Parliamentary questions

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

203. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to his forthcoming new Student Accommodation Strategy, if he is proposing the use of public private partnerships for the delivery of student accommodation by the technological universities; given the past criticism of PPPs from a value for money perspective, if his Department conducted a risk analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4395/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

212. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the name, year and the initial value of investments made in student accommodation related projects/funds/joint ventures since the Irish Strategic Investment Fund’s inception, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3768/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

328. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the rules for strategic housing developments as they apply to purpose built student accommodation, the minimum room size, in square meters for a single occupancy room; the minimum and maximum period of duration of stay; what restrictions apply to these rooms being rented to non-students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3857/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

359. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of strategic housing developments that relate to purpose built student accommodation that have yet to be determined by An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4262/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

360. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to section 13(d)(b) of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, as per the definition of student accommodation (details supplied); what oversight is conducted to ensure compliance with this; who is the relevant authority with responsibility for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4263/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

578. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for the full list of craft apprenticeships, along with the latest taught version of the syllabuses; the date it was first published; the date of last review by QQI, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3836/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

581. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the date his new Student Accommodation Strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4071/24]

Departmental Funding

Mairéad Farrell

582. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the date that the funds for the running of the WorldSkills Ireland event 2024 will be disbursed; if the limited time left runs the risk of the event not proceeding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4072/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

583. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the date that the HEA will publish its supply and demand analysis for student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4073/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

587. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 123 of 19 October 2023, where it was stated that "the total stock of purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) equates to over 48,000 beds (Q2 2023)"; the source for this figure; the breakdown of publicly owned versus privately owned PBSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4261/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Mairéad Farrell

47. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on an application for a foreign birth registration (details supplied); if there is a reason for the delay with it; when the decision is expected to issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3208/24]

Road Projects

Mairéad Farrell

128. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her attention has been brought to the fact that the local improvement scheme offered by Galway County Council will not be taking applications for a third year in 2024 leaving the condition of roads not taken in charge by the County Council to further deteriorate, which is a particular problem in Gaeltacht areas of the county; if she is looking at other avenues to improve infrastructure such as roads in the Gaeltacht; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3134/24]

Road Projects

Mairéad Farrell

230. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her attention has been brought to the fact that the local improvement scheme offered by Galway County Council will not be taking applications for a third year in 2024, leaving the condition of roads not taken in charge by the County Council to further deteriorate; if she intends to make additional funding available to address this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3133/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

131. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his Departmental officials support the legislative conservation of invasive perch in Lough Shindilla under the current Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006 and the subsequent ecological destruction of native Arctic char (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2675/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

132. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his Departmental officials support the continual stocking of invasive rainbow trout into Lough Lene SAC lake (details supplied) given the direct negative impact that invasive freshwater fish have on the ecological quality status of Irish rivers and lakes under the EU Water Framework Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2676/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

133. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his Departmental officials support the legislative conservation of invasive roach in Lettercraffroe Lough (details supplied) under the current Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006 considering that roach are classed as highly invasive in Ireland under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 477 of 2011); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2677/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

134. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his Departmental officials support the continual promotion on Ballyquirke Lough SAC lake as an invasive pike and coarse fishery given the direct negative impact that invasive freshwater fish have on the ecological quality status of Irish rivers and lakes under the EU Water Framework Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2678/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

135. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his Departmental officials support the legislative conservation of invasive tench in Ballyquirke Lough and the wider Lough Corrib SAC catchment under the current Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2679/24]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

136. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his Departmental officials support the continual promotion of Ross Lake SAC lake as an invasive pike and coarse fishery given the direct negative impact that invasive freshwater fish have on the ecological quality status of Irish rivers and lakes under the EU Water Framework Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2680/24]

Grant Payments

Mairéad Farrell

479. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he would consider starting the process again to contact fishers directly when grants become available as fishers may not see the updates on the website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2686/24]

Research and Development

Mairéad Farrell

676. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the Horizon Europe consortia linkages between Irish universities and Israeli institutions, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2714/24]

Departmental Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

687. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 1868 of 17 January 2024, if she will provide the date that she expects the process to select the Local Action Groups (LAGs) to deliver the 2023-2027 LEADER Programme will be completed. [3066/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

74. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the delivery of student housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2286/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

76. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work he is doing to ensure that current students and apprentices are retained within Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2287/24]

Employment Support Services

Mairéad Farrell

342. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide details of the work his Department does with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to ensure that students and apprentices transition into suitable employment opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2288/24]

Road Projects

Mairéad Farrell

213. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport his plans to accelerate the Galway bypass and improve travel in Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57084/23]

Road Projects

Mairéad Farrell

214. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the delay to the Galway bypass project to date; the timeline for commencement and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57085/23]

Driver Test

Mairéad Farrell

290. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 170 of 7 December 2023, if any of the additional driver testers have been allocated to test centres in County Galway; if so, how many; to which test centres in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1677/24]

Education Schemes

Mairéad Farrell

575. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the criteria for the STEM awards; if there is an appeal process; to detail the reason that no DEIS schools in Galway city received the awards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57327/23]

Scrúduithe Stáit

Mairéad Farrell

686. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Mairéad Farrell den Aire Oideachais an gcoinneofar an t-athrú atá déanta ar an méid sraitheanna pictiúr i scrúdú Gaeilge na hArdteistiméireachta 2024 (10 seachas 20) sa chéad Ardteistiméireacht eile in 2025; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [1985/24]

Rental Sector

Mairéad Farrell

765. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Tuam LEA in County Galway will be considered an RPZ, given increasing rents in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56881/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Mairéad Farrell

966. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a disability allowance application review (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1506/24]

Disability Services

Mairéad Farrell

1322. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to address lengthy waiting lists and staffing issues for child disability services, such as speech and language, occupational and behavioural therapy in areas such as CDNT7 in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56465/23]

Hospital Admissions

Mairéad Farrell

1704. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) who suffers from severe eczema and allergies will have their case referred to University Hospital Galway. [1422/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

1825. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason motor mechanic apprentices can wear corrective lenses to compensate for colour blindness but electrical engineers cannot, despite the former dealing with more complex wires for example, plume wires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56759/23]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

1862. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to his recent comments (details supplied) that he has “created all-island apprenticeships”, he can explain what this refers to; when it was introduced; what funding has been allocated towards this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1791/24]

Public Procurement Contracts

Mairéad Farrell

1868. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the decision on the tender of local development strategy for the delivery LEADER 2023 to 2027 for the Connemara Municipal District area of County Galway submitted by an organisation (details supplied) will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57087/23]

Departmental Schemes

Mairéad Farrell

253. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how an SME can apply for the increased cost of business scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55849/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Mairéad Farrell

260. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given that Minister for Children, Disability, Integration and Youth, has just announced capital funding for crèches to create 90,000 new places, the staffing strategy to service those places; if the €1.5 billion surplus of the national training fund not be used to train early years teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55683/23]

An Garda Síochána

Mairéad Farrell

74. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the total Garda numbers for Galway for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of retirements in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54634/23]

Military Aircraft

Mairéad Farrell

103. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department approved the overflight of a US Air Force flight (details supplied); to explain how such an aircraft complied with Government prohibitions against the carrying of weapons, munitions, and so on, given that no such aircraft leaves the United States unless it is on a military operation or training exercise; and to outline what precautions are taken to ensure contraventions do not take place.
[54888/23]

Invasive Species Policy

Mairéad Farrell

129. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and officials in the Inland Fisheries division can confirm that pink salmon (oncorhynchus gorbuscha) are legally classed as an invasive anadromous fish species in Ireland under the EU Water Framework Directive; if pink salmon are classed as invasive to Ireland (ecoregion 17), the reason they are being treated in the same way as native Atlantic salmon under forthcoming legislation as referenced in the minutes of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54916/23]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

130. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason no meeting was held by an organisation (details supplied) in July 2023 considering his statement on 20 June 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54917/23]

Departmental Properties

Mairéad Farrell

374. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the level of land bank that Údarás na Gaeltachta has that is suitable for housing broken down, by county and by size; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55103/23]

Wastewater Treatment

Mairéad Farrell

375. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to detail the discussion between Údarás na Gaeltachta and Irish Water; if there are plans to put Údarás na Gaeltachta wastewater treatment plants under Irish Water’s control; if there are plans to put Údarás na Gaeltachta wastewater treatment plants under Irish Water’s control after they have been upgraded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55104/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Mairéad Farrell

486. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that people who will be completing 12 months on illness benefit in the period between the payment of the Christmas bonus and Christmas Day are not included in the payment; and if a person (details supplied) who commenced illness benefit on the 12 December 2022 will be paid the Christmas bonus [54894/23]

Hospital Staff

Mairéad Farrell

771. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health in relation to career path progression for consultants, what training schemes must be completed by doctors that rise to the level of consultant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54602/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Mairéad Farrell

817. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will have a new scooter provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55076/23]

Departmental Funding

Mairéad Farrell

865. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the date the technological sector strategic projects fund was established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54712/23]

Departmental Funding

Mairéad Farrell

866. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the figure for the initial capitalisation of the technological sector strategic projects fund and the current capitalisation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54713/23]