor since March 2020; the expenditure on the schemes in County Limerick over that time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31699/21]

Corporate Governance

Willie O'Dea

127. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether the legislation governing financial and corporate behaviour here is fit for purpose; if not, the changes he plans to make; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31700/21]

Arts Policy

Willie O'Dea

453. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to introduce a universal basic income pilot for artists as recommended by the Arts Recovery Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30548/21]

State Examinations

Willie O'Dea

806. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if advice will be provided in relation to the case of a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31722/21]

State Examinations

Willie O'Dea

821. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if alternative arrangements are being put in place for leaving certificate students who miss exams due to a positive test for Covid-19; and the way the ten days of self-isolation are counted. [31913/21]

State Pensions

Willie O'Dea

861. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will allow an individual grievance, conversation or mediation regarding an unsolved pensions issue ongoing for 25 years in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30818/21]

Constitutional Amendments

Willie O'Dea

1158. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she plans to support the restoration of birthright citizenship in Ireland against the wishes of the Irish electorate who voted overwhelmingly in favour of restricting birthright citizenship in the 2004 referendum. [31930/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

66. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses in County Limerick that have availed of the Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30051/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of County Limerick enterprises that that have applied to the small business assistance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30052/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

459. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to an application by a person (details supplied) for a carer’s allowance in view of the fact that it has been marked urgent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29576/21]

Primary Medical Certificates

Willie O'Dea

138. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance when the issuing of primary medical certificates will be resumed (details supplied); the situation regarding persons who applied prior to 18 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29017/21]

Departmental Staff

Willie O'Dea

223. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on matters raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29016/21]

State Examinations

Willie O'Dea

157. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if she will consider that a student who experiences a medical emergency such as a seizure immediately before or during their leaving certificate exam and is unable to complete their exam should be given the opportunity to resit the exam within the same exam cycle or before such time that a CAO offers issue similar to the provision that has been introduced in recent years for students who experience a bereavement during their exams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28407/21]

Driver Licences

Willie O'Dea

172. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider persons with epilepsy who lose their driver licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures should be automatically given access to a free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28406/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Willie O'Dea

194. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport his plans to allow full unrestricted air travel in order to safeguard jobs in Shannon Airport and the wider aviation industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27415/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Willie O'Dea

86. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Limerick currently in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment; the number in receipt of the payment on the same date in April 2021; the number of persons in County Limerick who have received the payment since its introduction; the total expenditure on such payments in County Limerick over that time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26260/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Willie O'Dea

91. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the availability of community employment places for persons on the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26261/21]

Defence Forces

Willie O'Dea

42. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence if he has had discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform regarding use of the provisions of section 15 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 to address the issues arising for post-2013 Defence Forces personnel in relation to the gap between early retirement and the State pension age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25049/21]

School Curriculum

Willie O'Dea

336. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many of the texts and films on the NCCA on the prescribed list for the English curriculum in secondary schools here contain explicit graphic sexual content including sex between older adults and minors, bestiality and violence including torture and they focus on death in a macabre gratuitous way; her views on whether it would be appropriate to remove these texts from the curriculum in view of the fact that several items on the list have been previously banned from the curriculum in the UK and the USA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25481/21]

Passport Services

Willie O'Dea

88. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the timeframe for clearing the backlog of passports applications from applicants in County Limerick. [23920/21]

Special Educational Needs

Willie O'Dea

92. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a significant lack of July Provision being offered in a special school in County Limerick; her plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23312/21]

Compensation Schemes

Willie O'Dea

362. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education the position in relation to compensating the victims of institutional abuse such as those who attended a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22653/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Willie O'Dea

518. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the potential introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine certificate, vaccine pass or immunity certificate to govern access to services, goods or employment would amount to discrimination against sections of the population; his further views on whether vaccine certificate systems at a national level would lead to a two-tier Ireland, marginalizing those who cannot access, cannot medically receive or may simply object to receiving a vaccine and that this would be an infringement on the fundamental rights of Irish citizens to exercise self-governance without coercion over their own bodily autonomy; if he will address the matter given that he failed to address the issue of potential discrimination in response Parliamentary Question No. 1911 of 21 April 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22659/21]

School Transport

Willie O'Dea

580. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if she will include a school (details supplied) in the post-primary school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21758/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

634. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) has been refused benefit payment for a 65 year old on the basis that they did not have the relevant contributions in recent years; her plans to make changes to the rules to alleviate such situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21155/21]

Carer's Allowance

Willie O'Dea

655. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was only granted a reduced carer’s allowance on means grounds as a result of a court settlement payment to their spouse; if consideration will be given to changing the way means from capital are calculated in view of the move towards negative interest rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21687/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Willie O'Dea

681. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made on the creation of a community employment scheme for the disabled (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22247/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Willie O'Dea

862. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the reason student nurses have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to take up employment given this does not apply to their senior colleagues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21176/21]

Financial Services Regulation

Willie O'Dea

26. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether the legislation which governs financial and corporate behaviour is fit for purpose; if not, the changes he plans to make; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20927/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

181. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will allow small businesses to transfer from the Covid restrictions support scheme to small business assistance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19436/21]

SOLAS Funding

Willie O'Dea

196. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider allowing the €3 million SOLAS fund established for a group (details supplied) to be used towards the payment of redundancy sums that have been denied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20091/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

216. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider offering a restart grant for businesses that are unable to avail of the small business assistance scheme or the outdoor enhancement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20783/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

602. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will consider a restart type grant to wet pubs similar to the grant scheme to help restaurant and dry pubs repurpose and provide outdoor seating; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20305/21]

Public Services Card

Willie O'Dea

1102. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether credit unions and other financial institutions should be allowed the option of accepting the public services card as one of a number of possible identification documents when opening an account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18217/21]

State Pensions

Willie O'Dea

1152. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application by a person (details supplied) for the State pension (non-contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19475/21]

JobsPlus Scheme

Willie O'Dea

1203. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered extending the two year term that businesses are eligible to receive grant aid under jobs plus scheme in view of the significant financial pressure many businesses are under due to the Covid-19 pandemic and in order to retain as many jobs plus employees as possible in the workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20786/21]

SOLAS Funding

Willie O'Dea

1338. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated amount of the Solas fund established for a group (details supplied) that is still available; if he has considered allowing this fund to be used towards the payment of enhanced redundancy sums that have been denied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20085/21]

Vaccination Programme

Willie O'Dea

1550. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have received the Covid-19 vaccination that have died within 28 days of receiving this vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18213/21]

Vaccination Programme

Willie O'Dea

1701. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) who cannot social distance should be treated the same as a person without a disability in relation to the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18708/21]

Hospital Services

Willie O'Dea

1774. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if the proposed new development of 96 bed units at University Hospital Limerick will result in a net overall increase of 96 beds for the hospital; the number of additional staff that will be provided to operate the new unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18944/21]

Vaccination Programme

Willie O'Dea

1911. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter relating to a Covid-19 vaccine certificate (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19274/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

62. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the number of companies in Limerick currently availing of the Covid restrictions support scheme. [17139/21]