Parliamentary questions

Departmental Expenditure

Duncan Smith

11. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport his views on the reported underspend by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30223/23]

Road Safety

Duncan Smith

56. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if there are any plans to curtail access for HGVs in urban towns following the example from a town (details supplied) where eight pedestrians have been killed in the past ten years in incidents involving HGVs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30226/23]

Rail Network

Duncan Smith

60. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport for an update as of June 2023 on the development of the MetroLink project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30227/23]

Rail Network

Duncan Smith

74. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will meet with a campaign group (details supplied) to discuss development of the south-east rail network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30225/23]

Tax Reliefs

Duncan Smith

156. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Finance what plans there are to reform the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30224/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Duncan Smith

317. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how many workers who are eligible for the pandemic payment are still waiting to receive payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30332/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Duncan Smith

318. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health when catering and cleaning staff in a facility (details supplied) will be paid their pandemic payment. [30333/23]

Housing Provision

Duncan Smith

128. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the targets set out in appendix 1 of Laying the Foundations: Housing Actions Report, produced in 2016 by the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, were met in respect of Meath County Council; and the final spend on same. [30105/23]

Housing Provision

Duncan Smith

129. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 39 local authority housing units approved for construction at a location (details supplied) in May 2015 have finished construction; if so, their completion date; the final number of units delivered; the total cost of the project; if the development was officially opened by a Minister; if so, when that happened; if not, the reasons for the project not proceeding; the current status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30106/23]

Housing Provision

Duncan Smith

130. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 30 local authority housing units approved for construction at a location (details supplied) in May 2015 have finished construction; if so, their completion date; the final number of units delivered; the total cost of the project; if the development was officially opened by a Minister; if so, when that happened; if not, the reasons for the project not proceeding; the current status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30107/23]

Housing Provision

Duncan Smith

131. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 14 local authority housing units approved for construction at a location (details supplied) in May 2015 have finished construction; if so, their completion date; the final number of units delivered; the total cost of the project; if the development was officially opened by a Minister; if so, when that happened; if not, the reasons for the project not proceeding; the current status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30108/23]

Housing Provision

Duncan Smith

355. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if properties currently under construction at a location (details supplied) have been acquired by an approved housing association for social, affordable and cost rental homes; and if locals will be afforded the opportunity to apply for these homes. [29068/23]

Departmental Data

Duncan Smith

389. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people on local authority housing lists who are wheelchair users or persons with disabilities requiring UD+ or UD++ accommodation; if he will provide data as to the percentage of social housing builds per each local authority which are being, or are due to be built, to UD+ standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29687/23]

Health Service Executive

Duncan Smith

524. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm that as part of the Personalised Budgets Demonstration Projects Pilot that when PAS funding is unbundled from existing services how much of that HSE budget is retained by organisations who will no longer provide a PA service to disabled people in this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29455/23]

Health Services

Duncan Smith

681. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how much each section 38 and 39 organisation receives from the HSE per hour to fund personal assistant services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29454/23]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Duncan Smith

689. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the major capital works that were carried out at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan in 2022 and to date in 2023; the nature of these works; and the additional capital works that are scheduled to be carried out at this hospital over the next 12 months, in tabular form. [29578/23]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

690. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost to recruit one additional WTE genetic consultant and one extra WTE genetic counsellor, in tabular form. [29579/23]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

691. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultants in emergency medicine based at Portiuncula University Hospital in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [29580/23]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

692. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE orthodontists employed by the HSE in CHO5 in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [29581/23]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

693. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE clinical specialist physiotherapists in musculoskeletal triage at St. Vincent's University Hospital in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased. [29582/23]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

694. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE vacancies, by job title, at the HSE National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics; and the estimated full-year cost of filling these vacancies, in tabular form. [29583/23]

Mental Health Services

Duncan Smith

695. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the early intervention psychosis services currently available within CHO8. [29584/23]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

696. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE plastic surgeon registrars working in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [29585/23]

Hospital Procedures

Duncan Smith

697. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of heart transplant procedures carried out to date in 2023, in tabular form. [29586/23]

Hospital Staff

Duncan Smith

698. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the WTE number of dietitians employed by Naas General Hospital; and the specific services in which these dietitians are employed, in tabular form. [29587/23]

Special Educational Needs

Duncan Smith

495. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will outline what the process is for an Irish exemption for an 11-year-old child (details supplied) diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder, anxiety, autism, dyslexia and dyscalculia, who has been refused an exemption despite a report from an educational psychologist stating that they meet the criteria and despite an appeal by the parents due to the overwhelming stress the child is encountering; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27272/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

665. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a copy of all recommendations, briefing notes and supporting documents including legal advices, external and/or internal, provided to him by his Department in relation to the extension for eight months, to 31 December 2023 of the 2020-2023 general State-wide wild birds derogation declarations signed by him on 28 April 2023 (details supplied), with copies of all associated legally compliant regulations. [27277/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

666. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that new regulations (details supplied) were not ready for the 2023-2024 declarations that were due on 1 May 2023; and the reason it has apparently been necessary for him to continue to sign advisedly legally non-compliant regulations, which have a specific role in protection of public health and safety, for a number of years now. [27278/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

667. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if new regulations pertaining to the protection of wild birds and derogations therefrom, specifically in the interests of public health and safety under the 1979 Birds Directive, are currently being drafted, with engagement with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government; if so, when such new regulations will be published for scrutiny; and when they will be implemented. [27279/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

668. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when and by what means his Department intends to publish the results of its public consultation on the 2023-2024 wild birds derogation declarations. [27280/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

669. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department intends to conduct any consultations, for example, with Dáil Éireann and/or with the general public, in respect of new draft regulations for wild birds derogation declarations; and if so, if a date has been scheduled for this. [27281/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

670. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he stands over his Department and the National Parks and Wildlife Service's long-standing and continuing legal requirement, backed up by a threat of fines and prosecutions, whereby parents, guardians or others who may be legally or otherwise responsible for the protection and wellbeing of infants, young children, elderly, vulnerable and/or immune compromised people, and for example, responsible for hygiene and infection control and/or the care of patients in medical centres or hospitals, except in Balbriggan only, must apply to his Department for a State licence to protect anyone in their care from seagulls that may be nesting in close proximity in significant numbers, species that are known to be aggressive and to swoop and attack people, and are the subject of stark public health warnings on three Government websites, including his Department's website for almost a year now. [27282/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

671. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will he confirm to the Deputy that measures that have been deployed as national policy since 1986 to lethally control several wild bird species (e.g. the Grey (Hooded) Crow, the Magpie, the Jackdaw and other species), have been implemented specifically to protect public health and safety under the "Member States shall protect, manage and control …(wild bird species)…" provisions of the Birds Directive, and does he accept - following the recommendations and evidence-based legal advices of his predecessor's Consultative Committee on urban gulls (2019-2021), and the results of his Department's Urban Gull Survey (2021), and internal legal advice (2022), that it is incumbent on the State to protect public health and safety from the officially recognised threats that are posed by seabirds nationally (Avian Flu), and rapidly expanding urban seagull colonies; and if he does so accept, can he state when will effective control measures be announced, how they will be deployed and, in particular, whether he will advise local authorities as to their responsibilities in the matter. [27283/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

672. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will assure that all new or amended regulations pertinent to the annual State-wide derogations from protections afforded to wild bird species will comply with the specific affirmation of the European Court of Justice (EU Commission vs. the King of Belgium 1985-87 Case No. 247) that the higher-ranking interests of public health and security must override the protection of birds and their habitats, as specifically catered for in Article 9.1.a, first indent, of the 1979 Birds Directive, and as specifically catered for in The Wildlife Act 2000 (Amended), Section 59 and in S.I. No. 477/2011 - European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. [27284/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

673. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he and his Department accept that intense noise and faecal pollution for five months each year and serious attacks and blood injuries, including on children in schools in communities impacted by high-density urban gull colonies, are negative impacts far more serious than the impacts (details supplied) of small species such as sparrows and starlings, cited in the CJEU's judgement as justifying derogations in urban areas, and therefore that proactive general derogations are required in all such impacted areas listed in his Department's National Urban Gull Survey 2021. [27286/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Duncan Smith

674. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request his Department to provide requested information (details supplied) covering the period from the 2020-2021 declarations, that is, after the April 2020 Report of the Consultative Committee on Urban Gulls to the 2022-2023 extension of the declarations, in tabular form. [27287/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Duncan Smith

1136. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if there have been any circumstances where the State has covered the cost or provided the direct funding for pectus carinatum bracing for an individual, through either the cross-Border Directive or on a discretionary basis to be carried out within another state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27269/23]

Medical Cards

Duncan Smith

1278. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason court safety orders or court barring orders older than 12 months are not accepted as proof of relationship estrangement by the medical card assessment unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28317/23]

Medical Cards

Duncan Smith

1279. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will account for the reason that a medical card was withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in five successive months, and had to be reinstated in each of the five months before being withdrawn entirely, prior to the expiry of the three-year term of their medical card. [28318/23]

Hospital Charges

Duncan Smith

1288. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what plans he has to address hospital parking charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28393/23]

Hospital Charges

Duncan Smith

1289. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what plans he has to address the high cost of parking near a Dublin hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28394/23]

Hospital Overcrowding

Duncan Smith

2. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a detailed update on his plans to end hospital overcrowding and accident and emergency wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26950/23]

Industrial Disputes

Duncan Smith

11. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress made with regard to the pay parity claim by medical scientists, one year after they suspended their industrial action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26661/23]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

24. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the pay claims by section 39 organisation workers following the meeting of officials from his Department, the HSE, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla with union representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26663/23]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

60. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the actions he has taken to ensure the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Review of Role and Functions for Health Care Assistants, published in December 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26662/23]

Hospital Services

Duncan Smith

77. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of procedures that have been cancelled at Beaumont Hospital to date in 2023; the reasons for the cancellations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26665/23]

Substance Misuse

Duncan Smith

78. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the actions he can take to ensure that a residential treatment and rehabilitation centre (details supplied) in Athenry, County Galway, remains open and operational, following fears of the closure of the only addiction treatment centre in the west of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26664/23]

Housing Schemes

Duncan Smith

222. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the process for allocating cost rental properties managed by approved housing associations, given concerns raised by the general public in Donabate regarding a number of cost-rental properties managed by an organisation (details supplied) which have already been allocated without any local people being afforded an opportunity to apply for same; how he proposes to ensure fairness and transparency in any future cost-rental applications process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26948/23]

School Accommodation

Duncan Smith

308. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the up-to-date position with the provision of a new school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26258/23]

School Admissions

Duncan Smith

309. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the current and up-to-date position with the provision of secondary school places in the Newbridge/Kildare town area for September 2023; the plans she and her Department are putting in place to deal with the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26259/23]