Parliamentary questions

Health Services Staff

Brendan Howlin

314. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 11 May 2022, if any improvement has been made in filling vacant therapist posts (occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, psychology therapy) in County Wexford’s four CDNTs; the plans he has to ensure that an adequate service for children in County Wexford is provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43288/23]

Special Educational Needs

Brendan Howlin

182. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number and location of therapist posts, including speech and language therapists, occupational, psychological and other, appointed to special schools to date in 2023, setting out the CHO areas of each appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43112/23]

Disaster Response

Brendan Howlin

2. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the contribution made by Ireland to address the humanitarian crises following the earthquake in Morocco and the floods in Libya; if our emergency response capabilities need to be upgraded in the face of growing climate disasters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41906/23]

Middle East

Brendan Howlin

11. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will set out the matters discussed and the responses received in his discussions with the President of the state of Palestine Mr. Mahmoud Abbas; if the issue of the recognition of the state of Palestine by Ireland was discussed; if he raised the issue of holding elections in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39899/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

26. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will set out his views on the prospects for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41903/23]

EU Enlargement

Brendan Howlin

48. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on progress to EU membership of each of the Western Balkan state applicants, the issues to be resolved by each country to advance their applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41901/23]

Middle East

Brendan Howlin

54. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will set out the matters raised by him and the responses received, in his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; if he specifically raised the continued annexation of Palestinian land by Israeli settlers and the treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39898/23]

European Union

Brendan Howlin

55. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to set out his views on the EU reform proposals from the Franco-German expert group which were presented to the General Affairs Council on 19 September 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41902/23]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Howlin

447. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 2518 of 21 April 2021, if he could update the table provided to include 2021 and 2022 figures and, using the same methods as before, to calculate the CO2 missed capture due to failed afforestation targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41471/23]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Howlin

448. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if officials from his Department have carried out analyses on the afforestation files on hand that will be affected by new restrictions relating to peat, high nature value farmlands and extended bird exclusion zones; to detail the overall number of applications affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41472/23]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Howlin

449. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is accommodating all forestry stakeholder groups equally in terms of facilitating meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41474/23]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Howlin

450. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there have been any changes within his Department at Assistant Secretary-level with responsibility for forestry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41475/23]

Bus Services

Brendan Howlin

85. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if he will set out his proposals to increase LocalLink bus services to facilitate access to Wexford town from adjoining rural areas; if there are any plans, in particular, to provide disabled persons access from the Curracloe area into services in Wexford town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39763/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Brendan Howlin

190. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when he proposes to approve the Labour Court recommended increase in pension entitlements for An Post pensioners who have been due pension increases from 1 January 2022 and further increases from January 2023 and July 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39621/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Howlin

605. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 698 of 25 July 2023, if she will accept that a great injustice has been done in requiring the repayment to her Department of monies caused by the extraordinary requirements of the Covid crisis whereby a person (details supplied) exceeded their allowed working hours to facilitate the national response to maintain nursing care at this critical time; if she will review the decisions made by her Department in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39480/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Brendan Howlin

623. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is her intention that foster carers be allowed to maintain a social protection stamp/credit while continuing their foster caring and not be required to fulfil the signing-on requirements for jobseeker's credits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39770/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Howlin

630. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to include fibromyalgia as a recognised long-term illness condition for social protection purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39894/23]

Grant Payments

Brendan Howlin

1049. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will facilitate an appeal in relation to the awarding of a SUSI grant to a person (details supplied) who, due to their being abroad during the allowed appeal period, in line with Teaching Council requirements, has been unable to forward an appeal under the statutory provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39486/23]

Military Exports

Brendan Howlin

39. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will set out the measures he has taken to ensure that Ireland does not facilitate the transit of cluster munitions through Irish airports, ports or airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36000/23]

Passport Services

Brendan Howlin

41. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be processed urgently by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36055/23]