Parliamentary questions

School Accommodation

Michael Lowry

235. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will provide assistance to a school (details supplied); if she is aware that the delay in providing this additional accommodation will result in a large number of children being forced to be educated in overcrowded classrooms for September 2024; if she will expedite the processing of this school’s DES re: R1 Form on health and safety grounds; if she will ensure that all steps and processes are being considered to address the accommodation issues highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20881/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Lowry

320. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the status of an application for the school meals programme (details supplied); the reason this school did not receive approval in the latest expansion of this initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20614/24]

Health Services

Michael Lowry

567. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will address the issues highlighted by a person (details supplied); the steps being considered to address the issues highlighted; when the person will receive a detailed response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20480/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Michael Lowry

586. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will provide assistance to a person (details supplied) regarding the ongoing issue in relation to funding for a Trekinetic GTE wheelchair; the reason why this funding was denied despite the supporting medical information; what steps are being considered to address the issues highlighted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20597/24]

School Transport

Michael Lowry

165. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the current school transport system, specifically in relation to the situation faced by the parents of a school in Tipperary (details supplied); the measures being taken to address the concerns of these parents, who rely on the Bus Éireann school bus as an affordable transport option for their children, and who have expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed changes to the school transport scheme set to be implemented by 2030; what can be done to ensure these students have an appropriate and affordable transport option to their local secondary school; what steps are being considered to address these issues highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20036/24]

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]

Customs and Excise

Michael Lowry

126. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Finance if he will postpone the planned introduction of the latest round of carbon tax increases for agricultural diesel from 1 May 2024 until 1 October 2024 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19584/24]

Special Educational Needs

Michael Lowry

140. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education to provide details on the measures being taken to address the following concerns for teachers and special needs assistants injured at work; the current provision of immediate financial assistance available to cover medical bills and medications for teachers and SNAs who have been assaulted at work; if she will consider the extension of assault leave for teachers/SNAs to cover the entire duration of medically certified leave, as opposed to the current limit of three-six months; if she will establish a comprehensive support system for educators who have been injured at work; if her Department has completed a review of current policies and supports for schools and educators dealing with instances of extreme and frequent violent behaviours (details supplied); what steps are being considered to address these issues highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19577/24]

Departmental Schemes

Michael Lowry

217. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 475 of 20 June 2023, if he intends this to only apply in situations where the licence has not been actioned (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19746/24]

Departmental Schemes

Michael Lowry

218. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the climate resilient reforestation scheme will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19747/24]

Burial Grounds

Michael Lowry

332. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures that are in place to ensure consistent oversight of burial ground management practices across all local authorities; how frequently these measures are reviewed for effectiveness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19553/24]

Burial Grounds

Michael Lowry

333. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development given the critical role of burial ground management in public health and community welfare, if she will provide details of any existing national standards for these practices; if same do not exist, if she will provide an explanation for the absence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19554/24]

Burial Grounds

Michael Lowry

334. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide insights into any known negative practices arising from the lack of standardisation in burial ground management across local authorities; the steps that are being considered to address these issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19555/24]

Burial Grounds

Michael Lowry

335. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development how her Department ensures it maintains adequate knowledge and expertise about sector specific challenges in burial ground management to provide effective guidance and support to local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19556/24]

Burial Grounds

Michael Lowry

336. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there is a formal mechanism for local authorities to report issues or challenges back to her Department concerning burial ground management and practices; if so, how this information is actioned to improve sector-wide practices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19557/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Lowry

444. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of the application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of an individual (details supplied) who was previously unsuccessful; to confirm if the diagnosis of 'Classic PKU - Non-Responsive to Kuvan' (Phenylketonuria) fulfils the qualifying medical criteria for payment of domiciliary care allowance, given that the child does not respond to Kuvan treatment and requires a very specific diet and continuous monitoring on a daily basis for a lifetime; the reason some parents of children diagnosed with this condition qualify for domiciliary care allowance, while others with the same diagnosis do not; to specifically clarify the reason that this applicant was unsuccessful in their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18927/24]

Departmental Contracts

Michael Lowry

555. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide information in relation to whether the provision of accommodation (details supplied) was scheduled to be delivered in four phases; if the owners will be offered an extension to their current contract when the initial 12-month period ends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18778/24]

Primary Care Services

Michael Lowry

680. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the current WTE posts filled and unfilled, respectively in south Tipperary primary care services, broken down by discipline for physiotherapy, occupational therapist, speech and language therapy, psychology, dietician, audiology and ophthalmology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19010/24]

Health Services Waiting Lists

Michael Lowry

681. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to reduce paediatric primary care wait lists in south Tipperary; if he will give a commitment to improve the waiting times for children waiting to access these much-needed appointments in 2024, many of whom are waiting over 12 months for an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19011/24]

School Transport

Michael Lowry

209. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if a school bus route which provides transport to a school (details suppled) will be adjusted and the route changed, in order that children living in a particular area can be collected outside of their home; the reasons previous correspondence to Bus Éireann on this matter have not received a reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18679/24]