Parliamentary questions

Proposed Legislation

Joe O'Brien

3233. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to legislate for surrogacy in Ireland in particular in relation to formal recognition of mothers on birth certificates, retrospective declarations of parentage and access to surrogacy internationally. [40937/21]

Medicinal Products

Joe O'Brien

387. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health when the result of the full health technology assessment which was due to be concluded in April 2021 will be available in relation to the gene therapy treatment zolgensma; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31273/21]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Joe O'Brien

492. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of protection applicants who presented as unaccompanied minors that have been age-disputed and subjected to an assessment by Tusla since the commencement of the International Protection Act 2015; the number deemed as adults and placed into direct provision; and the number deemed minors and placed in the care of Tusla. [37477/21]

Third Level Fees

Joe O'Brien

523. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many Irish prospective students at UK universities have not yet received clarity on their eligibility to access UK home fees and tuition fee loans from UK universities for the forthcoming academic year; if he has engaged with his counterpart in the UK Government to advocate that this is clarified for Irish students as soon as possible given the particular relationship Ireland has with the UK under the Common Travel Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37605/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

49. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport if citizens who have been fully vaccinated with one of the approved vaccines in a jurisdiction outside of the EU, for example, in the United States of America will be eligible to apply for the EU Digital COVID Certificate upon return to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36749/21]

Vaccination Programme

Joe O'Brien

145. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the potential of current and planned Covid-19 vaccines to vaccinate children under 15 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30454/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

544. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to applying the vaccine bonus whereby a person is considered fully vaccinated four weeks after their first dose of a vaccine (details supplied) as part of the exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29925/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

457. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to easing restrictions on nursing home visits to permit fully vaccinated residents to leave their care homes for walks with visitors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29114/21]

Health Strategies

Joe O'Brien

458. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the status of Ireland’s progress on implementing via legislation the WHO Code of Marketing on Breast-milk Substitutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29115/21]

Health Strategies

Joe O'Brien

459. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the status of the implementation of action item 3.13 of the National Breastfeeding Action Plan which pertains to the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29116/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

326. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the details of easing of restrictions on partners attending appointments in maternity hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28285/21]

Diplomatic Representation

Joe O'Brien

276. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the situation in Cambodia with the arrest of three environmental activists from a group (details supplied); if he will make a representation to the Cambodian government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34444/21]

Schools Building Projects

Joe O'Brien

338. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education the status of a school building project for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34573/21]

Redundancy Payments

Joe O'Brien

143. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to review the temporary changes to redundancy rules during the Covid-19 emergency period in view of the ongoing reopening of the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30675/21]

Defective Building Materials

Joe O'Brien

575. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the defective block scheme specific to counties Mayo and Donegal; and if consideration will be given to co-operation with the SEAI to ensure that windows and doors that need replacing are energy efficient and affordable for the impacted homeowners. [30687/21]

Joint Labour Committees

Joe O'Brien

58. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the proposed establishment of a joint labour committee for the early learning and care and school age childcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29953/21]

Climate Change Policy

Joe O'Brien

83. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport the status of plans to roll-out trucksuitable hydrogen refuelling stations in Ireland as part of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29951/21]

Climate Change Policy

Joe O'Brien

84. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport his plans to support hauliers in Ireland to transition to hydrogen fuel cell trucks including provision of necessary infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29952/21]

National Orchestras

Joe O'Brien

288. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the planned transition of the National Symphony Orchestra to the National Concert Hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29143/21]

School Curriculum

Joe O'Brien

389. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education if efforts will be made to ensure inclusivity and visibility of breastfeeding families in school textbooks and curricula; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29124/21]

Tax Code

Joe O'Brien

127. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance if consideration will be given to permitting self-employed persons who have been out of work during the pandemic to warehouse their tax liability for 2020 for a period of time until their finances have recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28815/21]

Air Corps

Joe O'Brien

241. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport the status of the tendering process for a new search and rescue contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25667/21]

Air Corps

Joe O'Brien

242. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport if it is envisaged that the Air Corps will provide a significant part of the next generation of the State search and rescue aviation service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25668/21]

Water Quality

Joe O'Brien

363. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if year round and more frequent testing of coastal bathing waters will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27304/21]

Air Safety

Joe O'Brien

196. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport when professional drone operators will receive certainty on their operating conditions in view of the new regulation system that commences in January 2022. [25253/21]

School Enrolments

Joe O'Brien

523. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education the number of instances of primary schools and secondary schools sharing the same physical site but having separate roll numbers as per schools (details supplied). [24661/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

158. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if there is a process of quality control and inspection for the hotels being used for mandatory quarantine; the steps or process for persons in quarantine to raise concerns in relation to accommodation, food or medical care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23308/21]

Aviation Industry

Joe O'Brien

200. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport the consideration given by his Department to the key recommendations of the National Civil Aviation Development Forum regulatory working group aviation restart plan 2021 in the context of planning for the recovery of the aviation sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23174/21]

Rental Sector

Joe O'Brien

285. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to a recent media report (details supplied) which indicates that some landlords are using incentivised rents which may be intended to subvert regulations in relation to rent pressure zones and may frustrate the efforts of the Residential Tenancies Board to accurately monitor rental market rates; the measures that can be taken to prevent this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22742/21]

Anti-Racism Measures

Joe O'Brien

695. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the interim report of the Anti-Racism Committee which held its first meeting on the 18 June 2020 will be provided to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21367/21]

Garda Training

Joe O'Brien

801. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice if a training programme exists or has been introduced for gardaí and Garda staff to build their competency and skills to engage effectively and positively with persons from diverse backgrounds and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21368/21]

Search and Rescue Service Provision

Joe O'Brien

379. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport the difficulties his Department has experienced maintaining the continuous public emergency service provision of rescue boats, blue light response and cliff rescue over the past 24 months; and the timeline for the resumption of the suspended cliff rescue services. [19515/21]

Electric Vehicles

Joe O'Brien

1032. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education the timeframe for the proposed inclusion for the new electric vehicle charging guidance in the second edition of the TGD 033 School Building Projects and Compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19516/21]

Vaccination Programme

Joe O'Brien

1708. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if persons with spina bifida hydrocephalus are included in cohort 4 of the vaccine allocation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18743/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

1989. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to allowing persons who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to be exempt from mandatory hotel-based quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19517/21]

Redundancy Payments

Joe O'Brien

7. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures that will be put in place to ensure workers on lay off will be able to access statutory redundancy payments swiftly in the event that their employment is no longer available after the current Covid-19 restrictions on redundancy are lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17841/21]

Maternity Leave

Joe O'Brien

254. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of efforts to provide access to paid maternity leave for parents of children born via surrogacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17727/21]

Coast Guard Service

Joe O'Brien

288. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport the status of the resumption of cliff rescue services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16909/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

602. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education if consideration has been given to allow for face masks to be worn during leaving certificate oral examinations in line with public health advice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16915/21]

Aviation Industry

Joe O'Brien

309. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport his plans to provide financial assistance to a company (details supplied) to assist it in remaining financially viable. [14677/21]

Insurance Costs

Joe O'Brien

475. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance the efforts being made to ensure that the associated savings will be passed on to the customer by insurance companies on foot of the recent publication of new Judicial Council guidelines for personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15023/21]

Cancer Services

Joe O'Brien

1378. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the details of plans to work through the backlog of cancer diagnostics work that has been on hold due to Covid-19; the amount of additional resourcing dedicated to this area in budget 2021; and the exact processes that have restarted in terms of procedures used to diagnose cancer. [14083/21]

Architects Register

Joe O'Brien

386. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to implement an architectural technologists’ register including the process to approve committees and boards for the proposed shadow register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12857/21]

Education Policy

Joe O'Brien

504. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure that fifth year students can be facilitated to catch up on class time lost due to school closures in 2021 and any associated gaps in the coverage of their curriculum in advance of leaving certificate 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12856/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

213. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to when limited visits by family members to nursing homes in which all residents have been vaccinated against Covid-19 can resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12292/21]

Vaccination Programme

Joe O'Brien

849. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the stage of the Covid-19 vaccine allocation schedule at which special education needs teachers and special needs assistants can expect to be vaccinated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11516/21]

School Accommodation

Joe O'Brien

432. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education the status of efforts to secure a permanent site for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9647/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

330. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the ongoing lack of Covid-19 vaccines in areas of Palestine under Israeli occupation; his views on whether this situation will affect the operation of the EU-Israel trade agreement, particularly with regard to article 2 of the treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8064/21]

State Examinations

Joe O'Brien

138. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education when she will make an announcement on the plans for the leaving certificate examination in 2021. [7541/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joe O'Brien

950. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that front-line staff in an organisation (details supplied) providing residential care services for adults with disabilities have yet to receive notification of when they will be vaccinated against Covid-19; when these front-line workers are likely to be vaccinated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7385/21]