Parliamentary questions

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Louise O'Reilly

135. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 23 April 2024, in terms of the better Government requirements for a regulatory impact assessment to be conducted when transposing an EU Directive, the reason this was not done before S.I. No. 703 of 2022 implementing Article 7.3 of Directive 2014/94/EU was signed into law. [20661/24]

Departmental Data

Louise O'Reilly

171. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 250 of 6 March 2024, the expected default rate on State-backed loans of 80%; how such a rate is calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20289/24]

Small and Medium Enterprises

Louise O'Reilly

174. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current rate of basic level digital intensity of Irish SMEs. [20428/24]

Departmental Data

Louise O'Reilly

179. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage of Irish businesses using Cloud, Big Data and AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20706/24]

School Meals Programme

Louise O'Reilly

322. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection how the nutrition standards for school meals are being monitored, implemented and enforced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20627/24]

School Meals Programme

Louise O'Reilly

323. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection what safeguards have been put in place to ensure that the hot school meals programme is being rolled out in accordance with the nutrition standards for school meals; what resources are in place to ensure the standards are being met; if further resources are needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20628/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Louise O'Reilly

111. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if he will respect the High Court judgement (details supplied) regarding the CIÉ 1951 scheme; if he will take steps to ensure that the benefits of the 1951 scheme active members will be protected and maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19673/24]

Visa Applications

Louise O'Reilly

200. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice if her Department has given any consideration to relaxing the financial criteria in circumstances (details supplied). [19756/24]

Cybersecurity Policy

Louise O'Reilly

327. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a training programme (details supplied); and if he will meet with the organisation regarding expansion of cyber security programmes in the further education sector. [19560/24]

Cybersecurity Policy

Louise O'Reilly

328. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a training programme (details supplied); and if he will meet with the organisation regarding cyber security for SMEs. [19561/24]

Ports Policy

Louise O'Reilly

224. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance the number of mobile scanners that are in place at Irish seaports; the number of fixed scanners that are in place; the locations of each; and if there are plans to increase the number of mobile scanners to increase effectiveness in tackling smuggling. [19315/24]

Schools Building Projects

Louise O'Reilly

290. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education when building work will commence on a new school for a school (details supplied). [18860/24]

School Facilities

Louise O'Reilly

291. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the serious parking issues at a school (details supplied) which endanger students being collected from school; that this is particularly acute for children with additional needs; and the steps her Department plans to take to resolve this situation until such time as the new school is built. [18885/24]

School Staff

Louise O'Reilly

292. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to move school cleaners on to public sector pay scales as was done with school secretaries and school caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18886/24]

Health Services

Louise O'Reilly

667. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health are there functioning stroke units in Cavan, Letterkenny and Naas as of April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18945/24]

Health Services

Louise O'Reilly

668. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of stroke units that meet the minimum requirements under the stroke guidelines to be a stroke unit since the publication of the National Stroke Audit and as of April 2024; where are these located; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18946/24]

Healthcare Policy

Louise O'Reilly

669. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what budget has been set aside to work with key stakeholders to improve public knowledge on stroke and risk factors for stroke; is this recurrent funding; what stakeholders are being worked with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18947/24]

Departmental Funding

Louise O'Reilly

670. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what problems and issues have arisen from the lack of a structured programme of recurrent funding for the National Stroke Strategy; what recommendations of both the National Stroke Strategy and the Irish National Audit for Stroke are not able to be implemented as a result of the lack of a structured programme of recurrent funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18948/24]

Departmental Funding

Louise O'Reilly

671. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what structured programme of recurrent funding is needed for the National Stroke Strategy to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18949/24]

Health Services Staff

Louise O'Reilly

672. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of posts that have been approved for the National Stroke Strategy to date; the number of these that have been filled; the number of these that have been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18950/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Louise O'Reilly

673. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the reason patient access to acute stroke unit beds has remained at an unacceptable level for several years; what action is being taken to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18951/24]

Departmental Funding

Louise O'Reilly

719. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the work of an organisation (details supplied); and if specific funding will be provided for translational health research. [19310/24]

Health Strategies

Louise O'Reilly

720. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when the last national immunology strategy was delivered; if the recommendations of the strategy were achieved; and when a new strategy will be produced. [19313/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

757. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of Ireland’s national supercomputer; the length of time remaining on its lifespan or if it has been decommissioned; when a new supercomputer will be available to academia, industry, and Government Departments and agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19088/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

758. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has approached the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding co-funding for procuring Ireland’s new national supercomputer; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19089/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

759. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how powerful Ireland’s current national supercomputer is; how powerful the new national supercomputer will be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19090/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

760. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered making the Irish centre for high end-computing a standalone State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19091/24]

Departmental Funding

Louise O'Reilly

763. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the work of the UCD Professional Academy; what routes to public funding are available for the academy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19314/24]

Business Supports

Louise O'Reilly

169. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses, broken down by every local authority area in the State, that have registered for the increased cost of business grant to date. [18587/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

49. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he supports or opposes the changes to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive which reduces the number of companies covered under the Directive to companies with more than 1,000 employees and €450 million annual turnover. [18153/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

50. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, if he supports the lengthy approach to transposition of the Directive which would delay the provision in the Directive; if not, if he will commit to ensuring that cross-departmental work is initiated as soon as possible to transpose the directive into Irish law as quickly as possible. [18154/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

51. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will commit to supporting the value chain definition based on the internationally agreed standards (UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for MNCs) and work to ensure that serious downstream human rights impacts are not excluded when it comes to transposing the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive into Irish law. [18155/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

52. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he supports the agreed compromise in relation to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive which excludes the financial sector from carrying out due diligence on its clients; and if not, the steps is he willing to take to rectify this domestically. [18156/24]

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Louise O'Reilly

169. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if a regulatory impact assessment was carried out before he signed S.I. No. 703 of 2022 implementing Article 7.3 of Directive 2014/94/EU; if so, if a copy of the assessment will be provided; and if not, the reason this was not done. [17645/24]

Statutory Instruments

Louise O'Reilly

170. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport if industry was consulted, with particular reference to small and medium enterprises, before he signed S.I. No. 703 of 2022 implementing Article 7.3 of Directive 2014/94/EU. [17646/24]

Driver Test

Louise O'Reilly

177. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport the measures a person can take in a situation (details supplied) in order to apply for the driver theory test. [17827/24]

Tax Reliefs

Louise O'Reilly

208. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance if any consideration has been given to increasing the tax-free threshold for travel and subsistence payments known as country money within the construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17691/24]

Departmental Meetings

Louise O'Reilly

288. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if her offices received correspondence on 8 April 2024 on behalf of the parents association of a school (details supplied); if she will meet with the school and parents association; when the parents association can expect a reply; and if the reply will address the substantive issues raised within the original correspondence. [17532/24]

Schools Building Projects

Louise O'Reilly

318. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education the current status of the construction of a permanent building for a school (details supplied); the timeline for the delivery of the new school given it has been in temporary accommodation for over 40 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17976/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Louise O'Reilly

406. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to expand the training support grant to cover longer-term courses and those above QQI Level 6; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17563/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Louise O'Reilly

407. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to someone returning to education part-time and continuing to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17564/24]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

530. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can provide an update on the development of a youth services action plan to provide a strategic direction for the delivery of youth services over the lifetime of the Young Ireland Framework; the timeframes for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17501/24]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

531. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how his Department intends to support the provision of high-quality and inclusive youth opportunities, spaces and services, by providing funding, guidance and other supports to organisations that deliver youth services as per the Young Ireland Framework; the plans for a multi-annual funding that are in place; the timeframes for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17502/24]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

532. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how his Department intends to implement a robust data collection and evaluation system in order to ensure that young people’s participation in youth services and, in particular, the inclusion of young people who are marginalised, vulnerable or disadvantaged, can be measured and enhanced; the timeframes for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17503/24]

Health Services Staff

Louise O'Reilly

606. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the impact of the recruitment embargo on cardiac services; the number of positions that cannot be filled; if services will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17508/24]

Health Services Staff

Louise O'Reilly

607. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the impact of the recruitment embargo on stroke services; the number of positions that cannot be filled; if services will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17509/24]

Home Help Service

Louise O'Reilly

625. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of concerns raised by HSE home support service workers who fear the recruitment freeze in the health service is accelerating the privatisation of home support services; the steps he is taking to protect and grow HSE home support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17682/24]

Home Help Service

Louise O'Reilly

626. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that HSE home support service is not listed on hospital discharge forms, but private care companies are included as an option; the reason this is the case; and if he will ensure that the HSE home support service is listed. [17683/24]

Grant Payments

Louise O'Reilly

701. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the SUSI grant will be rolled out for part-time courses from September 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17562/24]

Third Level Education

Louise O'Reilly

702. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the closure of a college (details supplied) and the impact it is having on students and their families; and if he will engage with students on the Bachelor of Education in Montessori (early years) Education course to find alternative options to complete their degrees. [17581/24]