Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

271. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the policy of her Department with regard to persons in receipt of the disability allowance whose payment is currently terminated if they study abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57676/21]

Health Services

Michael Creed

178. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if his Department has had negotiations with HIQA with regard to HIQA standards as they relate to staffing schedules in publicly-funded services and specifically with regard to current recruitment difficulties and current Covid-19-related recruitment difficulties and the possibility of relaxation of these standards by agreement in certain circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57678/21]

Energy Conservation

Michael Creed

184. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the grant aid available for schools to improve their energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56972/21]

School Facilities

Michael Creed

336. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the circumstances under which her Department funds new school halls in primary schools; if an application was received and considered from a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56940/21]

Schools Building Projects

Michael Creed

375. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if a site has been secured for a new school (details supplied) at a location in County Cork; the next steps to be taken with regard to provision of a school on this site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57409/21]

State Examinations

Michael Creed

376. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if her Department is considering reforms of the leaving certificate for the future in view of the Covid-19 impact on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57410/21]

Departmental Data

Michael Creed

476. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Justice if she will publish all details regarding the imminent investment programme for the past ten years including the individuals involved; the investment projects funded and all other relevant detail; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57405/21]

Foreshore Issues

Michael Creed

186. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of foreshore licence applications by Irish Water which have been received in the past 12 months; the time involved in processing of these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56710/21]

Compulsory Purchase Orders

Michael Creed

187. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is considering legislative changes that would enable statutory bodies to proceed with planning applications for public infrastructure whilst simultaneously pursuing compulsory purchase orders on the lands to be developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56711/21]

Vaccination Programme

Michael Creed

263. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that there is a small cohort of persons who for underlying medical reasons are advised by their medical professionals not to take a Covid-19 vaccine; if this is accepted, the arrangements he considers appropriate to enable these persons to access areas for which an EU Digital COVID Certificate is required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56454/21]

Driver Licences

Michael Creed

191. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport the criteria applied by his Department with regard to the reciprocal recognition of international driving licences; the reason Ireland does not recognise driving licences from Bermuda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55820/21]

School Accommodation

Michael Creed

354. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if her Department has received an application for additional classroom accommodation from a school (details supplied); if so, if she will outline the next steps by her Department in processing the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55722/21]

State Pensions

Michael Creed

387. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a differentiation in the treatment of capital in which the capital has been accumulated through the compulsory purchase of lands by the State for the purposes of the means test for the State pension (non-contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55723/21]

Health Services

Michael Creed

643. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health his plans for the development of neurology services across Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the designation of Cork University Hospital as the south west regional centre for neurology; his views on the current staffing levels at the hospital in this regard; his plans to bring the number of neurology nursing posts there up to the required level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56078/21]

Visa Applications

Michael Creed

193. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Justice the current position regarding an application for a stamp 1G visa by a person (details supplied) who has previously had a stamp 2 visa and has recently graduated and is seeking employment in the State under the third-level graduate programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54824/21]

Work Permits

Michael Creed

174. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a valid work permit application has been received in respect of a critical skills visa for a person (details supplied); the timeline for the processing of this application; and when the applicant company will be informed of the outcome. [54559/21]

Electricity Grid

Michael Creed

187. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details of the investment programme by EirGrid on improving the national grid; the way this investment is prioritised in connectivity for renewable energy projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54166/21]

State Pensions

Michael Creed

457. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department proposes to recover the alleged amount of overpayment of State pension (non-contributory) from a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the options available to them in repaying the overpayment. [54005/21]

State Pensions

Michael Creed

465. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) has sufficient insurance contributions for a State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54167/21]

Insurance Coverage

Michael Creed

698. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the challenges being faced by the hunt and equine sector arising from their difficulty in getting insurance cover; the steps he proposes to take to address this challenge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54067/21]

Tax Exemptions

Michael Creed

255. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Finance the categories of income or property that are exempt from liability for the local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52105/21]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Creed

591. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 342 of 12 October 2021 and 630 of 19 October 2021, the reason she refuses to outline the specific reason the claim for carer’s benefit was refused; if she will outline in detail the specific condition for eligibility that the applicant failed to meet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52500/21]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Michael Creed

593. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been refused a PPS number on application. [52509/21]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Creed

600. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has had their adult dependent allowance stopped. [52717/21]

Visa Applications

Michael Creed

715. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Justice if she will clarify the situation regarding persons who are presently here on a stamp 2 visa which facilitates their study and part-time work; if she will further clarify the situation upon their graduation from their studies and their entitlement to move to a stamp 1G visa; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52106/21]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael Creed

360. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers has considered the Joint Research Centre report on the farm to fork strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51812/21]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael Creed

361. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider grant aiding under TAMS the installation of PV panels on agricultural buildings similar to grant aid presently available for solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51813/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Creed

164. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to the carer’s allowance. [51538/21]

Tax Collection

Michael Creed

317. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport the reason his Department’s website for motor tax online is not enabled to accept the online credit card payments system in line with its most recent banking security arrangements; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that local authority motor tax offices are not accepting payment by credit card over the telephone; if his further attention has been drawn to this leading to frustration for motorists attempting to renew their motor tax resulting in many unnecessary car journeys to motor tax offices for motor tax renewal; when will his Department resolve the outstanding issues with regard to the online payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50465/21]

Special Educational Needs

Michael Creed

539. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the plans envisaged for the provision of ASD classes at a school (details supplied). [50387/21]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Creed

627. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of carer's allowance and half rate carer’s allowance who are in receipt of the fuel allowance; the estimated cost of extending this entitlement to all recipients of the carer's allowance and the half-rate carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51049/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

630. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection , further to Parliamentary Question No. 342 of 12 October, the reason the claim for carer's benefit was refused. [51134/21]

Health Services

Michael Creed

773. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health the appropriate next step he considers with regard to an incident (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50656/21]

State Pensions

Michael Creed

139. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is provision within the social welfare code governing entitlement to State pension (contributory) whereby credits can be awarded in respect of persons who have been caring for their adult children with disabilities and who consequently were unable to take up paid employment opportunities outside the home and who now find themselves short of the requisite number of contributions for the pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50242/21]

Work Permits

Michael Creed

97. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has received a work permit application by a person (details supplied); and if so, when it will be processed. [50056/21]

Energy Production

Michael Creed

103. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when micro-generated energy providers will be in a position to sell their surplus domestic generated energy to the national grid; if there is an EU Directive on this issue; if so, if Ireland is compliant with this regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50055/21]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael Creed

234. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of drawdown under TAMS of the grant aid for installation of solar panels; if a review has been carried out on the effectiveness of this initiative; if changes are envisaged to the eligibility and technical criteria involved with a view to increasing participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50054/21]

Departmental Priorities

Michael Creed

235. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the availability of green certificate courses during Covid-19 and the possible implications that a lack of these courses at that time is having or could have on prospective young farmers regarding their eligibility for the various benefits associated with the procurement of a certificate including the tax efficient transfer of family holdings; if he will further consider circumstances in which the Covid-19 pandemic impacted on the delivery of green certificate opportunities for a cohort who now by virtue of exceeding their 35th birthday may no longer be eligible for these tax incentives; the measures being taken or considered by his Department to facilitate this cohort of young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50057/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Creed

154. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the source of the €65 million additional spending for sporting organisations as announced recently by her Department; if this additional funding represents a transfer of funding from other subheads within her Department which are underspent in 2021; if so, the sections of her Department that have been underspending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49715/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Creed

342. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who was self-employed is entitled to the carer’s benefit in respect of the care provided for their infant child who has life-long disabilities. [49684/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Michael Creed

263. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the household income for a retired married couple with regard to eligibility for the fuel allowance; and the way bank savings are calculated in this regard. [48889/21]

Special Educational Needs

Michael Creed

65. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 137 of 29 September 2021, if she will elaborate on the specific plans in place for the establishment of new special classes at each of the schools referred to; the current status with regard to the proposed building projects in each specific school; if ASD classrooms will be available in each school for September 2022 enrolments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48422/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Michael Creed

133. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport the details of the supports available from his Department over the past 18 months for taxi drivers that were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular with regard to pandemic unemployment payments and taxi licensing costs and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47769/21]

Sports Funding

Michael Creed

251. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she is seeking an additional sports capital allocation in the forthcoming Budget for 2022; if consideration is being given to carrying over the remaining funds available under the sports capital grant scheme to 2022 and combining this with possible additional provision to be provided in Budget 2022 for distribution amongst the current applicants under the scheme given the large number of applications and the risk that otherwise applicants will receive an allocation insufficient to undertake their proposed works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48167/21]

Sports Funding

Michael Creed

252. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of applications for sports capital grants remaining now that the allocations have been made for the equipment grants; the financial allocation available for this cohort; when allocations will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48168/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

459. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 518 of 28 September 2021, the number of students who are in receipt of disability allowance who lose this allowance by virtue of their studying abroad; if she is satisfied that this temporary relocation constitutes a non-compliance with the habitual residency requirement given that all such students still reside substantially in Ireland; the estimated cost of reversing the policy approach in this regard; if she will review the policy of her Department in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48166/21]

Special Educational Needs

Michael Creed

137. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the position regarding ASD provision at post-primary schools (details supplied) in County Cork. [47068/21]

Census of Population

Michael Creed

191. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Taoiseach if a census of population will be conducted. [45115/21]

Tax Code

Michael Creed

282. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to publish the submissions received by his Department during the public consultation in the context of OECD proposals for a global minimum effective tax rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46078/21]

School Funding

Michael Creed

433. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if her Department has received a proposal (details supplied); if her Department is in a position to provide funding for this proposed facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46026/21]