Parliamentary questions

Air Quality

Patrick Costello

127. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the level of enforcement notices and prosecutions reported by local authorities in each of the years 2019 to 2023, and to date in 2024, under the updated Solid Fuel Regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10506/24]

Energy Conservation

Patrick Costello

128. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the updated average cost for retrofitting a social housing unit as part of the national retrofitting scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10509/24]

Energy Conservation

Patrick Costello

129. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes retrofitted, and heat pumps installed to date as part of the national retrofitting programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10510/24]

Waste Management

Patrick Costello

130. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current status of the public consultation on disposable vaping devices; the timeline for the proposed ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution or free offer of disposable vaping devices under the Waste Management Act, 1996, Section 28(4)(i); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10512/24]

Air Quality

Patrick Costello

131. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 22 November 2023, if he can provide an update on new legislation to strengthen the enforcement powers of local authorities to support increased compliance with the air quality regulations, particularly given recent reports that the regulations are being flouted in some towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10514/24]

Electric Vehicles

Patrick Costello

188. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the total number of electric vehicles in Ireland to date in 2024; the number of electric vehicles registered annually over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10492/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

189. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the number of cars and percentage of the national vehicle fleet powered by fossil fuels in 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10493/24]

Road Safety

Patrick Costello

190. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the number of schools enrolled in the safe routes to school in 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of schools waiting to be enrolled; the breakdown of the number of schools enrolled in the programme by each county council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10494/24]

Road Safety

Patrick Costello

191. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the level of funding that has been allocated to the safe routes to school programme in 2024; the number of schools that are availing of the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10495/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

192. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport which local authorities have drawn down funding to establish active travel teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10496/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

193. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport which local authorities have active travel teams in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10497/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

194. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the 248 new posts for active travel teams in local authorities by county, in tabular form; the number that have been filled to date; the number of vacancies at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10498/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

195. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the amount each county council has drawn down from its allocated active travel funding in 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10499/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

196. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the amount of the €290 million allocated to walking and cycling infrastructure in 2023 that has been spent; if he will provide a breakdown of where the funding has been spent to date in each county council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10500/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

197. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport for a breakdown of the €290 million assigned to walking and cycling that has been allocated to each county council; if he will provide information on the amount of funding that has been spent to date in 2023 by each county council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10501/24]

Public Transport

Patrick Costello

198. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the total cost arising from the reduced 20% public transport fares to the public and the reduced 50% public transport to students and young people under 24 years of age nationwide; if he is considering making the reduction permanent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10502/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

225. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance the number of applications under the cycle-to-work scheme in 2023 and to date in 2024; if he will provide a breakdown between the number of bicycles, pedelecs, e-bikes and e-cargo bikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10486/24]

Active Travel

Patrick Costello

226. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance his views on expanding the reach of the bike-to-work scheme beyond PAYE workers to everyone, including employers, sole traders, students, jobseekers, disabled, unpaid home-work and the retired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10487/24]

Tax Data

Patrick Costello

227. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance the amount of category A vehicles that were charged with the nitrogen dioxide emissions levy in 2022, 2023, and to date in 2024; the revenue raised each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10488/24]

Tax Data

Patrick Costello

228. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised if the current nitrogen dioxide levy was doubled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10489/24]

Tax Data

Patrick Costello

229. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised annually if the current nitrogen dioxide levy was applied to both categories A and B vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10490/24]

Tax Data

Patrick Costello

230. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised if the carbon tax was doubled and the 2030 levy target was doubled to €200 per tonne; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10491/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Patrick Costello

451. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the fuel allowance; the number of applications for the fuel allowance; the number of refusals for the fuel allowance over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10513/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

557. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of special care places nationwide; the number of children currently on the special care waiting list; how many special care orders are active for children who are not currently able to access special care; what is the plan to tackle the growing waiting list for special care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10189/24]

National Cultural Institutions

Patrick Costello

127. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the proposed national centre for research and remembrance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9191/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Patrick Costello

128. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that older applicants for the mother and baby institutions payment scheme are prioritised when the scheme opens as planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9190/24]

Office of Public Works

Patrick Costello

170. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for an update on the work being carried out by the OPW in relation to research of burials in Kilmainham Gaol with a view to enabling the future exhumation of these persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9795/24]

Mental Health Policy

Patrick Costello

127. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the reason the understanding and managing adult ADHD programme was not chosen for funding by the HSE for 2024, and what supports he intends to provide to it in its place. [9427/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

128. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 524 of 30 January 2024, the specific medications and dosages that are commonly prescribed by the National Gender Service for trans women seeking progesterone. [9429/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

129. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 313 of 14 February 2024, which in particular of the over fifty references in the mentioned interim report are the relevant clinical studies. [9430/24]

Health Services

Patrick Costello

130. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 317 of 14 February 2024, which specific autism supports are needed by the National Gender Service, and what issues the lack of same leads to. [9431/24]

Foreign Policy

Patrick Costello

57. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what actions Irish diplomatic representatives in Morocco have taken to support the United Nations process and support efforts to bring about a definitive and mutually acceptable political settlement with regard to Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8882/24]

Foreign Policy

Patrick Costello

59. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will upgrade the diplomatic status of Western Sahara and, if he will establish an Irish diplomatic presence in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8927/24]

Diplomatic Representation

Patrick Costello

60. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will establish an embassy in Algeria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8928/24]

Bus Services

Patrick Costello

105. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport when the new 82 bus route is scheduled to be in place. [8824/24]

Export Controls

Patrick Costello

176. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a list of companies in Ireland that currently have dual-use export licences, in tabular form; the export value of each company for 2022 and 2023; the details of the products they are producing; and if he can guarantee that none of these components and weapons are being used for the purpose of the taking of human life, either directly or enabling that process. [8923/24]

School Curriculum

Patrick Costello

227. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a list of all second level education institutions aided by her Department in which instruction in higher mathematics was provided from another school by video link rather than being provided on-site; the roll number of each school receiving instruction by video link and the school sending instruction by video link, for each school year since 2010, in tabular form. [9172/24]

Public Procurement Contracts

Patrick Costello

329. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will establish an owners' management company (OMC) regulator on an interim non-statutory basis to address conflicts of interest issues where OMCs are still controlled by the original builder-developers and inappropriate procurement practices being used in terms of awarding of contracts and payments being made to directors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8684/24]

Animal Welfare

Patrick Costello

378. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 260 of 14 February 2024, if he will acknowledge that the fox hunting codes of practice he referred to do nothing to eliminate the cruelty inherent in the blood sport. [8749/24]

Legal Services Regulation

Patrick Costello

24. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice how her Department plans to address the growing risk of legal deserts in counties with no or single digit trainee solicitors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8309/24]

Departmental Schemes

Patrick Costello

391. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is aware of suspension of the deaf community from the social inclusion fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8033/24]

Disability Services

Patrick Costello

470. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the imminent risk of closure of WALK’s residential services due to a shortfall in funding from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7415/24]

Broadcasting Sector

Patrick Costello

29. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media how the Exchequer funding model for public sector broadcasting could operate in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6685/24]

Departmental Reports

Patrick Costello

88. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update in relation to the progress of the Mulcahy report; if a memo was brought to Cabinet on this in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6722/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

126. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education the number of children in residential care who are without a school place, in tabular form; and the reason these children are without a school place. [7071/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

127. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a breakdown of children excluded from school, and the reason, for both residential and other types of care. [7072/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

128. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education how many section 29 appeals have been taken on behalf of children refused admission in 2023; the results of these appeals; and what educational provision has been made for the children where the appeals have not been upheld. [7074/24]

Education Welfare Service

Patrick Costello

129. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education if an EWO been assigned to children currently in State care but excluded from school. [7075/24]

Education Welfare Service

Patrick Costello

130. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education where an EWO has been assigned specifically to residential care, if they work on a case by case basis or if there is a larger strategic plan being implemented for this role; and what are the goals in this special assignment. [7076/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

131. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education in relation to the recently released numbers by TESS relating to prolonged school attendance issues, how many of these children are under Tusla care. [7078/24]