Parliamentary questions

Business Regulation

Sorca Clarke

144. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Finance if, in light of the increasing number of popular cultural, agricultural and sporting events becoming cashless/card-only entry events, which is impacting particularly older people and new Irish arrivals, he will consider introducing regulations to ensure that these events are accessible to those who wish to pay with cash. [40883/23]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

302. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when route B1762 to a school (details supplied) will recommence. [39993/23]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

305. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when an alternative school bus route for a school (details supplied) will be put in place, given parents were informed only two days before children were due back in school that their usual bus provider would no longer provide this service for the coming school year. [40005/23]

School Meals Programme

Sorca Clarke

632. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications by schools, per county, to change from providing a cold lunch to students to the provision of another meal, in tabular form; what the process for this change is; and what funding is available for these schools who wish to change from cold food provision to hot food provision. [40101/23]

Departmental Licences

Sorca Clarke

469. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year yield if the licence for amusement machines for up to three months increased from €38 to €70 based on 2022 figures; and the estimated full-year yield if the licence for amusement machines for up to 12 months increases from €125 to €225 based on 2022 figures. [38629/23]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

670. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of SNA posts recruited for and filled to the end of the school year in 2023. [38406/23]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

671. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the estimated first- and full-year saving of removing the monetary subsidy given to private schools. [38409/23]

Irish Sign Language

Sorca Clarke

680. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of posts offered for the role of ISL classroom support to date in 2023; the number of posts filled to date; and how many posts were filled by the beginning of the school year 2023. [38504/23]

Community Development Projects

Sorca Clarke

2094. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under measures 1, 2 and 3 of the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme in County Westmeath in 2022; the grant approved for each project; the current status of each project; and the completion dates for each project in tabular form. [38632/23]

Departmental Schemes

Sorca Clarke

2095. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under the town and village renewal scheme in County Westmeath in 2022; and the grant approved for each project in tabular form. [38633/23]

State Examinations

Sorca Clarke

416. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education what actions are planned to ensure that the Irish students from the North are not negatively impacted by the post-marking adjustments for final examinations. [35612/23]

Coroners Service

Sorca Clarke

779. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice what additional resources have been provided to the Coroner Courts to address the backlogs that bereaved loved ones are currently experiencing. [35610/23]

Education Policy

Sorca Clarke

372. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education where the equity and fairness is for the young Irish students in the North of Ireland who are not able to avail of the same postmarking adjustments of final year exams that apply in the South. [35181/23]

Education Policy

Sorca Clarke

373. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will make adjustments to ensure that final-year students in the North of Ireland will benefit from postmarking of exams in the same way students in the 26 counties do to ensure equity for all students on the island of Ireland. [35182/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Sorca Clarke

497. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if retained firefighters are entitled to supplementary welfare allowance while the dispute over pay and conditions is ongoing. [34841/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Sorca Clarke

498. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if renewal and first-time applications for jobseeker’s benefit by members of the retained fire services are being processed as normal given the ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. [34842/23]

Departmental Data

Sorca Clarke

291. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of children per county that are receiving additional supports for deafness or hard of hearing. [34110/23]

School Staff

Sorca Clarke

292. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the full year cost for a primary school teaching post. [34111/23]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

293. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when the school transport review will be published. [34112/23]

Youth Services

Sorca Clarke

294. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the funding, in tabular form, for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 provided to Foróige. [34113/23]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Sorca Clarke

295. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education for a county breakdown of the average class size in primary schools for the 2022/2023 school year. [34114/23]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Sorca Clarke

296. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education for a county breakdown of the average class size in secondary schools for the 2022/2023 school year. [34115/23]

State Examinations

Sorca Clarke

307. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education which organisation will be responsible for operating the Leaving Certificate helpline this year; and the estimated cost of same. [34302/23]

Education Policy

Sorca Clarke

314. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the legislative or policy basis on which the parents of a child (details supplied) are being requested to sign an insurance indemnification form stating that they as the lawful father and mother respectively, agree to indemnify and keep indemnified the board, its servants and agents, including class teacher and/or the principal of the said school from and against all claims, both present and future, arising from the administration or failure to administer the medicine buccolam midazolam which is used to treat prolonged, acute convulsive seizures. [32620/23]

School Staff

Sorca Clarke

322. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on recent Departmental engagement with representatives on the issue of post-primary redeployment of teachers. [32719/23]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

325. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education is she will intervene in the case of a child (details supplied). [32766/23]

Eating Disorders

Sorca Clarke

689. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health what services are available in County Longford for adults living with eating disorders. [32750/23]

State Examinations

Sorca Clarke

80. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if her Department will carry out a full review of the reasonable accommodations at certificate examinations scheme. [31619/23]

Departmental Funding

Sorca Clarke

82. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the payment dates of the minor works grants, ancillary grants and ICT grants. [31620/23]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

85. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when the last tender for educational books in Braille happened; and what action she intends to take to end the inordinate delays experienced by students requiring these books. [31617/23]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

140. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the intervention she and her Department have made in relation to the ongoing issue of school transportation from Ballyvourney, Macroom and surrounding areas to a school (details supplied). [31618/23]

Special Educational Needs

Sorca Clarke

79. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the SNA allocations for 2023/2024. [31584/23]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

80. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the spending per funding head for primary and post-primary schools for the full-year 2022 and to date in 2023. [31585/23]

Departmental Budgets

Sorca Clarke

309. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the capital budget allocation for her Department in 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [31084/23]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

310. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when construction works at a school (details supplied) will be completed. [31085/23]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

311. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when construction works at a school (details supplied) will be completed. [31086/23]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Sorca Clarke

312. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of additional teachers that would be needed to reduce the pupil/teacher ratio to 22:1 at primary level. [31087/23]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

313. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when construction works at a school (details supplied) will be completed. [31088/23]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

314. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when construction works at a school (details supplied) will be completed; and the estimated cost of this project. [31089/23]

Schools Building Projects

Sorca Clarke

315. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed. [31090/23]

State Pensions

Sorca Clarke

424. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals officers assigned to assessing both applications and appeals, respectively, for the State pension (contributory). [31091/23]

Residency Permits

Sorca Clarke

481. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of Irish residence permit cards that were issued in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [31098/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

512. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital budget allocation for his Department in 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [31093/23]

Disability Services

Sorca Clarke

597. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of additional respite hours that would be delivered by opening two extra full-time, six-bed respite centres. [31092/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Sorca Clarke

716. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the current average waiting times for urgent and routine paediatric dermatology appointments in each of the seven hospital groups. [31094/23]

Hospital Staff

Sorca Clarke

717. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of times that the HSE has advertised for the post of consultant otolaryngologist since January 2022. [31095/23]

Departmental Funding

Sorca Clarke

718. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the budget allocated to each hospital part of Ireland East Hospital Group in 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [31096/23]

Hospital Facilities

Sorca Clarke

719. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of operating theatres in use at Mullingar Regional Hospital. [31097/23]

Pharmacy Services

Sorca Clarke

619. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the review of community pharmacies services. [29175/23]

Pharmacy Services

Sorca Clarke

620. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the representative bodies he and his Department have engaged with as part of the review of community pharmacies services, the representative bodies that remain to be engaged with, and the timeline for such engagement. [29176/23]

Pharmacy Services

Sorca Clarke

621. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health his and his Departments engagement to date with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to an increase in dispensing fees for community pharmacies to €6.50 per medicine. [29177/23]

Pharmacy Services

Sorca Clarke

622. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of increasing dispensing fees of community pharmacies, to a flat fee model of care being reimbursed at €6.50 per medicine. [29178/23]

Visa Applications

Sorca Clarke

117. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by those utilising the atypical visa process, including delays in processing which is causing particular difficulties for those working in the nursing home sector; the steps she will take to address the obstacles within the atypical visa department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28618/23]

Emergency Planning

Sorca Clarke

123. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement he has had with other Government Departments regarding the European Commission’s Copernicus Emergency Management Services (EMS) issuance of a warning on 8 June 2023 stating that Ireland is at an extreme risk of wildfires; the contingency plans that are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28619/23]

Election Monitoring Missions

Sorca Clarke

123. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of expressions of interest received by the set closing date of 26 May 2023 for the election observer role; the percentage of those expressing interest who are women; and the percentage of those expressing interest who have previously expressed interest. [27166/23]

Election Monitoring Missions

Sorca Clarke

124. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the scheduled upcoming roles in which Irish election observers are due to participate; and the proposed number of participants per role. [27167/23]

An Garda Síochána

Sorca Clarke

393. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of disused Garda stations in counties Longford and Westmeath. [27452/23]

An Garda Síochána

Sorca Clarke

404. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the disposal of disused Garda stations in counties Longford and Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27453/23]

Enterprise Policy

Sorca Clarke

437. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement his Department, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland are undertaking to secure foreign and indigenous direct investment in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27450/23]

Enterprise Policy

Sorca Clarke

438. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement his Department, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland are undertaking to secure foreign and indigenous direct investment in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27451/23]

Work Permits

Sorca Clarke

439. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement his Department has had with other Government Departments in relation to improving the delivery of the work permit system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27454/23]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

480. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of children with an address in Mullingar that had an application submitted for school transport to a school (details supplied) for the 2023-2024 school year. [27168/23]

School Transport

Sorca Clarke

481. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the basis on which an applicant (details supplied) for school transport has been notified that there is no school transport service available from their home for their child. [27185/23]

Departmental Consultations

Sorca Clarke

483. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the cross-departmental engagement her Department has had in relation to the scoping inquiry, as announced in March 2023 into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders. [27211/23]

Departmental Consultations

Sorca Clarke

484. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she intends to publish an interim report of the scoping inquiry, as announced by her Department in March 2023 into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders. [27214/23]

Grant Payments

Sorca Clarke

491. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the annual cost of adjusting for inflation the primary school capitation grant. [27265/23]

Grant Payments

Sorca Clarke

492. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the annual cost of increasing the capitation grant for primary schools by 1%. [27266/23]

Grant Payments

Sorca Clarke

493. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the annual cost of adjusting for inflation the secondary school capitation grant. [27267/23]

Grant Payments

Sorca Clarke

494. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the annual cost of increasing the capitation grant for secondary schools by 1%. [27268/23]

Departmental Consultations

Sorca Clarke

510. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders is expected to commence. [27448/23]

Departmental Consultations

Sorca Clarke

511. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education how long the survivor engagement process in preparation for the establishment of a public inquiry into historic child abuse within boarding and day schools is expected to take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27449/23]

Mental Health Services

Sorca Clarke

538. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if her Department will engage with Roscommon Comhairle na nÓg, a group of 28 young people, regarding a project they are developing to provide a non-clinical listening service in every Roscommon secondary school that would ensure every student has access to at least one session once a year, aimed towards people who may not normally speak up or speak about their mental health challenges and which was voted on by their representatives from every secondary school in County Roscommon at their Annual Youth Conference in October 2022. [27620/23]

School Curriculum

Sorca Clarke

546. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education what languages are currently being considered as a Leaving Certificate subject. [27753/23]

School Curriculum

Sorca Clarke

547. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if Korean is being considered as a Leaving Certificate subject. [27754/23]

Education Policy

Sorca Clarke

574. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the activities of the Parents' Rights Alliance, Irish Education Alliance and the Irish National Party, particularly their online campaigns encouraging citizens to remove books from libraries and to petition schools regarding their curriculum; the engagement, if any, her Department has had with An Garda Síochána, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage or the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27949/23]

Local Authorities

Sorca Clarke

660. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement his Department has had with officials in Longford County Council in relation to the exceptional and severe fiscal challenges faced by LCC following the closure of ESB Lough Ree Power Station, Lanesboro, County Longford, and the resulting loss of income. [27216/23]

Departmental Schemes

Sorca Clarke

751. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications under the domestic lead remediation grant scheme since its introduction in 2016, per local authority, in tabular form. [27950/23]

Drug Dealing

Sorca Clarke

892. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of illegal narcotic seizures and the monetary value of each seizure in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, per county, in tabular form. [27728/23]

Departmental Communications

Sorca Clarke

1020. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the cross-departmental engagement his Department has had with the Department of Education regarding the scoping inquiry, as announced by the Minister for Education in March 2023, into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders. [27213/23]

Medicinal Products

Sorca Clarke

1122. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when the drug, Ozempic, used to treat obesity as a consequence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will be available to medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27210/23]

Nursing Homes

Sorca Clarke

1184. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the nursing homes that have already exited the fair deal scheme and the nursing homes that have applied to exit the fair deal scheme, per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27729/23]

Nursing Homes

Sorca Clarke

1185. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the engagement his Department has had with an organisation (details supplied) the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund in relation to the fair deal scheme as it applies to nursing homes. [27730/23]

Nursing Homes

Sorca Clarke

1186. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes that have exited the fair deal scheme and ceased operating in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, per county, in tabular form. [27731/23]

Health Services

Sorca Clarke

1221. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the engagement his Department has had with the INMO in relation to the latest figures outlining the number of patients on trolleys awaiting a hospital bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27952/23]

Student Accommodation

Sorca Clarke

1374. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagement he has had with TUS, Athlone in relation to student accommodation for the upcoming academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27951/23]

School Curriculum

Sorca Clarke

199. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the composition of each of the NCCA Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificated subject development groups and any other subject review groups, in tabular form, per curriculum subject. [26961/23]

Departmental Reviews

Sorca Clarke

200. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the current number of live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by her; and the date by which each study, review and research is scheduled to be completed, in tabular form. [26962/23]

Departmental Reviews

Sorca Clarke

201. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the key bodies and agencies in Irish education involved in dimension one of the longitudinal study exploring the implementation and impact of the Junior Cycle Framework in post-primary schools. [26963/23]

Departmental Reviews

Sorca Clarke

202. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the criteria and benchmarks to be utilised as part of dimension two of the longitudinal study exploring the implementation and impact of the Junior Cycle Framework in post-primary schools to ensure adequate spread of DEIS school, gaelscoileanna, geographical location, Gaeltacht and gender. [26964/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Sorca Clarke

232. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason two persons (details supplied) are not receiving the full amount of jobseeker's allowance, given they are currently homeless, unable to source accommodation via the HAP scheme due to the chronic shortage of properties and are being supported with emergency bed and breakfast vouchers by the local authority. [26792/23]

Consular Services

Sorca Clarke

127. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has spoken directly with the Irish Consul General in Sydney in the past three months. [26345/23]

Departmental Properties

Sorca Clarke

176. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence on whose authority have community groups in Columb Barracks, Mullingar had the locks on the units they have utilised for many years changed with no prior notice of same; the engagement he has had with his Department on this removal of access to the affected groups; and the immediate action he and his Department intend to take to rectify this situation. [26328/23]

Defence Forces

Sorca Clarke

177. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the Defence Forces personnel who went to the UK for speciality military training by the Royal Air Force or the UK navy in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [26350/23]

Electric Vehicles

Sorca Clarke

200. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the number of electric vehicle grants provided for vehicles in 2022 in the price ranges of €30,000 to €40,000, €40,000 to €50,000, and over €50,000, in tabular form. [26349/23]

Tax Yield

Sorca Clarke

224. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Finance the value to the Exchequer of VAT returns on the assistive technology scheme for children in primary schools. [26197/23]

Tax Yield

Sorca Clarke

225. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Finance the value to the Exchequer of VAT returns on the assistive technology scheme for children in post-primary schools. [26198/23]

Legislative Programme

Sorca Clarke

257. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current status of the proposed companies (corporate governance enforcement and regulatory provisions) Bill 2023. [26351/23]

National Minimum Wage

Sorca Clarke

258. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department has considered the request from trade unions (details supplied) to increase the minimum wage by €2 in January 2024, and again in January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26352/23]

School Funding

Sorca Clarke

275. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the spending per funding heading in national and primary schools, per county, for 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [25708/23]

Education Schemes

Sorca Clarke

291. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of digital devices provided to primary schools under the assistive technology scheme in 2023, 2022 and 2021; and the cost per year of same. [26195/23]