Parliamentary questions

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Robert Troy

542. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the very significant number of overseas fully qualified nurses who can only work as carers, because of a deficiency in their English fluency; and if he has considered how these persons could be supported to resume full nursing roles after a period in Ireland; and if he is aware of the claim that the standard of fluency in English required is higher here than in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44894/23]

Healthcare Policy

Robert Troy

590. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason why a report (details supplied) cannot be accepted as part of an LTI application in view of previous reports approved on that basis. [45165/23]

Exports Growth

Robert Troy

9. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider introducing an export credit guarantee scheme to support companies looking to increase their international trading opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44194/23]

Corporate Governance

Robert Troy

26. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way he is encouraging businesses to engage on new sustainability reporting standards. [44193/23]

Bus Services

Robert Troy

87. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he will re-instate the Dublin to Galway direct airport service stopping in Athlone. [44538/23]

Rail Network

Robert Troy

88. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport what measures are being undertaken to ensure greater bicycle storage facilities on rail carriages. [44539/23]

Bus Services

Robert Troy

91. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he will re-instate the Galway to Dublin airport route via Athlone. [44567/23]

National Educational Psychological Service

Robert Troy

111. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the current access to NEP's psychology services for a school (details supplied); if she will further outline in detail what steps are being taken to ensure the necessary services are re-instated without further delay. [44481/23]

National Broadband Plan

Robert Troy

56. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a property owner (details supplied) will avail of high-speed broadband. [44266/23]

National Educational Psychological Service

Robert Troy

102. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure NEPS psychologist and SENO positions are filled without further delay (details supplied). [44320/23]

National Educational Psychological Service

Robert Troy

103. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education the NEP’s psychologist and SENO positions which are currently vacant in County Westmeath; and the measures that are being taken to fill these positions without further delay. [44321/23]

School Meals Programme

Robert Troy

146. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will urgently review a school meals project application by a school (details supplied). [44343/23]

Disability Services

Robert Troy

190. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a social worker will be assigned to a person (details supplied). [44361/23]

School Meals Programme

Robert Troy

197. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will urgently review a school meals project application by a school (details supplied). [44344/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Robert Troy

198. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will urgently review the level of funding for a community pre-school (details supplied). [44348/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Robert Troy

330. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a disability allowance appeal for a person (details supplied). [43835/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Robert Troy

582. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied). [44107/23]

Road Projects

Robert Troy

10. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the N4 upgrade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43166/23]

Rail Network

Robert Troy

36. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if there are any plans to improve the Dublin to Sligo rail service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43167/23]

Tax Code

Robert Troy

90. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will be bringing forward any new tax measures to support indigenous businesses looking to develop export markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43165/23]

Tax Code

Robert Troy

99. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he has any plans to amend the VAT treatment of the hiring of means of transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43164/23]

Rental Sector

Robert Troy

268. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline any current assistance for a landlord who is renting a property but also has a mortgage on it and is now paying in excess of the rental amount due to increasing interest rates. [43290/23]

School Accommodation

Robert Troy

320. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will expedite an application for a school extension (details supplied). [42522/23]

Budget 2024

Robert Troy

324. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if her Department plans to raise four concerns from an organisation (details supplied) as part of submissions on Budget 2024. [42648/23]

Home Help Service

Robert Troy

565. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that home help support is urgently put in place for a person (details supplied). [42108/23]

Nursing Homes

Robert Troy

694. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will carry out a review of a fair deal application (details supplied). [42742/23]

Northern Ireland

Robert Troy

35. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what action he plans to take in regard to the British government's legacy Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41869/23]

Just Transition

Robert Troy

90. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications why projects approved under the Just Transition Fund cannot qualify for an increase under building inflation costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41853/23]

Climate Change Policy

Robert Troy

98. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when funding will be approved for the community climate action programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41852/23]

Rural Schemes

Robert Troy

299. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the assessment of all CLÁR applications; and when she expects to announce the funding. [41998/23]

Rural Schemes

Robert Troy

300. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the assessment of all town-and-village scheme applications; and when she expects to announce the funding. [41999/23]

Rural Schemes

Robert Troy

301. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will approve a CLÁR application for four groups (details supplied). [42000/23]

Departmental Meetings

Robert Troy

55. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 82 of 20 September 2023, to provide the name of each attendee at the ten Ministerial Committee on Road meetings referenced in the reply – the names of officials and Ministers that were present. [41815/23]

Wildlife Protection

Robert Troy

93. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to engage with the National Association of Regional Game Council to explore how it can assist with the protection of wildlife. [41779/23]

Wildlife Protection

Robert Troy

94. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider apportioning a percentage of the revenue generated from gun licence fees to NARGC with criteria based on wildlife protection enhancements given their nationwide coverage. [41780/23]

Registration of Wills

Robert Troy

110. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered introducing a registration of wills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41722/23]

Disabilities Assessments

Robert Troy

123. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will ensure that a child (details supplied) will have their speech and language/OT and psychology assessment carried out without delay. [41781/23]

Family Resource Centres

Robert Troy

124. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to ensure in the context of budget 2024 that all 121 FRCs are brought up to the optimum level of €220,000 funding per annum, in recognition of their increased service provision and in acknowledgement of a raise in costs. [41816/23]

Road Safety

Robert Troy

140. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure adequate road maintenance funding is in place in Budget 2024 to ensure the safety of roads for road users. [41323/23]

Bus Services

Robert Troy

147. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline all of the current services linking Athlone with Tullamore, via Moate, following the withdrawal of a private service on this route earlier in the year. [41456/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

174. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify who in the State is responsible for assessing the performance of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman with respect to Directive 2013/11/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for consumer disputes (the ADR Directive). [41298/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

175. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he can clarify which Oireachtas Committee is responsible with respect to the workings of the FSPO and the protection of consumers who have purchased financial products in the State (details supplied). [41299/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

176. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify who is responsible for ensuring that the changes introduced by section 51(2) of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017, extending the statute of limitations beyond six years, are implemented in the manner anticipated by the Houses of the Oireachtas when making those changes; and who is charged with ensuring that the EU Community Principle of Effectiveness is being met by Ireland and that consumers are not precluded from rights granted to them under European law. [41300/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

177. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO, rejected or refused to investigate 2,296 consumer complaints in 2022, which represents 49% of complaints, i.e., complaints that did not go to investigation in any form; and if he is surprised at the level of rejections and refusals given, that it is also the responsibility of the FSPO to educate the consumer as to what complaints can be processed. [41301/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

178. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance of the 2,296 complaints rejected/refused by the FSPO, how many of these complainants were actually advised/directed to the FSPO in 2022, by the financial institution processing the complaint in question. [41302/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

179. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance the reason that the FSPO, when reporting under S.I. No. 343/2015, does not report the required, under EU law, statistic "(e) the average time taken to resolve disputes", and instead uses a fabricated statistic, "closed", which is a term not recognised or defined (details supplied). [41303/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

180. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if, given that the ADR Directive recommends that "A properly functioning ADR entity should conclude online and offline dispute resolution proceedings expeditiously within a timeframe of 90 calendar days…", and that the FSPO has the option to refuse complex cases or redirect them to the Courts, he is not surprised by this statistic of 934 days versus the EU-recommended 90 days. [41304/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

181. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain the term "closed", which is most commonly utilised by the FSPO when assessing its complaint handling performance, as it is not a term used or defined by the European Commission when assessing the performance of Alternative Dispute Resolution entities in Member States. [41305/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

182. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain how, when reporting to the EU for the year 2021, the FSPO reported that 4,279 complaints were "accepted for handling" with only 130 identified as "refused" or "rejected" against its own published "Overview of Complaints 2021", which showed that only 2,676 complaints were handled through investigation or mediation. [41306/23]

Financial Services

Robert Troy

183. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance the reason that the FSPO, when rejecting/refusing consumer complaints, makes no reference to relevant European Law, such as the Unfair Terms in consumer contracts Directive (UCTD) when raising opinions on its jurisdiction to investigate. [41307/23]

Pension Provisions

Robert Troy

188. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will adjust the cap on pension contributions in Budget 2024 (details supplied). [41438/23]

School Accommodation

Robert Troy

263. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that an application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied) will be progressed without delay; and if she will provide an update as to the current status of same. [41322/23]

School Staff

Robert Troy

301. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the recruitment of a NEPS psychologist to service schools in Westmeath; if she is aware that multiple schools in south Westmeath have been informed that they will not have access to a NEPS psychologist for the foreseeable future; and if she agrees that this will have a hugely adverse impact on the possible supports and educational progression of many students in the area. [41649/23]

Social Insurance

Robert Troy

384. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is an entitlement to PRSI benefits for an Hungarian national who is working part-time during the college term and full-time on holidays in order that his contribution record while here is kept up to date. [41409/23]

An Garda Síochána

Robert Troy

418. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice if, given the recent ballot by the GRA, she will acknowledge that morale within An Garda Síochána is low; if she will consider using the mechanism of the Workplace Relations Commission to address issues between management and rank-and-file gardaí; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41316/23]

An Garda Síochána

Robert Troy

419. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice the number of serving gardaí as of 1 September 2023, in comparison to September 2021; how many retirements in that period; and how many recruitments. [41317/23]

Disability Services

Robert Troy

486. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, as part of Budget 2024, he will ensure that sufficient funding is in place for an organisation (details supplied) opening the remaining four beds in their respite facility and ensure that all beds are open 52 weeks in the year. [41319/23]

Disability Services

Robert Troy

487. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, as part of Budget 2024, he will ensure that sufficient funding is in place for MS to replicate the physio offering of CHO2 region across all CHO regions. [41320/23]

Medical Cards

Robert Troy

549. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure the automatic provision of medical cards to people with a spinal cord injury based on certified medical needs, rather than means (details supplied); and if he will extend the review cycle for medical card holders with a spinal cord injury to ten years. [41177/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Robert Troy

574. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for surgery for a child (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41406/23]

Departmental Policies

Robert Troy

52. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the digital reforms he has undertaken, and those he intends to undertake; and his views on whether a greater use of digital health will improve patient outcomes, improve efficiencies and be a solution to escalating costs. [40600/23]

Hospital Staff

Robert Troy

57. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when the management of the MRH Mullingar can expect approval to recruit the necessary staff for the new MRI scanner which has recently been commissioned. [40599/23]

Electric Vehicles

Robert Troy

99. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the centre of excellence for EV identified for Columb Barracks, Mullingar. [40601/23]

Student Accommodation

Robert Troy

123. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how many third-level institutions have plans to provide/increase student accommodation on their campus; and the lead-in time for same. [40602/23]

School Transport

Robert Troy

167. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that school bus tickets are awarded to a family (details supplied). [40845/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Robert Troy

207. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the current qualifying criteria for fuel allowance, particularly in relation to households where an adult son or daughter continues to live at the property due to difficulty sourcing independent accommodation but does not contribute to the household. [40885/23]

Student Accommodation

Robert Troy

292. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what discussions he has had with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority with regard to allowing technological universities to borrow for the provision of student accommodation. [30960/23]

Broadband Infrastructure

Robert Troy

57. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure that National Broadband Ireland re-investigates the provision of fibre broadband to a property (details supplied). [40664/23]

Departmental Meetings

Robert Troy

82. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport how often the Joint Interdepartmental Justice and Transport Road Safety Committee met since July 2020; and if he will outline the attendance at each of those meetings. [39632/23]

Mortgage Interest Rates

Robert Troy

161. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline any measures which will be included in budget 2024 to assist mortgage holders whose accounts are currently with vulture funds and who are paying extremely high interest rates; and to outline what plans his Department has to assist these mortgage holders in being allowed to move their mortgage accounts to other lenders and to avail of fixed-rate mortgages. [40192/23]

Tax Credits

Robert Troy

165. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if his Department can consider changes to the capital gains tax credit system to attach the credit to the landlords rather than the property (details supplied). [40293/23]

Departmental Bodies

Robert Troy

236. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 161 of 23 May 2023, the number of vacancies across Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. [40135/23]

School Transport

Robert Troy

304. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently provide an update on a number of school transport queries (details supplied). [40003/23]

School Transport

Robert Troy

348. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that school transport tickets are issued in a case (details supplied). [40295/23]

Housing Policy

Robert Troy

438. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a rebate will be made available to people who paid development contributions on planning permission prior to April 2023 and on water connections for new builds prior to April 2023. [39847/23]

Housing Schemes

Robert Troy

525. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the means test criteria on housing adaptation for people with disability grants; and if he will examine the possibility of not considering income earned by adult children who live in the home and can prove that they are saving for a deposit on a home of their own. [40221/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Robert Troy

637. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the means test for carers allowance to take into account certain expenses such as rent or mortgage payments. [40216/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Robert Troy

638. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has plans to review the qualifying criteria for fuel allowance. [40217/23]

Forestry Sector

Robert Troy

788. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the new forestry grant scheme for native Irish trees will be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40624/23]

Disability Services

Robert Troy

795. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that funding is in place to fully staff a community neurorehabilitation team in each of the nine CHOs across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40627/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Robert Troy

814. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason he excluded St. Patricks Guild, Rathmines, from the mother and baby home redress scheme and will he reconsider the exclusion. [39634/23]

Family Resource Centres

Robert Troy

815. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that family resource centres (details supplied) will have their funding increased in Budget 2024 in recognition of the additional services being provided. [39635/23]

Departmental Funding

Robert Troy

845. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review the funding granted to centres run by an organisation (details supplied). [40219/23]

Mental Health Services

Robert Troy

876. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure a person (details supplied) will be allocated a residential care bed at a suitable facility. [39467/23]

Health Services

Robert Troy

891. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his views on the significant shortfall that clients of the cross-Border scheme are experiencing when their reimbursement comes through (details supplied). [39549/23]

Primary Care Centres

Robert Troy

940. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for assessment by the primary care centre in Longford. [40016/23]

Health Services Staff

Robert Troy

979. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the checks which are carried out by private care companies to ensure employees are competent within their roles in providing community care. [40220/23]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Robert Troy

1016. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when the new HSE fertility treatment service will be rolled out; and if any additional information is available on the scheme (details supplied). [40554/23]

Medical Cards

Robert Troy

1029. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce, in context of Budget 2024, the automatic provision of medical cards to people with a spinal cord injury based on certified medical needs, rather than means. [40625/23]

Medical Cards

Robert Troy

1030. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to extend the review cycle for medical card holders with a spinal cord injury to ten years. [40626/23]

National Broadband Plan

Robert Troy

115. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he finds it satisfactory that the NBI is unable to give an indictive timeframe for when works will be completed to allow properties to avail of e-fibre broadband (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.- [38210/23]

Trade Agreements

Robert Troy

551. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current status of full ratification of CETA. [37200/23]

Waterways Issues

Robert Troy

909. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify the process after the consultation period for draft by-laws for inland waterways by Waterways Ireland closes on 2 October 2023; if the draft will go back out for public consultation; and if there will be a subsequent submission period after the consultation period. [38408/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Robert Troy

994. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection to explore the possibility of extending the free travel scheme to people who are not in receipt of an eligible payment but who require a travel pass to attend multiple medical appointment due to ongoing medical issues (details supplied). [37653/23]

Climate Action Plan

Robert Troy

79. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if will he consider extending the deadline date for works to be completed under the initial just transition funding. [36060/23]

Defence Forces

Robert Troy

171. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if licence arrangements have been put in place to accommodate all community groups that have been utilising Columb Barracks over the past number of years. [36573/23]

Bus Services

Robert Troy

240. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the town bus service for Mullingar, County Westmeath. [36567/23]

Rail Network

Robert Troy

241. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if, in light of the national rail review, he will commit to a feasibility study on opening a rail line between Connolly station and Mullingar. [36568/23]

Northern Ireland

Robert Troy

366. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the funding will be available through the Shared Island fund for enterprise development across Northern Ireland. [36577/23]

Departmental Reports

Robert Troy

380. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish the report commissioned by his Department on establishing an export guarantee scheme and if he will consider establishing an export guarantee scheme for businesses that export. [36059/23]