Parliamentary questions

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael Fitzmaurice

258. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if all front-line workers are covered by the same criteria to qualify for the long-Covid payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19282/24]

School Textbooks

Michael Fitzmaurice

361. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education the reason schools under the education and training boards, ETB, will be required to purchase junior cycle text books directly from the central national framework leaving small/medium sized book shops in the local areas unable to quote and win business having previously supplied families in the past; if she will consider allowing these small/medium businesses to quote for these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19435/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

439. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection with reference to the Departmental contract with An Post, if her Department has put in a penalty clause on any welfare overpayment, given it was always paid back by postmasters who are now being informed of a €500 penalty per overpayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18824/24]

Departmental Staff

Michael Fitzmaurice

57. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of employees employed by his Department at the end of 2022 and at the end of 2023; the current numbers for 2024; if there is an embargo on recruitment in his Department at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18678/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Michael Fitzmaurice

220. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if, in light of the announcement of the proposed changes to mandatory retirement age in An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and the Irish Prison Service, he can confirm when these changes will come into effect; if the new legislation will include changes to post-1995 pensions in the public sector which may allow retired staff to work in another job without losing their entitlement to a supplementary pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18006/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Fitzmaurice

496. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Department can provide a table of afforestation applications received in January 2024 and every month since; if they could send it monthly excluding NTA and felling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17989/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Fitzmaurice

497. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, due to the collapse in the number of new afforestation enquiries that the industry is receiving from landowners and farmers, if he will now meet with stakeholders to make the necessary changes to the forestry programme to better suit Ireland and promote industry expansion. [17990/24]

General Practitioner Services

Michael Fitzmaurice

591. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that approximately 15 retired GPs over the age of 72 unhesitatingly responded to the pleas of the HSE to remain in their posts, given the critical shortage of family doctors in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17445/24]

General Practitioner Services

Michael Fitzmaurice

592. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the appreciation of the State for the doctors who deferred retirement, giving up a good portion of a well-earned retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17446/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Michael Fitzmaurice

593. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the extraordinary situation where it seems to be the case that the primary care reimbursement service, despite contractual obligations, failed to contribute towards these doctors' pensions the agreed 15% of the doctors' monthly capitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17447/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Michael Fitzmaurice

594. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he is familiar with the strict investment rules, which has resulted in this group of doctors being denied a retirement lump sum and a pension sine die unless/until this matter can be resolved; if he will commit to rectifying this situation without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17448/24]

Teacher Training

Michael Fitzmaurice

52. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education if students from Ireland who have done their teacher training course in the UK can return to Ireland to complete their induction rather than doing so in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17011/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

476. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of increased qualified adult payments that have been made to those living outside Ireland in 2023, in tabular form; the list of countries and the total amount paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16522/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

477. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for increased qualified adult payment; the percentage that was refused to applicants living in Ireland; and the percentage refused to applicants living outside of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16523/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Fitzmaurice

478. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of increased qualified adult payment being means tested, how the Department can adequately ascertain people are eligible when they live abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16524/24]

Departmental Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

479. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments made in respect of the living alone allowance to those living outside of Ireland; the list of countries and how much was paid in total; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16525/24]

Departmental Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

480. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments made in respect of the cost-of-living allowance paid to those living outside of Ireland; the number of recipients; the list of countries and how much was paid in total; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16526/24]

Ukraine War

Michael Fitzmaurice

481. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Ukrainians living in Ireland who are in receipt of the carer's allowance, disability allowance and jobseeker's allowance, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16527/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Michael Fitzmaurice

18. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a decision will be made in the application for foreign birth registration by a person (details supplied), who applied in August 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13981/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

575. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 173 and 174 of 6 March 2024, the amount of funding provided by either Horse Sport Ireland and Sport Ireland to equestrian related bodies in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; under what programmes and for what purposes, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14823/24]