Parliamentary questions

United Nations

Matt Carthy

76. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his proposals regarding reform of the United Nations institutions, in particular the UN Security Council and the use of a veto by the permanent five members; the engagements he has had in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19729/24]

Passport Services

Matt Carthy

77. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of appointments available for urgent passport renewal in Cork, Dublin and London, by month, in each of the years 2019, 2023 and 2024, by month; the number of which were availed of, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19730/24]

Departmental Staff

Matt Carthy

78. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and roles of local staff employed in Irish missions abroad, by mission; the associated cost, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19731/24]

Departmental Staff

Matt Carthy

79. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and cost of staff within his Department not currently posted abroad, by grade, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19732/24]

Departmental Staff

Matt Carthy

80. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and cost of staff posted abroad, by grade, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19733/24]

Departmental Staff

Matt Carthy

81. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the average number of staff in Irish diplomatic missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19734/24]

Departmental Staff

Matt Carthy

82. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of attaché's posted in overseas missions, by policy area and by mission, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19735/24]

Departmental Funding

Matt Carthy

83. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the additional funding provided to facilitate the opening of new diplomatic missions in 2023 and 2024, by capital/current and by mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19736/24]

Passport Services

Matt Carthy

84. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 9 April 2024, if he no longer intends to increase staffing in the Passport Service to 920, per the Minister's commitment to do so by January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19737/24]

Passport Services

Matt Carthy

85. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 9 April 2024, the cost associated with increasing staffing levels in the Passport Service by 10, 50 and 100 WTE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19738/24]

Passport Services

Matt Carthy

86. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 9 April 2024, the WTE equivalent within the Passport Service, by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19739/24]

Passport Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

87. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a decision will be made in relation to applications for passports lodged by a husband and wife (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing the passports despite the fact that the applications were lodged on the 10 March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19855/24]

Passport Services

Catherine Murphy

88. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention or that of his Passport Office officials has been drawn to the profile verification used by a company (details supplied) for accounts in that it requires an account holder to upload their passport details and also scans the e-chip of a passport; if official have engaged with the business in respect of this practice; if he and or his officials have conducted their own data protection risk analysis of this and other social media companies' requirement to upload passport details; and if he will set out his concerns in relation to these requirements. [19860/24]

Passport Services

James Lawless

89. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to examine a passport issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19898/24]

Electricity Grid

Patrick Costello

90. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the business practice among electricity suppliers to prevent customers from moving back to a flat-rate tariff if they have opted in-to a smart tariff; if this practice has been examined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19539/24]

Departmental Staff

Cormac Devlin

91. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to detail the arrangements in place for where an employee of the Department and each organisation under its aegis, becomes elected or co-opted to a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19573/24]

Angling Sector

Robert Troy

92. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a full update on legislation banning eel fishing. [19628/24]

EU Directives

Ivana Bacik

93. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the nature of and current situation with regard to the European Commission's announcement of 24 April 2024 that it was sending Ireland a reasoned opinion (INFR(2021)2116) for the non-conformity of Irish legislation with Directive 2010/75/EU on Industrial Emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19629/24]

Grant Payments

Richard Boyd Barrett

94. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what statistics are recorded regarding the recipients of the solar electricity grant, individual home energy upgrade grants (better energy homes), grants for a home energy upgrade, free energy upgrades (warmer homes scheme), with respect to the value of the grant; the number of grants availed of by the recipient (details supplied); the income of the recipient household; the value of the property; and the location of the property or any other details relating to the recipient household or property. [19675/24]

Departmental Staff

Alan Kelly

95. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of WTE accountants employed by his Department in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [19795/24]

Mining Industry

Michael Lowry

96. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department will support the proposals concerning the Shallee Project and the development of facilities at Shallee Mine in Silvermines, County Tipperary; if he has been made aware of correspondence issued by email (details supplied) to his Department on 24 April 2024; if he will review the correspondence issued to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19828/24]

Military Honours

Matt Carthy

97. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 5 December 2023, if he will provide an update on the review of the processes of awarding military medals; when he expects the review to be completed; if he intends to implement changes to the processes involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19712/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

98. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the work of designing a review mechanism regarding the pay and allowance structures of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19713/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

99. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the progress made regarding a pilot programme of a non-financial labour hours budget being introduced in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19714/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

100. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the progress made developing family friendly policies in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19715/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

101. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the current fleet of armoured personnel carriers; the year they were acquired; the number of which have completed mid-life retrofit; his plans to acquire new or additional APCs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19716/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

102. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number and type of aircraft in the Air Corps fleet; his plans to acquire additional aircraft; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19717/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

103. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 9 April 2024, if any Irish Defence Forces personnel took part in any of the secondary tasks of Operation Irini; if so, which tasks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19718/24]

Legislative Measures

Alan Kelly

104. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to make it a criminal offence for anyone purchasing or selling a vehicle through car dealership or private sale to knowingly provide false and or misleading information when registering or de-registering ownership of a vehicle to driver and vehicle computer sales division. [19797/24]

Road Projects

Aindrias Moynihan

105. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport if additional funding will be allocated to Cork County Council to address the shortfall in funding required to address the works required for road repairs in mid Cork due to major deterioration of roads by recent high levels of rainfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19927/24]

Electric Vehicles

Neasa Hourigan

106. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline who has responsibility for the planning, choosing of locations, management and maintenance of the national on-street EV charging network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19605/24]

Electric Vehicles

Neasa Hourigan

107. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport the number of on-street EV charging stations per capita that his Department is aiming to see in place over the next decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19606/24]

Electric Vehicles

Neasa Hourigan

108. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the contract tender and procurement policy around the provision of on-street EV charging stations for State and private operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19607/24]

Electric Vehicles

Neasa Hourigan

109. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport the amount in funding that was utilised under the public charge point scheme; the number of councils that applied; the number of points installed under the same scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19608/24]

Road Safety

Brendan Griffin

110. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if the 50km speed limit at a location in County Kerry (details supplied) will be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19625/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Louise O'Reilly

111. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if he will respect the High Court judgement (details supplied) regarding the CIÉ 1951 scheme; if he will take steps to ensure that the benefits of the 1951 scheme active members will be protected and maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19673/24]

Road Safety

Holly Cairns

112. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to a study (details supplied) into the dangers of headlight glare on road safety; if he will urge the EU to carry out a similar study on the dangers of headlight glare resulting from the use of LEDs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19696/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Cathal Crowe

113. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Transport with regard to the recent High Court judgement concerning the CIÉ superannuation scheme 1951 (amendment) scheme 2000, if he will respect the High Court judgment, and outline how he will take steps to ensure that the benefits of 1951 scheme active members will be protected and maintained, and that 1951 scheme pensioners will be awarded their long-awaited pension increase without delay; if he will insist that CIÉ immediately complies with its legal obligations to appoint CIÉ board-nominated members to the statutory CIÉ 1951 scheme pensions committee, pursuant to Rule 12 of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19748/24]

Rail Network

Alan Kelly

114. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport the budget allocation in 2024 by Iarnród Éireann on personnel security within its stations and on its trains; and the percentage of the 2023 security budget allocation that was actually spent, in tabular form. [19804/24]

Road Safety

Holly Cairns

115. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport for a status update on the implementation of the legislation required for speed limit reduction, as planned for Q1 of 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19890/24]

Bus Services

Brendan Griffin

116. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if a bus stop will be provided in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19895/24]

Housing Schemes

Richard Boyd Barrett

117. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance what statistics are recorded regarding the recipients of the home renovation incentive, and the help-to-buy scheme with respect to the value of the relief; the number of reliefs availed of by the recipient (details supplied); the income of the recipient household; the value of the property; and the location of the property or any other details relating to the recipient household or property. [19675/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Kehoe

118. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance further to section 39 of the Liquor Act 2000, which states that the recipient of a certificate of transfer must present this to the Revenue Commissioners within twelve months of obtaining same in order that the application for a liquor licence can be processed by the Revenue Commissioners, the reason for having a twelve months' time limit on the presentation of the certificate of transfer to Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19749/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Kehoe

119. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance further to section 39 of the Liquor Act 2000, if the certificate of transfer is presented to the Revenue Commissioners within the respective twelve months, how long the Revenue Commissioners have to process the application and issue a valid liquor licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19750/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Kehoe

120. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance if it is legal for a premises to continue to trade on a certificate of transfer; if so, how long is it legal to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19751/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Kehoe

121. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners do not issue a liquor licence within twelve months of the expiry of the previous licence from which the certificate of transfer was derived, if it is legal for the licence applicant to continue trading indefinitely, for example for over two years on a certificate of transfer if Revenue Commissioners have not issued a liquor licence to that premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19753/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Kehoe

122. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance for how long it is legal to trade on a certificate of transfer before a liquor licence is issued by the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19755/24]

Customs and Excise

Paul Kehoe

123. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider postponing the introduction of carbon tax increase on agricultural diesel from 1 May 2024 to 1 October 2024 due to the additional costs imposed on contractors by the unprecedented inclement weather over the past number of months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19564/24]

Departmental Staff

Cormac Devlin

124. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Finance to detail the arrangements in place for where an employee of the Department, and each organisation under its aegis, becomes elected or co-opted to a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19574/24]

Vehicle Registration Tax

Michael Healy-Rae

125. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19583/24]