Parliamentary questions

Housing Provision

Eoin Ó Broin

354. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of social homes delivered in the first half of 2023, with a breakdown by delivery stream including: SHIP construction; SHIP turnkey; CALF construction; CALF turnkey; CAS construction; CAS turnkey; Part V; PPP; regeneration; and Traveller-specific. [42229/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Eoin Ó Broin

396. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of recipients of rent supplement for the most recent date available, with a breakdown by county and total cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42154/23]

Social Welfare Code

Eoin Ó Broin

421. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has considered extending benefits available to married couples following the loss of a spouse, to couples in long-term relationships but who are not married; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42560/23]

International Protection

Eoin Ó Broin

546. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to state the total number of adults and children currently being accommodated by IPAS who have leave to remain status. [42538/23]

Health Services Staff

Eoin Ó Broin

660. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if, further to a response provided by the HSE (details supplied), he will confirm that the lack of a full public health nurse service in the CHO7 region is the reason for the delay in the discharge of a patient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42642/23]

School Facilities

Eoin Ó Broin

180. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 161 of 21 September 2023, if pupils attending a school (details supplied) have access to an indoor play area; what arrangements are in place for physical education for pupils on days when the weather is bad; if indoor play areas were considered in the design and refurbishment of the building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42013/23]

Health Services

Eoin Ó Broin

283. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that referrals for occupational therapy in the Dublin south, Kildare and west Wicklow primary care region are taking 26 months from the original date of referral, for both assessment and issuing of equipment; his views on whether this is acceptable; what efforts the HSE is making to ensure a timely service in occupational therapy in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42012/23]

Schools Building Projects

Eoin Ó Broin

78. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education to provide an update in relation to the status of a project for a school (details supplied); if planning permission has been granted; if there is a timeline available for the commencement of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41720/23]

Ukraine War

Eoin Ó Broin

466. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the all-in cost of delivering modular homes for people from Ukraine, with a breakdown of purchase cost, and site-servicing cost. [41433/23]

Departmental Data

Eoin Ó Broin

492. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of adults and children seeking international protection, not including those with status or leave to remain, with a breakdown by local authority area and by household size, one- and two-adult households with no children, households with one child, two children, three children, and with more than three children. [41402/23]

Medical Cards

Eoin Ó Broin

511. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health to outline the process through which a person (details supplied) can obtain a medical card without having already been accepted by a GP, where their current GP does not accept medical cards and no other GPs are taking on new medical card patients and where the person is reliant on medical care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40996/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Eoin Ó Broin

550. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the rationale behind the policy of allowing only one funded respiratory mask per annum for people suffering with chronic respiratory disease and using BiPAP machines; if there is a process for application for replacement masks if it is the case a replacement is necessary; if there is a process of reimbursement for the substantial cost of €250 in cases where patients have had to pay to replace a mask themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41178/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Eoin Ó Broin

551. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be reimbursed by the HSE for the cost of replacing necessary medical equipment; and if so, if he will outline the process through which the person can apply for reimbursement. [41179/23]

General Practitioner Services

Eoin Ó Broin

552. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the process through which a couple (details supplied) can obtain a new GP accepting medical cards; where the relationship with their current GP is irretrievably broken but all attempts at sourcing a new GP have been exhausted without success; and where the PCRS advise they cannot appoint a GP for the patients involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41191/23]

School Facilities

Eoin Ó Broin

161. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the reason a hall at the school is inaccessible to the students attending a school (details supplied); if it will be made available to the students for use; and if so, when; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40800/23]

Housing Provision

Eoin Ó Broin

189. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his Department’s efforts to ensure the delivery of affordable purchase and cost rental accommodation in the Poolbeg west SDZ, including the number of such units that will be made available in the initial phase and the price to buy and rent those units. [40868/23]

Housing Provision

Eoin Ó Broin

190. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his Department’s efforts to ensure the delivery of cost rental accommodation on the O’Devaney Gardens and Oscar Traynor Road sites, including the number of such units that will be made available; and the expected rent for those units. [40870/23]

Land Issues

Eoin Ó Broin

191. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of requests made by South Dublin County Council to his Department to purchase land in its administrative area; where these lands were; and the response of his Department to these requests. [40871/23]

Medical Cards

Eoin Ó Broin

272. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if policy relating to instances where a person in possession of a medical card can be assigned a GP by the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Services following three GP refusals, has been changed; if so, the reason for the change; if another policy has replaced it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40891/23]

Rail Network

Eoin Ó Broin

87. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport to explain the long delay in the completion and opening of the Kishogue train station in Clonburris, County Dublin; and to provide a date for when the station will be completed and open. [39826/23]

Rail Network

Eoin Ó Broin

88. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the electrification of the train line to Hazelhatch through Clondalkin, Kishogue and Adamstown; and to provide a date for the completion of these works and a date for the commencement of the Dart service on this enhanced line. [39827/23]

Tax Credits

Eoin Ó Broin

157. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance the number of renters who have availed of the renters' tax credit in 2023, providing a breakdown by county; the average amount claimed, by county; and the total amount claimed to date in 2023. [40138/23]

National Standards Authority of Ireland

Eoin Ó Broin

240. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to confirm whether the NSAI has lost or recently lost any of its international credit actions; if so, to explain the reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40306/23]

Schools Building Projects

Eoin Ó Broin

279. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the reason the building project at a school (details supplied) has been further delayed; if she will provide a date on which the project will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39730/23]

Schools Building Projects

Eoin Ó Broin

309. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education for an update on the current status of a project for a school (details supplied); when it is envisaged a planning application will be submitted; if there is a timeframe available on the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40026/23]

Local Authorities

Eoin Ó Broin

419. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the additional €75.4 million increase in local property tax funding to local authorities in 2024 has come from increased LPT tax take, increased revenue allocation, or a mixture of both; and if the latter, to provide a breakdown. [39702/23]

Departmental Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

420. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of contracts approved by his Department to be signed by the Housing Agency under the croí cónaithe scheme; the number of units involved in each contract; and a timeline for when it is expected that these units will be completed, broken down by scheme. [39703/23]

Defective Building Materials

Eoin Ó Broin

421. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new applications for the defective block remediation scheme since the enhanced schemed opened; the number of existing applications that have transferred to the new scheme to date; the total number of applications in the process, broken down by county, stage in the application process and the total amount of money drawn down in each county to date; and an update on the entry of Clare and Limerick into the scheme. [39704/23]

Industrial Disputes

Eoin Ó Broin

422. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request the LGMA to introduce a job evaluation process in the local Government sector to assist in averting the staffing crisis in our local authorities. [39705/23]

Departmental Reports

Eoin Ó Broin

423. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason no Q1 social housing pipeline report was published this year; and when the Q2 report will be published. [39706/23]

Planning Issues

Eoin Ó Broin

424. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of new positions sanctioned at An Bord Pleánála in the past 12 months; the positions granted; the cost implications of each position; and the number of these positions that have been filled to date. [39707/23]

Planning Issues

Eoin Ó Broin

433. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to explain the long delay in the publication of the draft rural planning guidelines; and to state when these guidelines will be published. [39828/23]

Housing Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

434. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out in tabular form the progress to date with both the social and cost-rental tenant-in-situ schemes, including number of applications for each scheme, number of rejections, number gone sale agreed and number purchased, with a breakdown by local authority for both schemes. [39829/23]

Housing Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

436. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an updated figure for the number of croí cónaithe towns refurbishment grants that have been drawn down; the number of applications made; and the number of applications approved to date. [39839/23]

Housing Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

514. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of croí cónaithe towns refurbishment grants that have been drawn down to date, with a breakdown by local authority; and the average amount drawn down in each county and the total draw-down State wide in 2023. [40139/23]

Rental Sector

Eoin Ó Broin

515. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the rules or guidelines issued to the Housing Agency for the cost rental tenant-in-situ income eligibility test; and to explain how these rules or guidelines take into account an applicant's change of income in the previous 12 months from the date of application. [40140/23]

Emergency Accommodation

Eoin Ó Broin

848. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm that a request for transfer has been received from a person (details supplied); and if the request will be considered. [40292/23]

Passport Services

Eoin Ó Broin

27. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in relation to passport applications for individuals under the age of 18 years if a sole guardian affidavit is required to be submitted in the case that there is just one parent/guardian named on the birth certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37805/23]

Motor Industry

Eoin Ó Broin

420. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance the number of cars sold with an open market selling price above €60,000, €80,000, €100,000, €120,000 and €140,000, for the years 2021 and 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [37175/23]

Primary Medical Certificates

Eoin Ó Broin

421. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance for an update on the review of the regulations underpinning the primary medical certificate scheme arising from the Supreme Court challenge to the conflict between the regulations and primary legislation; what changes he intends to make to the rules governing the scheme; and when these changes will be made. [37192/23]

Departmental Communications

Eoin Ó Broin

704. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of requests submitted by a school (details supplied) to put a traffic plan in place on the temporary site where the school is located due to safety concerns; if her Department intends to assist with the request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38742/23]

School Admissions

Eoin Ó Broin

705. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the options available to a person (details supplied) who has been unable to secure a school place in their locality or in their neighbouring towns and who has already been in contact with their local educational welfare officer and is advised it will be difficult to secure a teacher for home tuition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38744/23]

School Transport

Eoin Ó Broin

772. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the reason four children (details supplied) have not been granted school transport for this school year; and the other options, if any, available to the family for the children to obtain transport to and from school. [39296/23]

Special Areas of Conservation

Eoin Ó Broin

811. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, in light of the judgment (details supplied), he will provide in tabular form a list of all the areas where the court found there had been a failure to designate them as special areas of conservation, SACs, also indicating if they have been designated since the EU Commission issued its reasoned opinion and on what date they were designated; a list of all the Irish SACs for where there are no site-specific conservation objectives and-or conservation measures; and to indicate where these have been provided subsequent to the reasoned opinion from the Commission; what date they were made; the timeframes envisaged where gaps still persist in respect of designation or provision of site-specific conservation objectives and conservation measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37190/23]

Rental Sector

Eoin Ó Broin

812. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether any new guidance has been issued by his Department to local authorities for the purposes of setting updated schemes of letting; and if so, to explain what 'not reasonably able to meet the cost of the accommodation which they are occupying' means in the updates scheme of lettings; and how this reasonableness test is assessed. [37199/23]

Foreshore Issues

Eoin Ó Broin

816. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that the foreshore licence (details supplied) is still active; to whom it applies; and to confirm the status of such licence when the land/property to which such a licence applies is sold. [37245/23]

Departmental Data

Eoin Ó Broin

844. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide, in tabular form, the number of buy-and-renew homes delivered by each local authority in the past 12 months; and the average cost to buy and refurbish the property, broken down by local authority. [37557/23]

Housing Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

858. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason in relation to the local authority home loan income earned only in the Republic and in the North of Ireland is reckonable for eligibility for the loan; if consideration has been given to including income earned in other EU countries as reckonable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37705/23]

Housing Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

860. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the Housing Adaptation Grant, the estimated cost of 12,300 applicants being awarded the grant at the highest rate available. [37710/23]

Housing Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

861. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if changes to the Housing Adaption Grant are under consideration; if it is intended to increase grants to reflect increased construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37711/23]