Parliamentary questions

Departmental Priorities

Fergus O'Dowd

388. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the implementation of the North East Regional Enterprise Plans, considering the need to provide employment in the area and reduce the outward commute from towns such as Drogheda, Ardee and Dunleer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15349/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Fergus O'Dowd

507. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education to respond to urgent concerns relating to a child’s enrolment in an ASD unit in Dundalk (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14753/24]

Schools Building Projects

Fergus O'Dowd

546. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the joint major building project for schools (details supplied) in Drogheda; what stage it is currently at; when they can expect progression to the next stage of the planning process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15291/24]

School Transport

Fergus O'Dowd

550. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will seek or support calls for additional school bus places to cater for all secondary school children travelling from Collon to Ardee, County Louth for the forthcoming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15337/24]

Housing Schemes

Fergus O'Dowd

707. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details on how he and his Department will simplify and enhance the application process and application timelines on the croí cónaithe scheme considering the worrying figures reported in a newspaper (details supplied) on the number of applicants who have successfully drawn down funding on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15200/24]

Fire Stations

Fergus O'Dowd

712. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the new fire station in Dunleer, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15346/24]

Departmental Contracts

Fergus O'Dowd

1170. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, with regard to the 300 contracts that have been terminated with his Department for the accommodation of BOTPs since 2022, the cancellation was instigated by the service provider or his Department, in tabular form; if any follow-up investigations or audits were carried out by the An Garda Síochána and/or his Department; the details of same, if any; if any monies are still outstanding on any of the cancelled contracts; if so if the Department is actively chasing payments on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15280/24]

International Protection

Fergus O'Dowd

1171. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the current plans for the provision of accommodation services within a location (details supplied) in Drogheda; if this centre is now operating as a dispersal centre as reported; to provide an update on how he and his Department are now planning to support Drogheda, considering the impact of this decision which has taken Drogheda's only hotel of scale from the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15289/24]

Primary Care Centres

Fergus O'Dowd

1531. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the total number of primary care centres operating within counties Louth and Meath, by location, itemised services, and the areas that they serve, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14932/24]

Dental Services

Fergus O'Dowd

1585. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the total number of specialist orthodontists, consultant orthodontists and orthodontist assistants currently working within HSE dental services in County Louth for both adults and children from 2020 to date, by location, areas served, current wait times and current vacant open posts for same; if the HSE recruitment embargo has impacted on these posts; if so, if he will undertake to have the embargo removed immediately for this sector to ensure adults and children receive appropriate orthodontic care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15206/24]

Nursing Homes

Fergus O'Dowd

1590. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to immediately interject to ensure that all remaining beds at the new wing within a nursing home (details supplied) are immediately released for use, considering the pressure in the area and the significant public investment that was put into delivering the units which now lie semi-vacant due to the embargo; and if he will provide absolute clarity on this issue. [15279/24]

Ambulance Service

Fergus O'Dowd

1600. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if there are plans for the largest town in Ireland to develop a new ambulance station-base to meet the considerable ever growing pressures in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15371/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Fergus O'Dowd

1708. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there are plans for the further expansion of apprenticeship courses in Louth and Meath for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15328/24]

Community Development Projects

Fergus O'Dowd

1734. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will seek an update on the purchase of a building (details supplied) in Dunleer for use as a multipurpose community space through the building acquisition measures; if any further request has been received from Louth County Council for any further buildings in the county under the BAM scheme; if so, the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15345/24]

Hospital Services

Fergus O'Dowd

277. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to respond to direct concerns and questions raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of Cherry Orchard Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13330/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Fergus O'Dowd

97. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to the introduction of a public subsidy where an estate in a town or urban area for which it is uncommercial for operators to service high speed broadband due to infrastructure deficits, which operators can tender for, which provides funding to bridge the gap between the excess cost in rolling out to such estates and the commercial cut off point that is, the point at which it is uncommercial for an operator to serve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12044/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Fergus O'Dowd

98. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a response will issue to concerns raised by a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12052/24]

Climate Change Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

105. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures which are currently being undertaken to identify and implement strategies that will assist in reducing Ireland's carbon footprint in regard to future decisions on public procurement contracts across all areas and public bodies, including targeted timelines for implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12208/24]

Climate Change Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

106. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to identify any and all grant supports for new businesses building new premises that wish to make their sites carbon neutral and avoid fossil fuel energy sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12212/24]

Business Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

329. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a response will issue to queries raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of the Increased Cost of Business Grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12258/24]