Parliamentary questions

Food Poverty

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

481. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the pilot food poverty programme announced in budget 2023; the timeline for implementation of the programme; if there has been any work undertaken by her Department to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24593/23]

Departmental Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

511. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual budget for the JobPath scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25014/23]

Employment Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

512. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual budget for the JobsPlus scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25015/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

375. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing each weekly social welfare scheme by €1 per week, in tabular form. [23951/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

376. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the qualified child payment by €1 for children under the age of 12 years, and €1 for children over the age of 12 respectively. [23952/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

377. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of including carer's allowance as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. [23953/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

378. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the current rate of fuel allowance by €1 per week. [23954/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

379. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the fuel allowance for one additional week. [23955/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

380. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of including working family payment as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. [23956/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

381. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer’s support grant to €2,000. [23957/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

382. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of bringing the current young jobseeker’s rate of €129.70 per week up to the full rate of €220. [23958/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

383. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the current young jobseeker’s rate of €129.70 per week by an additional €5 per week. [23959/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

384. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the jobseeker’s transitional payment scheme age cut-off to 18 years of age. [23960/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

385. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the one-parent family payment scheme age cut-off to 14 years of age. [23961/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

386. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of recipients of the benefit for over-65s; the full year cost of this scheme in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23962/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

387. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the weekly payment rate for carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit to €325 per week, by payment in tabular form. [23963/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

388. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending child benefit to 18-year-olds still in secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23964/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

389. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional €10 per week payment to all recipients of disability-related social welfare payments in total, and by payment type, in tabular form. [23965/23]

Nursing Homes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

447. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the situation facing residents (details supplied); the action he proposes to take to ensure that the residents are protected and can remain in place; and if he intends to ensure the HSE re engages to find a fair solution. [23769/23]

Nursing Homes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

448. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he intends to review the payments to nursing homes, both private and public, both in regard to those payments and to wage levels in the sector. [23770/23]

Technological Universities

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

259. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reasons for the delay of approval to purchase a shareholding (details supplied). [23327/23]

Local Authorities

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

123. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the interest rates charged for the local authority home loan are set on the date one draws down one’s loan rather than on the date that the mortgage offer is received. [22125/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

244. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the Exchequer of providing a recipient of one-parent family payment with access to the living alone allowance, household benefit package and the telephone support allowance. [20244/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

245. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of providing a recipient of jobseeker’s transitional payment with access to the living alone allowance, household benefit package and the telephone support allowance. [20245/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

365. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to list in tabular form how much it would cost to increase the increase for a qualified child for over 12s by 10, 12 and 15 euro; and how much it would cost to increase the under 12s rate by 5,7 and 10 euro. [19289/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

366. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to list in tabular form the number of recipients of one parent family payment and jobseeker's transitional payment who are also in receipt of the fuel allowance. [19291/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

367. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection how much it would cost to increase the fuel allowance by €15 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19292/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

368. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection how much it would cost to increase the payable period for the fuel allowance by four weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19293/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

369. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has conducted an analysis of the cost of extending the child benefit payment to all second level students over the age of 18 years; if there are plans to extend the payment in this way as a response to the cost-of-living crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19294/23]

Driver Test

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

163. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons waiting for a driving test; and the number of persons waiting for a theory test in County Cork, by test centre, in tabular form. [18647/23]

Driver Test

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

164. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Transport the average waiting time for a driving test in Ballincollig and Sarsfield Road test centres in Cork; and the number of persons waiting for less than 3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18, 18-24 and for over 24 months, in tabular form. [18648/23]

Driver Test

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

165. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Transport the average waiting time for a theory test in test centres in Cork; and the number of persons waiting for less than 3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18, 18-24 and for over 24 months, in tabular form. [18649/23]

Housing Provision

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

238. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing units delivered via the cost rental equity loan, the affordable housing fund and project Tosaigh in the constituency Cork south-central in each of the years, 2016 to 2022; and the number planned to be delivered in 2023 with a breakdown of units per scheme and average price of units by unit size, in tabular form. [18689/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

289. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average processing times for all social welfare payments; the number of applications received for each payment; the number of applications processed to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18650/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

290. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the average wait time for an additional needs' payment application. [18651/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

297. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people currently in receipt of professional artists on jobseeker’s allowance; and to provide a yearly breakdown of the number of people who have received the allowance since the scheme was made permanent in September 2019. [18819/23]

Community Employment Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

298. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise how many community employment supervisors have been paid to date under the agreed gratuity payment scheme; if she will confirm what the total cost of the scheme is to date; how many applications to the scheme have been denied, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18820/23]

Mental Health Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

363. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of persons employed in July 2020, 2021, and 2022 in community psychiatry, community psychology and community CAMHS areas in County Cork by area; and the positions recruited since January 2023 in County Cork in these sectors. [18644/23]

Mental Health Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

364. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for CAMHS services in County Cork by area; the average waiting time; and his plans to address this. [18645/23]

Mental Health Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

365. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of young people on the CAMHS waiting list in Cork city for less than 3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18, 18-24 and for over 24 months, in tabular form. [18646/23]

Crime Prevention

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

78. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice to discuss crime prevention resources for the Blackrock area of Cork city. [18012/23]

Crime Prevention

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

94. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice to discuss crime prevention resources for the Mahon area of Cork city. [18011/23]

State Bodies

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

218. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications as the line Minister responsible for implementation of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, the number of ex-civil servants transferred to An Post on 1 January 1984 who are still employed by An Post; the number in receipt of pensions from the company; and the number who are entitled to preserved pensions from the company. [17941/23]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

501. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education how many teachers, across all categories of schools, have been employed by her Department in each of the past four years. [16526/23]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

502. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education how many teaching positions, across all categories of schools, have been sanctioned by her Department in each of the past four years. [16527/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

764. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the social welfare payments included in the income assessments both for eligibility for and awarding of the amount offered in a authority mortgage; and if the disability allowance is included in the income eligibility assessment and in determining the amount offered where an applicant is successful. [16886/23]

Disability Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1221. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unfilled positions for speech and language therapists in each of the community disability network teams in Cork, broken down by area. [16520/23]

Disability Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1222. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unfilled positions for occupational therapists in each of the community disability network teams in Cork, broken down by area. [16521/23]

Disability Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1223. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unfilled positions for physiotherapists in each of the community disability network teams in Cork, broken down by area. [16522/23]

Disability Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1224. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unfilled positions for psychologists in each of the community disability network teams in Cork, broken down by area. [16523/23]

Disability Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1590. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the status of adult ADHD services in CHO4 which were intended to be in place by the end of 2022; and if he can confirm when these services will be in place and available. [17379/23]

Health Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

1591. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health when the long-term illness scheme will be reviewed under the Sláintecare implementation strategy. [17380/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

107. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the Telecom Éireann pension fund; and if former Telecom Éireann workers will soon see an increase under the pension scheme, due to them since July 2022. [15826/23]

Education Policy

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

379. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education following the draft governance review of the National Parents Council Post-Primary and her decision to remove funding, what is her proposed approach for the short-, medium- and long-term to address the needs for representation of post-primary parents. [14713/23]

Education Policy

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

380. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the attempts she has made to resolve her concerns regarding the National Parents Council Post Primary; if she or her Department have made any attempts at facilitation, including amongst the four constitute bodies; and if she has had any engagements with any of the said constitute bodies. [14714/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

55. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the parts of the country where there are inadequate numbers of spaces in special classes and special schools; if she and the NCSE are aware of the number of children that will currently not have a place for next September in such locations; and the actions she and the NCSE intend to take on foot of this, including if she intends to use her powers under section 37A or any other parts of legislation. [14325/23]

School Textbooks

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

78. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the plan to provide free schoolbooks to primary school children this September; when a payment schedule will be provided and distributed; and if she will respond to recent commentary in the media expressing concern at the potential for shortages in certain books. [14326/23]

School Funding

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

87. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her views on whether the Covid cleaning grant for schools will be continued for term 2; and when the payment schedule will issue. [14330/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

90. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will give a date for the allocation of SNAs for the coming school year; the model of allocation that will be used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14327/23]

Schools Building Projects

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

133. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her views on the fact that 58 school building projects have been set back due to costs; and if she intends to ensure that the school building projects are not delayed. [14328/23]

School Transport

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

151. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on school transport for the coming year; the cost for parents; and the number of places that will be provided next year. [14329/23]

Schools Building Projects

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

668. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the details of the 58 schools whose building projects are currently on hold due to capital funding pressures. [12949/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

700. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education when details of the home-based, summer education programme for 2023 will be published by her Department. [13136/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

787. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of children in the Carrigaline, County Cork, area who are transitioning from an ASD primary unit to an ASD secondary unit; and the number of those children who are awaiting a post-primary placement in an ASD unit. [13862/23]

Grant Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

378. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide update on whether the Covid cleaning grant for schools will be continued for term 2; and when the payment schedule will issue. [11140/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

390. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the supports for primary schools to provide play therapy for children who have emotional needs and require this therapy. [11260/23]

Schools Refurbishment

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

344. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education when an announcement will be made on the approval of funding for projects under the 2023 summer works scheme. [9666/23]

School Transport

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

223. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her views on the additional funding that was approved for the school transport scheme as part of the budgetary process; and if any additional funding was allocated in Cork to add additional capacity to cater for pupils who did not get a seat on school transport for the 2022/2023 school year. [9300/23]

Medicinal Products

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

217. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the process by which pregnant women experiencing extreme nausea and vomiting can obtain the drug cariban; the reason cariban cannot be prescribed by a GP on the drugs payment scheme given that most women do not see a consultant until after 12 weeks; the steps pregnant women can take to help with the extreme nausea and vomiting for the first 12 weeks or until the drug can be accessed; the standard practice in other EU member states; and the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme to date. [8990/23]

Teacher Training

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

387. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to awarding the same financial supports to registered post-primary teachers to upskill, in order to teach home economics, as is currently being offered to registered teachers to teach mathematics, physics and Spanish. [8203/23]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

388. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the current vacancies in home economics teaching posts in post-primary schools. [8204/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

391. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her views on the supports available for students with a diagnosis of dyscalculia in post primary education, in particular, supports to help students with Leaving Certificate maths. [8275/23]

Education and Training Boards

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

538. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the situation of adult education tutors employed by education and training boards who are still awaiting details on an offer devised by his Department following a recommendation by the Labour Court, and if a timeline for the resolution of any such delay can be outlined [8715/23]

Crime Prevention

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

50. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice to discuss crime prevention resources for the Mahon area of Cork city. [6483/23]

Crime Prevention

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

54. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice to discuss crime prevention resources for the Blackrock area of Cork city. [6484/23]

Tax Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

193. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Finance if a write-off is available to businesses struggling to repay VAT debt built up through debt warehousing during the Covid-19 pandemic. [7098/23]

Departmental Regulations

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

152. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when new regulations under Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001 regarding the holding of plebiscites to change placenames will be resolved; when amendments will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5806/23]

Home Care Packages

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

381. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarity surrounding the home care package in a service (details supplied) surrounding an issue with an administrator not being replaced since before Christmas; and when this person, who is based in Blackrock, will be replaced. [5759/23]

Home Care Packages

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

382. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the number of people in the Cork south Lee area that are waiting to be assessed for a carer; and when they will be assessed. [5760/23]

School Accommodation

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

77. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she and her Department and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, have identified the number of places in special schools and special classes that will be required next September; if so, the number; and the number of places above and beyond what is currently available that will be required; and if all named parties are now beginning to analyse where it may be necessary to make use of legislation to compel schools rather than waiting until late spring. [5252/23]

School Textbooks

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

79. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if free schoolbooks will be available to primary schools in September; if so, when the payment schedule will issue to schools; and if she will outline the discussions she has had with booksellers and publishers. [5253/23]

School Facilities

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

88. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education how she intends to ensure that the 10% of post primary schools without school halls can be provided with same. [5248/23]

Education Policy

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

96. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her views on the recent change in position with regard to funding for an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5250/23]

School Transport

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

139. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the progress to date in ensuring that children attending a school (details supplied) have access to school transport. [5251/23]

Legislative Measures

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

155. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the timeline for the consultation on the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. [5247/23]

School Facilities

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

167. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure energy use in schools is addressed, with particular reference to installation of solar panels and retrofitting. [5249/23]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

274. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the reasons that her Department did not provide the course for SNAs at University College Dublin with level-7 accreditation; and if her Department will review this decision. [5254/23]

School Textbooks

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

470. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if the free schoolbooks scheme for primary school children will commence in September 2023. [4726/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

471. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if the Covid cleaning grant for schools will be continued for term 2; and when the payment schedule will issue. [4727/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

196. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the Telecom Éireann pension fund; and if former Telecom Éireann workers will see an increase due to them under the pension scheme. [3307/23]

Housing Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

293. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider raising the income thresholds for joint applicants for the local authority home loan (details supplied); and if he will consider raising this given the variations in income levels and rising house prices. [2786/23]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

698. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she has considered establishing a national voluntary redeployment panel to allow teachers who wish to relocate between schools in different counties to keep their permanent and contract of indefinite duration status and allow easier transfer. [63596/22]

Site Acquisitions

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

743. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if he will provide an update on providing permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1086/23]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

365. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers who are on secondment from schools to the TES section of her Department. [61943/22]

Human Rights

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

239. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) who it is alleged has been imprisoned in Pakistan for the crime of blasphemy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59977/22]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

56. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the growing difficulties regarding shortages of teachers at post-primary and primary schools and the impact that it is having on schools; and the action that she intends to take to address this. [58460/22]

School Textbooks

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

58. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the actions that have been taken to further the budgetary commitment to providing free schoolbooks at primary level; if she has engaged with the relevant stakeholders since this announcement; and if she will outline the model that will be put in place. [58461/22]

Special Educational Needs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

60. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the preparations being undertaken by her Department and the National Council for Special Education for admissions to special schools and special classes in September 2023; if it has forecasted the number of places that will be required; and if all parties are now beginning to analyse where it may be necessary to make use of legislation to compel schools rather than waiting until late spring. [58462/22]

Environmental Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

67. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure that energy use in schools is addressed, with particular reference to the installation of solar panels and retrofitting. [58469/22]

School Staff

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

69. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her plans, if any, to change conditions for teachers coming from abroad to qualify for incremental credit such as, but not limited to, staff who held a part-time role in a recognised school setting abroad; and if she will outline any other actions that may attract teachers to return to the Irish education system. [58471/22]