Parliamentary questions

Passport Services

Charles Flanagan

35. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish passports issued to applicants providing principal place of residence addresses in the United Kingdom, specifically detailed as: Northern Ireland; England; Scotland; and Wales, for each of the past six years. [40653/23]

Environmental Schemes

Charles Flanagan

44. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures that are being taken to improve the waiting times for those availing of works under the free energy upgrade scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39862/23]

Taxi Regulations

Charles Flanagan

90. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to expand the national local hackney pilot to rural areas across County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39880/23]

Northern Ireland

Charles Flanagan

680. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice if she will outline, in the light of the recent UK government decision to carry out a fresh statutory investigation into the 1998 Omagh bombing atrocity, how she proposes that the Government will respond to such an inquiry; if she will accept that the most appropriate response would be the setting up of a parallel statutory inquiry in this jurisdiction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39735/23]

Forestry Sector

Charles Flanagan

780. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline in detail his proposal for the future of the forestry sector, with particular reference for plans to plant 8,000 hectares of land each year for the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40296/23]

Health Service Executive

Charles Flanagan

909. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if, in view of limited evidence in respect of the use of puberty blockers for the treatment and care of children, he will establish an independent external evidence review of the use by the HSE of a discredited clinic (details supplied), which treated hundreds of Irish children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39750/23]

Health Service Executive

Charles Flanagan

1017. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the model of care, assessment procedure, governance structure and legal and service arrangement in place between the HSE and a private gender service clinic in Antwerp, Belgium (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40560/23]

Health Service Executive

Charles Flanagan

1018. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the existence of a funding arrangement under the EU cross-border healthcare directive between the HSE and a private gender service clinic (details supplied) in Antwerp, Belgium. [40570/23]

Driver Test

Charles Flanagan

382. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport if, in light of the current shortage of accommodation for students attending third level colleges, consideration would be given to fast-tracking driving test applications for such students in order to assist them in this challenge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38690/23]

Driver Test

Charles Flanagan

383. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport to provide details, in tabular form, of the current waiting times for driving tests in test centres across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38691/23]

Driver Test

Charles Flanagan

384. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport to outline what action has been taken to alleviate long waiting times for driving tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38692/23]

School Transport

Charles Flanagan

611. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education to outline the criteria used by Bus Éireann to calculate the distance from a student’s home to their prospective school for the purpose of school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37592/23]

School Transport

Charles Flanagan

612. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the anomalies that exist (details supplied) when measuring the distance from a student’s home to their prospective school for the purpose of school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37593/23]

School Transport

Charles Flanagan

613. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education whether the bus capacity currently serving a school (details supplied) from bordering parishes in south Laois will be increased in order to facilitate the large number of concessionary ticket holders who held tickets last term but will have no school transport for the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37594/23]

School Transport

Charles Flanagan

735. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education whether the bus capacity currently serving a school (details supplied) will be increased in order to facilitate the large number of concessionary ticket holders who held tickets last term, but who will have no school transport for the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38896/23]

Schools Building Projects

Charles Flanagan

429. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education when approval will be sanctioned for a school (details supplied) to proceed to construction of an ASD unit which is due to be in place for September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35863/23]

Dental Services

Charles Flanagan

354. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health to outline the services that are available under the dental treatment services scheme in counties Laois and Offaly; the action being taken to ensure that medical card holders can access dental care in counties Laois and Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33351/23]

Dental Services

Charles Flanagan

355. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if there have been any developments in the extension of the dental treatment services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33352/23]

Schools Building Projects

Charles Flanagan

307. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) can expect to have a decision on its applications under the additional accommodation scheme and the emergency works scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31043/23]

Schools Building Projects

Charles Flanagan

316. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education when approval will be sanctioned for a school (details supplied) to proceed to the next stage for the construction of two ASD units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31112/23]

Legislative Programme

Charles Flanagan

116. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he intends to present legislation to Dáil Éireann for a Just Transition Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28829/23]

Electricity Generation

Charles Flanagan

45. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline the short- and medium-term plans for emergency electricity generation in counties Laois and Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28661/23]

Energy Prices

Charles Flanagan

46. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline the measures being taken to reduce the cost of electricity for households; if he will outline the other measures his Department is considering to reduce the cost of domestic energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28662/23]

Special Educational Needs

Charles Flanagan

159. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education the criteria that has been used to determine the position the SNA allocation in respect of a school (details supplied) for the coming school term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20833/23]

Community Welfare Services

Charles Flanagan

186. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of the community welfare office service in Mountmellick, County Laois; if she will make appropriate arrangements to reinstate the service as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20847/23]

Departmental Bodies

Charles Flanagan

116. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the current operation of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal; the current membership of the board; when the latest members of the board were appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20657/23]

Departmental Bodies

Charles Flanagan

117. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the options available to a person (details supplied) who is unable to appeal a decision due to the absence of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20658/23]

Special Educational Needs

Charles Flanagan

329. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has been made aware of the difficulties that a special needs preschool (details supplied) that caters for children with complex needs is having sourcing a new premises, and that it faces closure in June 2023 if an approved premises is not found; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20206/23]

Ambulance Service

Charles Flanagan

378. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health in relation to children requiring paediatric intensive care, and the fact transportation services only operate between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., if consideration will be given to extending the service to a 24-7 basis, in line with accepted emergency services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20207/23]

National Planning Framework

Charles Flanagan

304. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a review of the National Planning Framework will take place; what form the NPF review will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18962/23]

National Planning Framework

Charles Flanagan

305. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether the review of the National Planning Framework needs to be brought forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18963/23]

State Bodies

Charles Flanagan

306. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will detail the steps his Department has taken or will take to identify the resourcing needs of An Bord Pleanála; the future constitution of an Coimisiún Pleanála; local and regional planning bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18964/23]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Charles Flanagan

173. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the timeframe of the proposed new development at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Mountmellick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18569/23]

Housing Schemes

Charles Flanagan

784. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he expects to publish the revised rural housing guidelines in the context of a review of the 2005 planning guidelines on sustainable rural housing; and if he will confirm that such guidelines will comply with the ECJ ruling in the Flemish decree case. [17104/23]

Legislative Programme

Charles Flanagan

246. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 303 of 23 March 2023, the expected dates on which the relevant sections of both the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022, and the necessary statutory instruments permitting certain persons to access the register, will become operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15917/23]

Health Services

Charles Flanagan

334. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health in the matter of a proposed new model of care for those with gender dysphoria, encompassing children, adolescents, young people and adults under the auspices of the HSE Chief Clinical Officer, if he will confirm the level of consultation, if any, with medical consultants in the national gender service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16004/23]

Health Service Executive

Charles Flanagan

336. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will publish the HSE report of the Chief Clinical Officer on the matter of the referral of Irish children to the Tavistock gender identity clinic, London. [16008/23]

Departmental Functions

Charles Flanagan

569. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice in respect of a section of land at Mountjoy Prison which is to be excavated as part of a plan to locate and identify remains of buried prisoners executed at the prison, if consideration will be given to include attempts to locate the remains of a deceased prisoner (details supplied) whose relatives wish to have his remains returned to his native locality for family and Christian burial. [14965/23]

Disability Services

Charles Flanagan

623. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if the condition fibromyalgia has been recognised as a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14704/23]

Assisted Decision-Making

Charles Flanagan

303. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the proposed decision support service searchable register to be operational under the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14410/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Charles Flanagan

532. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated funding that will be allocated to the UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13011/23]

Mental Health Services

Charles Flanagan

602. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the number of long-stay patients currently in acute psychiatric units in the State. [11134/23]

Magdalen Laundries

Charles Flanagan

535. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the steps he proposes to take to ensure healthcare provision for survivors of Magdalen laundries resident in Ireland is aligned with the HAA-standard care, as recommended by the Quirke report. [9473/23]

Health Services

Charles Flanagan

585. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health in relation to a model of care for transgender children, if children from the State have been or are being referred for treatment to service centres or clinics outside the State, other than to a UK clinic (details supplied); and if so, if he will list the locations. [9722/23]

Teacher Training

Charles Flanagan

160. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if she will consider revising the requirement of having a H3 grade or equivalent in leaving certificate Irish in order to complete a professional master's qualification in education in view of the shortage of primary school teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8962/23]

Healthcare Policy

Charles Flanagan

671. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that proper assessments, procedures and treatments were afforded to in excess of 200 young children referred from Ireland to a clinic (details supplied) in London; if, having regard to reported shortcomings and inadequacies at the clinic, he will initiate an independent investigation to examine the role of the Irish health services in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8738/23]

Health Services

Charles Flanagan

616. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the need for a community neuro-rehabilitation team in CHO8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6653/23]

Domestic Violence

Charles Flanagan

309. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice the current situation regarding the provision of a domestic violence refuge in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5792/23]

Domestic Violence

Charles Flanagan

310. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice the current situation regarding the provision of a domestic violence refuge in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5793/23]

Diplomatic Representation

Charles Flanagan

79. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will consider opening a full-time resident Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4402/23]