Parliamentary questions

Inspector of Prisons

Patrick Costello

19. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice when existing unpublished centre reports (details supplied) will be published. [17832/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

25. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on the introduction of an online portal for uploading and reporting of digital evidence, such as video of road traffic offences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17844/24]

Heritage Projects

Patrick Costello

70. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the status of the works being carried out at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park; and the timeline for completion and its opening as a visitor site. [17835/24]

Heritage Sites

Patrick Costello

71. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the efforts his Department is making to liaise with An Garda Síochána regarding policing of road speed within the Phoenix Park. [17834/24]

Commemorative Plaques

Patrick Costello

142. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 653 of 18 January 2023, if an update will be provided. [17311/24]

Departmental Reviews

Patrick Costello

150. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update in relation to the strategic defence review and provide a timeline on the publication of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18008/24]

Departmental Strategies

Patrick Costello

181. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the development of a national strategy for camera-based enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17953/24]

Commemorative Plaques

Patrick Costello

221. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will erect an additional plaque in Kilmainham Gaol regarding the Civil War executions that took place there in order to acknowledge Leo Dowling and Terrance Brady, who, it has been recently established, were executed there but are not recognised on the existing memorial (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17304/24]

Corporate Governance

Patrick Costello

248. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions being taken by the Companies Registration Office and the Corporate Enforcement Authority in relation to the owners’ management companies and ensuring that they are adhering to the necessary rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17321/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

258. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a breakdown, by county or local authority area, of the number of children waiting for special education school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17337/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

259. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a breakdown within the Dublin City Council area for the number of special schools operating in the area and their capacity; the number of special classes operating in the area and their capacity; the number of mainstream schools with special needs assistants, outlining the number assigned to each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17338/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

260. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education the measures her Department is taking to increase the provision of special education places throughout schools in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17339/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

261. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for an update in relation to the review of contracts for special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17340/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

262. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for an update in relation to the Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17341/24]

Schools Building Projects

Patrick Costello

282. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education to confirm if her Department is indeed putting an expedited plan for the provision of a new gaelcholáiste or gaelcholáistí in the south Dublin area together currently (details supplied); and when this expedited plan will be completed by her Department. [17437/24]

School Transport

Patrick Costello

332. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education if her Department will liaise with the relevant authorities to introduce a school pupil's free travel scheme bus pass, similar to the free travel scheme for adults, recognising that children in rural areas can avail of free travel, but not those in urban areas, and recognising that, if delivered upon, this would be directly meeting one of the objectives in the school transports review. [18091/24]

Housing Policy

Patrick Costello

346. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to ensure older people who wish to downsize or right-size are able to do so; the assistance provided in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17317/24]

Legislative Reviews

Patrick Costello

426. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she would be willing to carry out a review of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 and issues relating to the operation of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17322/24]

Legislative Measures

Patrick Costello

427. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice in instances where residents feel aggrieved by decisions taken or feel owners’ management companies are acting outside the scope of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, the mechanisms under which residents can submit these actions for review or enforcement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17324/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

442. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the current status of the progression unit in Mountjoy Prison, which was previously used only for model generic prisoners but which has now had sex offenders placed there; if this allocation of sex offenders to the unit will continue to take place; if so, why is the facility not being used for it's designed purposes; and what other building will act as a new progression unit to take its place. [17686/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

443. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners being put forward for early or temporary release in the past 12 months, but who were not released due to the fact early probation supervision is not available for them in the community. [17688/24]

Probation and Welfare Service

Patrick Costello

444. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice to provide in tabular form a Statewide list of community probation teams, by area, the number of staff employed in each and the number of vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17689/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

445. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will ensure other addiction counsellors are sourced as a matter of urgency for the prison service; her views on the situation whereby in Mountjoy Prison there is currently only two addiction/MQI counsellors for the entire prison, given by her own admission (details supplied) 70% of the population have addiction issues in a prison of approximately 800 prisons; and her views on whether two addiction councillors for 550+ prisoners with addiction issues is an adequate number for provision of services. [17690/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

446. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 377 of 10 October 2023, if seven out of every ten prisoners have addiction issues, the reason millions are being spent on hundreds of new places in prison, when the money could be better spent addressing the root cause of incarceration for many of the existing populations, i.e. addiction, which would entail hiring more addiction counsellors. [17697/24]

Legislative Reviews

Patrick Costello

456. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the timeline for the establishment of an independent examiner of security legislation following the enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2023. [17877/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

508. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to reports (details supplied) whereby a child with complex needs was placed in a special emergency arrangement, despite concerns that this setting may exacerbate their self-harming behaviours; the steps being taken by his Department to ensure children with complex needs have a stable, appropriate and regulated placement, particularly in relation to increasing the number of special care placements available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17397/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

509. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to statements attributed to Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance reported in the media (details supplied) of “immediate safeguarding concerns” within special emergency arrangements; to respond to Tusla audit reports outlining a “lack of recording of child protection matters” by one provider of these arrangements; the interventions his Department has made to ensure the welfare and protection of these children is upheld; if his Department believes children in these placements should have their own bedroom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17398/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

510. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to statements attributed to Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance reported in the media (details supplied) that some providers of special emergency arrangements do not have plans in place for when a child goes missing from their accommodation; if his Department will investigate if safeguarding procedures outlined in the Joint Protocol between An Garda Síochána and Tusla and the Children’s First Act 2015 are being adhered to by private providers of special emergency arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17399/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

511. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to public health concerns raised by Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance and reported in the media (details supplied) of “high occupancy rates” in special emergency arrangements, reports of bed bugs and scabies infestations in some settings and findings of “obvious health and safety hazards” at one special emergency setting; the plans his Department has taken or intend to take to ensure these health risks are not repeated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17400/24]

Primary Care Centres

Patrick Costello

576. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 586 of 21 November 2023, if an update will be provided. [17310/24]

Hospital Facilities

Patrick Costello

587. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if there are longer-term plans to bring the vacant units in Cherry Orchard Hospital back into use in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17427/24]

Primary Care Centres

Patrick Costello

603. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he or his officials will meet with local residents’ groups in Drimnagh to discuss the timeline for construction of the Drimnagh primary care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17487/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

628. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce a new comprehensive newborn screening programme that is adequately resourced and ensures that babies born in Ireland are screened for the European average of 18 conditions at a minimum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17692/24]

Third Level Education

Patrick Costello

695. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on Trinity College’s policy (details supplied) which prevents any external tour guides from using the campus and/or Book of Kells for guiding purposes. [17314/24]

Third Level Education

Patrick Costello

696. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on Trinity College’s policy (details supplied) which prevents any external tour guides from using the campus and/or Book of Kells for guiding purposes. [17315/24]

Grant Payments

Patrick Costello

703. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the grants or scholarships available to Irish students studying for masters degrees in UK institutions. [17591/24]

Sports Funding

Patrick Costello

25. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to detail what core funding has been allocated to support sporting organisations, national governing bodies of sport and local sports partnerships through Sport Ireland for 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16937/24]

Sports Funding

Patrick Costello

52. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline the recommendations of the recently published review of the large-scale sport infrastructure fund; the reason for the new similar access requirement policy in respect of men and women having access to publicly funded sporting facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16938/24]

Period Poverty

Patrick Costello

175. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that higher education institutions are sufficiently resourced to be able to provide free on-campus sanitary products to their students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16948/24]

National Security

Patrick Costello

185. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence whether his Department or the Naval Service plans to conduct a security assessment on the potential of an attack on any proposed floating storage and regasification unit, during both its construction phase and after project completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16271/24]

State Properties

Patrick Costello

244. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the OPW Jamestown Road workshop; the current and future utilisation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16183/24]

State Properties

Patrick Costello

245. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on potential actions he will take to deal with the large amount of birds on OPW Jamestown Road workshop site, which is negatively impacting on nearby residents; if he will consider erecting some tethered hawk kites to deter birds from the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16184/24]

Greyhound Industry

Patrick Costello

562. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he agrees that there is a significant difference in the assertion contained in a report commissioned by Greyhound Racing Ireland and published in 2021 (details supplied) and the assertion contained in a reply to a Parliamentary Question provided to the Minister by Greyhound Racing Ireland in relation to the importance of the greyhound industry as a provider of employment in this country; if he agrees that the claim contained in the industry-commissioned report in this respect is one of several examples of inaccurate and misleading information contained in that report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16678/24]

Healthcare Policy

Patrick Costello

679. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if will he publish the updated HSE palliative care strategy as a matter of urgency in line with recommendation 12 of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16195/24]

Oideachas Gaeltachta

Patrick Costello

121. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Patrick Costello den Aire Oideachais cathain a bheidh an plean maidir le soláthar gaelcholáiste nó gaelcholáistí nua i gceantar Átha Cliath Theas réidh ag an Roinn Oideachais agus a thagair tú dó nuair a d'fhreagair tú ceist 476 le freagra 428 ar 20 Márta 2024. [15801/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

49. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline, in light of the news that former members of the Defence Forces, operating as a company (details supplied) are training private militias, what actions are being taken by his Department to prevent such a situation reoccurring in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15715/24]

Middle East

Patrick Costello

33. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts his Department are making to ensure the ICJ meet to assess the accountability of Israel in relation to the preliminary ruling issued in the South African case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14800/24]

Cycling Policy

Patrick Costello

195. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will liaise with Dublin City Council on funding options for the expansion of the highly successful now Dublin bikes scheme. [14049/24]

Work Permits

Patrick Costello

378. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of active employment permits in the State (details supplied), broken down by type of permit, i.e. Critical, General, Other and SOC Code (4 digit). [14223/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

424. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education to provide a list of all second-level education institutions aided by her Department that are located on public land, and a separate list of all second-level institutions aided by her Department that are located on land not in public ownership. [13982/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

425. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 276 of 23 January 2024, to list in tabular form the 103 new post-primary schools and 90 newly-established multi-denominational schools referenced, providing school roll numbers for all schools identified. [13983/24]

Mayoral Election

Patrick Costello

653. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a referendum on a directly elected mayor for Dublin will take place on the same day as the 2024 local elections. [14575/24]

Wildlife Regulations

Patrick Costello

666. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many bird of prey licences were issued for taking birds from the wild from 2014 to date; and the breakdown of taking birds from the wild licences for each of those years, by species, gender and by location, in tabular form. [14717/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

893. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the work of the Prison Overcrowding Response Group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14628/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

894. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice her views on the increasing number of prisoners on remand in prisons here; the steps she is taking to tackle this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14629/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

919. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the actions being taken by her Department to alleviate overcrowding in the prison system; and the estimated timeline for returning the population to uniform single capacity cells and the use of community based sentencing to address this problem. [15030/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

1232. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service believes that trans people need to be in their mid- to late twenties before they are mature enough to decide to pursue medical transition, as per a recent radio interview (details supplied). [13698/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

1233. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the reason that in a recent radio interview (details supplied), National Gender Service staff considered the process to access hormones via Tavistock to be too easy. [13699/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

1234. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if, following a recent radio interview (details supplied), the National Gender Service staff believe asexuals are entitled to the same medical care and at the same age as all other sexualities. [13700/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

1235. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if, when writing the Chief Clinical Officer's business case "Model of Care and Implementation Plan for Transgender care", it was intended that service users could be excluded from the Advisory Group due to their interest in their own healthcare being considered purely ideological. [13701/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

1236. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health what consultation was done with the trans community before abandoning the Programme for Government's commitment to WPATH as per a recent article (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13702/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

53. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if Ireland plans to recommit personnel to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mission. [13141/24]

Traffic Management

Patrick Costello

85. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the level of engagement that the Department have had with local authorities regarding new rules which provide for zebra crossings without Belisha beacons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13171/24]

Bus Services

Patrick Costello

121. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the implementation of the BusConnects project. [13140/24]

Northern Ireland

Patrick Costello

64. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if in line with the recent report of Operation Kenova in Northern Ireland, he will advocate for a national day of commemoration on 21 June, for all of those who lost their lives during the Troubles on the islands of Ireland and Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12458/24]

Middle East

Patrick Costello

80. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ireland's position on the Egyptian authorities charging Gazans thousands of dollars to gain entry to their state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13129/24]

Litter Pollution

Patrick Costello

125. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for a breakdown of the amount of funding drawn down by each local authority from the anti-litter and anti-graffiti awareness grant scheme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13133/24]

Public Transport

Patrick Costello

173. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the plans to deal with the provision of increased public transport in Dublin 8, particularly around Kilmainham-Inchicore which suffers from severe traffic congestion and proposed large housing developments which will bring additional demand to the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12464/24]

Aviation Industry

Patrick Costello

215. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline any approaches or negotiations engaged in by Ireland with other EU Member States to waive the exemption on aviation fuel tax for intra-community flights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11532/24]

Schools Building Projects

Patrick Costello

358. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a timeline for the commencement and completion of works for a school (details supplied) which was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála in April 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11638/24]

Education Policy

Patrick Costello

476. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education when her Department will seek to establish a gaelcholáiste in Dublin 8, given the number of feeder primary schools which have no geographically near Irish medium secondary school to attend; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12522/24]

State Bodies

Patrick Costello

635. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the LDA intends to use the Davitt Road site in Drimnagh for housing which was previously earmarked for a primary health care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12025/24]

Local Authorities

Patrick Costello

705. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update in relation to the negotiations between him and the Minister for Rural and Community Development about hiring more dog wardens; how many additional dog warden positions will be created; where these positions will be assigned; how much additional funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13152/24]

Residency Permits

Patrick Costello

803. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the total number of instances where a fee of €300 was paid for the issuing of an IRP (formerly GNIB) card (including both registration and renewal) in the whole of 2023 and the total income from this activity. [11636/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

939. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the cultural audit of the IPS 2023 scheduled for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12675/24]

Asylum Seekers

Patrick Costello

966. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice what bespoke scheme, if any, exists for Palestinians fleeing the conflict in Gaza to come to Ireland. [13128/24]

Greyhound Industry

Patrick Costello

997. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in what areas of the country is the greyhound racing industry one of the few meaningful sources of employment, as claimed in an industry-commissioned report published in 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12199/24]

Horticulture Sector

Patrick Costello

1038. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recorded/confirmed dates of fireblight erwinia amylovora infections detections by his Department to date, per county; the steps his Department is taking to contain the spread of any further infections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12826/24]

Healthcare Policy

Patrick Costello

1236. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the position for an update in relation to the HSE-led implementation group considering the Joint Committee on Health report on the proposed legislative recommendations in the Marie O'Shea report; how many times have the group met since being established; who are the members of the group; to identify the ten work-streams identified by the group; when the draft implementation action plan is likely to be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11643/24]

Abortion Services

Patrick Costello

1237. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health to provide a timeline as to when the remaining two maternity hospitals are due to be in a position to offer full termination of pregnancy services, as prescribed in the 2018 Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11644/24]

Abortion Services

Patrick Costello

1238. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health to provide an update in relation to the progression of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023; and can he confirm that this bill will be completed in the lifetime of this current Dáil term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11645/24]

Abortion Services

Patrick Costello

1239. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health to clarify if the mandatory three-day waiting period before being able to access abortion services will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11647/24]

Abortion Services

Patrick Costello

1240. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health to clarify whether there are any penalties or complaints procedures in place in relation to healthcare workers causing wilful delay or obstruction to women seeking to access abortion services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11648/24]

Primary Care Centres

Patrick Costello

1325. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will announce a timeline for construction of the new primary health centre, including when a planning application will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12024/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

1520. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses for the Dublin south central area; the number of vacancies; the population of children in the catchment area of each; the average wait time to get an appointment, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13132/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

1571. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of dog wardens employed in each local authority in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13138/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

1572. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will increase funding available to the dog control units of local authorities to hire additional dog wardens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13139/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

1596. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update in relation to the negotiations between her and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage about hiring more dog wardens; how many additional dog warden positions will be created; where these positions will be assigned; how much additional funding will be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13151/24]

Energy Policy

Patrick Costello

148. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the eligibility rules will be published for the home energy upgrade loan scheme, and the expected timeline from submitting the application to drawing down the grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11196/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

165. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of individuals in the last five years who have purchased their way out of the Defence Forces, in tabular form; the cost of this by individual, presented in bands of €5,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11202/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

166. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of individuals in the past five years who have purchased their way out of the Defence Forces, by rank, in tabular form. [11205/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

167. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of individuals in the past five years who began training with the Defences Forces but left prior to completing it, and the amount paid by them, in bands of €5,000. [11206/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

170. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the rationale, timeline of meetings and decisions in the lead up to and current withdrawal plan for the Irish Defence Forces contingent of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11335/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

171. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the withdrawal plan for the Irish Defence Forces contingent of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force given the increasing tension and potential for conflict in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11336/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

172. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the Reserve Defence Force recruitment competition; the number of recruitment liaison officers currently working on the reserve recruitment competition; the Reserve Defence Force's role in the future plans for the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11337/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

173. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to clarify whether personnel leaving the Permanent Defence Force are able to join the Reserve Defence Force while retaining the rank they previously held in the Permanent Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11338/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

174. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to comment on the medical resources currently assigned to the Reserve Defence Force and the issues highlighted in the past with a lack of resourcing resulting in slow progression of applications; what measure he will take to ensure efficient progression of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11339/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

175. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the work undertaken by the Office of Reserve Affairs to strengthen the Reserve Defence Force; the number of staff currently working in the Office of Reserve Affairs; the number of vacancies currently within the Office of Reserve Affairs; to clarify whether the Office of Reserve Affairs will only be staffed by current and former Defence Forces personnel or also civilian staff; the timeline on the delivery of the Office of Reserve Affairs regeneration plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11340/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

176. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will consider changing the application for former Defence Forces members to join First Line Reserve and extending the window of opportunity in which former members could apply rather than only being asked during their retirement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11341/24]

Defence Forces

Patrick Costello

177. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the reason he believes the number of former officers who were members of the Defence Forces First Line Reserve dropped sharply since 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11342/24]