Parliamentary questions

Health Promotion

Kathleen Funchion

9. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will ban tanning sunbeds outright, given the serious and increased risk of incidences of skin cancer. which is supported by scientific evidence linking skin cancer and tanning sunbed usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1874/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

289. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current estimated parental spend on childcare fees from the 2021/2022 or 2022/2023 Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report, in tabular form; when he expects the annual report to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2136/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Kathleen Funchion

395. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to elaborate on his plans to discontinue the long-standing and well-established pay/pension parity link which retired members of An Garda Síochána share with their serving colleagues in An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1041/24]

School Funding

Kathleen Funchion

592. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education to explain the rationale/process in awarding the recent round of STEM grant funding; the total funding allocated; if a lottery system was used, resulting in a significant number of applications not being examined; her views on whether this is an appropriate process, given the importance of funding to schools applying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1042/24]

Domestic Violence

Kathleen Funchion

1117. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice if engagement has occurred between her Department and the Garda Commissioner in relation to the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022, in particular the need to protect and support women who may experience increased violence as a direct result of the forthcoming Bill (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1576/24]

Beef Sector

Kathleen Funchion

1241. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that the recent changes to the STAR rating/evaluations for the suckler carbon efficiency programme will adversely affect farmers of traditional Irish cattle breeds (hereford and angus); the reason ratings/evaluations were revised after the commencement of the scheme, leaving many farmers, who entered these contracts in good faith, in an increasingly untenable position (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1028/24]

Dental Services

Kathleen Funchion

1455. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if assistance is available for a person (details supplied). [56283/23]

Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

1551. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will have a procedure carried out; and if they can avail of the cross-Border directive, given the circumstances. [56781/23]

Medical Cards

Kathleen Funchion

1705. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health what transport is available to patients with medical cards who regularly have to travel to appointments outside their own county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1423/24]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

1728. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health what funding is available to support an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1580/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Kathleen Funchion

69. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on negotiations with relevant religious orders and pharmaceutical companies regarding their contributions to the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; how many meetings have been held to date; what actions he intends to take outside of these discussions to ensure religious orders and pharmaceutical companies contribute; when he expects the States redress scheme to open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54561/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

75. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on improving the chart of accounts mandatory for those services signed up to core funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54563/23]

Direct Provision System

Kathleen Funchion

82. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects to publish the White Paper on ending direct provision; the steps his Department is taking to address some of the recommendations highlighted in the Ombudsman for Children’s report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54565/23]

Departmental Communications

Kathleen Funchion

89. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will launch a zero-tolerance information campaign across all media, particularly social media, to counteract corrosive anti-immigrant and far-right narratives, which are feeding into aggressive or misdirected protests near places where refugees are accommodated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54564/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

93. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm if the NCS hourly/attendance-based rules are his Department’s policy or a restriction placed on his Department by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54566/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

120. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm a breakdown of new ELC and SAC services that are entirely new services and not corporate acquisitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54567/23]

Departmental Bodies

Kathleen Funchion

207. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first and full year costs associated with the proposed early years and childcare State agency; the status of the establishment of the agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55506/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

640. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the total costs of ECCE pay for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [54453/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

641. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the total costs of ECCE/ AIM pay (combined) for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular. form. [54454/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

642. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of total core funding for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [54455/23]