Parliamentary questions

Raidió Teilifís Éireann

Joan Collins

152. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has completed a thorough investigation of bogus self-employment contacts in RTÉ; and if she is satisfied that no staff at RTÉ are still on a bogus self-employment contract. [32970/23]

State Pensions

Joan Collins

164. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Government is planning to implement the commitment to benchmark pensions in ‘A Roadmap for Pension’s Reform 2018-2023’ or pension benchmarking commitments 22, 23 and 24 in the ‘Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025’. [32978/23]

Sustainable Development Goals

Joan Collins

54. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a list of data and sources used to measure the 232 unique UN SDG Indicators in the Voluntary National Review to report Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) progress, broken down by the SDG they relate to (details supplied). [32888/23]

Rights of the Child

Joan Collins

143. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice if the text of a Bill in relation to the ratification of the UN Second Optional Protocol has been finalised (details supplied). [32998/23]

Rights of the Child

Joan Collins

144. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice when the Second Optional Protocol on the UNCRC will be ratified (details supplied). [33005/23]

Rights of the Child

Joan Collins

145. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice if the UN Second Optional Protocol will be ratified before the summer recess of Dáil Éireann; and if not, if she will give a guarantee that the protocol will be ratified before the end of 2023. [33006/23]

Rights of the Child

Joan Collins

167. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if Ireland should have launched public awareness campaigns in relation to the Second Optional Protocol on the UNCRC before the protocol was ratified (details supplied); the exact explanation of Article 9(2), given that it appears that to ratify this protocol without informing the public first would not seem to make sense. [32996/23]

Employment Rights

Joan Collins

257. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will meet with the four men unfairly dismissed by a company (details supplied) for trade union activity; what legislative steps he will take to ensure that workers representatives are free to collectively bargain without fear of intimidation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32205/23]

Dental Services

Joan Collins

627. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to restore walk-in dentistry services within primary care settings in CHO7. [32426/23]

Ambulance Service

Joan Collins

628. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the ambulance response times relative to key performer indicators for Echo and Delta callouts for May 2023, by ambulance region, in tabular form. [32427/23]

Hospital Staff

Joan Collins

629. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant maxillofacial surgeons based at St. James's Hospital in the years of 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [32428/23]

Hospital Services

Joan Collins

630. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of vascular surgeries procedures carried out at Beaumont Hospital in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [32429/23]

Hospital Staff

Joan Collins

631. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses working in Cherry Orchard Hospital in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased. [32430/23]

Hospital Staff

Joan Collins

632. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE vacancies, by job title, in the ophthalmology department at the Mater Hospital; and when these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [32431/23]

Health Services

Joan Collins

669. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to research (details supplied), published on 6 June 2023, which reveals that services for over-8s are based on a geographic lottery to access children’s eye care with very little access in some areas, particularly in the north west and parts of the greater Dublin region; if the HSE will fast-track the roll-out on a standardised optometrist-led eye care programme for over-8s and a timeframe to introduce same; to provide a breakdown nationally of where this care is now; and the plans for the future. [32661/23]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

96. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education how special schools can have generic behaviour codes which every child has to follow when these children with the highest supports do not understand what is been asked of them, leading to suspension of the children and families in distress (details supplied); her stance on behaviour codes for special schools; if she will examine with her Department and NCSE the matter of individualising behaviour codes for families; and if a Middletown programme will be introduced in all special schools and autism classes (details supplied). [31156/23]

School Textbooks

Joan Collins

106. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education when she intends to introduce free schoolbooks in secondary schools. [31158/23]

School Equipment

Joan Collins

116. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education for a list of primary and post-primary schools that have been issued with funds by her Department to buy, or that have been issued with air purifiers and HEPA filters for their classrooms; and a list of schools that have not been issued with same. [31157/23]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

129. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that a child (details supplied) has a school place in an autism class this September. [31155/23]

Employment Rights

Joan Collins

275. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address a series of matters concerning an amendment to the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30587/23]

Education and Training Provision

Joan Collins

504. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the options for a young girl's education (details supplied). [27419/23]

Mental Health Services

Joan Collins

1152. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will follow up on a request by a person (details supplied) for immediate access to CAMHS. [27456/23]

School Meals Programme

Joan Collins

109. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite the process of extending school meals to all schools way before the previous timeline (details supplied). [22812/23]

Health Services

Joan Collins

838. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health to provide in tabular form the full complement of therapists, public health nurses and so on that made up the complement of health staff in Curlew Road Health centre before 1 April 2023; how many health staff from all grades were transferred over to Armagh Road; how many health workers have been recruited since the beginning of the year; and how many of those have been allocated to Curlew Road and Armagh Road. [24828/23]

Housing Schemes

Joan Collins

80. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the period for which the waiver of development levies (details supplied) will apply; if he will provide an exact outline of how all local authority funds and developments connected to levies will be guaranteed by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20781/23]

Housing Provision

Joan Collins

110. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the move by Dublin City Council with regard to the regeneration of an estate (details supplied); and the reason the contract ended. [20782/23]

Health Services

Joan Collins

465. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the further qualifications a person (details supplied) needs to enable them to work in the health service, nursing homes and so on; and the cost for same. [23893/23]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

74. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education for an update on a school (details supplied) in Dublin 12 that the NCSE visited to report on suitability for special education provision. [22858/23]

Education Policy

Joan Collins

75. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will meet with the National Parents Council Post Primary in view of the fact that the NPCPP is the body named in the Education Act 1998 to represent post primary parents; why funding and recognition for the NPCPP has been withdrawn; and why the Minister has not met with the NPCPP over the past three years despite requests. [22859/23]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Collins

120. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the reason there is such a delay in granting the go ahead of the new build for a school (details supplied) in view that it is now 14 weeks since the school submitted a request to progress the build; and if she will meet with the principal as soon as possible so this new build can go ahead. [22811/23]

Pensions Reform

Joan Collins

222. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has considered any other proposal for an auto-enrolment pension system where one system could be up to 70% better value than that currently being designed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22112/23]

School Funding

Joan Collins

279. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently request that her Department clears the moneys for a school (details supplied). [21294/23]

Animal Welfare

Joan Collins

202. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will set up a nationwide animal cruelty register to help authorities identify breaches of bans on keeping animals and prevent those with animal cruelty convictions from working in environments where they have access to animals. [20911/23]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

203. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds injured in races and trials to-date in 2023; the nature and date of the injuries at the tracks at which they occurred; the number killed or euthanised by track vets; the number and causes of additional racing fatalities; and the results of any post-mortems carried out. [20912/23]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

204. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the greyhound track attendance figures for 2022 and to-date in 2023 for both GRI and private tracks, with a breakdown of the figures into paid and complimentary entry and entry by adults, children, greyhound owners and trainers, bookmakers, and so on. [20914/23]

Animal Welfare

Joan Collins

205. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the sectors that are involved in the maceration of chicks in Ireland; the number of companies killing chicks in this abhorrent way; the number of chicks killed every year; and if he will introduce a ban on chick maceration. [20915/23]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

206. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that another Irish greyhound has ended up in China (details supplied); if he will investigate if the dog was exported directly or indirectly from Ireland; if action will be taken against those responsible for the export; and if he is aware of other Irish greyhounds exported to China for breeding and racing purposes and if he will urgently ban the export of greyhounds to China. [20916/23]

Water Services

Joan Collins

238. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will bring the wording for a referendum on the public ownership and management of water services, a commitment having been given by him that the wording would be brought to Cabinet early in 2023. [20765/23]

Regeneration Projects

Joan Collins

239. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the regeneration of an estate (details supplied); if he is aware of a move by Dublin City Council to cease its contract with a company; and the reason the contract has been terminated. [20810/23]

International Agreements

Joan Collins

74. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Government intends to declare its intent to leave the Energy Charter Treaty, given the widely criticised European Commission reforms to the treaty. [20140/23]

Tourism Industry

Joan Collins

486. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the lack of wheelchair accessibility at Spike Island tours; what steps his Department is taking to ensure that tourist sites are accessible to all; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19479/23]

Tourism Industry

Joan Collins

487. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the case of a proposed exhibition (details supplied) at Spike Island being put in jeopardy due to the lack of a wheelchair-accessible bus on the island; if he will take steps to ensure that issues of accessibility are appropriately addressed by a company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19480/23]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Collins

226. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education when her Department will give the go ahead of the tender documents for a school (details supplied). [18753/23]

Missing Children

Joan Collins

308. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice if he will ensure that 116000, the EU missing children hotline number, will be on public display at airports and ports. [18754/23]

International Agreements

Joan Collins

309. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice when he plans to ratify the 2nd optional protocol on the UNCRC OPSC in 2023; and the specific legislative barriers that are preventing Ireland from ratifying the OPSC. [18755/23]

School Accommodation

Joan Collins

504. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will address a matter in relation to accommodation for a school (details supplied); if the prefabs will be allowed to go ahead so that the school has the needed extra space on site for September and not elsewhere; if she will find a solution that gives the school and children the space they are entitled to in the future and if the Government will follow through on its promises to children with additional needs in mainstream schools. [16715/23]

Fee Paying Schools

Joan Collins

505. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education how many private schools there are in the State; if she will provide a list of them; and how many have provided special classes for children with disabilities and autism. [16749/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Joan Collins

1392. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health when the €1,000 workers pandemic recognition payment will be paid to agency workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16524/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Joan Collins

1410. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16589/23]

Rights of the Child

Joan Collins

122. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if her Department will ensure that the child-friendly booklet on the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child will be made available in schools nationwide alongside awareness campaigns (details supplied). [15631/23]