Parliamentary questions

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

443. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners being put forward for early or temporary release in the past 12 months, but who were not released due to the fact early probation supervision is not available for them in the community. [17688/24]

Probation and Welfare Service

Patrick Costello

444. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice to provide in tabular form a Statewide list of community probation teams, by area, the number of staff employed in each and the number of vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17689/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

445. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will ensure other addiction counsellors are sourced as a matter of urgency for the prison service; her views on the situation whereby in Mountjoy Prison there is currently only two addiction/MQI counsellors for the entire prison, given by her own admission (details supplied) 70% of the population have addiction issues in a prison of approximately 800 prisons; and her views on whether two addiction councillors for 550+ prisoners with addiction issues is an adequate number for provision of services. [17690/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

446. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 377 of 10 October 2023, if seven out of every ten prisoners have addiction issues, the reason millions are being spent on hundreds of new places in prison, when the money could be better spent addressing the root cause of incarceration for many of the existing populations, i.e. addiction, which would entail hiring more addiction counsellors. [17697/24]

Legislative Reviews

Patrick Costello

456. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the timeline for the establishment of an independent examiner of security legislation following the enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2023. [17877/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

508. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to reports (details supplied) whereby a child with complex needs was placed in a special emergency arrangement, despite concerns that this setting may exacerbate their self-harming behaviours; the steps being taken by his Department to ensure children with complex needs have a stable, appropriate and regulated placement, particularly in relation to increasing the number of special care placements available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17397/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

509. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to statements attributed to Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance reported in the media (details supplied) of “immediate safeguarding concerns” within special emergency arrangements; to respond to Tusla audit reports outlining a “lack of recording of child protection matters” by one provider of these arrangements; the interventions his Department has made to ensure the welfare and protection of these children is upheld; if his Department believes children in these placements should have their own bedroom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17398/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

510. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to statements attributed to Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance reported in the media (details supplied) that some providers of special emergency arrangements do not have plans in place for when a child goes missing from their accommodation; if his Department will investigate if safeguarding procedures outlined in the Joint Protocol between An Garda Síochána and Tusla and the Children’s First Act 2015 are being adhered to by private providers of special emergency arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17399/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

511. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to public health concerns raised by Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance and reported in the media (details supplied) of “high occupancy rates” in special emergency arrangements, reports of bed bugs and scabies infestations in some settings and findings of “obvious health and safety hazards” at one special emergency setting; the plans his Department has taken or intend to take to ensure these health risks are not repeated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17400/24]

Primary Care Centres

Patrick Costello

576. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 586 of 21 November 2023, if an update will be provided. [17310/24]

Hospital Facilities

Patrick Costello

587. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if there are longer-term plans to bring the vacant units in Cherry Orchard Hospital back into use in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17427/24]

Primary Care Centres

Patrick Costello

603. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he or his officials will meet with local residents’ groups in Drimnagh to discuss the timeline for construction of the Drimnagh primary care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17487/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

628. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce a new comprehensive newborn screening programme that is adequately resourced and ensures that babies born in Ireland are screened for the European average of 18 conditions at a minimum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17692/24]

Third Level Education

Patrick Costello

695. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on Trinity College’s policy (details supplied) which prevents any external tour guides from using the campus and/or Book of Kells for guiding purposes. [17314/24]

Third Level Education

Patrick Costello

696. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on Trinity College’s policy (details supplied) which prevents any external tour guides from using the campus and/or Book of Kells for guiding purposes. [17315/24]

Grant Payments

Patrick Costello

703. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the grants or scholarships available to Irish students studying for masters degrees in UK institutions. [17591/24]

Sports Funding

Patrick Costello

25. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to detail what core funding has been allocated to support sporting organisations, national governing bodies of sport and local sports partnerships through Sport Ireland for 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16937/24]

Sports Funding

Patrick Costello

52. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline the recommendations of the recently published review of the large-scale sport infrastructure fund; the reason for the new similar access requirement policy in respect of men and women having access to publicly funded sporting facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16938/24]

Period Poverty

Patrick Costello

175. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that higher education institutions are sufficiently resourced to be able to provide free on-campus sanitary products to their students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16948/24]

National Security

Patrick Costello

185. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence whether his Department or the Naval Service plans to conduct a security assessment on the potential of an attack on any proposed floating storage and regasification unit, during both its construction phase and after project completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16271/24]