Parliamentary questions

Tax Exemptions

Willie O'Dea

18. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the VAT exemption to counsellors and psychotherapists in Ireland, which would create equity of treatment and parity of esteem for mental health professionals providing psychotherapy and counselling services with those who deliver physical healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16870/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Willie O'Dea

81. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a disability allowance claim by a person (details supplied) will be put into payment after being allowed on appeal in December 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16876/24]

Medical Internships

Willie O'Dea

142. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will amend the internship placement allocation to allow Irish graduate medical students who trained in Derry or Belfast equal status to other Irish graduate medical students, as this will offer those graduates the opportunity to return to the State as doctors, to continue speciality training here and serve our local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16838/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Willie O'Dea

483. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears will be paid to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16536/24]

Housing Provision

Willie O'Dea

20. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many new affordable homes were delivered in 2023 and how this compares to 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15670/24]

Housing Provision

Willie O'Dea

65. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many new social homes were delivered in 2023 and how this compares to 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15669/24]

Tax Reliefs

Willie O'Dea

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the mortgage interest tax relief scheme and its operation to date in 2024. [14268/24]

Banking Sector

Willie O'Dea

39. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance how he proposes to protect the role of cash in our society and economy in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14269/24]

Flood Relief Schemes

Willie O'Dea

51. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport when funding will be provided for the proposed flood relief scheme at Ballycar on the Limerick to Ennis railway line, where flooding has occurred on a number of occasions in recent years, including recently, resulting in the closure once again of the rail line. [15520/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

788. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14752/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Willie O'Dea

1156. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a person (details supplied) has been excluded from the mother and baby institutions redress scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15012/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Willie O'Dea

1312. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending special leave with pay for those who worked on the front line during the pandemic and contracted long-Covid and whose health and lives have been badly damaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14034/24]

Home Help Service

Willie O'Dea

1455. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if extra home help hours will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14648/24]

Office of Public Works

Willie O'Dea

301. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 5 March 2024, if he will accept that the response is misleading, given An Garda Síochána has informed this Deputy that there is no request with it for a business case in relation to the force's long-term requirements in the area; the up-to-date position in relation to acquiring a site for a Garda station in the Castletroy-Annacotty area of Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12892/24]

School Staff

Willie O'Dea

426. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if she has received an appeal from a school (details supplied); if favourable consideration will be given to this appeal; and when a decision is expected. [12016/24]

School Funding

Willie O'Dea

432. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education the up-to-date position regarding an application for funding for a school (details supplied) to meet an overrun on the cost of recent necessary renovations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12051/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

733. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision be made in relation to a disability allowance review (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12046/24]

Eating Disorders

Willie O'Dea

1355. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there are almost 200,000 people suffering from illness relating to eating disorders and that there are huge barriers to access proper treatment, as there are no dedicated public specialist units outside the three beds in St. Vincent's Hospital and these are catchment based; when the Eating Disorder Model of Care plan 2018 will be fully implemented; and what arrangements will be put in place for Limerick and the midwest. [12218/24]

Ukraine War

Willie O'Dea

54. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he is taking to promote accountability for violations of international law, including international crimes, arising out of Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10851/24]

Ukraine War

Willie O'Dea

74. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs how Ireland is providing support to Ukraine through the European Peace Facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10850/24]

Rail Network

Willie O'Dea

200. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport when the Moyross rail station will be opened and operational in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10596/24]

Rail Network

Willie O'Dea

201. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport to provide the list of new rail stations to be opened under the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy; when works will commence on each; when each will be opened and operational, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10597/24]

Office of Public Works

Willie O'Dea

235. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the OPW has yet to identify a site for a Garda station in the Castletroy-Annacotty area of Limerick; the reason for the delay; and how much longer the process is likely to take. [10020/24]

Residency Permits

Willie O'Dea

464. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware that there is a 15-16 week waiting time for IRP appointments in Limerick city; if there is a plan in place to deal with this significant backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9951/24]

Emergency Departments

Willie O'Dea

39. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of reductions of attendances in emergency departments in each public and voluntary hospital in 2023 relative to 2022 following on from his positive statement of a 20% reduction in ED attendances overall in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9550/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Willie O'Dea

62. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when a health facility (details supplied) will be fully operational and construction works complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9666/24]

Planning Issues

Willie O'Dea

167. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that when the residential zoned land tax comes into force in January 2025, it will have profound implications for many farmers and small landowners who are not developers, but have owned their land for generations; if the Government will provide exemptions from the residential zoned land tax for individuals who are not developers, as the vast majority of requests by landowners for a rezoning of their land have been refused by the local authority and by An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9797/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

318. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that the fuel allowance means assessment includes income from the sale of a person’s own home even if they have downsized in retirement; if the Minister will change this rule to bring it in line with other social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9207/24]

Mental Health Commission

Willie O'Dea

501. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the regulation of CAMHS, which would ensure that recommendations on governance and clinical reform made by the Mental Health Commission can be implemented by the HSE and the State; if he will allow the Mental Health Commission to monitor the implementation of any such recommendations and allow it to publish an annual report on progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8759/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Willie O'Dea

567. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will reverse the recently announced cut to funding for post-mastectomy products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9072/24]

School Staff

Willie O'Dea

273. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 10 October 2023, if she will respond to the issues raised by a person who made protected disclosures to her Department but has since not received the improved pension as promised to her by the then Minister for Education in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7572/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Willie O'Dea

506. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an underage exemption can be approved for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7929/24]

Sport and Recreational Development

Willie O'Dea

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an outline of measures taken by her Department and its relevant agencies to encourage volunteering in sport. [7030/24]

Sports Facilities

Willie O'Dea

48. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps her Department is taking to ensure similar access to sporting facilities for men and women. [7031/24]

Vacant Properties

Willie O'Dea

84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant social homes returned to active use in each of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary from 2020 to 2023; his expectations for same in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6671/24]

Housing Provision

Willie O'Dea

112. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new houses completed in each of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary in 2023; the number commenced; his expectations for 2024 with regard to construction activity in the residential sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6670/24]

Hospital Services

Willie O'Dea

319. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the capacity of the department of clinical genetics of Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, as at present people living with a rare disease wait over two years for a diagnosis after a referral for genetic testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7108/24]

Further and Higher Education

Willie O'Dea

406. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to provide improved contracts, redress, employment conditions and pensions for adult education teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7119/24]

Energy Conservation

Willie O'Dea

71. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what his plans are to reduce the average two-year waiting time for the free energy upgrades (warmer homes) scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6795/24]

Defective Building Materials

Willie O'Dea

227. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses in Ireland that are damaged by pyrite or mica and also had the cavities of the walls pumped with insulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7090/24]

Industrial Relations

Willie O'Dea

305. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if it is the case that a proposed agreement on pay parity for medical scientists with their clinical biochemist colleagues excludes retired medical scientists from the agreement; and if so, if he agrees that this would be very unfair on retired medical scientists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6772/24]

Physical Education

Willie O'Dea

88. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education the minimum requirement of class periods that should be made available for the teaching of senior cycle physical education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6169/24]

State Examinations

Willie O'Dea

101. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education the number of students that sat the Leaving Certificate physical education exam in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6168/24]

Tax Reliefs

Willie O'Dea

234. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he has given consideration to redefining 'normal place of work' in relation to business mileage for employees such as sales representatives who travel from their homes to business appointments, but their head office is based in another part of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6287/24]

An Garda Síochána

Willie O'Dea

248. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda applicants in each of the years 2020 to 2023; the number that enrolled in the Garda college,; the number of those that graduated in each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5893/24]

Hospital Services

Willie O'Dea

326. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the proposal to develop a surgical hub in Limerick; when it is expected to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5892/24]

Banking Sector

Willie O'Dea

111. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the action he proposes to take to ensure there is a safety net for consumers in the event of electronic banking or the payments infrastructure being impacted by outages or cyberattacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4254/24]

Tax Credits

Willie O'Dea

155. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the number of eligible claims currently being made for the rent tax credit made in counties Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford, Cork and Kerry, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4253/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

301. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the carer's allowance was payable to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4682/24]

Revenue Commissioners

Willie O'Dea

215. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance when the income tax office in Limerick city will be open to the public again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3816/24]