Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Special Educational Needs

Marc MacSharry

311. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education if she will review the case of a child with autism (details supplied) who cannot get a place in any local primary school with an autism unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25158/24]

School Accommodation

Marc MacSharry

341. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education if her Department with meet with representatives from the Board of Management of a school (details supplied) as a matter of urgency to progress an application for temporary accommodation which was granted in 2022 and tendered for in March 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25456/24]

School Accommodation

Marc MacSharry

347. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education if she will direct her Department to expedite an application for additional accommodation for a school which is required urgently (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25505/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Marc MacSharry

661. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will explain the basis for the 180 days' residency requirement in a scheduled institution as a child in order to be eligible for benefits under the mother and baby institutions payment scheme (details supplied); if, in the interest of fairness, he will review this requirement with a view to removing same, given that all former residents went through the same suffering regardless of the number of days; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25356/24]

Health Services

Marc MacSharry

763. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health when he will sanction funding for an increase in optometrists' fees, which currently do not meet the actual cost of providing a modern eye examination, given that the fees having not increased for over 20 years; and the timescale for the implementation of a national over 8s public eyecare programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25034/24]

Employment Rights

Marc MacSharry

66. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are any legislative measures in existence or planned to provide for employment rights for contract workers within the film industry where substantial tax incentives are provided to boost profitability, yet many workers and service providers are only being provided with temporary and/or rolling contracts with no employment rights or benefits as would normally accrue such as social insurance, pension, sick leave, holiday pay and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23142/24]

Passport Services

Marc MacSharry

82. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will review his Department’s operational practice of pushing the target issue date out for a passport submitted online by two weeks, where a new photo is requested by the checker near the end of the checking process; taking on board the fact that the initial passport photo was accepted by the Department’s IT system and the fact that this practice is causing undue hardship for applicants who have a holiday booked and in some cases cannot get monies refunded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21191/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Marc MacSharry

471. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive a response to their enquiry regarding the methodology for the calculation of means in the case of their application for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19386/24]

Fuel Poverty

Marc MacSharry

120. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he and his Department have taken in the past 12 months to use surplus renewable energy to help reduce energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17506/24]

Fuel Poverty

Marc MacSharry

121. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what steps ESB, SEAI, EirGrid and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities have taken in the past 12 months to use surplus renewable energy to help reduce energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17507/24]

National Minimum Wage

Marc MacSharry

250. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when it is proposed to transpose the Adequate Minimum Wage Directive into Irish law; when he proposes to publish the required relevant action plan for the promotion of collective bargaining; when legislation is likely to be before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17449/24]

Social Welfare Rates

Marc MacSharry

412. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is proposed to reduce the weekly social support payment for those already here under the temporary protection directive, and currently in receipt of €232 per week, to the same level as all other refugees, that is, €38 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17749/24]

Agriculture Supports

Marc MacSharry

490. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider the provision of meal vouchers in light of the impact of the inordinate weather on the farming community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17750/24]

School Accommodation

Marc MacSharry

346. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 259 of 5 December 2023, the updated position with regard to an application for an extension for a primary school which has taken on a new urgency (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11537/24]

Housing Schemes

Marc MacSharry

685. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the concerns of middle earners and families in the north west region, that the ceiling price for the first home scheme (FHS) is insufficient and that there are no new homes currently in Sligo town eligible for this scheme; if the ceiling price will be reviewed at the next scheduled review of the FHS (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12880/24]

Schools Building Projects

Marc MacSharry

266. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education if she will review her Department's decision in relation to an application for emergency works by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9988/24]

Departmental Policies

Marc MacSharry

547. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the level of support for people with muscular dystrophy in Ireland in relation to universal design within higher education institutions; if the Department has any up-to-date data or figures on the number of people in Ireland living with muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10035/24]

Disability Services

Marc MacSharry

796. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the effectiveness of Section 25 of the Disability Act as it applies to wheelchair users, including electric and power wheelchair users, accessing Higher Education Institution facilities; if there are plans to improve access to higher education institution facilities for wheelchair users, including electric and power wheelchair users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10033/24]

Disability Services

Marc MacSharry

797. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reasoning behind public bodies being exempt from Section 25 of the Disability Act; the process for which a higher education institution as a public body can apply for an exemption; the designated person(s) responsible for applying for the exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10034/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Marc MacSharry

415. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Government’s redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes is expected to be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8676/24]