Parliamentary questions

Register of Electors

Duncan Smith

354. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to grant voting rights to members of the Ukrainian community now residing in this country as a result of the invasion of their country by Russia in the forthcoming local elections. [32291/23]

Disability Services

Duncan Smith

512. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Government will publish the Action Plan on the Disability Capacity Review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32493/23]

Disability Services

Duncan Smith

513. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the needed investment in housing and required supports for disabled people as outlined in the Disability Capacity Review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32494/23]

Disability Services

Duncan Smith

514. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the Implementation Plan on UNCRPD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32495/23]

Disability Services

Duncan Smith

515. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that is being made on ratification of the Optional Protocol of the UNCRPD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32497/23]

Vaccination Programme

Duncan Smith

634. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health whether the national children’s flu vaccine programme will continue to be free of charge for the 2–17 age group for the 2023/2024 flu season; whether there are any plans to change age eligibility for the free scheme for the coming season; the rationale for any such proposed change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32491/23]

Vaccination Programme

Duncan Smith

635. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the status of the HSE tender for the delivery of the nasal flu vaccine to children in primary schools and special schools between October and December 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32492/23]

Departmental Programmes

Duncan Smith

636. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline the implementation of the Cost of Disability Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32496/23]

Pension Levy

Duncan Smith

206. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if, when a company is paying a pension out of its company funds, the pension is liable to the pension levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30846/23]

School Staff

Duncan Smith

288. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education what plans there are to maintain staffing levels in a school (details supplied) to ensure there will continue to be a teacher per class in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30508/23]

Schools Building Projects

Duncan Smith

290. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the approval for a new school extension project (details supplied) as of June 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30517/23]

Schools Building Projects

Duncan Smith

303. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she has a plan to address the urgency for a new school building for a school (details supplied); if she will follow up her commitment to visit the school at the earliest possible convenience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30922/23]

Water Pollution

Duncan Smith

398. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what powers, if any, the EPA or a local authority have under the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008, or any other legislation, in relation to directing Uisce Éireann to take corrective action where systems under its control are causing pollution of designated bathing waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31291/23]

Social Welfare Code

Duncan Smith

418. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a rule preventing a person on disability allowance or invalidity pension from taking up an unpaid directorship in a company; if such applies in respect of a community group or charity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30860/23]

Work Permits

Duncan Smith

682. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the average wait from accepting a job application to starting work for people applying for work permits from abroad in each hospital under HSE management; how many of these have not started work after accepting a place, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30858/23]

Health Services Waiting Lists

Duncan Smith

683. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown, by CHO of the provision of optometry services for all ages; what is and is not covered; the waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30859/23]

Pharmacy Services

Duncan Smith

688. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will engage and meet with a union (details supplied) to discuss the fees pharmacies receive from the State for all the State drug schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30889/23]

Medicinal Products

Duncan Smith

690. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measure he and his Department are taking to ensure supply of HRT medicines following shortages of utrogestran and oestrogen patches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30912/23]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

691. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health for an update on the processes to mediate the pay concerns of workers within section 39 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30921/23]

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]