Parliamentary questions

Rail Network

Éamon Ó Cuív

68. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to follow up on work carried out by Iarnród Éireann on line clearance on sections of the rail line from Collooney to Athenry by providing funding in 2024 for the design work on the upgrade of the line from Athenry to Claremorris to a suitable standard to reopen it for freight and passenger travel; if he supports the statement by Iarnród Éireann (details supplied); the discussions he has in relation to TII reinstating the railway bridge in Ballyglunin, County Galway as it has committed to doing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4538/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Éamon Ó Cuív

307. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the sections of the Acts that provide that a person is not regarded as unemployed for jobseeker's benefit purposes, for any day that they are actively engaged in farming; whether it is intended to change this provision on the basis that many people engaged in farming in a small way also engage in full-time employment at the same time (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4777/24]

Passport Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

9. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a decision will be made in respect of an application for a passport (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing the said passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4556/24]

Island Communities

Éamon Ó Cuív

106. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made to date with the development of the pier in Inis Meáin, which is urgently needed, following the study carried out by the Marine College in Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3955/24]

Island Communities

Éamon Ó Cuív

115. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the piers on islands and serving islands that are being progressed by her Department in tandem with local county councils towards design and construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3956/24]

State Pensions

Éamon Ó Cuív

369. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for a State pension contribution for a person (details supplied) will be processed and a decision made; the reason for the delay in processing this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3823/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Éamon Ó Cuív

374. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for invalidity pension lodged on 8 May 2023 will be decided (details supplied); the reason for delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3959/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Éamon Ó Cuív

375. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of invalidity pension appeals awaiting a decision for eight months or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3960/24]

Primary Care Centres

Éamon Ó Cuív

568. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in providing a primary healthcare facility in Oranmore, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4268/24]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

599. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an announcement will be made in relation to the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4269/24]

Social Welfare Code

Éamon Ó Cuív

279. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection whether people who were employed for many years and were farming in a very small way at the same time and then went on illness benefit for a year and a half, are entitled to job seeker's benefit on recovery from the illness affecting them, subject to the normal conditions; and if not the reason they are not entitled to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3546/24]

Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla

Éamon Ó Cuív

98. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Taoisigh cén céatadán de bhuiséad fógraíochta a Roinne do 2023 atá caite go dtí seo i mbliana ar fhógraíocht a dhéanamh i nGaeilge agus an bhféadfadh sé a dheimhniú go mbainfear amach roimh dheireadh na bliana an céatadán 20% a leagtar síos in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. [2540/24]

Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla

Éamon Ó Cuív

99. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Taoisigh cén céatadán de bhuiséad fógraíochta 2023 na gcomhlachtaí poiblí a thagann faoi scáth a Roinne atá caite go dtí seo i mbliana ar fhógraíocht i nGaeilge agus an bhféadfadh sé a dheimhniú go mbainfidh na comhlachtaí sin amach roimh dheireadh na bliana seo an céatadán 20% a leagtar sios in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. [2541/24]

Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla

Éamon Ó Cuív

100. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Taoisigh cén céatadán de bhuiséad fógraíochta a Roinne do 2023 atá caite go dtí seo i mbliana ar fhógraíocht a dhéanamh sna meáin Ghaeilge agus an bhféadfadh sé a dheimhniú go mbainfear amach roimh dheireadh na bliana an céatadán 5% a leagtar síos in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. [2542/24]

Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla

Éamon Ó Cuív

101. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Taoisigh cén céatadán de bhuiséad fógraíochta 2023 na gcomhlachtaí poiblí a thagann faoi scáth a Roinne atá caite go dtí seo i mbliana ar fhógraíocht a dhéanamh sna meáin Ghaeilge agus an bhféadfadh sé a dheimhniú go mbainfidh na comhlachtaí sin amach roimh dheireadh na bliana an céatadán 5% a leagtar sios in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. [2543/24]

Driver Test

Éamon Ó Cuív

180. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Iompair an meán, atá ar thástáil tiomána i láthair na huaire; cad iad na céimeanna atá á nglacadh aige chun an mhoill sin a laghdú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [2722/24]

School Transport

Éamon Ó Cuív

286. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when school transport route number F2050 will be re-instated to transport children to a school (details supplied) in County Galway; the need for this service, which has been withdrawn since 18 October 2023 to be re-instated immediately due to the challenges being faced by the students affected and their parents as a result of the withdrawal of the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2603/24]

School Transport

Éamon Ó Cuív

287. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when school transport route number 5060 will be re-instated to transport children from Moycullen to a school (details supplied), given the need for this service to be re-instated immediately due to the challenges being faced by the students affected and their parents as a result of the withdrawal of the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2604/24]

Departmental Policies

Éamon Ó Cuív

392. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection what arrangements, if any, she has made with private bus operators such as CityLink to ensure that there are no charges, such as booking on-line charges to be paid by passengers with free travel passes form her Department and to ensure that a free travel pass means “free travel”; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2630/24]

Prison Service

Éamon Ó Cuív

455. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the total number of occasions on which prisoners slept on mattresses, by prison, during Q4 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2998/24]

Disability Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

506. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to ensure the full range of therapies and community care treatments are available to children in the Galway area of CHO2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1269/24]

Hospital Facilities

Éamon Ó Cuív

35. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date with the provision of improved facilities at Galway University Hospital with particular reference to the emergency department/mothers and children unit, the elective surgery block, the new laboratories, the new cancer care unit and the provision of extra beds at the hospital; if any of these projects are awaiting approval by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1268/24]

Flood Risk Management

Éamon Ó Cuív

171. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the progress made with the design of urgent measures to reduce the impact of further flooding in a village (details supplied), with particular reference to measures that would not require detailed environmental studies in view of the damage done by flooding in 2023; the discussions in this regard between the OPW and the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2224/24]

Business Supports

Éamon Ó Cuív

173. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of expenditure expended through the Red Cross to assist businesses affected by flooding in 2023 to date; if he intends amending the scheme to cover businesses with partial flood insurance cover who were severely impacted by flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2223/24]

Voluntary Housing Sector

Éamon Ó Cuív

211. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a decision will be made on a submission by a voluntary housing body (details supplied) for funding to employ two people over a two year period; and if he will make a decision on the matter. [2221/24]

Flood Relief Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

228. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount of financial aid paid out by the Department to date under the scheme to assist those affected by flooding in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2222/24]

Foreshore Issues

Éamon Ó Cuív

281. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the transfer of a foreshore lease to a new assignee will be approved (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2219/24]

Health Services Staff

Éamon Ó Cuív

300. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of paediatric dermatologists in CHO2; the efforts being made to recruit maternity covers in the paediatric dermatology department as well as replacements for retirees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2110/24]

National Broadband Plan

Éamon Ó Cuív

113. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason a property (details supplied) was not included in the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan as it does not have access to 30Mb/s of broadband at present and there is no time indication when this will happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1276/24]

Electric Vehicles

Éamon Ó Cuív

241. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport what discussions he has had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to ensuring, over time, that all local authority housing tenants have access to home charging of electric vehicles; if he has proposed that such facilities would be provided in all new local authority accommodation from now on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1189/24]

Driver Test

Éamon Ó Cuív

264. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the reason an applicant (details supplied) for a CPC card has to re-sit the theory test to be approved for the CPC card when they already passed the theory test in 2012 when they applied for a learner permit. [1278/24]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Éamon Ó Cuív

340. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance the number of mortgage borrowers with long term mortgage arrears at the end of each year since 2000; the efforts being made, through assisting people in mortgage arrears, to reduce this number; whether it is intended to introduce new measures to achieve this in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1004/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Éamon Ó Cuív

398. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if it is intended to retain the link between current salary increases for serving members of An Garda Síochána and retired members; whether breaking this link is on the agenda for the present round of public service pay talks; if so, if it is intended to have representatives of retired members participating in these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1188/24]

Work Permits

Éamon Ó Cuív

449. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permits issued by his Department in 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1807/24]

School Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

605. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education in view of the large number of applications from second level schools for STEM grants, if she plans to allocate further funding to STEM grants early in 2024 and grant funding to other applicant schools that made applications of a high standard that were not given any grant under round one of the grants announced on 20 December 2023, particularly having regard to the importance of STEM subjects in education from both an educational point of view and for the long term benefit of the economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1182/24]

School Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

608. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education whether in view of the large number of applications from primary schools for STEM grants she intends allocating further money to this early in 2024 and granting funding to other applicant schools that made applications of a high standard that were not given any grant under round one of the grants announced on 20 December 2023, particularly having regard to the importance of STEM subjects in education from both an educational point of view and for the long-term benefit of the economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1277/24]

Sports Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

714. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the present status of an application under the large scale sports infrastructure fund (details supplied); whether a further announcement will be made in relation to this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1225/24]

Sports Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

715. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media whether it is intended to seek further applications this year under the large scale sports infrastructure fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1226/24]

Sports Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

716. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the present status of an application under the large scale sports infrastructure fund (details supplied); whether a further announcement will be made in relation to this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1227/24]

Wastewater Treatment

Éamon Ó Cuív

797. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of single house private wastewater systems in the country; the expenditure by his Department, through local authorities, for remediation grants to these wastewater systems in each of the past five years; the expected expenditure in 2024; whether it is intended to extend this scheme further in 2024 to make the grant available to all who have defective systems, thus causing pollution, and not confine it to those on the local authority inspection plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1063/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Éamon Ó Cuív

913. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal for carer’s allowance (details supplied) will be processed and a decision made on it; the reason for the delay in processing this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57223/23]

Departmental Policies

Éamon Ó Cuív

944. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the cost-of-living measures applied to certain social welfare payments, as announced in Budget 2024, were not available to persons on a disablement pension and unemployability supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1103/24]

Departmental Policies

Éamon Ó Cuív

945. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons in receipt of a disablement pension and unemployability supplement are not eligible to apply for the fuel allowance based on these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1104/24]

Asylum Seekers

Éamon Ó Cuív

1084. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to open a special humanitarian pathway for residents of Gaza who have family residing in Ireland; if visa applications for residents of Gaza are being prioritised by her Department and the relevant embassy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1183/24]

International Protection

Éamon Ó Cuív

1142. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons who applied for international protection in Ireland in 2022 and 2023 broken down, by country of origin; the number of those have left the country since; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1809/24]

Calafoirt agus Céanna

Éamon Ó Cuív

1244. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a thosófar ar an obair ar mhuiríne ag Ros a' Mhíl, Co. na Gaillimhe a bhfuil €2m ceadaithe di; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [1102/24]

Fishing Industry

Éamon Ó Cuív

1253. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if camper vans are allowed park at fishery port car parks as long as they are not used as accommodation while parked there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1251/24]

Disability Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

1300. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what arrangements he intends putting in place to ensure transport is provided to wheelchair bound rural patients, living in areas where there is an inadequate or no wheelchair compatible public transport services available, to travel to hospital appointments that are in some cases up to 100 km away; whether in such cases the health service is willing to provide taxi transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1221/24]

International Protection

Éamon Ó Cuív

1412. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current occupancy number of all IPAS accommodation for international protection applicants; the current capacity of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1184/24]

International Protection

Éamon Ó Cuív

1413. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current occupancy number of all IPAS accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection; the current capacity of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1185/24]