Parliamentary questions

Departmental Schemes

Mairéad Farrell

116. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the new retrofitting home loan scheme; the date it is expected to launch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17443/24]

Toghcháin d'Údarás na Gaeltachta

Mairéad Farrell

335. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Mairéad Farrell den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an míneoidh sí cén uair a bheidh na toghcháin do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta ann; cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir leis an mBille ábhartha; agus an bhfuil sé i gceist na toghcháin a reáchtáil ar an lá céanna leis na toghcháin áitiúla agus Eorpacha. [17355/24]

International Students

Mairéad Farrell

429. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the number of English language schools that were inspected for compliance of the ILEP in each of the years 2016 to 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17393/24]

International Students

Mairéad Farrell

430. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the number of English language schools that were removed from the ILEP in each of the years 2016 to 2023, in tabular form; the number of these schools that were later readmitted on to the ILEP; and the number of schools that were not readmitted. [17394/24]

Health Strategies

Mairéad Farrell

629. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to set up a diabetes taskforce of relevant stakeholders to develop a national diabetes strategy that will ensure the provision of optimum care to every person with diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17695/24]

Hospital Services

Mairéad Farrell

630. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health when he plans to provide the recommended staffing levels of multidisciplinary diabetes team members (consultant endocrinologists, advanced nurse practitioners, diabetes nurse specialists, dietitians, psychologists) per 100 patients for a paediatric diabetes clinic and an adult diabetes clinic; to provide details of the number of hospital-based diabetes clinics that meet these standards; the hospital-based diabetes clinics that meet these standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17696/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

697. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the international education mark will be rolled out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17391/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

698. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional resources that will be allocated to ensure that education providers are compliant with the international education mark. [17392/24]

Medical Research and Training

Mairéad Farrell

706. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans or actions he has taken to attain membership of the European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17664/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

708. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of all universities identifying whether each has run a surplus or deficit for the financial year 2023, the value of this surplus or deficit and the change from the financial year 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17676/24]

Business Supports

Mairéad Farrell

111. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide the most up-to-date information regarding the increased cost of business scheme; if the scheme is open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16768/24]

Business Supports

Mairéad Farrell

126. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he will take to address the cost of doing business in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16193/24]

Diplomatic Representation

Mairéad Farrell

129. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide the number of times the Irish ambassador to Israel has appeared on Israeli state TV and radio or written opinion pieces in Haretz in the past 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17093/24]

Heritage Sites

Mairéad Farrell

140. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the transfer of Dunguaire Castle to Galway County Council; when the process is expected to be complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17077/24]

Fisheries Protection

Mairéad Farrell

7. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if stock management operations on Lough Corrib SAC, that is, the removal of invasive and-or non-native freshwater fish such as pike, are exclusively an operational matter for Inland Fisheries Ireland; if the inland fisheries division or the Minister have any input or function regarding stock management operations on Lough Corrib SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16828/24]

Public Procurement Contracts

Mairéad Farrell

8. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16829/24]

School Transport

Mairéad Farrell

95. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department has taken to ensure sufficient capacity in the school transport scheme in County Galway for September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16264/24]

School Enrolments

Mairéad Farrell

96. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education her plans to address overcrowding in secondary schools in Galway city and surrounding areas; her advice to parents who are currently struggling to find a place for their child in a local secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16263/24]

Greenways Provision

Mairéad Farrell

204. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the current status of the Connemara Greenway project; the next steps in relation to this; and the estimated timeline of is construction. [16261/24]

Special Educational Needs

Mairéad Farrell

351. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the reason for the reduction of funding for pupils in the Summer Programme over the past two years; if this decision will be reviewed; the engagement she has had with teachers in relation to this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16596/24]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Mairéad Farrell

587. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1156 of 20 March 2024, if he can confirm that under the protocol, when purpose-built student accommodation is selected for use, the sign-off for this is required by both Ministers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16265/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

754. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the crisis that has now arisen in Ireland's study abroad sector where visiting international students are not able to source accommodation as the investment fund-owned providers of purpose-built student accommodation has brought in 51-week leases, and the students' home universities are not in a position to pay the cost of the additional ten-to-12-week leases; if his Department has conducted any analysis of the impact these 51-week leases could have on the study abroad sector, which is worth €220 million per annum to the economy and employs 350 staff members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16040/24]

Rural Schemes

Mairéad Farrell

770. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 230 of 24 January 2024, if further funding will be made available to Galway County Council to deal with the backlog of LIS applications and reopen the scheme to new applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15975/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

100. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the recent appointment of a deputy CEO at Inland Fisheries Ireland under section 24(3) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 was a tacit acknowledgement that the position of CEO is currently vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14342/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

101. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in light of the recent appointment in Inland Fisheries Ireland of a deputy CEO, what procedures were followed as per the Public Service Management Act 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14343/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

105. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his officials in the Inland Fisheries Division fully support the repugnant position of conserving and validating the presence of invasive/non-native freshwater fish such as pike in Lough Corrib SAC due to potential angling tourism revenue; if Fáilte Ireland has a veto over the application of the EU Habitats Directive when promoting catch and release angling for invasive/non-native freshwater fish present in Lough Corrib SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14492/24]

Departmental Funding

Mairéad Farrell

588. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what grant funding is currently available for small music venues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15352/24]

Local Authorities

Mairéad Farrell

597. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacancies in Galway City Council and Galway County Council; if he is aware of recruitment difficulties within local authorities; if local authorities will be given additional resources to recruit staff in their respective housing sections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13611/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

604. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of staff employed in Galway City Council and Galway County Council housing departments, respectively, each year since 2013; the number of applications on the social housing waiting list for Galway City Council and Galway County Council in the same time period; the number of people accessing homeless services in Galway City Council and Galway County Council each year since 2013, in tabular form. [13739/24]

Business Supports

Mairéad Farrell

763. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered providing a grant to businesses to increase accessibility in their premises for wheelchair users and other persons with mobility impairments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14360/24]

Departmental Contracts

Mairéad Farrell

1136. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1156 of 20 March 2024, if the contracts awarded to these providers was directly awarded or whether a competitive tender took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14645/24]

Childcare Services

Mairéad Farrell

1166. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 24 January 2023, what changes, if any, have been made to the scheme since last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15167/24]

Research and Development

Mairéad Farrell

1698. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is aware of the progress of the EU Partnership in ‘Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe (IAM4EU)’ which is being discussed by AMI20230 and the European Commission, if they are aware of the exclusion of materials for health/biomedical devices and bioengineering as a priority sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14644/24]

Bus Services

Mairéad Farrell

67. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the cancellation of a service (details supplied) from Galway to Dublin Airport; if he is considering steps to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13234/24]

Road Network

Mairéad Farrell

107. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he will be focusing his Department's attention on the infrastructural deficit with the maintenance of roads in Connemara; if he will allocate resources to address the persistent flooding at Cuan na Loinge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13235/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

135. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a fisheries matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13482/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

329. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if option 1 (details supplied) was used for calculating the amount due for those in receipt of the award of no maintenance 50% SUSI contribution; if so, the reason option 2 was not considered which would have had a greater reduction in the net amount due; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13462/24]

International Students

Mairéad Farrell

330. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the restriction for international students becoming a sabbatical officer in a Union or as a society's auditor students due to Stamp 2 visas' terms of employment and engagement in business or trade, and if he has any plans to change this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13371/24]

Education and Training Boards

Mairéad Farrell

331. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science can he provide in tabular form the full list of ETBs broken down by county, and an email address for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13372/24]

Shannon Airport Facilities

Mairéad Farrell

57. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the US Air Force Gulfstream 5 executive jet number 99-0402 was permitted to fly and through Irish air space and land and refuel in Shannon Airport on 3 March 2024 on its way to Frankfurt (callsign SAM265) and from there to Cyprus and then Tel Aviv Israel on 4 March 2024; if he has concerns that this may breach Irish neutrality, given the allegations of war crimes and the potential genocide taking place in Palestine according to the ICJ, for which arms and munitions are being supplied by the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12147/24]

Passport Services

Mairéad Farrell

65. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in instances in which a person has recently changed their name to its Irish version by deed poll and therefore cannot provide the requisite proof of two years' habitual usage or more of their Irish name, if such a person may legally continue to travel on their old passport which displays the English version of their name during the interim two year period only after which they can provide evidence of two years' habitual usage; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty which current rules on habitual usage timeframes present to such individuals when travelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12488/24]

Rail Network

Mairéad Farrell

177. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport in relation to a recent reply to correspondence from a person with a disability (details supplied), where the NTA confirmed that 42,000 booked a seat on Irish Rail and that a charge exists to book a seat to mitigate against some customer behaviours that impact everyone; how much were the 42,000 disabled customers charged in fees; exactly how many incidents are there of those with disabilities 'behaviour's impacting other customers; and is he aware that the use of data collected using the public services card free travel pass in the manner described by the NTA is not the purpose for which this data was collected in the first instance. [12617/24]

Company Law

Mairéad Farrell

333. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a complaint can be referred to the Corporate Enforcement Authority by an Oireachtas Committee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12493/24]

School Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

375. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education when the second modular classroom in a school (details supplied) will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11777/24]

Housing Policy

Mairéad Farrell

616. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason local authority tenants are allowed to rent a room in their home, but those in accommodation owned by the approved housing bodies are not allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11791/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

728. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 455 of 5 March 2024, the reason her Department requires the destination of a person's travel as evidence of travel in order to access the two week holiday entitlement under the disability allowance scheme; and in what case or circumstance would a signed letter from the recipient not be sufficient evidence. [11952/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Mairéad Farrell

749. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if a public services card is required for a person to collect their pension from their local post office or if it is acceptable to use another form of identification, a passport for example to do this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12325/24]

Legislative Programme

Mairéad Farrell

799. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the Sale of Alcohol Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11587/24]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Mairéad Farrell

1156. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the full list of purpose-built student accommodation complexes that are currently being paid to house Ukrainian refugees; the current number of refugees each is currently housing; the amount that has been paid to each provider to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12475/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Mairéad Farrell

1178. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children waiting and the length of time they are waiting for initial contact from CDNTs in CHO2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12667/24]