Parliamentary questions

Legislative Programme

Brendan Howlin

1241. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if she has specific legislative plans to address the issue of damage and theft of life-saving equipment including defibrillators and lifebuoys; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1098/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Howlin

1618. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if it is intended to add the booster dose to the EU Digital COVID Certificate; if so, if consideration has been given to certifying the receipt of the booster dose to citizens who obtained their booster in Ireland in cases in which they received their original vaccines in another European Union member state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1103/22]

Home Help Service

Brendan Howlin

1737. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the action he has taken to address the severe staffing crisis in home support services in County Wexford; if his attention has been drawn the case of a person (details supplied) in which they cannot be discharged from a nursing home due to a lack of home support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1454/22]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Howlin

1738. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the process for persons moving residence who cannot find an available general practice to accept them as patients in their new area of residence; the supports available from the HSE for persons in this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1467/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Howlin

87. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an invalidity pension claim by a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60607/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Howlin

508. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the long waiting list for neurology patients at St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin; if his attention has been further drawn to the acute shortage of neurology nurse specialists at the hospital; his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59928/21]

Prison Service

Brendan Howlin

118. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the number of incidents of Covid-19 in Irish prisons; the impact of Covid-19 infections on the Irish Prison Service and the Courts Service to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57611/21]

Legal Services Regulation

Brendan Howlin

173. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if she has plans to amend the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 to include in the Act a definition of client in order to ensure that persons adversely affected by what they consider an inadequate standard of legal services can make a complaint to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57605/21]

Passport Services

Brendan Howlin

245. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58069/21]

Humanitarian Access

Brendan Howlin

2. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action taken to address the humanitarian crisis developing on the Belarus-Poland and Belarus-Lithuania borders in particular to bring relief to the thousands of migrants stuck in makeshift camps on the borders of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56502/21]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

78. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Defence his plans for the future development of the Curragh military camp; the capital funding allocated for this purpose in each of the coming five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56533/21]

Air Corps

Brendan Howlin

87. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Defence when the replacement aircraft for the current Casa CN 235 maritime patrol aircraft will arrive; if he is satisfied with Ireland’s current capacity to patrol its maritime territory; if he has plans to further expand the Air Corps capacity to patrol territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56539/21]

Water Quality

Brendan Howlin

189. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that three towns in County Wexford were subject to boil water notices due to the lack of ultraviolet treatment facilities in the water plants serving these towns; if he will ensure that funding is provided to Irish Water to install these urgently needed facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56813/21]

Insurance Coverage

Brendan Howlin

210. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the options available a couple in full-time employment with the clear expectation of being able to repay the mortgage over a lifetime of work in circumstances in which they require life insurance to secure a mortgage for a home loan and such insurance is unavailable due to a congenital illness; if there is a requirement for the insurance industry to offer life insurance in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55495/21]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

299. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Defence if he has reviewed the upper age limit for the recruitment of Defence Forces personnel at a time when recruiting suitable personnel is proving problematic; his views on whether the current age limits having regard to international comparisons are appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55250/21]

Trade Agreements

Brendan Howlin

55. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the motion seeking ratification of CETA will be made in Dáil Éireann given his comments at the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55065/21]

Passport Services

Brendan Howlin

131. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the passport application of a person (details supplied) will be processed by his Department; if he will reply to correspondence from this Deputy to him on 18 October 2021 on this matter; if he will ensure arrangements are made in his Department to receive a photograph of this applicant for passport purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55187/21]

Human Rights

Brendan Howlin

354. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to disturbing reports coming from Afghanistan regarding the treatment of members of the LGBT+ community by the Taliban; if this matter has been discussed at European Council meetings; if contact has been made with the Taliban authorities on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54003/21]

Hospital Services

Brendan Howlin

549. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a lack of specialist palliative care for paediatric patients in the HSE south east region; his plans to put in place new paediatric palliative consultant post in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53994/21]

State Bodies

Brendan Howlin

754. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the premises currently in use by the Legal Aid Board for the provision of legal services under the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations; if each premises has been acquired by leasehold agreement by the Board; if in each case the consent of the Minister was given to the Board to acquire a leasehold interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52691/21]

Departmental Priorities

Brendan Howlin

217. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the supports his Department provides for research into motor neuron disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50009/21]

Agriculture Industry

Brendan Howlin

134. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to allocate revenue generated from the carbon tax to farmers; the timeline he envisages for this distribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49124/21]

Victim Support Services

Brendan Howlin

412. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered the matter subsequent to her Department’s analysis of issues and supports needed for victims of crime post court hearings including follow-up and psychological support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49194/21]

Banking Sector

Brendan Howlin

163. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the options available to an Irish company that has been refused by the two largest banking companies in Ireland to open a business bank account; if his Department or any other State agency offers assistance in such cases to new companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47599/21]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

84. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to a report undertaken under item 40A of the White Paper on Defence implementation programme; his plans to act on this report in view of the ongoing effect on retention; the way in which he plans to implement its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47256/21]

Citizenship Applications

Brendan Howlin

301. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice when the passports of persons (details supplied) currently held by the INIS and which will be required for travel purposes will be returned to the passport holders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47310/21]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Howlin

385. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will set out in specific details his plans to allocate revenue generated from the carbon tax to farmers; the timeline for this distribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47316/21]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Howlin

394. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to provide support to the forest industry to ensure its survival through the ongoing forestry licensing crisis in order for it to deliver on the vision which is being created for Irish forestry for the next 100 years of the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47386/21]

Common Agricultural Policy

Brendan Howlin

395. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the EU climate action strategies the new CAP must be aligned with and enable in a forestry context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47387/21]

Common Agricultural Policy

Brendan Howlin

396. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the current draft CAP strategic plan satisfies all of the EU climate action strategies in a forestry context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47388/21]

Tax Reliefs

Brendan Howlin

278. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to make adjustments in the tax saver rail ticket system to facilitate workers who are returning to the workplace on a two day or three-day work basis rather than a five-day commute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46022/21]

Tax Reliefs

Brendan Howlin

201. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the way he plans to facilitate rail users who have purchased commuter rail tickets to travel to work and who are now returning to the workplace on a two to three day basis; if he has discussed this issue with Irish Rail and with the Minister for Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45914/21]

Proposed Legislation

Brendan Howlin

311. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the expected timeline on the publication and presentation to the Dáil Éireann for the proposed new hate crime legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45796/21]

Hospital Staff

Brendan Howlin

321. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes multidisciplinary team; his views on whether psychosocial support in diabetes care is not formally embedded as part of diabetes management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45778/21]

Health Services

Brendan Howlin

322. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if a diabetes psychology resource will be provided to each community diabetes specialist team hub under the integrated model of care for the prevention and management of chronic disease implementation guide; his views on whether access to psychosocial support in these teams should be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45779/21]

Hospital Staff

Brendan Howlin

323. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a 0.5 whole-time equivalent clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes paediatric diabetes team; his views on whether psychosocial support in paediatric diabetes care should be available in each team; the reason there is no access to this support outside of Dublin paediatric diabetes services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45780/21]

Hospital Staff

Brendan Howlin

324. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding for a post of clinical psychologist to the multidisciplinary team in Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45781/21]

Brexit Supports

Brendan Howlin

353. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if subsequent to the implementation of rules prohibiting the landing of live bivalve molluscs including wild caught scallops in UK ports he will address the serious financial cost to scallop fishers fishing off the coast of the UK now required to land their catch in EU ports; the reason these fishers are not included in other support schemes; if his attention has been drawn to the impact of this requirement on all involved in fishing, processing and transporting these products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45773/21]

Road Network

Brendan Howlin

146. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a recent assessment estimated that Wexford County Council requires €196 million to bring secondary roads in the county up to standard; his plans to address this urgent issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42682/21]

Planning Issues

Brendan Howlin

398. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to grant a further extension to planning permissions for residential housing delayed by Covid-19 and by building supply issues; if he has estimated the numbers of such permissions due to expire without completion in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43029/21]

Legal Aid

Brendan Howlin

903. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if the relocation of the Legal Aid Board office in County Waterford has been brought to her attention; if discussions have taken place with staff of that office concerning the move; if she has given formal consent under section 3(2) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 for this new premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42170/21]

Home Care Packages

Brendan Howlin

1252. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the recruitment crisis in the homecare sector; if he is satisfied that his Department’s policy on this sector will deliver on policy to allow all persons who wish to remain living in their own homes to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42218/21]

Visa Applications

Brendan Howlin

297. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the reason that visas are required for Colombian nationals visiting or studying in Ireland; if the cost of such visas is greater than the cost of visas for other nationals; the reason that the proof of economic solvency for Colombian applicants is much greater than for other South American applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36981/21]

Citizenship Applications

Brendan Howlin

336. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice when an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied) will be determined. [35429/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Howlin

408. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if matters raised by a person (details supplied) in hotel quarantine will be addressed; his views on whether the experience is acceptable; if a survey will be carried out of all persons who have used quarantine hotels to determine if they had similar experiences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28823/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Howlin

410. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the temporary assistance payment scheme available to nursing homes will continue beyond 30 June 2021, having regard to the ongoing risk from Covid-19 and the consequent need for nursing homes to have extensive infection-prevention control measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28825/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Howlin

237. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that a person (details supplied) on a waiting list to see a consultant neurologist in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin has been given an appointment for 1 January 2024; if this is in keeping with policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27762/21]

Vaccination Programme

Brendan Howlin

238. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 525 of 5 May 2021, his understanding of the effectiveness of each vaccine authorised for use in Ireland against each identified variant of Covid-19 in tabular form; his understanding of the relative effectiveness of first dose and two doses against each variant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27763/21]

Heritage Projects

Brendan Howlin

190. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will identify a source of funding to assist the restoration of an historic musical organ (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34254/21]

Driver Test

Brendan Howlin

190. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons awaiting a driving test in the RSA Wexford driving test centre in each category (details supplied); the number of weeks candidates are on a waiting list for a test date broken into four weeks tranches in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34129/21]