Parliamentary questions

Special Educational Needs

Róisín Shortall

287. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the consultation her Department carried out with organisations representing people with disabilities in respect of changes to the allocation model for special education teachers, in line with Article 4(3) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (detail supplied); if no such consultation was carried out, to outline her rationale for excluding the voice of people with disabilities from the decision making process, given the direct impact of this decision on children with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7721/24]

National Children's Hospital

Róisín Shortall

629. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason an independent expert is no longer involved in assessing the ventilation systems in the operating theatres of the new National Children's Hospital (details supplied), given that the guidelines written by that independent expert will still be used for validation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8055/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

630. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the position of St. Brendan's Community Village Project in Mulranny, County Mayo, which provides a continuum of housing care from independent living through to high support care, within the one community; if he appreciates that the viability of this not-for-profit charity is threatened by the same challenges which affect the many smaller nursing homes which have closed since 2020; the reason why this facility receives substantially less funding from the NTPF than HSE facilities; if he accepts that a smaller, local setting is more conducive to the wellbeing of older residents; if he intends to adjust the financial supports for smaller scale supported housing and nursing homes so that they are viable small businesses and appropriate care facilities for residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8056/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Róisín Shortall

194. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the date on which the first phase of the solar for schools programme will be complete; her plans in respect of the next phase; if there is a schedule for the remaining counties' eligibility to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7155/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Róisín Shortall

195. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education when schools in Tipperary will be eligible to apply for the solar schools programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7156/24]

School Curriculum

Róisín Shortall

196. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the guidance available to schools on protocols in relation to opting out of religious education in schools, and how the school should operate these protocols (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7157/24]

School Curriculum

Róisín Shortall

197. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of school admission policies that do not clearly outline detailed arrangements for students who wish to opt out of religious education; if an admission policy that suggests a meeting with the principal to discuss this matter instead of clearly defined arrangements is contrary to the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7158/24]

School Admissions

Róisín Shortall

198. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education how the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018 is enforced, including the processes involved and the number of times it has been enforced in the previous three years; if no such enforcement proceedings have happened to date, if she has plans to begin enforcing the requirements of the 2018 Act; if so, the timeline; the process for reporting non-compliance with the 2018 Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7159/24]

Passport Services

Róisín Shortall

151. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6570/24]

Waste Management

Róisín Shortall

173. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to engage with local authorities to explore the possibility of local councils providing more public waste collection services, particularly in the context of private companies raising the price of bin collections for many households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6532/24]

Waste Management

Róisín Shortall

256. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he plans to engage with companies providing residential waste collection services in respect of them raising the price of bin collections for households, in some instances several times in a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6531/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Róisín Shortall

449. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection what supports are available for low-income households who are facing multiple price hikes by private waste collection companies; if her Department will consider additional supports for older people who may be facing these same price hikes while not being able to bring their waste to public waste collection centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6533/24]

Hospital Services

Róisín Shortall

597. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of public hospitals that have Wi-Fi, by location, in tabular form. [6534/24]

Health Promotion

Róisín Shortall

598. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to a media report (details supplied) on a recommendation by the HSE's national women and infants health programme that white flour should be fortified with folic acid; if he is considering initiating this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6535/24]

Hospital Facilities

Róisín Shortall

599. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide further details in relation to the dedicated paediatric spinal surgery unit that he asked Children's Health Ireland to establish; the indicative timeline for operationalising this unit; his plans regarding orthopaedic waiting lists for children following his instruction to the HSE to appoint a full-time project lead to work on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6536/24]

Hospital Procedures

Róisín Shortall

600. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline for completion and publication of the independent review into spinal surgeries at Temple Street Children's Hospital, following the identification of 17 additional cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6537/24]

Legislative Programme

Róisín Shortall

601. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline he is working towards in drafting and publishing the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023, listed for priority drafting in the Spring Government Legislative Programme; if it is his intention to begin second stage before the summer 2024 recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6550/24]

Vehicle Registration Tax

Róisín Shortall

158. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 459 of 21 April 2021 and 313 of 30 November 2023, the current steps being taken to address the proliferation of illegal vehicle registration plates on motor cars; whether sufficient legislation is in place for gardaí to apply a fixed charge penalty notice for this offence (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5968/24]

Departmental Funding

Róisín Shortall

291. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm if a funding application falls under the remit of his Department (details supplied); the steps he is taking to resolve this matter; the engagements he has had with the Department of Health and the HSE in respect of this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5964/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

302. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide further details in relation to the Budget 2024 allocation to the transgender model of care; the status of plans to develop an updated model of care and appoint a clinical lead for transgender services; the timeline he is working towards; to confirm if the new model will adhere to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5846/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

303. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports of transgender patients resorting to self-medicating and self-administrating practices, as a result of inadequate trans healthcare services (details supplied); the steps he is taking to address issues with the National Gender Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5847/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

304. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the rationale for an instruction to GPs from the National Gender Service (details supplied); the evidence base for this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5848/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

305. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason the National Gender Service continues to take the position that transgenderism is a mental health disorder, despite the Word Health Organisation's guidelines which state that it is not (details supplied); the evidence base for this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5849/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Róisín Shortall

337. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to respond to correspondence (details supplied); if this funding application falls under the remit of his Department or the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; the engagements he has had with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the HSE in respect of this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5963/24]

Teacher Training

Róisín Shortall

159. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education her plans to support and promote the provision of home economics teacher training courses in the greater Dublin area; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5264/24]

Schools Building Projects

Róisín Shortall

172. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on earlier proposals for the provision of new school buildings at a site in Dublin 9 (details supplied); the stage at which these developments are; the likely timescale for the development of each building; the proposals to build two new multidenominational second-level schools at the site; the proposals to move a school to a new building located on the site in question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5040/24]

Water Services

Róisín Shortall

269. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has received any reports or briefings from Uisce Éireann with regard to the timeframe for water connections to new housing developments and one-off houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5263/24]

EU Directives

Róisín Shortall

82. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance if, in the interests of transparency, he will re-examine the statutory instrument that came into effect on 23 June 2023 relating to the Irish register of beneficial ownership of companies, which has effectively denied the public, including business journalists, access to public interest information; if he will consider amending this SI in line with provisions in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4839/24]

Tax Code

Róisín Shortall

220. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance his views on a report (details supplied) into global wealth inequality, which included findings on Ireland; if he will consider a third rate of income tax, given the scale of wealth inequality in Ireland; the steps he is taking to address the unequal distribution of wealth in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4838/24]

Banking Sector

Róisín Shortall

223. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance his plans in respect of the State’s remaining 40.8% stake in a bank (details supplied); if he intends to recover the State’s full €20.8 billion investment in the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4845/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Róisín Shortall

170. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE website no longer has a facility for the public to record Covid-19 infections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4435/24]

Dental Services

Róisín Shortall

518. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to reduce waiting lists for dental services, both public and private; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3859/24]

Dental Services

Róisín Shortall

519. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to prevent dentists from withdrawing from the dental treatment services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3860/24]

Departmental Inquiries

Róisín Shortall

552. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the appointment of the sodium valproate inquiry chair; the timeline he is working towards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4138/24]

Passport Services

Róisín Shortall

150. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3544/24]

Passport Services

Róisín Shortall

151. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3545/24]

Health Service Executive

Róisín Shortall

194. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on plans to accelerate implementation of the HSE's integrated financial management system; the timeline he is working towards for full roll-out of the new system; the role of the newly established productivity and savings taskforce in respect of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3172/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Róisín Shortall

114. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of children of Irish citizens that were refused entry in the foreign births register in 2023 as a result of the ABC judgement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2955/24]

Residential Institutions

Róisín Shortall

291. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education further to a formal announcement made by her in mid-2023 (details supplied), to outline the health, education, and advocacy supports and services currently available to survivors of institutional abuse after the winding down of the Caranua agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2704/24]

State Examinations

Róisín Shortall

292. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to matters raised in a correspondence (details supplied) from a teacher regarding the teaching of sraithpictiúir as part of the Leaving Certificate curriculum for Irish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2705/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

496. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on plans to provide a community neurorehabilitation team in all nine CHOs; the timeline he is working towards for each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2422/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Róisín Shortall

561. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the estimated timeline for delivery of each of the six surgical hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2386/24]

Vaccination Programme

Róisín Shortall

562. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the aftercare provided to people who received the incorrect formulation of a vaccine (details supplied); the information provided to those impacted; if any adverse effects were reported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2387/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Róisín Shortall

596. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his Department or any of the other relevant bodies will issue a formal authoritative request to a representative body to issue a notification to its members regarding the recall of products (details supplied); the reason this has not been done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2515/24]

Nursing Homes

Róisín Shortall

4. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to respond to the recent ERSI report on the changes and challenges facing the Irish long-term residential care sector since Covid-19; his views on the consolidation of nursing home ownership, with 14 operators controlling 40% of all beds, and the increasing monetisation of elder care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2279/24]

Passport Services

Róisín Shortall

132. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2209/24]

Legislative Programme

Róisín Shortall

299. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on plans to introduce a statutory right to home care, as committed to in the Programme for Government; the timeline he is working towards in publishing the necessary legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2280/24]

Work Permits

Róisín Shortall

438. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he or the Minister of State with responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail will meet with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to changes to the work permit scheme for non-EEA healthcare assistants; the steps he is taking to address the concerns raised in correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1238/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

896. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if financial supports are available for self-employed people with disabilities, similar to the wage subsidy scheme for people with disabilities; if not, if she plans to introduce such a scheme; if not, plans, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56997/23]

Disability Services

Róisín Shortall

1416. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any legal obligation on large retailers to provide disability trolleys in their stores; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1224/24]