Parliamentary questions

Bord na Móna

Carol Nolan

144. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will investigate if Bord na Móna is in compliance with the shareholder letter of expectation issued to the company that provides guidance to Bord na Móna and its board of directors with respect to the Government's current objectives in view of serious concerns raised with me by farmers regarding rewetting, the preservation of bog land and the destruction of biodiversity and wildlife in the construction of Bord na Móna wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38534/23]

Radon Gas Levels

Carol Nolan

165. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he is taking to ensure that the next phase of the National Radon Control Strategy (2024) includes designated State funding for financial supports towards radon testing and remediation works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38785/23]

Haulage Industry

Carol Nolan

341. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider implementing a derogation for haulage drivers who are assisting in the haulage of grain (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38410/23]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

473. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance to clarify the position of his Department with respect to the planned introduction of the defective concrete products levy from 1 September 2023; if it is the understanding of his Department that ready mixed concrete used as an ingredient to make precast concrete will fall within the scope of the levy; if he is aware that this would conflict with the position outlined by his predecessor, namely, that the levy would exclude precast products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38745/23]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

476. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will support the abolition of the standard rate of 23% on sun cream and sun protection factor (SPF) 30+ products to introduce a 0% VAT rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38784/23]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

485. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of concerns expressed by the Irish restaurant and hospitality and tourism sectors regarding the adverse impact of the re-introduction of the 13.5% VAT rate; if he will consider suspending the increase from 9-13.5%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38993/23]

School Staff

Carol Nolan

752. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide data on the current number of teacher vacancies by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39117/23]

Fire Stations

Carol Nolan

904. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when capital funding for the development of the fire station at Clara, County Offaly, will be allocated; if he will expedite the funding as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38235/23]

Water Supply

Carol Nolan

917. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason group water schemes, including the Cadamstown group water scheme, are finding it extremely difficult to access emergency funding from his Department to address water supply issues experienced during the prolonged dry period during the summer of 2022; what measures he intends to take to ensure appropriate levels of service for people receiving water from group water schemes are brought about; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38491/23]

Forestry Sector

Carol Nolan

1279. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons in the Forest Service of his Department who are employed to deliver/process licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37886/23]

Forestry Sector

Carol Nolan

1280. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he plans to publish his licensing plan for autumn 2023 and for the full year 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37887/23]

Agriculture Supports

Carol Nolan

1289. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if will consider an emergency support package for the tillage sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38061/23]

Agriculture Supports

Carol Nolan

1297. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to clarify if supports exist for farmers who wish to purchase and install an anaerobic digester; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38236/23]

Health and Safety

Carol Nolan

1306. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will support the application of an organisation (details supplied) for a working time derogation with respect to the haulage of grain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38411/23]

Disability Services

Carol Nolan

1403. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider allocating additional funds to an organisation (details supplied) to support an urgently required expansion of day care services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37966/23]

International Protection

Carol Nolan

1415. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm if international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection are to be accommodated at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38118/23]

International Protection

Carol Nolan

1416. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm if international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection are to be accommodated at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38119/23]

International Protection

Carol Nolan

1495. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if buildings associated with the former St. Conleth's Reformatory School in Daingean, County Offaly are being considered or approved as an accommodation centre for international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection; if so, the duration of the agreed contract; the number of persons who will be accommodated there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39288/23]

Nursing Homes

Carol Nolan

1658. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will address the concerns of the private and voluntary nursing home sector with respect to the payments available to them to cover staff and operational costs under the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37963/23]

Nursing Homes

Carol Nolan

1659. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he has had engagement with representatives from the nursing home sector, private and voluntary, with respect to any difficulties that are arising in relation to the operation of the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37964/23]

Abortion Services

Carol Nolan

1660. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide the total number of first initial consultations for a termination of pregnancy made in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37965/23]

Abortion Services

Carol Nolan

1724. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide a copy of the map produced by Tailte Éireann in collaboration with the Department of Health covering healthcare facilities, acute hospitals and all GP clinics where prospective safe access zones would apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38209/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Carol Nolan

1823. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to clarify the reason supply of PPE that private and voluntary nursing homes have been receiving through the HSE since the start of the pandemic to support residents needs is being discontinued except in outbreak circumstances; if he will accept that this will place additional financial burdens on these facilities including a nursing home (details supplied) in County Tipperary; if he will reconsider proposals to discontinue the supply of HSE PPE in order to create parity of treatment with HSE run nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38780/23]

Health Promotion

Carol Nolan

1824. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will support the allocation of more funding towards targeted QUIT campaigns and support initiatives towards populations most likely to smoke; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38781/23]

Health Promotion

Carol Nolan

1825. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to develop education and awareness campaigns on the dangers associated with e-cigarette use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38782/23]

Health Promotion

Carol Nolan

1826. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the funding and development of a National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38783/23]

Cancer Services

Carol Nolan

1827. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure the full financial resourcing and implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 recommendations around genetic services, reducing genetic testing wait times and best optimise the health benefit advancements in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38786/23]

Cancer Services

Carol Nolan

1828. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will support ring-fenced funding to implement a hub and spoke model with genetics expertise within the dispersed oncology system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38787/23]

Tax Code

Carol Nolan

318. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance to address concerns that the introduction of the residential zoned land tax will have an adverse impact on farmers in terms of their ability to retain land for agricultural use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36299/23]

State Bodies

Carol Nolan

365. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if funding will be secured to establish the HSA's health and social care advisory committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36344/23]

Immigration Policy

Carol Nolan

837. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the measures her Department is taking to fulfil the statutory obligation to return a person refused entry permission to the State as soon as is practicable; if, where a person is refused leave to land at an airport, the priority is to return them on the next available return flight to the last point of embarkation; the number of times persons have been returned on the next available flight during the period 2011 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36301/23]

Agriculture Industry

Carol Nolan

925. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address concerns that the introduction of the residential zoned land tax will have an adverse impact on farmers in terms of their ability to retain land for agricultural use; the discussions he has had with relevant Cabinet colleagues on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36300/23]

Hospital Staff

Carol Nolan

1130. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health how many new contracts for whole-time equivalents in maternity hospitals have included a responsibility to perform terminations of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35811/23]

Health Services

Carol Nolan

1131. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to set out the total amounts of expenditure earmarked and spent on abortion provision (including preparation for abortion provision) for each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, where issues like "recurring funding" are explained and clarity ensured as to the precise amounts of moneys spent each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35812/23]

Abortion Services

Carol Nolan

1132. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown of all the categories and amounts spent in each category in the provision of abortion (including preparation for abortion provision) in each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, to include amounts spent on abortion provision in GP settings, hospital settings, family planning settings, on training of healthcare workers with regard to abortion, on training of healthcare students with regard to abortion, on values clarifications courses with regard to abortion, on capital expenditure to do with abortion and any other relevant categories relevant to abortion provision, complete with an individual breakdown for each category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35813/23]

Abortion Services

Carol Nolan

1186. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of claims for the combined termination procedure and aftercare made to the HSE via the primary care reimbursement scheme which were successfully remunerated in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35970/23]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

1257. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will take steps to support a funded workforce plan to immediately grow the nursing and midwifery staff by 2,000 whole-time equivalent staff annually for the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36340/23]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

1258. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to establish a health service division within the HAS to ensure adequate protections for nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers in response to the increase in workplace assaults, burnout and occupational infections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36341/23]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

1259. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the no-fault compensation scheme will be extended to cover nurses and midwives across all sectors of the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36342/23]

Health Services Staff

Carol Nolan

1260. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he is engaged in discussions with Cabinet colleagues to address the accommodation shortage for key sectoral workers such as nurses and midwives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36343/23]

Rural Schemes

Carol Nolan

1498. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide details relating to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland; the distribution of the fund to date; to provide details of each project across Ireland, and the total value of allocation in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36869/23]

Rural Schemes

Carol Nolan

1499. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide details on the number of town regeneration officers in each local authority in order to drive forward Town Centre First on a local level, and the funding for these positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36871/23]

Nitrates Usage

Carol Nolan

5. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the discussions or engagements he has had with farmer representative bodies with respect to the proposed changes to nitrates limits for derogation farmers from the period 1 January 2023 to date; his response to concerns that such changes will inevitably lead to a reduction in herd numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34244/23]

Departmental Policies

Carol Nolan

667. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to clarify the policy position of his Department with respect to the allegedly carcinogenic impact of red meat consumption; if he agrees that the messaging and promotion of such research needs to be heavily qualified and balanced by stressing the clear health benefits of meat consumption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34245/23]

Health Services

Carol Nolan

266. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the funding he has provided specifically to support patients with a diagnosis of multiple system atrophy in the midlands region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34606/23]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

105. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach if his Department or any agency under the aegis of his Department operates a ‘barter account’ for the provision of goods or services; if so, if payments have been directed to be made to a barter account during the period 2011 to date [34156/23]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

115. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department or any agency under the aegis of his Department operates a ‘barter account’ for the provision of goods or services; if so, if payments have been directed to be made to a barter account during the period 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34148/23]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

136. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department or any agency under the aegis of his Department operates a ‘barter account’ for the provision of goods or services; if so, if payments have been directed to be made to a barter account during the period 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34146/23]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

144. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department or any agency under the aegis of his Department operates a ‘barter account’ for the provision of goods or services; if so, if payments have been directed to be made to a barter account during the period 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34143/23]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

171. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport if his Department or any agency under the aegis of his Department operates a ‘barter account’ for the provision of goods or services; if so, if payments have been directed to be made to a barter account during the period 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34158/23]