Parliamentary questions

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Richard Boyd Barrett

16. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on his visit to the western Balkans. [2796/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Boyd Barrett

73. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if there has been an increase in the amount of ammunition for automatic rifles expended at the Curragh and the Glen of Imaal army ranges since the beginning of 2021; and whether any of this ammunition was used for training soldiers from NATO countries. [6786/24]

Departmental Programmes

Richard Boyd Barrett

1. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach for an update on the child poverty and well-being unit. [4031/24]

Citizens' Assembly

Richard Boyd Barrett

10. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach the expected timeline for the citizens' assemblies committed to in the programme for Government. [4019/24]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

16. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [2807/24]

Middle East

Richard Boyd Barrett

135. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of reports a Palestinian-Canadian journalist (details supplied) has been abducted by Israeli authorities in Gaza; if he is aware of reports that journalists are being targeted by Israeli authorities in Gaza; if he has raised the issue with the Government of Israel; if he has raised the issue with the Government of Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6071/24]

International Protection

Richard Boyd Barrett

470. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice the process by which a person who is not currently in Ireland and is in need of international protection would apply for asylum in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6521/24]

Film Industry

Richard Boyd Barrett

4. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what measures he is considering to ensure that workers in the film industry who are subject to multiple successive fixed-term contracts, have their rights under fixed-term workers legislation fully vindicated, and have their service to the industry properly recognised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5798/24]

Employment Rights

Richard Boyd Barrett

15. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what his role is in ensuring full compliance with employment legislation and workers right in the film TV arts and audio visual sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5801/24]

Low Pay

Richard Boyd Barrett

34. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment given the new information from the ESRI on low pay work, if he will consider the abolishment of sub-minimum wage rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5799/24]

National Minimum Wage

Richard Boyd Barrett

66. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment given that an increasing number of employers are in breach of national minimum wage laws, but the number of prosecutions is low, how is he going to enforce minimum wage law compliance and if there will be additional penalties to employers for minimum wage law breaches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5797/24]

Intellectual Property

Richard Boyd Barrett

81. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what progress he is making in addressing the concerns of actors, performers, writers and directors in the film and TV industry in relation to fully vindicating their intellectual property rights under the copyright directive and copyright legislation. [5800/24]

Public Expenditure Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

89. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform given the need for large supplementary estimates in health and education in 2023, the steps he will take to avoid underestimates of funding public services; how he is going to monitor the adequacy of funding provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5768/24]

Public Sector Staff

Richard Boyd Barrett

124. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform what considerations he has given to the proposed four day work week across the public sector as raised by multiple trade unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5769/24]

Public Sector Staff

Richard Boyd Barrett

172. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he is considering the high cost of accommodation as a significant factor in recruitment and retention challenges; and what considerations will be given to this. [5955/24]

National Development Plan

Richard Boyd Barrett

173. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will consider the establishment of a state-run construction company to assist in achieving the National Development Plan goals and particularly the urgent need to address the housing crisis and critical infrastructure development. [5956/24]

Central Statistics Office

Richard Boyd Barrett

2. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to provide details on Ireland’s annual drowning rate; the way this compares with other countries in Europe; and to provide a breakdown of drowning rates by county. [5178/24]

Driver Test

Richard Boyd Barrett

73. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport the number of permanent staff employed by the Road Safety Authority as driver testers by testing centre; to provide an updated account of the waiting times for driving test applicants by testing centre; to provide a breakdown of the number of contract staff employed as driver testers; the retention rate of both permanent and contract staff employed as driver testers in the RSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5180/24]

Joint Labour Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

148. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment given that employers, security officers and trade unions had up to 2 January 2024 to enter submissions and that almost one month has elapsed since; when he plans to sign the Security Industry Joint Labour Committee Employment Regulation Order draft proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5467/24]

Schools Building Projects

Richard Boyd Barrett

182. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the proposed date for the completed construction of the Dún Laoghaire Education Together National School; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5125/24]

Special Educational Needs

Richard Boyd Barrett

183. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education how the Department is calculating the data which allocates special education teachers and the adjustments made based on complex needs; if the Department has received this data and will report on it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5126/24]

Legal Aid

Richard Boyd Barrett

345. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice the amount that has been spent by the Legal Aid Board to personal insolvency practitioners, solicitors and barristers under the PIA Review of the Legal Aid Service for 2022 and 2023; the details of these payments; the companies and individuals that received same; the amount received by each company and individual; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5211/24]

Legal Aid

Richard Boyd Barrett

346. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice the amount that has been accrued, but is as yet unpaid, by the Legal Aid Board to personal insolvency practitioners, solicitors and barristers under the PIA Review of the Legal Aid Service since its inception in 2016 to date; the details of these liabilities; the companies to which they are owed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5212/24]

Public Transport

Richard Boyd Barrett

30. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport when he intends to act on the motion passed by Dáil Éireann in October 2022 in favour of free public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4625/24]

Bus Services

Richard Boyd Barrett

65. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport to outline how he intends to address the impact of the shortage of drivers on the delivery of bus services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4626/24]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

86. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the latest projections for corporate tax revenue, given the introduction of 15% effective corporate tax rate for 2024 and 2025; and if he is satisfied that 15% will in reality be an effective tax rate. [4572/24]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

98. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing a digital tax on digital and social media companies, as an alternative method of funding public service broadband to replace the regressive and widely discredited TV licence model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4569/24]

Data Centres

Richard Boyd Barrett

119. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing a specific tax on data centres given their high impact on our energy and resource infrastructure. [4571/24]

Film Industry

Richard Boyd Barrett

125. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the penalties he is considering on film production companies found to be in breach of their requirement and obligation for receiving section 481 film tax credit funding, given the recent Workplace Relations Commission rulings against a company (details supplied) for its failure to uphold the employment rights and blacklisting of 38 film crew; if he intends to undertake an investigation into whether the practices at play in these cases are widespread in the film industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4573/24]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

145. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider and introduction of a wealth tax, given recent reports by an organisation (details supplied) and the Central Bank on the wealth distribution showing ever growing concentration of wealth in the hands of the very wealthiest households. [4570/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Richard Boyd Barrett

342. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm the list of Mother and Baby Homes and any other State institutions that are included in the Redress Scheme, and to provide also a list of institutions that are not included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4662/24]

Legislative Programme

Richard Boyd Barrett

2. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the legislative programme. [4020/24]

Middle East

Richard Boyd Barrett

5. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the activities of the sole remaining animal shelter in Gaza, Sulala Animal Rescue, and its collaboration with Animals Australia; whether he has raised the issue of animal feed reaching the shelter through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint with the Israeli Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4410/24]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

7. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [4029/24]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

10. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with disability will next meet. [4021/24]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

16. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to provide an update on Housing for All. [2795/24]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

26. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of the Cabinet committees on which he sits. [4030/24]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Boyd Barrett

138. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 17 January 2024, to clarify whether persons excluded from the credit due to low energy usage where they have been occupying the property and are not a vulnerable customer/entitled to be a vulnerable customer or have a financial meter, will be awarded the credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3701/24]

Electricity Supply Board

Richard Boyd Barrett

233. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to report on when semi-State PAYE pensioners who were not permitted to contribute to the Government pension scheme can expect their pension increase to be paid out to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3997/24]

Education Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

278. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the grounds there are for the compulsory nature of educational devices in schools; if she is aware of the costs incurred by parents of students for the mandatory devices as well as the mandatory textbooks and other materials; if she will report on the process of contracting suppliers of the educational devices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3998/24]

Middle East

Richard Boyd Barrett

11. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a public statement supporting the South African case against Israel for genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and advocate for Ireland to formally intervene in the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3348/24]

Middle East

Richard Boyd Barrett

24. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what efforts he is making to assist Irish citizens or families with connections to this country who are seeking to escape Gaza and especially those who have contacted him seeking assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3349/24]

European Council

Richard Boyd Barrett

6. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on the December European Union Council meeting. [2805/24]

School Transport

Richard Boyd Barrett

111. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education to outline the process for allocating school buses to schools or to areas within the greater Dublin area. [3120/24]

Housing Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

135. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will lift the mandatory 90-day period for being declared homeless for HAP tenants if the tenant finds a property before the 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3173/24]

Middle East

Richard Boyd Barrett

193. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if, in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, the alarming rate of conflict-related injury and illness affecting children there, the rate at which children are made orphans there, the destruction of Gazan hospitals, and the severe pressures on hospitals in the wider region, he is aware of calls to host Palestinian orphans in severe need of medical care in Ireland; if he is aware of pledges by the United Arab Emirates to evacuate up to 1,000 injured children from Gaza for treatment in hospitals in the UAE; if he is aware of the evacuation of dozens of displaced patients from Gaza to Turkey for treatment; if he is aware of any other medical evacuations of displaced Palestinians to other states; to look into undertaking a similar effort in Ireland; to outline what avenues humanitarians in the region could pursue to see sick and injured orphans from Gaza treated in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3152/24]

Economic Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

1. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on his Department’s new publication entitled Government Response to Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2023. [53909/23]

Middle East

Richard Boyd Barrett

112. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of reports that a number of Irish citizens are serving in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), in light of Government statements that Israeli actions in Gaza may amount to war crimes, in light of the proceedings against Israel in the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention, in light of Ireland’s obligations as a signatory to the latter to take measures both to prevent and to punish the crime of genocide, including by punishing perpetrators, including private individuals, and in light of domestic legislation such as the Genocide Act 1973; his views on whether these individuals serving in the IDF may be in breach of Irish law; if he intends to publicly advise those eligible to serve in the IDF against doing so; his further views on whether it is appropriate for Irish citizens to serve in foreign militaries, particularly where the documented conduct of these militaries might seriously conflict with international human rights law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2768/24]

Air Corps

Richard Boyd Barrett

153. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if, in light of the French and Jordanian delivery of aid to Gaza using military aircraft, and in light of the fact that it is unconfirmed whether France received permission from Israel to carry out this operation, acknowledging that the Irish Air Corps has similarly capable CASA-CN235 aircraft, and acknowledging the deployment of these aircraft by the State in relief and evacuation operations in response to crisis situations in Ukraine and Lebanon, if he intends to look into deploying Irish military aircraft in operations to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2769/24]

Film Industry

Richard Boyd Barrett

201. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance what input his Department and the Revenue Commissioners will have in the film industry stakeholders' forum planned for early 2024, given their involvement in the film sector through Section 481; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2403/24]