Parliamentary questions

Housing Provision

Colm Burke

49. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes completed in Cork in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15653/24]

Grant Payments

Colm Burke

72. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of money spent in Cork on housing adaption grants in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15654/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

120. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education to confirm that the family of a child (details supplied) on a HSE waiting list for an occupational therapist since 2022, who requires assisted technology for their exams and requires rest breaks, will be permitted to request this assisted technology from SENCO for their Junior Certificate if referred by their teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15799/24]

Schools Building Projects

Colm Burke

123. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education when a review being undertaken by her Department in respect of a Stage 2B submission will be finalised and the school (details supplied) contacted about the outcome of this review, as it has been confirmed that it has been near completion for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15806/24]

School Accommodation

Colm Burke

124. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education when it will be possible for a school (details supplied) to make a decision to go ahead with a tender for a school extension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15807/24]

Mental Health Services

Colm Burke

190. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the current number of teams for each of the national clinical programmes in mental health, namely ADHD, dual diagnosis, early intervention in psychosis (EIP), eating disorders, perinatal mental health, self-harm/suicide, the current staffing levels of each of these teams and the shortfall in staff within each team as per the required number in the respective Models of Care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15778/24]

Mental Health Services

Colm Burke

191. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of people who accessed each of the national clinical programmes in mental health, namely ADHD, dual diagnosis, early intervention in psychosis (EIP), eating disorders, perinatal mental health, self-harm/suicide, in the year 2023 and to-date in 2024 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15779/24]

Mental Health Services

Colm Burke

192. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of people in mental health community residences in each of the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15780/24]

Mental Health Services

Colm Burke

197. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to report, in tabular form, on the costs of accommodating people in mental health community residences in each of the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15800/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Colm Burke

261. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the progress of the review of the two proposed national procedures for allowances towards post-mastectomy products (prostheses and specialist bras), along with hair loss products initially published in February; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15941/24]

Tax Reliefs

Colm Burke

308. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will expand the dental tax relief med 2 scheme so increase the tax band from 20% to 40% as per 2009 levels and to specifically include dentures in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14872/24]

School Facilities

Colm Burke

464. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if funding will be made available for a school (details supplied) to demolish an existing structure and build a new facility to accommodate ASD classes. [14347/24]

Development Contributions

Colm Burke

659. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a scheme (details supplied) will be extended beyond 24 April 2024 to all permitted residential development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14616/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Colm Burke

741. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13980/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Colm Burke

743. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a carer’s allowance appeal (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13988/24]

Maternity Leave

Colm Burke

756. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the duration of paid maternity leave to facilitate more women to continue breastfeeding for longer than they otherwise would have had they returned to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14235/24]

State Pensions

Colm Burke

793. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection is she will give due consideration to raising the full rate of the State pension (contributory) in order to restore it to its 2020 spending power, as a further step towards benchmarking the rate at 34% of average earnings, which should be achieved by 2026 as a 'living pension' alongside the introduction of the new national living wage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14862/24]

State Pensions

Colm Burke

794. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give due consideration to raising the income thresholds for the State pension (non-contributory) to take account of inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14863/24]

State Pensions

Colm Burke

795. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider increasing the maximum rate of the State pension (non-contributory) to bring it to the same level as the State pension (contributory) and benchmark both the contributory and non-contributory State pension against 34% of average earnings, to reduce gender pension inequality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14864/24]

State Pensions

Colm Burke

796. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will take the necessary steps to implement benchmarking and indexing of the State pension and reinforce this by commissioning a comprehensive analysis of the costs associated with ageing, and the cost-of-living for all older people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14866/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Colm Burke

797. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give due consideration to the provision of a €5 per week digital allowance to those older persons who cannot afford digital devices or internet subscriptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14867/24]

Citizenship Applications

Colm Burke

892. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the number of Irish citizenship by naturalisation applications received by her Department for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; the number of applications which have reached a decision for each of these years; the number of applications that are still processing for each of these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14615/24]

Vaccination Programme

Colm Burke

1212. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he is concerned by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre’s recently published report (26/02/24) on the uptake of the HPV vaccine for the academic years 2022/2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13634/24]

Vaccination Programme

Colm Burke

1213. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what steps he will take to increase the uptake of the HPV vaccine in the school immunisation programme in consideration of the findings of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre’s recently published report (26/02/24) on the uptake of the HPV vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13635/24]

Vaccination Programme

Colm Burke

1214. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason the recently published Health Protection Surveillance Centre’s report (26/02/24) on the uptake of the HPV vaccine does not include information regarding the percentage of uptake achieved through the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13636/24]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1334. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what steps he will take to address delays in diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases in light of the fact that more than a third of people with such conditions go for more than five years without a diagnosis and in recognition of the 300,00 people living with such diseases in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14226/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Colm Burke

1335. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the up-to-date position regarding the location for the new genetics and genomics laboratory in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14227/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Colm Burke

1336. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm if the new genetics and genomics laboratory will be located at the new National Children’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14228/24]

Hospital Services

Colm Burke

1337. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm what interim measures are in place, if any, to ensure genetics testing continues to be carried out during relocation from its current home in CHI Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14229/24]

Hospital Services

Colm Burke

1338. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the addition of screening for SMA and SCID to the newborn bloodspot screening programme will commence given the fact that screening for SMA and SCID is not scheduled to take place at the current lab in Temple Street, but rather at the new National Children’s Hospital. As the new NCH is not due to open until at least Q2 2025, and an interim location has not been announced, this has led to confusion around when implementation will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14230/24]

Hospital Services

Colm Burke

1339. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm when newborn babies will be screened for SMA and SCID as part of the newborn bloodspot screening programme; and where the testing for these conditions will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14231/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1340. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the establishment of an infant feeding communication forum across departments that is, with responsibility for children, health, and marketing of commercial formula milks and the Health Service Executive to align government policy, funding and Health Service Executive practices for the purposes of increasing breastfeeding initiation rates and the duration of breastfeeding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14232/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1341. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to standardise breastfeeding education for healthcare professionals in maternity units and support in-service, role-specific breastfeeding education and training to enable implementation of the Baby Friendly Initiative in all 19 maternity units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14233/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1342. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to fully implement the World Health Organization Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and its subsequent World Health Assembly Resolutions in legislation and ensure that this legislation is monitored and enforced in a transparent manner independent of industry, with particular attention paid to advertising and marketing online via baby clubs and social media influencers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14234/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1343. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide independent, evidence-based breastfeeding-related education and training to all healthcare professionals likely to encounter breastfeeding mothers or infants/young children in their clinical practice (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1344. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to provide for greater availability of breastfeeding preparation classes and breastfeeding support groups, and modes of delivery of same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14237/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1345. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will develop effective strategies for increasing awareness of infant and young child feeding materials within other sectors outside of the health service, for example, workplace settings, county councils, and allocate resources as required by the Health Service Executive to implement breastfeeding campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14238/24]

Healthcare Policy

Colm Burke

1346. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will develop an up-to-date infant feeding policy for those with HIV in Ireland, in line with recent British HIV Association guidance, that would facilitate shared decision-making between healthcare professionals and service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14239/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1347. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will develop an infant and young child feeding in emergencies preparedness plan specific to the Irish context in line with international guidance, incorporating and building on the operational guidance prepared by the Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group of the Emergency Nutrition Network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14240/24]

Departmental Data

Colm Burke

1348. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to develop an electronic child health record to collect and report on breastfeeding metrics (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14241/24]

Substance Misuse

Colm Burke

1499. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing an office for alcohol harm reduction to operate within his Department which would take the lead across Government Departments in developing the policy measures needed to address alcohol harm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14858/24]

Substance Misuse

Colm Burke

1500. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ring-fence dedicated funding for the provision of alcohol care teams within all major hospitals and which would be linked to community services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14859/24]

Healthcare Policy

Colm Burke

1501. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ring-fence dedicated funding to the relevant bodies to support the national Hidden Harm framework that recognises the adverse childhood experience of growing up with parental problem substance use; if he will take the necessary steps to ensure current funding for services for children and families who are impacted by parental drug and alcohol use is doubled for five years with a review of the services provided evaluated at the end of that time, as recommended by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14860/24]

Mental Health Services

Colm Burke

1502. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure that the mental health allocation of 10% of the overall health budget is reached by 2030, as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14861/24]

Departmental Funding

Colm Burke

1503. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ring-fence dedicated funding of €2 million estimate to create a Commissioner for Ageing and Older Persons as part of a package of measures to counter ageism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14865/24]

Dental Services

Colm Burke

1505. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will grant an immediate allocation of €7 million to hire 76 HSE whole-time equivalent dentists to bring service levels back to 2007 levels, thereby cutting waiting lists for service and treatments in the public system that is, the children's school screening programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14869/24]

Dental Services

Colm Burke

1506. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will set aside funding to hire 30 specialist orthodontists to address the up to three-year waiting lists for orthodontic care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14870/24]

Medical Cards

Colm Burke

1507. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to deliver a reformed medical card scheme through the provision of a voucher or credit towards dental care of between €100 to €500, respectively (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14871/24]

Dental Services

Colm Burke

1508. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to set aside funding to reintroduce a foundation training scheme to facilitate new dental graduates to gain experience in a mentored environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14873/24]

Dental Services

Colm Burke

1509. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what new proposals will be put in place to assist in the delivery of the new dental hospital in UCC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14874/24]