Parliamentary questions

Legislative Measures

Jennifer Whitmore

381. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the marine protected areas Bill 2023 will be published, given this legislation was initially promised for July 2023; the reason for the repeated delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6120/24]

Legislative Measures

Jennifer Whitmore

382. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what measures, or necessary resources, have been put in place in order to begin implementation of the marine protected areas Bill 2023 as soon as it has been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6121/24]

Marine Protected Areas

Jennifer Whitmore

383. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many of Ireland's special protection areas with a marine element have site specific conservation objectives in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6122/24]

Marine Protected Areas

Jennifer Whitmore

384. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many of Ireland's special protection areas with a marine element have conservation measures in place in addition to activities requiring consent management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6123/24]

Marine Protected Areas

Jennifer Whitmore

385. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of additional special protection areas and special areas of conservation with a marine element that are currently ready, being prepared or are being planned for designation up until 2030. [6124/24]

Wildlife Regulations

Jennifer Whitmore

417. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether successful prosecution of wildlife crimes should be a priority under Ireland’s Biodiversity Action Plan and our obligations under the ’30 x 30’ UN Biodiversity Goals; when data previously requested on wildlife crimes which were registered, prosecuted and convicted in Ireland, by county, since 2014, will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6546/24]

Recycling Policy

Jennifer Whitmore

145. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures that are in place for the deposit return scheme for housebound or disabled persons who shop for groceries online and are unable to physically access the deposit return scheme in shops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5943/24]

National Car Test

Jennifer Whitmore

71. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport what measures are in place to protect motorists from a legal perspective who cannot access NCT tests due to the backlog; if consideration has been given to motorists who could be subjected to non-payment of claims by insurance companies in the event of expired NCT tests; if consideration has been given to suspending inspections on newer cars until the backlog is cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5166/24]

Special Educational Needs

Jennifer Whitmore

192. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education what actions her Department is taking to support the families of children trying to access places in early intervention preschool units when there are no such units in their local area and their family home is outside of the catchment areas for the nearest early intervention preschool unit, such as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5204/24]

Prison Service

Jennifer Whitmore

342. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Justice the rationale behind granting and then revoking temporary release for individuals in Shelton Abbey Prison in the month of December 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5165/24]

Departmental Data

Jennifer Whitmore

396. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recorded/confirmed dates of fireblight erwinia amylovora infections detections by his Department in 2023 per county; the scale of each detection in terms of linear metres or hectares, species infected and whether sites of infection were in an agricultural/forestry setting; the recommended best practice methods for preventing or eradicating the disease, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5325/24]

Agriculture Industry

Jennifer Whitmore

397. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that have been taken by his Department currently to eradicate fireblight erwinia amylovora infections in 2023, in the most significant outbreak believed to be throughout a Kerry townland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5326/24]

Agriculture Industry

Jennifer Whitmore

398. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what advice and training is being provided to local authorities, landowners or contractors to assist his Departmental staff in suppressing regarding fireblight erwinia amylovora infections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5327/24]

Departmental Reports

Jennifer Whitmore

399. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a comprehensive disease risk analysis was carried out regarding fireblight erwinia amylovora infections by his Department prior to the November 2023 relaxation on the requirement for use of native provenance plants or plants of Irish origin under the ACRES scheme; and if so will he make a copy available. [5328/24]

Disability Services

Jennifer Whitmore

438. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of the current waiting times for children, as in the case of a child (details supplied) trying to access early intervention services with the Kildare West Wicklow children’s disability network teams; and the steps that are being taken to shorten these waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5207/24]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

459. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures in place to ensure that parents who have no alternative but to enrol their child in a non-participating provider, continue to benefit from the subsidy towards their childcare costs, in view of the prospect of childcare providers in the first instance refusing to enter the core funding model scheme, or in the second instance exiting the core funding model scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5496/24]

Departmental Inquiries

Jennifer Whitmore

509. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health for an update regarding the establishment of the promised inquiry on the historical licensing and prescribing of sodium valproate; when he expects the inquiry will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5163/24]

Health Services

Jennifer Whitmore

510. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the services currently available to those diagnosed with foetal valproate spectrum disorder; how families can access these services within their communities following a diagnosis; the status of discussions between the HSE and his Department to improve access to services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5164/24]

Environmental Schemes

Jennifer Whitmore

91. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update on the low-interest loans for retrofitting; when an interest rate will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3656/24]

Energy Policy

Jennifer Whitmore

186. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the supports provided, both advisory and financial, to communities to participate in the Community Electricity Generation projects; the progress to date of those projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3707/24]