Parliamentary questions

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

150. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the return of essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists, and social worker to a special school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18262/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

151. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm the reason a special school (details supplied) is still without essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists, and a social worker; the date they will start; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18263/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

152. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to increasing the allocation of therapists to an area (details supplied) to meet the needs of the caseload, in view that the current level of allocation does not deliver essential intervention and support necessary to every pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18264/24]

Youth Work Supports

Brendan Smith

153. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider the request of a group (details supplied) in relation to the need to improve services throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18282/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

154. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of accommodation recognition payments being provided in 2023 and to date in 2024; the type of accommodation provided that is single room in a house/ full house and so on; the amount of rental properties being provided to Ukrainians under this scheme; and the amount of Ukrainians who have transferred from State provided accommodation to the ARP payment to date in 2024. [18361/24]

Childcare Services

Mark Ward

155. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are any plans to provide funding for the construction or assistance of new community creches for the Newcastle area of County Dublin, in view of the changing demographics and the current pressure on childcare services in the area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18368/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

156. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an exception can be made in respect of a child (details supplied) who has missed the cut off point by one day in terms of eligibility for ECCE year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18370/24]

Special Educational Needs

Holly Cairns

157. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to issues facing students in a school (details supplied); whether the requirement for students to live in the CDNT area of the school in order to avail of supports can be lifted; if additional working hours for school therapists can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18378/24]

Departmental Advertising

Ged Nash

158. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in his Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18386/24]

Youth Services

Willie O'Dea

159. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide increased funding to ensure youth workers are covered by the WRC recommendations on section 39, section 10 and section 56 workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18419/24]

Departmental Contracts

Carol Nolan

160. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if he or his officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18438/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Robert Troy

161. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the resources available to people suffering from long-Covid. [18159/24]

Disability Services

Michael Healy-Rae

162. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of speech and language therapy for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18172/24]

Public Sector Pay

Duncan Smith

163. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that retired medical scientists are excluded from the benefit of the pay parity award that was implemented on 1 January 2024 (details supplied); if there is a plan to ensure that these retired workers receive pay parity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18176/24]

Dental Services

Brendan Griffin

164. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the new dental contract for medical card patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18186/24]

Health Services

Carol Nolan

165. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to ensure the expansion of newborn screening of babies for diseases; his views on whether the current screening levels means that Ireland screens less than 75% of European countries, making Ireland a significant negative outlier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18205/24]

Hospital Transfers

Patricia Ryan

166. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 237 of 22 November 2023, if he will provide an update on the current situation; the number of residents who have been moved already, those who have yet to be moved, and any whom have sadly passed away in the interim (details supplied). [18214/24]

Hospital Transfers

Patricia Ryan

167. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health with regard to Cherry Orchard nursing home and the planned removal and relocation of elderly and vulnerable nursing home residents, the status of any engagement he and/or his Department have had with the affected persons and their families, advocates or representatives since the situation arose in late 2023, and in the intervening time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18215/24]

Medical Cards

Patricia Ryan

168. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the protocols for reimbursement of fees for blood tests for medical card holders; and if the procedure can be simplified. [18216/24]

Health Services

Patricia Ryan

169. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of hours for each public health nurse in CHO7; and if these hours will be increased in light of the population increase, in tabular form. [18217/24]