Parliamentary questions

Ukraine War

Michael McNamara

1390. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a contribution is requested from beneficiaries of temporary protection to date who are in employment and are residing in State-funded accommodation or State-provided accommodation in 2023; and if so, the amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57242/23]

Ukraine War

Michael McNamara

1401. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many beneficiaries of temporary protection in receipt of State-funded accommodation were found to be absent without UCTAT approval in the period since 8 December 2023; in respect of those found to be absent, in how many instances the UCTAT Refusals Policy was implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1008/24]

Ukraine War

Michael McNamara

1402. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what checks, if any, were carried out to determine whether persons were absent from State-funded accommodation provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection in the period since 8 December 2023 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1009/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Michael McNamara

1403. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) were in receipt of State-funded accommodation on 31 December 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1010/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Michael McNamara

1404. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the occupancy figures in respect of State-funded accommodation to beneficiaries of temporary protection on 31 December 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1011/24]

Ukraine War

Michael McNamara

1405. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many beneficiaries of temporary protection in receipt of State-funded accommodation opted to relinquishing their accommodation to allow for non-exceptional travel in the period from 8 December 2023 to date; how many such persons have applied for a new offer of accommodation upon their return to Ireland; how many have been provided with a new offer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1012/24]

Medical Cards

Michael McNamara

1492. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health how many medical cards were provided to people in receipt of temporary protection; the total cost of medical care provided pursuant to the said medical cards to people in receipt of temporary protection since February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56475/23]

Hospital Facilities

Michael McNamara

1595. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 574 of 28 November 2023, which he claimed only part of which related to operational matters, will be answered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57133/23]

Health Services Waiting Lists

Michael McNamara

1646. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1113/24]

Home Help Service

Michael McNamara

1766. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the number of people that have been approved for home help services in County Clare but are still waiting to be allocated the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1761/24]

Animal Carcase Disposal

Michael McNamara

11. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will promulgate emergency interim measures to allow farmers and knackeries to dispose of dead animals in light of their accumulation, with the resultant risk to sanitation, due to the strike by renderers since 1 December 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55812/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael McNamara

53. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct his Department to make interim, part payments immediately to farmers in ACRES tranche one, following the announcement by his Department that it will not pay monies out on this scheme until February 2024, in view of farmers’ reliance on the scheme payments to pay end-of-year bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55791/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

469. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 481 of 5 December 2023, if his Department seeks any record of individual occupancy per night from IPAS accommodation contract providers; if it maintains any record of individual occupancy in IPAS accommodation centres per night; if he will provide any such figures in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55892/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael McNamara

619. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare who has received the 2023 single farm payment is not allowed by the Department’s computer system to apply for ACRES tier 2 scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54928/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Michael McNamara

100. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has authorised the use of decoy crows for the purpose of protecting crops and animal feed by farmers pursuant to section 35(4) of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended; and if not, to provide reasons that purpose has not been authorised. [54098/23]

Wildlife Regulations

Michael McNamara

101. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of the number of licences or permits that his Department has granted for decoy crows for the purpose of scientific research, for protecting crops and animal feed by farmers, and for other purposes approved by the Minister, respectively, for each year since 2020. [54099/23]

Animal Slaughtering

Michael McNamara

138. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of controlled finishing units or feedlots currently registered in the State; and the beef kill numbers per month since January 2020 at EU approved slaughter plants originating in such controlled finishing units or feedlots. [54138/23]

Animal Slaughtering

Michael McNamara

139. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the total beef kill numbers per month since January 2020 at EU approved slaughter plants originating in controlled finishing units or feedlots. [54139/23]

Animal Slaughtering

Michael McNamara

140. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how many controlled finishing units or feedlots in the State are accredited under the Bord Bia sustainable beef and lamb assurance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54140/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

392. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many applications for international protection were made in each month since February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53492/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

393. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many first instance decisions were made by the IPO in each month since February 2020. [53493/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

394. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many Notices of Appeal to the IPAT were lodged in each month since February 2020. [53494/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

395. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many decisions of the IPAT were made in each month since February 2020. [53495/23]

Visa Applications

Michael McNamara

396. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many applications were made under the recent Undocumented Migrants’ Scheme. [53496/23]

Visa Applications

Michael McNamara

397. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many decisions have been made under the Undocumented Migrants’ Scheme, how many of those decisions granted permission to reside and work in the State and how many applications have been refused. [53497/23]

Asylum Seekers

Michael McNamara

398. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many persons in respect of whom a notice to transfer had been made under the Dublin 3 Regulation were not subsequently transferred; and of that number, how many were not transferred because the time period to implement the transfer pursuant to Dublin 3 had expired. [53498/23]

Deportation Orders

Michael McNamara

399. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many persons in respect of whom a Deportation Order has been made are currently in the State insofar as her Department is aware. [53499/23]

Labour Activation Measures

Michael McNamara

400. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice why the processing time for Labour Market Access Permission is approximately 130 days, and what measures are being taken to reduce the processing time. [53506/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

401. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many people are currently assigned to the International Protection Office Case Processing Panel; how many persons were assigned at the end of November 2022 and November 2021, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53507/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

402. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the average and median length of time between receipt of applications for international protection and first instance decisions on international protection applications, and the average and mean length of time between applications and first instance decisions currently, at the end of June 2023 and the end of November 2022 of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal. [53508/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

403. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the average and median length of time between receipt of applications for international protection and the issuance of decisions by the International Protection Appeals Tribunal currently, at the end of June 2023 and at the end of November 2022, respectively. [53509/23]

An Garda Síochána

Michael McNamara

406. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the progress outlined on 29 March 2022 that the Garda Commissioner had instructed that a fresh investigation be undertaken into the matters which a judge (details supplied) determined required further investigation in their report on the statutory inquiry under section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 into the Garda Síochána investigation relating to the death of a person; whether prosecutions have been initiated; whether the report by the judge will be published, either in full or redacted form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53730/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

478. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how much his Department has paid to date in 2023 in respect of accommodation provided by IPAS; how much his Department currently expects to have paid in respect of accommodation by the end of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53501/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

479. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department provides accommodation to persons whose protection application has been determined and is no longer the subject of any legal challenge to that said determination; if so, to how many such persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53502/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

480. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline how many bed nights were paid for by IPAS each night of 2023 and how many persons were residing in accommodated paid for on each night of 2023. [53503/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

481. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department provides accommodation to persons granted Labour Market Access Permission; if so, to how many such persons; how much they contribute to the cost of their accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53504/23]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

482. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline how many persons were residing at the Lakelands Hotel Scariff, County Clare on each day since 1 June 2023; how many bed nights were paid for on each night since 1 June 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53505/23]

Foreign Conflicts

Michael McNamara

197. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline Ireland's position on the recent crisis involving Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, and what steps he has taken in international forums, such as the EC and the UN, to seek to reverse the exodus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50231/23]

Middle East

Michael McNamara

213. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland condemns the Israeli response in the Gaza Strip to 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50232/23]

Primary Medical Certificates

Michael McNamara

206. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Finance if his Department will give consideration to introducing primary medical certificates to all individuals with physical disabilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52452/23]

Office of Public Works

Michael McNamara

215. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to outline details of the investment that has been made in the development and management of the OPW sites at Scattery Island and the Ennis Friary in County Clare since 2018; what investment, if any, is planned for the sites for the remainder of 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52004/23]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Michael McNamara

244. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of Exchequer funding allocated towards the Eirsat-1 project; to outline the total amount paid to the European Space Agency to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52001/23]

Special Educational Needs

Michael McNamara

278. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on advances in her announced plan to introduce a foreign language in primary schools across the State; when it will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52288/23]

Departmental Funding

Michael McNamara

315. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated to Met Éireann in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52003/23]

Departmental Regulations

Michael McNamara

329. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of permits that his Department has granted for decoy crows in each of the years since 2020; the number of applications that have been received for such permits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52204/23]

Departmental Regulations

Michael McNamara

330. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason decoy crows cannot be used without a permit by farmers to protect crops and animal feed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52205/23]

An Garda Síochána

Michael McNamara

406. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of An Garda Síochána who have been redeployed or retired from the Clare Garda division during the first nine months of 2023; the number of members of An Garda Síochána that have been assigned to the Clare Garda division for duty during both years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52002/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael McNamara

439. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how many applications for funding have been received to date under the reconstitution ash dieback scheme 2023-2027; how many applications have been successful; the total funding allocated and the number of grant recipients per county to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52029/23]

Forestry Sector

Michael McNamara

440. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is permitted to export stone from Borrow Pits, for which no licence or permit is required, out of the forest in which the pit is located, onto public roads to another, different forest in accordance with the licence/permit requirement exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52049/23]

Hospital Facilities

Michael McNamara

574. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the ongoing works at Raheen Community Hospital, County Clare; the reason these works preclude the provision of palliative care at the facility; when the works commenced; when the works are scheduled to conclude; how many palliative beds will be operational in the facility at the conclusion of said works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51949/23]