Parliamentary questions

Third Level Education

Kathleen Funchion

1375. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost to increase the number of places on social workers’ graduate programmes by 25%; how many additional places this equates to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47263/23]

Technological Universities

Kathleen Funchion

1376. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will support SETU’s bid for a new veterinary medicine school at its campus, given that there is only one veterinary school in the country presently, and given the proven track record SETU has in delivering land sciences education and related research in conjunction with regional stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47264/23]

Meteorological Services

Kathleen Funchion

196. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the flood forecasters at Met Éireann meet daily, including weekends; if there are minutes or notes available from these meetings; if there was a meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, 17 and 18 October 2023; if information from those meetings on those dates can be shared with the public; if there is a plan to share this type of information going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47074/23]

Wind Energy Generation

Kathleen Funchion

204. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for the delay in considering the Kilkenny wind energy strategy proposed by Kilkenny County Council; if he will outline the process involved in considering the matter and confirm a timeframe for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47183/23]

International Protection

Kathleen Funchion

262. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will intervene in the case of a Ukrainian family who are living at a location (details supplied). [47136/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Kathleen Funchion

349. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual, total first and full-year cost to increase equally the guardian payment by 100% over three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46063/23]

Children in Care

Kathleen Funchion

448. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated annual, total first and full-year cost to increase the number of State residential care units for children in care by 10%, 25% and 50%, in tabular form; what this equates to in bed numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46061/23]

Children in Care

Kathleen Funchion

449. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated annual, total first and full-year funding allocated to private, for-profit foster care organisations for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [46062/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

450. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first year, full-year and annual cost to reduce childcare fees by 50% from September 2024. [46064/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

264. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first, full year and annual cost of increasing the current minimum rate of pay for an early years educators, by 0.85cent, €1.00, €1.25, €1.50, €1.75 and €2.00; and the first, full year and annual estimated cost to increase all other grades covered by the early years employment regulation order. [46033/23]

Budget 2024

Kathleen Funchion

116. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance if Budget 2024 reduced the VAT rate for print maps or eMaps to 0% given that the VAT rate on eBooks and audio books was reduced to 0%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45750/23]

Health Services Staff

Kathleen Funchion

261. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health what actions he has taken to shorten and streamline the vetting process for fully qualified medical doctors from the UK post-Brexit with the IMC; given that many doctors are waiting in excess of two months for their affiliation to be able to work with the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45492/23]

Grant Payments

Kathleen Funchion

297. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a third level student who is completely estranged from their parents, but has not reached the age of 23 years, can apply for support through a SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45726/23]

Passport Services

Kathleen Funchion

88. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to explain the rationale in section 14 of a child passport renewal stating that a guardians/parents signature is not required when the child is married; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44681/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

350. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of childcare career events held by the European Employment Services (ERS Ireland) in the Department of Social Protection held outside Ireland in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively; and the cost of each event and the outcome. [44712/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Kathleen Funchion

367. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale that disallows those who qualified for State pension through the invalidity pension, to be entitled to a bonus for people on the invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45110/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

442. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of CAMHS intellectual disability teams based in CHO9. [44688/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

443. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE vacancies by job title at CDNT based in Clondalkin and Palmerstown; and when these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [44689/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

444. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children on waiting lists for therapeutic care in each CDNTs based in CHO2 according to each speciality; and the average waiting times for an appointment. [44690/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

445. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE child and adolescent psychiatrists and clinical psychologist working in CAMHS, mental health intellectual disability teams in CHO1 in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [44692/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

446. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE behaviour therapists working in CDNT based in Galway in the years 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [44693/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

447. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE medical social workers in the west Kerry CDNT team in the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [44694/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

448. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of HSE funded therapists who have been allocated to special schools in County Cavan, in tabular form. [44696/23]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

498. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE speech and language therapist posts in the CAMHS teams in County Wicklow that are currently unfilled; and when will these vacancies be filled, in tabular form. [44687/23]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

499. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of children in CHO4 waiting lists for counselling and psychotherapy on initial assessment, initial therapy intervention and further therapy intervention lists, in tabular form. [44691/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

500. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the locations within CHO6 where primary care autism assessment teams are located in tabular form. [44695/23]

Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

594. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will commit to meeting with a group that wish to discuss current and increasing regulation on tanning bed usage; if he will consider a central database or register to regulate customer usage; if he will consider mandating the requirement of a medical clearance certificate and six monthly update or renewal of cert; including stricter ID policy to ensure no person under 18 years of age is using tanning beds; if he will carry out an education and awareness campaign in transition year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45185/23]

Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

595. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will comment on the RTÉ report (details supplied) of August 2023 which showed there were almost 107,000 adverse incidents reported within the health service and that the number of incidents that have risen over the past five years; what steps or measures he has taken in view of these incidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45186/23]

School Transport

Kathleen Funchion

169. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if she will source drivers for an organisation (details supplied) for children going to school in Ballyragget, County Kilkenny. [43406/23]

Registration of Births

Kathleen Funchion

328. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene to allow a person (details supplied) to register the birth of their baby born in July 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43780/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

407. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider converting St. Patricks, Loughboy, Kilkenny for respite and other badly needed services for people with disabilities in Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44119/23]

Nursing Education

Kathleen Funchion

581. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will grant NMBI nursing registration after the successful completion of adaptation training or RCSI aptitude test, to those health care assistants with a nursing degree diploma from their home country and have been working in Ireland for at least two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44095/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

586. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene to ensure CIT nurses in Care Doc, Carlow, receive the pandemic bonus (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44175/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

184. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in receipt of AIMS support in early years settings for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [42939/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

185. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current full and first year costs associated with the AIM programme; the cost per child; the total cost per hour to deliver the programme; the cost to extend the programme to five hours per day, per child, in total; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42940/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Kathleen Funchion

385. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the assistance available to a person who qualified for a mobility grant; where there is a shortfall; if community welfare assists with this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42104/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Kathleen Funchion

386. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow the re-examination of an invalidity pension application for a person (details supplied); if this appeal can be allowed, despite it being out of date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42106/23]

Visa Applications

Kathleen Funchion

430. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the recent changes to visa applications for Bolivian nationals; if there are plans to review this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42117/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Kathleen Funchion

561. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the mother and baby institutions payment scheme to open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42754/23]

Dental Services

Kathleen Funchion

662. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the reason that most dentists in Kilkenny will not take medical cards for dentures (details supplied). [42656/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

698. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will include employees of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service for the pandemic payment for health care workers, given that they worked throughout the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42753/23]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

129. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport the reason that people are being turned away on bus services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41032/23]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

137. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport the first- and total-year cost to extend the TFI Carlow Bus CW2 route to the Circle K services at Rathcrougue, County Carlow. [40894/23]

Bus Services

Kathleen Funchion

138. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if consideration will be given to extend the TFI Carlow Bus CW2 route to Circle K, Rathcrougue, County Carlow, to allow bus drivers to use services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40895/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Kathleen Funchion

208. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied). [40887/23]

Emergency Accommodation

Kathleen Funchion

221. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice when she expects to publish the recommendations of the Carlow Refuge Development Advisory Group submitted to Tulsa in June; to provide an update and published timeline in regard to progress on the Carlow women's refuge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40893/23]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

248. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding has been prioritised to finalise and introduce a comprehensive disability transport support scheme for disability services and service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40892/23]

Road Network

Kathleen Funchion

128. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if there will be a new motorway going ahead on the N25 beside an address (details supplied). [40304/23]

Tax Code

Kathleen Funchion

149. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider reducing the VAT rate for cartographers and map publishers to 0%, in line with newspapers, given the small number of cartographers and map publishers in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39548/23]

Vehicle Registration Tax

Kathleen Funchion

179. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance if consideration will be given to waving VRT liability for adult disability services that specially adapt vehicles (not wheelchair adaption) for users with mobility issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40638/23]