Parliamentary questions

Office of Public Works

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

257. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Garda stations within the Kilkenny and Carlow Division that were refurbished by the OPW where the costs are in excess of €10,000 in the years of 2021 and to date in 2022; the nature of such works that were carried out at each station; if each capital works project is completed or still ongoing in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57697/22]

Passport Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

328. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passports applications that were made through Irish Embassy in Cairo, Ankara and Abu Dhabi in each of the years 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57702/22]

Departmental Data

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

555. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the number of additional Garda cars and vans attached to Kilkenny and Carlow Division in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of Garda cars and vans withdrawn from this division during the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57703/22]

Hospital Facilities

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

650. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the capital investment proposals at St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny in order to enlarge the footprint to support new and increased services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57699/22]

Health Services Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

651. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant paediatric dermatologist attached to CHI, Temple Street in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57700/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

735. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of complications related to the most recent Covid-19 vaccine by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58057/22]

Fishing Industry

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

787. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans to appoint additional full-time fisheries attaché to the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57698/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

95. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on progress towards implementation of the new Employee Regulation Order for the early years' sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56878/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

109. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to reform the national childcare scheme and to examine ways in which it can better support lower-income families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56877/22]

Housing Provision

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

20. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [54576/22]

Housing Provision

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

21. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach when the Housing for All progress report for quarter 3 of 2022 will be published. [54577/22]

Tax Code

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

209. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance the proactive and immediate steps that his Department is taking to address the excessive duty on hydrotreated vegetable oil; if biofuels that are used for heating will not be subject to carbon tax or excise duty (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56527/22]

Business Supports

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

107. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance if the temporary business energy support scheme to help businesses with their energy costs will be applied to creches and montessori schools to support their rising energy costs this winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50110/22]

Common Agricultural Policy

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

79. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding that is being provided for the roll-out of the new CAP Strategic Plan to support farm investment and encourage climate and biodiversity action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53171/22]

Bus Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

216. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the status of a new bus route from Carlow to New Ross route A62; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52978/22]

Building Regulations

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

305. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will meet an association (details supplied) in relation to amending Part M of the Building Regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52975/22]

Housing Provision

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

306. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he and his Department are taking to meet their public sector duties under Article 19 of the United Nations CRPD, which states that disabled people have a right to live in the community with choices equal to others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52976/22]

Building Regulations

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

307. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rationale for not including dwelling design for wheelchair users to a UD ++ standard in the design manual for quality housing; the steps that will be taken to include UD ++ in the next edition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52977/22]

Social Welfare Code

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

448. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that there is no supplementary welfare for persons on low income or who are in receipt of social welfare payments to help with the cost of buying gluten free food vital for their health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52980/22]

Social Welfare Code

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

449. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that persons on illness benefit are not entitled to the Christmas bonus, fuel allowance or any other supports in view of the cost-of-living crisis and recent fuel hikes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52981/22]

Third Level Fees

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

533. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a student (details supplied) will qualify for a reduction in fees in line with announcement made under Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53321/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

598. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) is now worse-off on their welfare payments due to increases in Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52823/22]

Healthcare Policy

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

616. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to address supports for diagnosed coeliac sufferers to purchase gluten free food; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52979/22]

Vaccination Programme

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

111. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will provide more detail on his Budget 2023 commitment of €12.3 million to facilitate catch-up programmes for human papillomavirus vaccine to girls and boys at school and to women aged up to the age of 25 years in 2023; the estimated number of additional girls and boys in school and women up to age 25 years it is anticipated that this allocation will allow vaccinations to be provided for; if he will provide a breakdown on the way in which it is intended that this budget be used; if this budget is ringfenced for HPV or if it will be available for other vaccines; the start date for the funding allocation; the time period for which it will be dispersed; the locations in which the scheme can be accessed; the further programmes, if any, that he is considering to support vaccination in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51570/22]

Domestic Violence

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

297. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice if she will report on the interdepartmental group with responsibility for refuge provision in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52615/22]

Further and Higher Education

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

146. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has had any contact with Carlow College St. Patrick's with regard to bringing about the full integration of Carlow College St. Patrick’s into the higher education system in the south east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51571/22]

Community Employment Schemes

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

7. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans, if any, to review the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50108/22]

Public Services Card

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

83. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans, if any, to increase staffing resources in INTREO centres to meet demand for public services card appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50109/22]

Community Development Projects

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

145. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has any plans to provide capital funding for the multi-functional community hub at Tullow Road, Carlow to remedy the serious lack of community facilities such as childcare, community, youth and family in the Tullow Road area in Carlow with a key partner (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50111/22]

Cabinet Committees

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

25. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on social affairs and equality will next meet. [49968/22]

State Examinations

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

97. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if she will report on discussions that she has had with a group (details supplied) regarding supports for Leaving Certificate exams in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49784/22]

Early School Leavers

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

104. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that County Carlow has the third highest national rates of early-school-leaving, and that absenteeism rates are higher than the national average; if she has plans to support measures in County Carlow to combat this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49785/22]

Vacant Properties

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

154. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance if there are any plans to increase the vacant property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49342/22]

Budget 2023

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

155. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Finance the amount in euros that the new concrete blocks levy will impact the cost of building one home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49343/22]

State Examinations

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

254. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education when the results of the Junior Certificate Examination will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49344/22]

Schools Building Projects

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

255. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works will commence on a school (details supplied); the expected timeframe for completion of these works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49350/22]

Schools Building Projects

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

256. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works will commence on a school (details supplied); the estimated timeframe for completion of these works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49351/22]

Community Employment Schemes

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

284. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any plans to increase payments to community employment scheme participants to take up work on a scheme and combat recruitment shortages, further to the Budget 2023 increase of €5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49348/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

285. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any plans to acknowledge foster children as dependants to qualify carers for the one-parent family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49349/22]

Third Level Education

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

318. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to keep his promise of a furtherance of education for Irish students displaced due to the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49347/22]

An Garda Síochána

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

331. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the number of evidential-breath-testing machines currently in use in the Kilkenny/Carlow Garda division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49352/22]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

388. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health when legislation will be published dealing with international surrogacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49345/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

389. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to have long-Covid recognised as an illness; if a general practitioner card will be made available for long-Covid sufferers; if long-Covid medication will be listed as a long-term illness to bring the medication for treatment under the Government scheme which is free for certain long-term illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49346/22]

Health Services Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

390. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time HSE-employed drug and alcohol outreach workers in counties Carlow and Kilkenny in each of the years of 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49353/22]

Budget Process

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

87. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Department or State agency that commissioned official promotional material in respect of budget 2023; the costs involved; if any special measures were requested in advance of the material to ensure inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48179/22]

Sports Funding

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

22. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if additional supports will be made available for sports clubs that support initiatives to open their facilities to persons with disabilities. [47528/22]

Equality Issues

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

51. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on work under way to promote female participation in sport and enhanced female participation in leadership within sport. [47529/22]

Housing Schemes

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

12. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of serviced sites that are available in towns and villages in County Carlow for the local authority in Carlow to implement the ready-to-build scheme for potential purchasers for the building by the purchaser of a principal private residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47093/22]

Rental Sector

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

16. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the Residential Tenancies Board refunding all late fees paid to it for new tenancy registrations with a tenancy commencement date on or after 4 April 2022 and annual registrations of existing tenancies that became due on or after 4 April 2022: if increased resources have been supplied to the board to deal with the high volume of unanswered calls from the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47092/22]

National Broadband Plan

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

57. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a progress report on the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan; the number of properties connected as of 31 May 2022; the number of properties connected in County Carlow; the number of properties pending surveyed in Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47009/22]