Parliamentary questions

Departmental Correspondence

Patrick Costello

81. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has received correspondence dated 29 April 2024 in respect of the Gearagh; and if he can respond to the points raised. [20388/24]

Road Traffic Offences

Patrick Costello

113. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the legal status for advanced stop lines at traffic lights; the offence that is committed when these lines are breached by motor vehicles. [20246/24]

Córas Iompair Éireann

Patrick Costello

120. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport to confirm he will implement the ruling of the High Court in respect to the CIÉ 1951 scheme and take steps to ensure that the benefits of the scheme’s active members will be protected and maintained; and that 1951 scheme pensioners will be awarded their long-awaited pension increase without delay. [20379/24]

Córas Iompair Éireann

Patrick Costello

121. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport to engage with CIÉ to ensure it complies with its legal obligations to appoint CIÉ board-nominated members to the statutory CIÉ 1951 scheme pensions committee, pursuant to rule 12 of the scheme. [20380/24]

Road Traffic Offences

Patrick Costello

164. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform whether he is aware that An Garda Síochána are using the ambiguity in law of the speed limits in the Phoenix Park as a reason not to prosecute reports of other traffic offences such as dangerous driving and overtaking on a continuous white line in the park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20243/24]

Departmental Policies

Patrick Costello

335. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will liaise with her British counterparts to establish a body akin to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains to perform a similar function in relation to the 'disappeared' of the 1916-1923 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20260/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

345. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of An Garda Síochána who have been trained on bicycles in each Garda region; the number of bicycles currently in use by An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20244/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

346. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of electrically assisted bicycles An Garda Síochána has; the number of Gardaí trained for patrolling duties on e-bikes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20245/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

347. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice whether this is an “intercept detection” offence only by An Garda Síochána or whether such offences can be reported by the public to their Garda stations or Traffic Watch; the number of drivers prosecuted from 2020 to 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20247/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

348. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of incidents reported to the Garda Traffic Watch in 2022 and 2023 that could not result in a fixed penalty notice prosecution as they were not processed within 107 days of the offence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20248/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

349. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice whether a person making a report to An Garda Síochána Traffic Watch is entitled to an acknowledgement of that report, and, where in the case that An Garda Síochána chooses not to proceed with an investigation of the incident reported, notice of that decision and an explanation of the decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20249/24]

Departmental Policies

Patrick Costello

356. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will establish a body akin to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains to perform a similar function in relation to the 'disappeared' of the 1916-1923 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20259/24]

Road Traffic Accidents

Patrick Costello

516. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE provides data to the RSA on all road traffic injuries treated in emergency departments and minor injury clinics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20241/24]

Medicinal Products

Patrick Costello

517. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to ensure that essential medications, such as nozinan, required for palliative care patients being used in place of medications which are currently in short supply are reimbursed by the primary care reimbursement service to community pharmacies, in order that such patients and their families do not incur costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20242/24]

Residency Permits

Patrick Costello

197. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice when the review of the Irish residence permit card fee will be completed; and if a reduction on these fees is anticipated for Budget 2025. [20231/24]

Electricity Grid

Patrick Costello

90. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the business practice among electricity suppliers to prevent customers from moving back to a flat-rate tariff if they have opted in-to a smart tariff; if this practice has been examined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19539/24]

Mental Health Services

Patrick Costello

193. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if her Department has received a copy of the recently published report by Mental Health Reform "Mental health services & supports in prisons: Service Mapping and Reflections from Lived Experiences"; and if she will make an itemised response to each of the recommendations included. [19611/24]

Planning Issues

Patrick Costello

415. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish the Mulcahy report into planning irregularities in Donegal. [19284/24]

Departmental Programmes

Patrick Costello

477. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the status of a series of Programme for Government commitments (details supplied); the actions taken to date; the stage of formulation and the estimated timeline for completion of each, in tabular form. [18742/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

521. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 442 of 23 April 2024, if this relocation of prisoners will entail the progression unit remaining together; if not, if the prisoners will the general population; if the new location will entail the same level of services that those prisoners earned considering they are all on the enhanced status; if not, her views on whether there is no motivation for generic prisoners to progress within the prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19297/24]

Healthcare Policy

Patrick Costello

645. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the concerns of over 100 Irish academics expressed in an open letter (details supplied) about a report on transgender healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18880/24]

Medicinal Products

Patrick Costello

646. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if his Department plans to legislate to stop the dispensing of EU prescriptions for specific marginalised groups as proposed in a recent article (details supplied). [18881/24]

Gender Equality

Patrick Costello

647. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if reports of transgender people being denied blood tests by GPs will be investigated by the HSE clinical lead for transgender services. [18882/24]

Departmental Data

Patrick Costello

648. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the number of patients of the National Gender Service who have walked back their gender as mentioned in a recent radio interview (details supplied), by year in tabular form. [18883/24]

Health Services Staff

Patrick Costello

715. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health for an update regarding the recruitment of the outstanding nurses promised as part of the 2018 Valproate Response Project, for which funding was confirmed in 2022; if advertising of the positions and interviews have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19300/24]

Cabinet Committees

Patrick Costello

1. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on EU and International Affairs has met in each year of this Dáil Éireann term. [18319/24]

Cabinet Committees

Patrick Costello

2. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Government Co-ordination has met in each year of this Dáil Éireann term. [18320/24]

Cabinet Committees

Patrick Costello

3. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Housing has met in each year of this Dáil Éireann term. [18321/24]

Cabinet Committees

Patrick Costello

4. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Migration, Integration and Ukraine has met in each year of this Dáil Éireann term. [18322/24]

Cabinet Committees

Patrick Costello

5. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Northern Ireland has met in each year of this Dáil Éireann term. [18323/24]

Cabinet Committees

Patrick Costello

6. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services has met in each year of this Dáil Éireann term. [18324/24]

Inspector of Prisons

Patrick Costello

19. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice when existing unpublished centre reports (details supplied) will be published. [17832/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

25. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on the introduction of an online portal for uploading and reporting of digital evidence, such as video of road traffic offences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17844/24]

Heritage Projects

Patrick Costello

70. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the status of the works being carried out at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park; and the timeline for completion and its opening as a visitor site. [17835/24]

Heritage Sites

Patrick Costello

71. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the efforts his Department is making to liaise with An Garda Síochána regarding policing of road speed within the Phoenix Park. [17834/24]

Commemorative Plaques

Patrick Costello

142. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 653 of 18 January 2023, if an update will be provided. [17311/24]

Departmental Reviews

Patrick Costello

150. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update in relation to the strategic defence review and provide a timeline on the publication of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18008/24]

Departmental Strategies

Patrick Costello

181. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the development of a national strategy for camera-based enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17953/24]

Commemorative Plaques

Patrick Costello

221. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will erect an additional plaque in Kilmainham Gaol regarding the Civil War executions that took place there in order to acknowledge Leo Dowling and Terrance Brady, who, it has been recently established, were executed there but are not recognised on the existing memorial (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17304/24]

Corporate Governance

Patrick Costello

248. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions being taken by the Companies Registration Office and the Corporate Enforcement Authority in relation to the owners’ management companies and ensuring that they are adhering to the necessary rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17321/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

258. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a breakdown, by county or local authority area, of the number of children waiting for special education school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17337/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

259. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a breakdown within the Dublin City Council area for the number of special schools operating in the area and their capacity; the number of special classes operating in the area and their capacity; the number of mainstream schools with special needs assistants, outlining the number assigned to each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17338/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

260. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education the measures her Department is taking to increase the provision of special education places throughout schools in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17339/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

261. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for an update in relation to the review of contracts for special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17340/24]

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Costello

262. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for an update in relation to the Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17341/24]

Schools Building Projects

Patrick Costello

282. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education to confirm if her Department is indeed putting an expedited plan for the provision of a new gaelcholáiste or gaelcholáistí in the south Dublin area together currently (details supplied); and when this expedited plan will be completed by her Department. [17437/24]

School Transport

Patrick Costello

332. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education if her Department will liaise with the relevant authorities to introduce a school pupil's free travel scheme bus pass, similar to the free travel scheme for adults, recognising that children in rural areas can avail of free travel, but not those in urban areas, and recognising that, if delivered upon, this would be directly meeting one of the objectives in the school transports review. [18091/24]

Housing Policy

Patrick Costello

346. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to ensure older people who wish to downsize or right-size are able to do so; the assistance provided in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17317/24]

Legislative Reviews

Patrick Costello

426. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she would be willing to carry out a review of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 and issues relating to the operation of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17322/24]

Legislative Measures

Patrick Costello

427. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice in instances where residents feel aggrieved by decisions taken or feel owners’ management companies are acting outside the scope of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, the mechanisms under which residents can submit these actions for review or enforcement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17324/24]