Parliamentary questions

Housing Policy

Brendan Smith

61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any view or if any formal public policy exists in relation to the role public representatives might play in the governance or management of voluntary housing bodies in the context of the positive ongoing development of the voluntary housing sector; if it is the policy to discourage public representatives from serving on the boards of approved housing bodies or if the experience of public representatives might be considered a benefit to such boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22088/24]

National Parks and Wildlife Service

Brendan Griffin

62. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the NPWS will liaise with a local first responders group regarding access to a location in County Kerry (details supplied) in emergency situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22133/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Neasa Hourigan

63. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to expand the threshold for the domiciliary care allowance up to 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21923/24]

Widow's Pension

Brendan Griffin

64. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision on a widower's pension application (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21938/24]

School Meals Programme

Ged Nash

65. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if meal providers to schools are required to provide for the various dietary requirements of students, for example, coeliac; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21943/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Griffin

66. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will remove the means test for the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21960/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Darren O'Rourke

67. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is further leave to appeal after a section 317 appeal within her Department or elsewhere; if appellants are entitled to an oral hearing to challenge a section 317 appeal refusal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21993/24]

School Meals Programme

Catherine Murphy

68. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the provisions she has put in place to reduce food waste in the context of the school hot meals initiative; if she engaged with specialists in the area of nutritional value ahead of rolling out the initiative; and her views on whether the initiative is targeted appropriately. [22002/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Colm Burke

69. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the up-to-date status of a carers allowance application review (details supplied), given that further documentation was provided some time ago; when a decision will be reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22026/24]

Widow's Pension

Willie O'Dea

70. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the current stage of legislation that will allow for the enactment of the recent Supreme Court decision to allow a cohabitant to claim a widow's pension in certain circumstances; when she expects it to be in operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22131/24]

An Garda Síochána

Ivana Bacik

71. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the statutory functions of An Garda Síochána in compiling statistics on the prevalence of certain types of theft and robbery offences; and where those functions are conferred. [21913/24]

Deportation Orders

Peadar Tóibín

72. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of deportation orders revoked by her Department in each of the past ten years.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21961/24]

Prison Service

Mark Ward

73. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of people on waiting lists for mental health treatment in Irish prisons in 2024; the average waiting period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21966/24]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

74. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by her Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]

Immigration Policy

Noel Grealish

75. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice the number of overseas students on a stamp 2 visa currently in Ireland; if she has considered making these visas more flexible to enable them to work more than 20 hours per week outside the Christmas and June to September periods as many of these people are struggling to pay rent and many of their employers are struggling to secure sufficient staff; if employers, who have no official way of knowing if stamp 2 students have already worked 20 hours in any week, could be held liable for a breach of visa rules; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21982/24]

Immigration Status

Cathal Crowe

76. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice the reason a person (details supplied) has been refused temporary protection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21989/24]

Naturalisation Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

77. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice when a person (details supplied) will receive their certificate of naturalisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21999/24]

Prison Service

Mark Ward

78. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the amount spent on anti-psychotic medication for inmates in the Irish Prison Service in 2023, 2022 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22073/24]

Prison Service

Mark Ward

79. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of prescriptions for anti-psychotic medication for inmates in the Irish Prison Service in 2023, 2022 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22074/24]

Prison Service

Mark Ward

80. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the amount spent on anti-depression and anxiety medication for inmates in the Irish Prison Service in 2023, 2022 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22075/24]