Parliamentary questions

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

564. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of primary total hip and primary total knee replacement surgeries outsourced from Letterkenny University Hospital to the private sector by the NTPF during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45042/23]

Hospital Procedures

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

565. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of primary total hip and primary total knee replacement surgeries performed at Sligo University Hospital during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45043/23]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

566. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of primary total hip and primary total knee replacement surgeries outsourced by NTPF from Sligo University Hospital to the private sector during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45044/23]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

567. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the total value (cost) of NTPF funding for outsourcing surgical patients from Letterkenny University Hospital to undergo all surgical procedures in the private sector during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45045/23]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

568. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide the total value cost of NTPF funding for outsourcing surgical patients from Sligo University Hospital to undergo all surgical procedures in the private sector during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45046/23]

Health Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

625. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when day care services will be reinstated at Carndonagh, Community Hospital, County Donegal; if he is aware that a public meeting, attended by hundreds of people in the local community, took place recently, calling for the urgent reinstatement of these services. [45353/23]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

626. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will deliver a minor injury unit to be based at Carndonagh Community Hospital as part of the plan to reduce attendances at the crisis laden Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital. [45354/23]

Broadband Infrastructure

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

44. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timeframe for the roll-out of at least 30mb broadband speeds to a location (details supplied) in County Donegal as part of the national broadband plan; if such areas with poor or no broadband coverage shall be prioritised during the roll-out phase as part of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44105/23]

Road Projects

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

89. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport when he will meet with the A5/N2 Cross-Border Committee of councillors and council officials, as they have requested, to discuss the Irish government's plans to co-fund or fund these two road upgrade projects. [44184/23]

Flood Risk Management

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

151. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when the Minister of State for the OPW will 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 advanced more speedily, in order that eight families can be returned to their council homes that were vacated for safety reasons after the August 2017 flood in the area and to assure other local affected homeowners and businesses. [44003/23]

Office of Public Works

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

152. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when the OPW will meet with the elected members of the Inishowen municipal district, Donegal County Council and other important local stakeholders in relation to plans to develop An Grianán of Aileach, County Donegal, as they recently committed to. [44004/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

305. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department officials will establish the banking working group to engage with the banks and financial institutions and assist families affected by defective concrete blocks; if the homeowner representatives that have engaged with all of the stakeholders, including the Minister for Finance, the Central Bank and the Banking and Payments Federation, over recent months will serve on this working group. [44048/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

398. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff working at the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority in each of the years 2007 to 2023, in tabular form. [43896/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

399. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget allocated to the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority for each of the years 2007 to 2023, in tabular form. [43897/23]

Childcare Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

452. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown of how the hundreds of millions of euro in Government expenditure on childcare has been allocated in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [44096/23]

Hospital Trusts

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

555. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he plans to upgrade the status of Letterkenny University Hospital from a model 3 hospital. [44006/23]

Health Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

556. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will ask the HSE to include Donegal town as one of the locations for a surgical hub, due to its location between Sligo University Hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital 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. [44007/23]

Departmental Data

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

557. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient discharges for every acute hospital in the State in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [44008/23]

Hospital Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

558. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the budget allocated to every acute hospital in the State in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [44009/23]

Health Service Executive

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

589. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to confirm the number of overpayments made by HSE Pensions Management and subsequent requests for repayment letters issued to retired staff in each of the years, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and to make a statement on the concerns of retired staff in respect of the volume of calculation errors arising. [44188/23]

School Funding

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

239. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if her Department will reimburse a school in County Donegal (details supplied) on an exceptional needs basis, for the severe loss of income and debt that they have faced due to the enrolment policy of the Department. [43254/23]

General Practitioner Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

336. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms now in place for medical card holders who currently do not have access to a GP and are unable to secure a GP practice to take them as a patient. [43252/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

146. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views in response to the confirmation from a person (details supplied) speaking at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform on Wednesday 27 September 2023 that mortgages can only be issued for a home built to current building regulations; the reason the enhanced defective concrete block grant scheme only provides grant aid for homeowners to remediate or rebuild their homes to previous building regulations that are out of date and that are not mortgageable or re-mortgageable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43128/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

227. 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43127/23]

National Broadband Plan

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

156. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timeframe for the roll-out of at least 30mb broadband speeds to a location (details supplied) in County Donegal as part of the national broadband plan; if such areas with poor or no broadband coverage shall be prioritised during the roll-out phase as part of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42624/23]

Departmental Data

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

473. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the awareness of his Department of the ongoing assessment for oyster trestles along the Quay Shore, Newtowncunningham, County Donegal, and the plans to potentially cultivate oysters in Lough Swilly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42223/23]

State Bodies

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

490. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what plans he and his Department have to renew or offer a long-term lease which will expire soon at a building (details supplied) in Howth, County Dublin, that is currently operating as a seafood retail outlet and training centre, in conjunction with Bord Iascaigh Mhara; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42449/23]

Brexit Supports

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

510. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish, in tabular form, a full breakdown of all funding allocated by his Department under the Brexit adjustment reserve processing capital support scheme, by applicant, project, funds applied for, funds allocated, application date, funds drawn down to date, funds outstanding, and deadline for payment; any rejected applications by applicant, project and funds applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42757/23]

Brexit Supports

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

511. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department and associated State agencies working with the fishing and aquaculture industries in Ireland have set a deadline of 30 October 2023 for drawdown of funding from the Brexit adjustment reserve fund, when the EU regulation states that expenditure needs to be incurred and paid by public authorities by 31 December 2023 and Member States need to report by 30 September 2024 about the measures carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42758/23]

Disability Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

548. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the parents of a child in County Donegal (details supplied) can expect an appointment from Inishowen children's disability network team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42570/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

453. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to publish the full list, in tabular form, by vessel name, registered owner, vessel size, quota attached to the vessel, tonnage and port of all participants in the fishing boat decommissioning scheme approved through the Brexit adjustment reserve funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41512/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

454. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the additional supporting measures that he is considering introducing through the Brexit adjustment reserve fund to assist the Irish fishing, aquaculture and processing industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41513/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

455. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to publish a full list of prawn catch, broken down by port location and vessel, in the State for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41514/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

456. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to publish a full list of fishing vessels in the State, by registered owner, name of vessel and port location, licensed to fish razor clams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41515/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

457. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that the current regulations for the fishing of razor clams in Ireland are sustainable; if he has given any consideration to capping the number of boats/registered vessels allowable to fish the species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41516/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

458. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of a proposed 700-tonne limit for the fishing of razor clams in Ireland that is intended to be introduced from 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41517/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

459. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what engagements he has had with the British government in relation to any plans it may have for development of offshore renewable energy in areas 7G and 7F that will potentially impact Irish fishing waters and the Irish fishing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41518/23]

Inshore Fisheries

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

460. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has given any consideration in communication with Bord Iascaigh Mhara to opening a processing plant for the Irish inshore shellfish fisheries industry, and namely, the cockle industry, following market and regulatory disruption due to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41519/23]

State Bodies

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

461. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what plans he and his Department have to renew a long-term lease on the Bord Iascaigh Mhara coastal training centre based in Howth, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41520/23]

Tax Credits

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

143. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Finance the reason the Government does not provide the same tax relief for rental costs to students and their families, regardless of where they are studying on the island of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. [40882/23]

Third Level Education

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

295. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that the Government does not provide the same financial assistance to students and their families, regardless of where they are studying on the island of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland; and if he appreciates how unfair this discrepancy is to students who live in the border counties of the Republic of Ireland. [40881/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

432. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has engaged with the Minister for Finance on the requests from homeowners affected by defective blocks that the works they are carrying out to remediate their homes and related professional fees, under the enhanced defective block grant scheme, be exempt from VAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39793/23]

Building Regulations

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

511. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish with the National Standards Authority of Ireland when it will issue a clear directive on the acceptable levels of deleterious materials and compressive strength in concrete blocks that will allow sellers and buyers of second-hand homes to have full clarity on their transaction. [40104/23]

Building Regulations

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

512. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish with the National Standards Authority of Ireland when it will issue a clear directive on the acceptable levels of deleterious materials and structural strength in concrete foundations to assist homeowners who have to rebuild their homes under the enhanced defective block grant scheme. [40105/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

987. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect an appointment from a cardiologist and a neurologist from Letterkenny University Hospital; if this person is on the routine or urgent waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40305/23]

Health Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1048. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when the parents of a child (details supplied) can expect to receive services from the early intervention team in Buncrana; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40738/23]

Official Engagements

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

59. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans the Government has to participate in the 25th anniversary of the official opening of the Island of Ireland Peace Park on 11 November 2023 in Messines, Belgium; who will be representing the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39002/23]

Naval Service

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

217. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department has considered engaging with the Irish fishing industry to examine whether some of those who have recently been forced to leave the industry, due to reduced fishing quotas, could be deployed to fulfil roles in the Naval Service on a supporting civilian basis, similar to other jurisdictions and naval services. [38397/23]

Schools Building Projects

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

614. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education to provide a clear and detailed timeline for the delivery of the long-awaited three-school campus in an area (details supplied). [37608/23]

Schools Building Projects

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

615. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education when her Department will provide the finances required to demolish and rebuild school buildings at a school (details supplied), given that the engineer's report has recommended same and as applied for to her Department. [37637/23]