Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Employment Schemes

Colm Burke

254. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will give due consideration to the funding of pilot schemes to enable young cancer survivors' reintegration to work following cancer treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33649/23]

Planning Issues

Colm Burke

354. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department would consider reforming the zoning and planning process to improve the timelines for delivery of housing and infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33560/23]

Planning Issues

Colm Burke

355. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department would consider simplifying and shortening the planning process to hasten building of housing and energy infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33561/23]

Planning Issues

Colm Burke

356. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what action his Department will take with local authorities where planning permission was issued for commercial units on the ground floor subject to the construction of residential units on floors one and two, and where the property developers are now refusing to make residential units available for occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33571/23]

Commercial Rates

Colm Burke

427. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will actively engage with local authorities to ensure that where commercial rates are already in place for a building, a waiver may be sought if such building is now used as a men's shed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34315/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Colm Burke

437. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give due consideration to extending the treatment benefit scheme (currently available to dependent spouses, civil partners or cohabitants of qualified persons subject to certain conditions), to dependent children up to the age of 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33639/23]

Visa Applications

Colm Burke

508. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice what action is being taken by her Department to improve upon the timeframe for the processing of appeals on decisions of visa applications whereby the application was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34049/23]

Childcare Services

Colm Burke

597. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm that CORE funding will be increased to support childcare services and parents, particularly in light of rising costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33469/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

655. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm how €750,000 provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places has been allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33466/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

656. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that education and additional financial support will be made available to those undertaking counselling psychology courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33467/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

657. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that financial supports such as the ones given to first-year students in the educational psychology doctorate programme (details supplied) will be made available to those in counselling psychology courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33468/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

684. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health given the low approval rates for certain medicines subject to managed access protocols, if he believes that the criteria is currently too restrictive; his views on whether the current criteria could deter eligible patients from applying to access such medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33544/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

685. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health given the long wait times that patients experience for medicines subject to managed access protocols, if he can provide further details, in tabular form, on the timelines, from EMA approval to reimbursement, for all medicines subject to managed access protocols for the period May 2021 to April 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33545/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

686. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health his views on whether managed access protocols for certain medicines should be amended if they are found not to be accommodating to clinicians and patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33546/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

687. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the specific drugs that have been considered to date by the rare diseases technology review committee of the HSE, in tabular form; the outcomes of these decisions; the timelines for each from EMA licence to availability to Irish patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33547/23]

Medical Cards

Colm Burke

688. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department would consider increasing the income level for medical card qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33565/23]

Medical Cards

Colm Burke

708. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the granting of life long medical cards for survivors of child, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33646/23]

Cancer Services

Colm Burke

709. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the provision of dedicated funding for a children's, adolescents and young adults (CAYA) specific psycho-oncology service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33647/23]

Cancer Research

Colm Burke

710. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ringfence dedicated funding for sustained, regular investment in clinical trials, research, and infrastructure to offer cancer patients the best chance of survival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33648/23]

Cancer Services

Colm Burke

711. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position with regard to the recruitment and funding of all outstanding psycho-oncology service posts in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33650/23]

Cancer Services

Colm Burke

712. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure the roll-out of the National Cancer Information System (NCIS) to remaining designated cancer centres nationwide; if he will ringfence funding to ensure that this be designated a priority and resourced in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33651/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

713. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the inclusion of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and other smoking cessation supports in the drug payment scheme, in light of the costs of smoking on the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33652/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

764. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when he will publish the review of cardiac services in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33861/23]

Health Strategies

Colm Burke

765. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that he will work towards publishing a new cardiovascular strategy, which Ireland has been without since 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33862/23]

Health Strategies

Colm Burke

766. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that he will work towards the establishment of an early detection programme for people at risk of structural heart disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33863/23]

Healthcare Policy

Colm Burke

767. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that funding from the EU4Health Joint Action on diabetes and cardiovascular disease will be utilised to establish a pilot early detection programme for structural heart disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33864/23]

Pharmacy Services

Colm Burke

848. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm what action he, his Department and the HSE will take to improve the efficiency of the high-tech medication scheme as there are delays in the supply of medication as pharmacies cannot request stock until prescriptions have been received from consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34337/23]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Colm Burke

864. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department would consider revising supports for post-2016 apprenticeships to assist small business employers to take on apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33563/23]

Education Schemes

Colm Burke

866. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will permit automatic eligibility for young cancer survivors into the disability access route to education (DARE) scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33645/23]

Grant Payments

Colm Burke

887. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will ringfence dedicated funding for the establishment of an annual Men's Shed sustainability grant, in light of the essential role such sheds play in promoting health and providing social support within our communities (estimated cost €3,000 per shed); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33654/23]

Grant Payments

Colm Burke

888. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will give due consideration to the provision of a grant directly payable to the Men's Sheds Association to enable them to best target individual sheds which are in danger of closure (estimated cost €250,000 per annum); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33655/23]

Grant Payments

Colm Burke

889. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will set aside dedicated funding for the provision of a 'once off grant' for each newly established Men's Shed, in light of the essential role such groups play in promoting health and providing social support within our communities (€10,000 per shed), such a grant would ensure that sheds would have the funds to 'get off the ground'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33656/23]

Community Development Projects

Colm Burke

890. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will engage with the relevant authorities for the purposes of conducting an audit of all unused properties in their ownership which may be suitable for use as a Men's Shed, considering the essential role such sheds play in promoting health and providing social support within our communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33659/23]

Community Development Projects

Colm Burke

891. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will sponsor a national awareness campaign for the purpose of increasing social inclusion for younger men and refugees, considering the essential role such groups play in promoting health and providing social support within our communities, such a campaign would further ensure sustainability and succession planning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33660/23]

Housing Provision

Colm Burke

35. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the number of housing completions in Cork in 2022; the projected number for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33125/23]

Housing Schemes

Colm Burke

69. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the amount of people who availed of the help-to-buy-scheme, local authority affordable purchase scheme, first-home scheme and the local authority home loan scheme in Cork in 2022; the amount of funding provided under these schemes in Cork in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33126/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Colm Burke

165. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm whether her Department is investigating the possibility of linking the rate of maternity benefit to a woman’s pay or PRSI contributions; if so, the current status of these plans; when they are likely to be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32824/23]

An Garda Síochána

Colm Burke

199. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if, following an audit of all unoccupied properties previously used either to provide accommodation to members of An Garda Síochána or former Garda stations no longer in use, he will set out the number of these unoccupied properties which have been sold to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33291/23]

State Properties

Colm Burke

200. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to set out in detail his Department’s future proposals for the building which was previously occupied as the main prison in Cork city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33292/23]

Work Permits

Colm Burke

206. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration would be given to the addition of a bespoke seasonal employment permit scheme for foreign workers for fruit-picking and other seasonal employments in the horticulture sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33296/23]

Work Permits

Colm Burke

207. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration would be given to increasing the number of physiotherapists under the critical skills occupations list in view of the shortage of physiotherapists in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33312/23]

Development Contributions

Colm Burke

245. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if one-off residential properties (details supplied) are included in the temporary time-limited waiver in respect of development contributions if the site has not been opened and construction has not commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33298/23]

Departmental Policies

Colm Burke

294. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action his Department is taking to address increased concerns in the tillage sector with regards to the current tillage targets agricultural modernisation scheme (TAMS) in view that the pricing structures may not accurately reflect the cost of modern tillage machinery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33293/23]

Departmental Policies

Colm Burke

295. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be an extension of the deadline for the submission of scoreboards under the agri-climate rural environment scheme (ACRES) in view of the large volume of farm walks required to be undertaken by agri-advisors within the very short timeframe before 31 August 2023 deadline, and also in view that Department officials have outlined significant penalties for farmers in the scheme including removal from the scheme should farmers not have their lands scored within a month of the deadline passing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33294/23]

Departmental Policies

Colm Burke

296. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action his Department is taking to support the horticultural sector; if consideration would be given to the establishment of a targeted financial support scheme to assist with rising production costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33295/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

297. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline in tabular form the number of tree-falling licences issued from 1 January 2022 to 31 May 2022; the number issued during the same timeframe in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33299/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

298. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline in tabular form the total number of kilometres of road licences issued from 1 January 2022 to 31 May 2022; the total number issued during the same timeframe in 2023, and to clarify why there has been a significant decrease in road licences issued in 2023 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33300/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

299. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the monthly targets for private licences with ecology input, excluding Coillte felling licences, were predominantly higher in series one in comparison to series two from January 2022 to January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33301/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

300. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what impact the low level of afforestation licences issued for 2023 will have on Ireland's environmental and climate targets; if his Department plans to increase the number of afforestation licences issued for the remainder of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33302/23]

Departmental Records

Colm Burke

334. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to set out in tabular form the total number of people on HSE physiotherapy waiting lists in Cork from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, and 1 January 2023 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33306/23]