Parliamentary questions

Prison Service

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

10. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if there are figures on prison capacity and overcrowding over the past 12 months. [8221/24]

An Garda Síochána

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

15. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if the opening of the new divisional headquarters at Northern Cross will result in the closure of Coolock Garda station; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8219/24]

Drug Dealing

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

16. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice to provide a breakdown by age of people who have been given a ten-year mandatory sentence for drugs issues over the past decade. [8222/24]

Special Educational Needs

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

282. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will review Circular 0041/2014 to allow SNAs such as a person (details supplied) who are qualified to teach as substitute teachers and are working part-time or job sharing, to work as substitute teachers and bring them in line with the treatment of teachers under Info Note TC 0017/2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7646/24]

Housing Schemes

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

235. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that a single person earning €57,000 gross , or €41,500 net, does not qualify for a one bed unit in a Land Development Agency cost rental scheme and yet is also excluded from social tenancy given the €40,000 income threshold; and the action he will take to remediate the situation. [7210/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

224. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what steps his Department has taken to prevent the practice of full year compulsory lease lengths being imposed on students by private student accommodation providers in Dublin and Cork, such as a company (details supplied) that owns 11 properties nationally and is offering students leases that are 52 weeks long. [7061/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

225. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) is reporting that students in private accommodation fear availing of their rights under the legislation for student specific accommodation as they fear the risk of not having their lease renewed at the beginning of the subsequent academic year; and what measures his Department can take to address those concerns. [7062/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

334. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science hat steps his Department has taken to prevent the practice of full year compulsory lease lengths being imposed on students by private student accommodation providers in Dublin and Cork, such as a company (details supplied) that owns 11 properties nationally and is offering students leases that are 52 weeks long. [7149/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

335. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) is reporting that students in private accommodation fear availing of their rights under the legislation for student specific accommodation as they fear the risk of not having their lease renewed at the beginning of the subsequent academic year; and what measures his Department can take to address those concerns [7150/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

336. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how his Department will ensure the enforceability of the definition for ‘student accommodation’, as provided for in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended by the Residential Tenancies Act 2019 (details supplied). [7151/24]

Irish Language

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

69. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her Department will conduct an investigation into the steep rise in exemptions from the study of Irish at primary and post-primary level to assess the learning necessity for those exemptions and develop strategies to minimise the number of and necessity for exemptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6266/24]

State Examinations

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

103. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that leaving certificate results will be available in time to allow first year third level students start college at the same time as others and if she can provide a date now. [6263/24]

School Transport

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

112. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will pilot a school transport for all policy for 12 months in the south east ward of Cork city that would provide pupils with access to a bus service or bicycles in an effort to encourage the over 5,900 children currently travelling by car to change mode of transport and if she will report on the success of the pilot. [6264/24]

School Enrolments

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

127. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the number of children in the greater Dublin area are currently without a second level place or are on long lists for admission to a second level schools place; what measures are being taken to address the issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6262/24]

Special Educational Needs

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

128. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if schools planning to open a special class in September 2024 can be provided access to training for staff before the classes open in September, in order to prevent classes having to lose teachers on those training days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6265/24]

Environmental Schemes

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

166. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the SEAI warmer homes scheme on foot of the issuance of the energy efficiency guidance to support upgrading of older traditional buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6203/24]

School Meals Programme

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

442. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a school (details supplied) will be assessed for a late application and included in the hot school meals programme in April which would rectify an administrative error due to extenuating circumstances. [6267/24]

School Staff

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

197. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education to set out the number of substitutable primary teacher absences overall, and on a county by county basis, which were not covered by a substitute teacher and those that were covered by an unregistered person, between 1 September 2023 and 31 January 2024. [5281/24]

Residency Permits

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

330. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to increase the 12 month extension period to the residence permission for graduates with a level 8 qualification under the third level graduate scheme; if he has considered increasing it to 18 months and to 24 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5103/24]

Residency Permits

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

331. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice the reason graduates outside of Dublin cannot apply online for the 12-month extension period to their residence permission while graduates in Dublin can do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5104/24]