Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Road Network

Matt Shanahan

152. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide his Department’s approved budget figures for the purposes of road maintenance and new road developments infrastructure outlined by individual region totals over the past four years of Government; if he will clarify how regional equity is demonstrated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5918/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

346. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 31 January 2024, to outline the research and research processes that underpin this reply, particularly the general sentiment that recruitment, rather than applications in the TU sector is positive since their individual inception and the specific explanatory rationale for the recent decline proffered. [5941/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

347. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 31 January 2024, and the technological sector advancement fund referenced therein which is purported to provide €50 million to continue to assist new technological universities in their post-establishment phase; the amount of disbursed monies from this fund; the precise total funds amount approved to each TU to date, in tabular form; will the Minister comment as to where exceptionalism is being demonstrated by him and his Department in terms of this funding disbursement to recognise the unique deficit the southeast region suffers given that it has no National University institution to support third level delivery unlike the other regions of the country; his plans to further enforce exceptional funding to the southeast region because of this known deficit and regional imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5942/24]

Public Transport

Matt Shanahan

55. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he could provide an annual breakdown of the total cost incurred to date of the Metrolink North project; to detail the measures put in place to ensure costs are moderated and controlled; if he can offer a forward-looking statement on envisaged expenditure in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4964/24]

Departmental Projects

Matt Shanahan

56. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he could please outline the key policy achievements realised and new initiatives taken by his Department in Waterford during 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4967/24]

Regional Airports

Matt Shanahan

85. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport the status of the business case for the Waterford Airport runway extension (details supplied) within his Department; if the Department has had sight of same; if so, the reason he has not been included in reviewing it to date, understanding the extremely tight construction timelines pertaining to the project; the expected timeframe he envisages his Department will require to arrive at a recommendation of the project; if he will the give a guaranteed timeline so that the proposal can begin construction this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5489/24]

Tax Code

Matt Shanahan

98. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance if he has any plans to further expand the inheritance thresholds in the next budget, particularly where it relates to the estates of single individuals; if he would acknowledge that single people with no children are at a particular disadvantage while estate planning given that their estate will likely be gifted to those in the ‘stranger in blood’ bracket, and therefore a large portion of their estate will be eroded by Inheritance tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4966/24]

School Staff

Matt Shanahan

195. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Education if she will formally respond to the specific issues raised in relation to the situation of a teacher (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5262/24]

Planning Issues

Matt Shanahan

242. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of planners recruited by the Land Development Agency from An Bord Pleanála; if he acknowledges that recruiting staff from the already overstretched An Bord Pleanála only undermines further the Government's planning strategy and exacerbates current waiting times; if there are any plans to outsource recruitment to avoid reducing the staffing levels at An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4928/24]

Local Authorities

Matt Shanahan

243. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he could provide details relating to the Cork Event Centre; the estimated costs of constructing the Cork Event Centre during the project timeline; an annualised breakdown of actual direct costs or grant aid supplied in respect of this project; a timeline of the project’s advancement through the public spending code, or similar key milestones; the current estimated final cost to the exchequer and the current estimated opening date; detail of any negotiations and lobbying by Cork City Council, other interested parties and his Department with respect to the delivery of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4965/24]

Regional Development

Matt Shanahan

244. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the statistical measures and controls used across Government Departments to ensure balanced regional development, and that the four largest cities outside Dublin grow at the twice the rate of the capital. [4968/24]

Hospital Facilities

Matt Shanahan

472. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking regarding the provision of a dedicated diabetes care unit at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4962/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

473. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of dedicated whole-time equivalents of consultant endocrinologists, dietitians, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, staff nurses, podiatrists and administrative support posts currently dedicated to the outpatient adult diabetes clinic in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4963/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

474. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking regarding the recruitment of a dedicated diabetes physiologist for people with Type 1 diabetes in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4969/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

475. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to ensure that the HSE has the necessary funding to recruit and support the minimum number of staff, at University Hospital Waterford, required to manage the diabetes unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4971/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

476. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if University Hospital Waterford, as a model 4 hospital, has contingency plans in place for the staffing of the diabetes unit to ensure adequate cover in the event of staff illness or leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4973/24]

Health Services

Matt Shanahan

477. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of adults attending UHW with type 1 diabetes who have requested insulin pump therapy, and when those patients can expect to avail of this diabetes technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4974/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Matt Shanahan

478. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who are awaiting an appointment to see an endocrinologist over the last five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4975/24]

Health Services

Matt Shanahan

481. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of people who have started the new insulin pump, in all hospitals within the RCSI Hospital Group, aged between 0-17 years and those aged 18 years or older, for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4982/24]

Health Services

Matt Shanahan

482. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health when the Sláintecare project on the development of a national diabetes register will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4983/24]

Hospital Admissions

Matt Shanahan

483. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions that occurred through the University Hospital Waterford accident and emergency or the acute medical assessment units due to diabetic ketoacidosis in people aged between 0-17 years and those aged 18 years or older in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4985/24]

Insurance Industry

Matt Shanahan

212. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance the expected date for the publication of the Central Bank NCID (National Claims Information Database) Employers' Liability, Public Liability and Commercial Property Insurance Report 2022 in view of the delay in publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4772/24]

Dublin Airport Authority

Matt Shanahan

18. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if the DAA is contemplating spending over €250 million on a tunnel at Dublin Airport for a handful of vehicles per hour; if so, if this project has received approval through the public spending code; and what public money including EIB borrowing has been made available to DAA since 2020. [4353/24]

Child Protection

Matt Shanahan

127. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is happy with the current standard of childcare in Ireland; if he believes we are doing enough to ensure the protection of children, given that in 2021 a newborn baby was allowed to stay in the care of two heroin addict parents, the baby did not survive past seven weeks and nobody was held accountable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4372/24]

Health Services

Matt Shanahan

145. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the ten highest risks on the risk register maintained, by each of the hospital groups in respect of each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4355/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

151. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of staff members required to sufficiently staff a neurology department within a model 4 Irish hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4373/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

152. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if he could confirm in tabular form per hospital how many temporary consultants in model 4 hospitals are currently "pending compliance clearance"; how long this process usually takes to complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4374/24]

Hospital Equipment

Matt Shanahan

153. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if there is an electroencephalographic machine in University Hospital Waterford. [4375/24]

Irish Blood Transfusion Service

Matt Shanahan

154. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if, due to the shortage of blood stocks in Irish hospitals, there are any plans within his Department to have full-time blood donation clinics in Ireland; if his Department is considering if the donation of blood could be incentivised in some way, perhaps in the form of vouchers and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4376/24]

Departmental Funding

Matt Shanahan

196. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide all disbursements of moneys from his Department, national research bodies or HEA, by year and by funding stream, to include but not limited to State grant, fee income, research funding and grants, capital investments, PPP payments, ad-hoc disbursements, and the various transformational funding schemes, in respect of each of the technological universities since 2020, in tabular form. [4356/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

197. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail a timeline and schedule of pre-procurement and procurement activities, including any costs defrayed in respect of the three PPP projects contemplated at SETU Waterford since 2005. [4357/24]

Further and Higher Education

Matt Shanahan

198. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of additional college places, by higher level institution, provided in each of the areas in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary since 2020, in tabular form. [4358/24]

Further and Higher Education

Matt Shanahan

199. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a statement on the original projected costs and now envisaged final total cost in respect of the Cork School of Music and Cork Maritime College. [4359/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

200. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a statement on the general decline in student numbers across the technological university sector since the sector was established. [4360/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

201. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to explain the nature of the slow and painstaking work in studying and developing of a borrowing framework by his Department for the technological sector. [4361/24]

Institutes of Technology

Matt Shanahan

202. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail the annual payments in respect of the loans provided to IT Tralee and Waterford IT since the loan was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4362/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

204. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail the progress of new lecturing and research contracts for faculty working in the technological university sector in light of the OECD Report entitled 'A Review of Technological University Academic Career Paths, Contracts and Organisation in Ireland'; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4512/24]

Departmental Policies

Matt Shanahan

540. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 586 of 3 October 2023, if he is comfortable with the governance approach in raised therein, if he can further clarify who undertakes performance appraisals and signs off on any expense claims in relation to the executive roles in the SSWHG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4042/24]

Forestry Sector

Matt Shanahan

472. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail, in tabular form, the net area of Sitka Spruce afforestation in Ireland each year from 2010 to 2023 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2573/24]

Forestry Sector

Matt Shanahan

473. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm the number of afforestation licences on hand within his Department yet to be issued; the number of afforestation licences issued in 2023 and the weekly number of afforestation licences his Department estimates will issue for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2574/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

93. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline his Department's planned allocations to capital developments at South East Technological University over the next 12 months and beyond (details supplied). [46934/23]

Tax Code

Matt Shanahan

1598. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health to review the taxation treatment of GP group practises (details supplied) with respect to the specific queries raised in correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57169/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Matt Shanahan

1652. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health what surveillance activity programme is taking place with respect to monitoring wastewater for Covid; the number of treatment plants that are being monitored as part of the health surveillance; if he will publish the latest data available to his Department on Covid concentrations in municipal wastewater schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1147/24]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Matt Shanahan

1815. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his Department’s processes that consider the value for money question understanding that in 2017 a project build (details supplied) was estimated at less than €50 million, in 2021 it was estimated to cost close to €90 million and today the engineering block build is estimated to be costing over €100 million; if, given that this project cost has moved over €50 million from the last Programme for Government and over €20 million in the lifetime of this Government’s programme, he will outline how the delay process to funding this long-awaited capital programme demonstrates the decision delay has proven ‘beneficial in value’ to the State capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56390/23]

Children in Care

Matt Shanahan

70. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline any new strategy development in his Department that deals with foster children and the challenges facing foster parents, particularly in relation to social security entitlements with respect to pension contributions (details supplied). [55037/23]

Human Trafficking

Matt Shanahan

466. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps his Department is taking to ensure the child trafficking is not occurring where refugee families and adolescents are presenting for international protection in Ireland. [55038/23]

Care of the Elderly

Matt Shanahan

805. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health when the 56-hour dementia intensive home care package for a 91-year-old dementia sufferer, who is on a waiting list since August 2023, will be provided in full (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54885/23]

Care of the Elderly

Matt Shanahan

806. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if it is correct that an organisation (details supplied) has been given an instruction by the HSE not to feed or give any fluids, only to provide personal hygiene and activities, to a 91-year-old dementia patient it takes care of for seven hours per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54891/23]

Disability Services

Matt Shanahan

502. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health when appointments will be made available for two children from the same family to be assessed for occupational therapy (details supplied); the procedure for them to receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53216/23]

Departmental Data

Matt Shanahan

526. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health to provide in tabular form, with respect to each hospital in the South, South-West group, the annual budget, capital expenditure, WTE staff, number of in-patient beds, number of consultants, for each year, or year end that the hospital grouping was in place from 2013 up to present day. [53312/23]