Parliamentary questions

Special Educational Needs

Cian O'Callaghan

179. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will reconsider the implementation of Circular 0002/2024, given the serious concerns around the reduction in SET hours for students and the removal of children with complex needs as a criterion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17096/24]

Vacant Properties

Cian O'Callaghan

211. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will look into practical issues applicants are experiencing with the vacant property refurbishment grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17094/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Cian O'Callaghan

228. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reconsider classifying Covid-19 as an occupational illness, as has been recommended in many EU member states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17095/24]

Tax Code

Cian O'Callaghan

223. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if the Government plans to introduce any tax relief, or a reduction in local property tax, for residents who are also paying management fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16383/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Cian O'Callaghan

645. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health what financial supports are available for amputees who do not qualify for a medical card, who are required to pay extremely high costs upwards of €6,000 every few years for necessary prosthetics; the measures he will take to address this gap in supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16077/24]

Further and Higher Education

Cian O'Callaghan

762. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will extend the roll-out of free period products to all higher education institutions including universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16537/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

4. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the introduction of a specific zoning for affordable housing will be considered by this Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15883/24]

Housing Policy

Cian O'Callaghan

67. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what immediate and urgent actions will be taken to address the high levels of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15624/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

80. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he will take to increase the delivery of affordable purchase and cost rental housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15627/24]

Special Educational Needs

Cian O'Callaghan

115. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an updated list of new autism classes opening in Dublin in September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15775/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Cian O'Callaghan

188. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will reconsider classifying Covid-19 as an occupational illness, as has been recommended in many EU countries; what supports are in place for people who were in receipt of special leave with pay due to long-Covid; what will replace this payment for front-line workers who are still unable to return to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15774/24]

School Funding

Cian O'Callaghan

64. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will make contact with a school (details supplied) in relation to a funding matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15577/24]

Energy Conservation

Cian O'Callaghan

92. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will expand or alter the 'one stop shop' list of suppliers, to allow homeowners access to more competitive prices when upgrading windows and doors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14036/24]

National Broadband Plan

Cian O'Callaghan

124. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the case of a location (details supplied) will be examined, whereby a house is not included in the National Broadband scheme due to its location, but it has extremely slow broadband speeds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14889/24]

Telecommunications Services

Cian O'Callaghan

128. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he is taking to combat the price increases across mobile and broadband providers; if these increases are consistent with price gouging practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15054/24]

Vacant Properties

Cian O'Callaghan

285. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance the estimated number of properties that are eligible to pay the vacant homes tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13955/24]

Tax Code

Cian O'Callaghan

290. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance what financial supports are currently available for disabled drivers and passengers for vehicle modifications; what recommendations were made in relation to this from the Transport Working Group’s final report published in February 2023; when these recommendations will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14056/24]

Schools Building Projects

Cian O'Callaghan

409. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education for an update on the capital funding being provided to a school (details supplied); when will the school be able to drawdown the funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13747/24]

Schools Building Projects

Cian O'Callaghan

411. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the status of the capital funding for a school (details supplied); when the school will be able to drawdown the funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13754/24]

Special Educational Needs

Cian O'Callaghan

508. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education why her Department has cut the funding for the Summer Programme for children with complex special educational needs from €60 per pupil in 2022 to €45 in 2023 and €30 in 2024; if she will restore this essential funding to the 2022 level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14757/24]

Fire Safety

Cian O'Callaghan

644. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details on how the interim fire safety defect scheme will work for individuals who have already paid for defects to be repaired; how refunds will be provided (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14352/24]

Planning Issues

Cian O'Callaghan

667. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details of any meetings, correspondence, or communications between a developer (details supplied) in relation to the refused planning application;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14764/24]

Planning Issues

Cian O'Callaghan

668. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage his reasoning for choosing the wording "housing growth target” in Amendment No. 640 to the Planning and Development Bill 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14765/24]

Pension Provisions

Cian O'Callaghan

798. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the position for employees who have recently set up pensions before the auto-enrolment scheme is introduced; if these people will be allowed to benefit from the scheme of employers matching contributions, and €1 Government contribution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14888/24]

Childcare Services

Cian O'Callaghan

1056. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what immediate action he is taking to increase the numbers of childcare places available; if he is aware that parents are being refused for waiting lists due to the high levels of oversubscription in some childcare facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13592/24]

International Protection

Cian O'Callaghan

1088. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when appropriate accommodation will be provided for those seeking international protection who are sleeping in tents; what immediate action he is taking to provide proper accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13974/24]

Asylum Seekers

Cian O'Callaghan

1181. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider providing travel passes for asylum seekers who are sleeping rough or in camps in order that they can commute back and forth from the city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15394/24]

Animal Welfare

Cian O'Callaghan

1726. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if, in relation to the high-level stakeholder group on the control of dogs, she will provide information (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14351/24]

Schools Building Projects

Cian O'Callaghan

212. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will examine a case (details supplied); when her Department will issue a decision to the school in question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13513/24]

Childcare Services

Cian O'Callaghan

274. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 276 of 29 February 2024, the reason there have been such lengthy delays in issuing guidance to pre-schools and in opening the ICT portal for the upload of core funding applications; if he is aware that these delays may cause closures among pre-schools; if he is further aware that many accountants will not supply a quote until they know what is involved with the ICT portal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13514/24]

Health Services Staff

Cian O'Callaghan

315. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress update on the HSE recruitment freeze; when this recruitment freeze is likely to be lifted; if he will provide data, in tabular form, on waiting lists across adult mental health services compared to before the freeze was implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13512/24]

Programme for Government

Cian O'Callaghan

6. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [10350/24]

Departmental Offices

Cian O'Callaghan

12. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach to report on the work of the parliamentary liaison unit in his Department. [10351/24]

Antisocial Behaviour

Cian O'Callaghan

151. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport what measures are proposed to address anti-social behaviour along the DART line which acts as a disincentive for people using public transport; if he will liaise with the relevant bodies including An Garda Síochána to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11718/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Cian O'Callaghan

255. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners' review of the taxes paid by Irish real estate funds has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12700/24]

Special Educational Needs

Cian O'Callaghan

366. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will examine a case (details supplied) whereby a child does not have a special education place for September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11713/24]

School Staff

Cian O'Callaghan

367. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the ongoing recruitment issues in St. Michael's House; if there is a strategy in place to address these issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11714/24]

Special Educational Needs

Cian O'Callaghan

368. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of a situation in a school (details supplied) whereby there should be seven SET teachers, but they currently only have one due to problems with long-term and short-term cover recruitment; what actions are being taken to address these recruitment issues which are widespread; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11719/24]

Teaching Qualifications

Cian O'Callaghan

420. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11960/24]

Education Policy

Cian O'Callaghan

470. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the Government's Divestment Programme; how many schools have been successfully reconfigured; how many schools are in the process of reconfiguration; how many schools are expected to enter this process in 2024; how her Department assesses the demand for Educate Together/multi-denominational schools in any given area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12468/24]

School Admissions

Cian O'Callaghan

471. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if boards of management are required to use catchment area as a selective criteria in their admission policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12469/24]

Departmental Strategies

Cian O'Callaghan

594. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total funding that has been spent to date in implementing the Youth Homelessness Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11675/24]

Departmental Strategies

Cian O'Callaghan

595. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost to implement the remainder of the Youth Homelessness Strategy by the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11676/24]

Departmental Strategies

Cian O'Callaghan

596. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there will be a mid-term report published on the Youth Homelessness strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11677/24]

Departmental Strategies

Cian O'Callaghan

597. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide in tabular form a progress report on the implementation of each of the 27 targets within the youth homelessness strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11678/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

598. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of 18–24-year-olds that are registered for social housing on local authority waiting lists, provided by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11679/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

599. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of 18–30-year-olds that are registered for social housing on local authority waiting lists, provided by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11680/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

600. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of units provided under the CAS for care leavers scheme per year from 2018 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11681/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

601. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided per year for the CAS for care leavers scheme per year from 2018 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11682/24]

Housing Policy

Cian O'Callaghan

606. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on his Department's examination of the creation of a system of holding rental deposits as set out in housing policy objective 2.12 of Housing for All; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11720/24]