Parliamentary questions

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

260. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he considers that financial losses faced by vessels in respect of pelagic stocks such as mackerel and herring will be adequately compensated for by the Brexit pelagic fisheries support scheme, given that they will be required to repay any funding received for months that their vessels were tied up as part of the Brexit temporary fleet tie-up scheme or other introduced temporary schemes through the seafood taskforce scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51643/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

304. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Donegal is on the routine or urgent waiting list for a consultation in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51622/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

305. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can be considered for an earlier appointment through the National Treatment Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51623/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

350. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of posts removed from profile as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for Letterkenny University Hospital, in tabular form; the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate; the number which were new posts; the number which were replacement posts or vacant posts; and the number which were related to absence/leave cover. [51770/23]

Health Services Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

351. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of posts removed from profile as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for CHO1, in tabular form; the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate; the number which were new posts; the number which were replacement posts or vacant posts; and the number which were related to absence/leave cover. [51771/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

352. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of job offers which have been withdrawn as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for Letterkenny University Hospital, in tabular form; and the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate. [51772/23]

Health Services Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

353. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of job offers which have been withdrawn as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for CHO1, in tabular form; and the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate. [51773/23]

Schools Building Projects

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

78. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education to provide urgent clarification on the timeline for the construction and handover of the new three-school campus at Buncrana, County Donegal, in response to recent media reports that this long-delayed and vital project will not be completed until 2030; and if she will honour the previously-made commitments to fast-track this project. [51162/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

138. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department officials will meet with several organisations (details supplied), following their withdrawal from the North West Herring Group; if he can confirm a date when such a meeting can take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51408/23]

Ambulance Service

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

518. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on plans by the National Ambulance Service to develop a permanent ambulance base at Buncrana, County Donegal. [50705/23]

Patient Files

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

584. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the release on social media of videos that show patients' medical records and files stored in unsecured premises at a hospital (details supplied); to confirm that none of the medical records that are being stored there have been stolen or removed after the recent intrusion; what security measures the hospital has deployed at the site where the records were held to protect the medical records; the procedures needed for storing patient medical records; if Letterkenny University Hospital has an inventory of all the medical records that have been stored there; and if the hospital has plans to upgrade security or plans to move the files stored there to a more secure facility. [51116/23]

Education Policy

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

137. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education her views on submissions that her Department has received to date from the teacher representative unions in the State about the challenge of accommodating children and students from Ukrainian refugee families; her plans to provide the necessary resources to schools and teachers for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50311/23]

Educational Disadvantage

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

138. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education to outline how she plans to reduce class sizes in DEIS schools across Donegal in response to the challenge for teachers in trying to accommodate a diverse range of needs in the large class groups, in particular practical subjects, due to the lack of physical space in rooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50312/23]

School Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

139. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education her plans to address the challenge of teacher retention and supply at schools across Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50313/23]

National Educational Psychological Service

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

140. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the necessary resources to ensure the availability of a comprehensive National Education Psychological Service at schools across Donegal. [50314/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

200. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department are aware of the current livelihood-threatening market disturbance to the brown crab (cancer pagurus) fishery, whereby processors are now not taking any landed produce due to there being no buyers for export live or otherwise; what measures can be taken to identify new markets; what immediate supporting interventions can be made to support the industry during this current market volatility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50299/23]

Public Transport

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

111. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport to outline the progress by the National Transport Authority on the introduction of a virtual/digital Leap card for use on smartphones; if he can provide an exact date for introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49806/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

378. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department officials will meet with representatives of the National Inshore Fishermen's Association (NIFA), the National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) and the North West Regional Inshore Fisheries Forum (RIFF) following their withdrawal from the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC); if he can confirm a date when such a meeting can take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49495/23]

Common Fisheries Policy

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

387. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will work to ensure that any future agreements between the EU and Third (non-EU) Countries about access to Irish waters under the jurisdiction of the Common Fisheries Policy include a stipulation that they face the same stringent control and conservation regime as the Irish fleet, particularly with regard to mixed species catch. [49652/23]

Gender Equality

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

461. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has developed an online reporting system for the 2023 Gender Pay Gap reporting cycle which will consist of a central portal where all employer reports will be uploaded and can be accessed publicly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49805/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

102. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the growing anger and frustration amongst affected homeowners in Donegal and other counties at the serious limitations of the enhanced defective concrete block grant scheme; and if he will immediately work on an actual redress scheme similar to the pyrite remediation scheme rather than this second limited grant scheme. [48828/23]

Public Sector Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

37. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if his Department will urgently review the pay and working conditions of all of the school transport bus escorts across the State, similar to the approach taken in recent times with school secretaries and caretakers, and leading to a similar outcome; and if he will correspond with the Minister for Social Protection, seeking a seamless support to the school transport bus escorts when they have to seek social welfare support, due to the 69 days they receive no pay every year. [49001/23]

Driver Test

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

223. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect an invite for a test date for her driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47598/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

654. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 305 of 10 October 2023, when his Department will establish an oversight committee to address the defective block crisis that meets regularly and includes all the relevant stakeholders, including homeowner representatives, local authorities, banks, financial institutions and insurance sector, engineers, chartered surveyors, the Housing Agency, etc., as agreed in principle in engagements with the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, such committee having a broader remit than the Banking Working Group referred to in my previous question, which would only focus on the contribution that the banks can make to the remediation of homes affected by defective blocks. [48071/23]

Marine Protected Areas

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

691. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that the Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and his Department officials urgently consult with the representatives of the fishing industry in Ireland on his proposals to introduce three new proposed marine conservation areas in the Porcupine Shelf, Southern Canyons and the north west Irish Sea; if there is a consistency in policy application across Government departments when it comes to marine conservation areas and marine protected areas based on the model of the Seafood- Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) working group. [48827/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1141. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of agency staff that are currently employed in Letterkenny University Hospital in any capacity for more than one year combined, with the role that they are assigned to; and the additional cost involved, in tabular form. [47541/23]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1142. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health what efforts he has made to examine cross-Border co-operation between the public hospitals at Altnagelvin, Letterkenny, Enniskillen and Sligo on a range of medical procedures and operations for patients in the region to prevent long waiting lists, long distances to travel and the increasing cost of referring patients to private care options. [47577/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1172. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to receive an appointment for a consultation in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47723/23]

Medicinal Products

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1276. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when the drug ozempic will be made available for GPs to prescribe to diabetes patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48365/23]

Departmental Programmes

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1457. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will complete her review of the CLÁR programme and extend the programme to additional areas in need of support. [47846/23]

Food Safety

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

93. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a full explanation of a recent incident (details supplied) involving European Union produce transiting through the North of Ireland for processing in the South, which subsequently led to an EU-wide food recall notice being issued; what protocol has been put in place by his Department to prevent such an incident occurring in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46991/23]

Fuel Prices

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

113. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing a fuel assistance support scheme for the fishing and aquaculture industries similar to such schemes that other European Union members states have implemented, given the increasing price of fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46992/23]

Special Areas of Conservation

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

200. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what consultation took place with the local community and with local stakeholders before the renewal of the North Inishowen Coast special area of conservation in recent months. [47164/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

209. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection when the medical assessment will be finalised for an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47108/23]

Hospital Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

197. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of cancer patients who had their chemotherapy treatment delayed at Letterkenny University Hospital in each of the years 2018 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [46930/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

198. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to confirm if the second permanent breast surgeon for Letterkenny University Hospital has been ratified and agreed. [46931/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

200. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person in County Donegal (details supplied) can expect to receive a date for an operation from Galway University Hospital; if and when a referral was made from Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46997/23]

Hospital Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

547. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) cannot avail of light therapy treatment for a skin condition at Letterkenny University Hospital. [46315/23]

International Protection

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

228. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the location of each emergency accommodation centre for international protection applicants across the State; and the number of international protection applicants at each centre, in tabular form. [45442/23]

Disability Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

254. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if respite services (details supplied) in County Donegal are fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45435/23]

Flood Risk Management

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

177. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 10 October 2023, the reason the Minister of State for the OPW makes no commitment to meet with the elected members of the Inishowen Municipal District, Donegal County Council, as they have repeatedly requested, to examine how the flood defence works at Burnfoot, County Donegal, can be more speedily advanced, considering that the Minister of State for the OPW stated that he was open to meeting the locally elected members in two previous responses to Parliamentary Questions on the matter. [44977/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

337. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline what the 2024 budget is for assisting families availing of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; if he is satisfied that this amount will be sufficient to cover the costs of all those who wish to avail of the scheme. [45233/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

338. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will provide the necessary funding to Donegal County Council to allow it to commence the process of remediating its housing stock affected by defective concrete blocks. [45234/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

344. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will respond to correspondence from a person (details supplied) seeking urgent clarification in relation to assurances from Irish banks and financial institutions that homes that are remediated under the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme will be mortgageable or re-mortgageable for existing homeowners or potential buyers in the future. [45363/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

554. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health what arrangements will be in place for dermatology patients at Letterkenny University Hospital when the only dermatologist retires shortly. [44974/23]

Hospital Overcrowding

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

555. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the letter from 78 GPs in Donegal, conveying their serious concerns about the ongoing crisis at Letterkenny University Hospital, calling for a review of services at the hospital and asking him to come to Donegal and meet with them to discuss their concerns; and if he will agree to this request. [44975/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

558. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients awaiting knee and hip surgeries at Letterkenny University Hospital; and the number of cancellations of appointments for knee and hip surgeries at Letterkenny University Hospital in each of the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, in tabular form. [45000/23]

Hospital Procedures

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

559. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of day surgeries that have been cancelled at Letterkenny University Hospital in 2021, 2022, and 2023, in tabular form. [45001/23]

Hospital Facilities

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

561. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will ask the HSE to urgently review the decision not to include a surgical hub for the north west and to consider Donegal town as one of the locations for a surgical hub, due to its location between Sligo University Hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital (with almost 40,000 inpatients combined annually) and to support the ability of surgeons and consultants to work through the long waiting lists for surgical procedures at both hospitals and to deliver equality of access to healthcare for the people of the north west. [45005/23]

Hospital Procedures

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

563. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of primary total hip and primary total knee replacement surgeries performed at Letterkenny University Hospital during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45041/23]