Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Recycling Policy

Brendan Griffin

12. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the provisions in place for people with disabilities and elderly people to access the deposit return scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22135/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

13. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his proposals to support veterans' associations; the progress made implementing related recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22055/24]

Commemorative Medals

Matt Carthy

14. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the work of the working group established to review the process of awarding medals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22056/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

15. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the establishment figure of the Defence Forces; the number of personnel required under level of ambition 2 of the Commission on the Defence Forces; the total current number of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force; his targets for net recruitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22057/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

16. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his plans to meet the capital allocation required to meet level of ambition 2 as outlined by the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22058/24]

Defence Forces

Aindrias Moynihan

17. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the up-to-date position on risk assessments carried out on the safety impact to Irish peacekeeping troops serving in Lebanon on their monitoring of the blue line between Lebanon and Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22106/24]

Emergency Planning

Aindrias Moynihan

18. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures being taken to ensure the protection of submarine communication cables in Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22107/24]

Electric Vehicles

Aindrias Moynihan

19. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport his views on a survey (details supplied) and the recently announced figure of a decrease in new car registrations of 16% compared with March 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22102/24]

Road Safety

Aindrias Moynihan

20. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken to deal with wild deer on public roads and the increased prevalence of traffic incidents due to their increased numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22103/24]

Road Safety

Aindrias Moynihan

21. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the up-to-date position on road safety improvements for the N22 at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22104/24]

Electric Vehicles

Aindrias Moynihan

22. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport to outline his engagement to date with Cork County Council in progressing and delivering EV charging infrastructure for existing homes and apartments without their own driveway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22105/24]

Insurance Industry

Niamh Smyth

23. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance the steps his Department is taking to assist with the increasing price of insurance premiums, despite the fact claims are going down. [22025/24]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Carol Nolan

24. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide a schedule of Garda stations in Offaly and Laois that are the subject of capital works, by location; the budget associated with same and the nature of the works; the stage the projects are at currently and the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21956/24]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Carol Nolan

25. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide a schedule of Garda stations in Offaly and Laois that are the subject of internal renovation and or retrofitting works, by location; the budget associated with same and the nature of the works; the stage the projects are at currently and the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21957/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Robert Troy

26. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the steps being taken to resolve issues in the integrated pension system for those who joined the Civil Service after 1995, where currently in such cases persons who are retired from the Civil Service will have a State pension amount deducted from their Civil Service pension before they reach pension age, and therefore before they are in receipt of a State pension; and whether the Minister agrees this measure is completely unfair and should not apply until a recipient is actually in receipt of a State pension. [21981/24]

Business Supports

Brendan Griffin

27. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a late increased cost-of-living business grant application will be accepted from a business (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21958/24]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

28. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

29. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the capital investment in computer and data infrastructure, by investment, in each of the years since 2011, in tabular form. [21990/24]

Work Permits

Verona Murphy

30. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the timeline for the new employment scheme for non-EEA fishermen; the estimated start date for the employment scheme, which was to replace the atypical working scheme for non-EEA fishers; when stakeholders will be notified and informed of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22062/24]

School Admissions

Paul Murphy

31. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure the provision of local school placements for students (details supplied); if she can help to get them placements so they can be reunited with their families or ensure they are guaranteed admission for the next school term in any school that is within reasonable distance from where the family resides. [21933/24]

Special Educational Needs

Duncan Smith

32. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she can confirm that a person (details supplied) will be able to access an autism class in a primary school in their locality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21934/24]

School Equipment

Seán Sherlock

33. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if there is any discretion available on a matter (details supplied). [21935/24]

School Staff

Niamh Smyth

34. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she is reviewing sick leave for a section of staff based on correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21936/24]

Schools Building Projects

Steven Matthews

35. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the new school building for a school (details supplied); the timeline for the completion of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21959/24]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

36. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the average class size of primary schools, on a county-by-county breakdown, for the 2023-24 school year. [21975/24]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

37. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by her Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]

Special Educational Needs

Anne Rabbitte

38. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education the steps being taken to support children attending a school (details supplied) after the board of management made changes to its enrolment policy for the senior DLD class, resulting in the loss of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21984/24]

School Accommodation

Darren O'Rourke

39. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education for an update on the lease agreement in place for temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied); when the lease is due to expire; if plans are in place to extend the lease if necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21994/24]

Educational Disadvantage

Ged Nash

40. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education her views on the difficulties experienced in DEIS schools following the reduction in the primary schools books grant (details supplied); if she will review this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21997/24]

School Staff

Pádraig O'Sullivan

41. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if her Department will engage with a person (details supplied) regarding pay scale concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21998/24]

School Transport

Niamh Smyth

42. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if the case of a student (details supplied) will be reviewed, given that Bus Éireann has been made aware of the issue regarding the special class in this case and has requested that the case be referred to her Department for review. [22001/24]

School Enrolments

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

43. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education if the forward-planning unit in her Department has identified the shortfall in school places at primary level in the east Waterford area; the plans to address same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22007/24]

Special Educational Needs

Niamh Smyth

44. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department is taking to target a shortage of special needs units and early prevention units in national schools throughout Ireland, and particularly in the areas of Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22014/24]

School Enrolments

Duncan Smith

45. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if there are any proposals in place to increase the number of classes in schools in all of the Fingal area, due to the growing population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22029/24]

School Transport

Verona Murphy

46. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the provision of school bus transport for the 2024-25 academic year for secondary school students travelling from Kilmore, County Wexford into Wexford town; if a resolution similar to the one recently found for students travelling from Gowran, County Kilkenny into Kilkenny city has been determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22060/24]

Departmental Schemes

Catherine Connolly

47. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education when a person (details supplied) can expect to have works completed further to a successful application and assurances from the Department that his case would be dealt with as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22087/24]

School Staff

Carol Nolan

48. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will investigate concerns around the inability of a school staff member to access incremental credit (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22132/24]

Sports Funding

Paul Kehoe

49. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on the progress of an application for funding under the sports capital scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22093/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Paul Murphy

50. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount being paid to a company (details supplied) to remove the tents of asylum seekers; with a breakdown of the amount received per removal and the details of any other company being paid by his Department for this purpose; in tabular form. [21979/24]

Wildlife Protection

Jennifer Whitmore

51. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to initiate a national oiled wildlife response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22064/24]

Wildlife Protection

Jennifer Whitmore

52. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support he is providing to volunteer groups to help with the effects of the recently found oiled seabirds along the east coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22065/24]

Wildlife Protection

Paul Murphy

53. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the outcome of a NPWS investigation into the legality or otherwise of squirrel traps that were used at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin earlier this year. [21976/24]

Wildlife Conservation

Paul Murphy

54. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will urgently add the old Irish goat to the list of animals protected under the Wildlife Act 1976, given it is now critically endangered and is being ruthlessly targeted by trophy hunters. [21977/24]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

55. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cause of injury to a hare that was euthanised by a vet on day two of the Johnstown and Urlingford coursing meeting in December 2023; and if, in light of the stress, injury and death caused to hares in coursing, he will introduce a ban on the activity. [21978/24]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

56. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]

Septic Tanks

Niamh Smyth

57. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can review the criteria for the septic tank grant; if he will acknowledge that many people who want to avail of the grant are not eligible for same as they are not located in the so-called buffer zones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22008/24]

Wastewater Treatment

Niamh Smyth

58. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review a matter (details supplied); if there are any allowances or financial support that can be given in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22009/24]

Housing Policy

Patricia Ryan

59. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider putting a cap on the timeframe local authorities are given to carry out approved works for those who need housing adaptations; and, if so, the timeframe he considers appropriate. [22015/24]

Septic Tanks

Christopher O'Sullivan

60. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend septic tank grants to include homes that may have old and leaking septic tanks and are located close to waterways but are not located within the high-status objective catchment areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22052/24]

Housing Policy

Brendan Smith

61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any view or if any formal public policy exists in relation to the role public representatives might play in the governance or management of voluntary housing bodies in the context of the positive ongoing development of the voluntary housing sector; if it is the policy to discourage public representatives from serving on the boards of approved housing bodies or if the experience of public representatives might be considered a benefit to such boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22088/24]