Questions and answers published after July 2012 can be viewed here. Viewing by Government Department is possible by term or specific dates from March 2016 onwards. Written answers are published as received from departments. To see parliamentary questions published before July 2012, search in Dáil debates.
Questions and answers for Dáil or Seanad term
Page 6 of 30
Tue, 16 May 2023
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Medical Research and Training
Emer Higgins
738. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to medical students in Sudan who have been displaced by the current Sudanese conflict and who are now living in Ireland; if he is considering accommodating these students to continue their studies in Irish universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22416/23]
Tue, 16 May 2023
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Research and Development
Emer Higgins
752. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of any Government-funded PhD grant schemes or financial support schemes which those without an undergraduate degree can apply for in order to fund their PhD studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22711/23]
Wed, 10 May 2023
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Departmental Funding
Emer Higgins
214. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the community services programme strand 2 will reopen to new entrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21973/23]
Tue, 9 May 2023
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Tax Reliefs
Emer Higgins
74. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Finance his views on further tax breaks that could potentially be offered to landlords to keep them in the rental market. [11844/23]
Tue, 9 May 2023
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Revenue Commissioners
Emer Higgins
225. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of nitrous oxide seizures made by the Revenue Commissioners in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of cannisters included in each seizure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21728/23]
Tue, 9 May 2023
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Local Authorities
Emer Higgins
374. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of internships and-or traineeships offered by each local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21726/23]
Wed, 3 May 2023
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Special Educational Needs
Emer Higgins
161. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education the action her Department is taking to increase teacher and SNA uptake of the Summer Education Programme for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20388/23]
Wed, 3 May 2023
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Education and Training Provision
Emer Higgins
175. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education if her Department will review the alternative education pathways and settings available for under-16s in the Clondalkin area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20569/23]
Wed, 3 May 2023
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Third Level Admissions
Emer Higgins
483. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has considered the deterring impact of the matriculation requirement of leaving certificate Irish, or in some cases, higher level leaving certificate Irish in order to enter certain level 8 CAO degree courses; if he has considered advocating for the abolition of this requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20387/23]
Thu, 27 Apr 2023
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School Enrolments
Emer Higgins
252. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education the number of additional post-primary school places that will be provided in the south Clondalkin area in September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19986/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Departmental Funding
Emer Higgins
60. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when local groups in Dublin Mid-West will be able to apply for funding under the outdoor recreation infrastructure fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19237/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Ukraine War
Emer Higgins
93. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the community recognition fund in Dublin mid-west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19236/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Public Transport
Emer Higgins
199. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to increase the number of taxis in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19525/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Taxi Licences
Emer Higgins
200. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the total number and breakdown by type of SPSV vehicles licensed nationally in each of the years 2019 to 2022 and to date in 2023. [19526/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Taxi Licences
Emer Higgins
201. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the total number and breakdown by type of SPSV vehicles licensed in Dublin in each of the years 2019 to 2022, and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19527/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Public Transport
Emer Higgins
202. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered changes to the current licensing regime to tackle the shortage of taxi drivers in cities. [19528/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Public Transport
Emer Higgins
203. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if reducing the cost of taxi licences and reducing the cost of airport taxi permits has been considered to increase taxi supply. [19529/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Taxi Licences
Emer Higgins
204. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the current waiting time for SPSV driver entry test in each of the test locations nationwide. [19530/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Public Transport
Emer Higgins
205. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if engagement has taken place with online taxi apps (details supplied) with a view to regulating the service and increasing taxi supply [19531/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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State Bodies
Emer Higgins
234. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on when the Media Commission will be in a position to engage with organisations that wish to become trusted flaggers. [19533/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Housing Policy
Emer Higgins
345. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options available to a person whose income takes them over the social housing threshold but is not enough to meet the criteria for repayments of a local authority home loan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19513/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Social Welfare Benefits
Emer Higgins
359. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans in the next budget to increase financial supports for carers in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19096/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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State Pensions
Emer Higgins
360. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on foster carers who give up work to care for children being eligible to avail of the full State contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19099/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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State Pensions
Emer Higgins
362. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will instruct the appeals section of the State pension (contributory) section to issue a decision on the case of a person (details supplied). [19217/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Social Welfare Benefits
Emer Higgins
467. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans in Budget 2024 to increase financial supports for carers in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19090/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Children in Care
Emer Higgins
468. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the weekly allowance payable to foster carers will be increased in line with inflation or if retrospective payment will be made as current rates have remained static since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19091/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Children in Care
Emer Higgins
469. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of individuals and couples currently registered as foster carers with Tusla; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of foster carers in the State from 2009 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19092/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Children in Care
Emer Higgins
470. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on foster carers who give up work to care for children being eligible to avail of the full State pension (contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19093/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Children in Care
Emer Higgins
471. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will examine additional payments for foster carers in order to recruit more foster carers into the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19094/23]
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
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Children in Care
Emer Higgins
472. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown on the number of payments foster carers are currently entitled to; what those payments were in monetary value from 2009 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19095/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Irish Prisoners Abroad
Emer Higgins
154. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the detention of an Irish citizen (details supplied) who has been held in Vakilabad prison in Mashhad, Iran since 3 October 2022; if he is engaging to assist in their release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16404/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Renewable Energy Generation
Emer Higgins
199. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has considered introducing age-related grants for solar panels for houses of elderly people in a bid to combat both fuel poverty and climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17352/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Litter Pollution
Emer Higgins
200. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on how innovation and digitalisation is being used to tackle littering; if microchipping a percentage of disposable coffee cups is being considered as a way of identifying litterers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17353/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Departmental Policies
Emer Higgins
487. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the availability of fragrance-free options for detergents and cleaning products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17354/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Mental Health Services
Emer Higgins
508. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education what measures are in place to assist teachers in the south Clondalkin area to support high-risk students given the waiting lists for CAMHS are so long; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16846/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Education Policy
Emer Higgins
665. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education when DEIS bands will next be reviewed. [16839/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Education Policy
Emer Higgins
666. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education to review the use of Eircodes as a method of assigning DEIS status to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16840/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Education Policy
Emer Higgins
667. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education if there is a holistic view of special education needs within her Department ensuring that the building unit team and the NCSE liaise with one another; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16843/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Education and Training Provision
Emer Higgins
668. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education how many additional post-primary SEN places will be available in the Clondalkin area from September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16844/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Departmental Strategies
Emer Higgins
742. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027 Implementation Plan will be published; the reason for delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16787/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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School Meals Programme
Emer Higgins
888. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection to conduct a review of the implementation of the hot school meals programme to ensure it is receiving optimum uptake from students and schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16841/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Gender Recognition
Emer Higgins
923. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection how a person under 18 years of age who has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria by a clinical psychologist can acquire a gender recognition certificate. [17547/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Health Services
Emer Higgins
1244. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with the HSE to investigate whether providing group speech and language therapy while children await therapy sessions would be possible to ensure that more children get access to speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17318/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Health Services
Emer Higgins
1245. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has considered allowing children to access therapies in a neighbouring CHO, if that CHO has capacity to offer additional services and their own CHO does not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17319/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Health Services
Emer Higgins
1332. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to improve the resourcing of genetic services in Ireland for the detection and treatment of rare diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16081/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Vaccination Programme
Emer Higgins
1364. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to transition the current Covid-19 vaccine roll-out programme from being administered at vaccine centres to being solely administered through pharmacies and GPs in order to best utilise the healthcare budget and staffing resources being used to run current vaccination centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16405/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Health Services
Emer Higgins
1370. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health what progress is being made with regards to reinstating public health nurse check-ups for infants and children in Newcastle, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16431/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Legislative Process
Emer Higgins
1477. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the public health (tobacco and nicotine inhaling products) Bill to prohibit the use of nicotine inhaling products by persons under 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16845/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Health Services
Emer Higgins
1532. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the national women and infant health programme to provide a reply to a person (details supplied) regarding their correspondence. [17095/23]
Tue, 18 Apr 2023
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Health Services
Emer Higgins
1628. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health what care pathways are in place for under 18s requiring gender affirming care as a result of clinical psychologist diagnosed gender dysphoria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17546/23]