Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Flexible Work Practices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

138. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the work that is being carried out on remote working hubs and broadband connection points; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53090/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Ruairí Ó Murchú

125. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the anomaly in cases in which a social welfare recipient, who would otherwise qualify for the fuel allowance, is deemed illegible because they are renting a room in a house in which non-qualifying persons live with whom they have no relationship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53754/22]

Departmental Offices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

17. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the international unit of his Department. [51678/22]

Farm Household Incomes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

735. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s working understanding of the definition of a family farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52745/22]

Insurance Coverage

Ruairí Ó Murchú

15. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on any progress made on advancing duty-of-care legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51619/22]

Crime Prevention

Ruairí Ó Murchú

62. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the work of her Department in tackling drug-related intimidation and reporting. [52410/22]

Nursing Homes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

113. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the timeline for an inquiry into nursing home care during the Covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51614/22]

Health Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

160. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the range and nature of services available to Louth-based adults and children at hospitals; if there are plans to improve the diabetes service currently serving adults and children in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51615/22]

Departmental Projects

Ruairí Ó Murchú

317. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on any progress made on the DRIVE project to build the capacity of communities to respond more effectively to drug-related intimidation and violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51618/22]

Citizens' Assembly

Ruairí Ó Murchú

26. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach the expected timeline for the citizens' assemblies committed to in the Programme for Government. [45561/22]

Departmental Bodies

Ruairí Ó Murchú

29. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [45562/22]

Departmental Bodies

Ruairí Ó Murchú

37. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the Policing Reform Implementation Programme Office based in his Department. [45563/22]

Pension Provisions

Ruairí Ó Murchú

546. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reinstating one-member arrangements and make those with less than ten members exempt from the additional audit functions; if not, if she will allow for the readjustment of a personal retirement savings account product to allow contributions from employer to employee to be exempt from USC benefit-in-kind; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52468/22]

Social Welfare Offices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

6. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if additional resources are being given to Intreo centres, in particular community welfare offices, in order to deal with the huge number of additional requests for supplementary welfare and exceptional needs payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49886/22]

Children in Care

Ruairí Ó Murchú

110. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, if any, to improve the pay and conditions of foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49959/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Ruairí Ó Murchú

160. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, if any, to deliver a sustainable, affordable early learning and pre-school sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49960/22]

Cabinet Committees

Ruairí Ó Murchú

16. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on the environment and climate change will next meet. [50016/22]

Cabinet Committees

Ruairí Ó Murchú

28. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on social affairs and equality will next meet. [50015/22]

School Transport

Ruairí Ó Murchú

79. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the additional funding received in budget 2023 for school transport; the way in which additional school transport places are being provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49958/22]

Legislative Measures

Ruairí Ó Murchú

128. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education if changes are planned to the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 in relation to school children with special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49957/22]

Northern Ireland

Ruairí Ó Murchú

35. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his recent interactions with the British government on the Northern Ireland Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48808/22]

Ukraine War

Ruairí Ó Murchú

49. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his recent interactions with the European Union in relation to the continuing situation with regard to the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48807/22]

Defence Forces

Ruairí Ó Murchú

111. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline the progress that is being made on the further evaluation being carried out on the issue of long-service increments in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48817/22]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Ruairí Ó Murchú

12. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach to report on the work of his Department's shared island unit. [48259/22]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Ruairí Ó Murchú

22. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the latest communications with British Prime Minister. [44933/22]

Departmental Policies

Ruairí Ó Murchú

40. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the shared island unit. [44931/22]

An Garda Síochána

Ruairí Ó Murchú

549. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to award reserve Gardaí a long service medal for their voluntary unpaid service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48350/22]

Local Authorities

Ruairí Ó Murchú

58. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his Department's plans for funding local authorities in the next 12 months to carry out planned maintenance on their housing stock; if he will provide a breakdown by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46966/22]

Local Authorities

Ruairí Ó Murchú

67. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities to whom tenants owe money in rent arrears have a policy on the way to deal with vulnerable customers in debt; the nature of these policies; the way that they are managed and overseen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46965/22]

Citizenship Applications

Ruairí Ó Murchú

380. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to difficulties regarding the payment of fees for citizenship applications from spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland and who are intending to reside on the island of Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46701/22]

Public Transport

Ruairí Ó Murchú

65. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to extend all public transport fare reductions to private bus operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45719/22]

Public Transport

Ruairí Ó Murchú

76. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if consideration will be given to including 17- and 18-year-olds on the youth travel card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45718/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

134. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance the status of the work of the Office for the Promotion of Competition in the Insurance Market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45714/22]

Energy Prices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

157. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance the measures that are under consideration to alleviate the huge increases in the cost of energy for small and medium businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45715/22]

National Broadband Plan

Ruairí Ó Murchú

62. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the roll-out of the national broadband plan; the number of premises that have been passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45632/22]

Energy Prices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

120. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the engagements that he has had in recent weeks regarding the security and cost of the State’s energy supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45631/22]

Energy Prices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

41. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline the assistance that the Government plans to give to small businesses that are struggling due to increased costs such as energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44729/22]

Departmental Programmes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

3. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach the type of research that is currently being carried out by the Shared Island Unit. [39233/22]

Departmental Programmes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

4. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if the Shared Island Unit will consider expanding its research to examine economic and social modelling in relation to a united Ireland. [39234/22]

Departmental Programmes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

5. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will consider expanding the Shared Island Unit to include conversations on the future of this island. [39235/22]

Taxi Licences

Ruairí Ó Murchú

317. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the requirements and steps necessary for a person resident in Northern Ireland and an Irish citizen with a Northern Irish driving licence to apply for a small public service vehicle licence to drive a taxi in the Republic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41884/22]

Pensions Reform

Ruairí Ó Murchú

450. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider a derogation on the benefit-in-kind tax on personal retirement savings account pension schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41880/22]

Pensions Reform

Ruairí Ó Murchú

451. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the benefit-in-kind tax implications on employees paying into personal retirement savings account pension schemes from1 July 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41882/22]

Pensions Reform

Ruairí Ó Murchú

452. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance his plans to update the personal retirement savings account pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41883/22]

Pensions Reform

Ruairí Ó Murchú

1176. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons that legislation relating to one member pension schemes was changed on 1 July 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41879/22]

Pensions Reform

Ruairí Ó Murchú

1177. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing one member pension schemes with 20 members or less to be exempt from the new pension regulations which came into place on 1 July 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41881/22]

Agriculture Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

2172. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans in relation to solar farms to facilitate farmers in relation to issues that may occur in relation to succession and farm payments et cetera; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41885/22]

Agriculture Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

2173. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans in relation to grants for facilitating anaerobic digestion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41886/22]

Cost of Living Issues

Ruairí Ó Murchú

85. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions that she will take to urgently address spiralling coal costs to support families facing huge pressures taking into consideration the recently published report by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34886/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

94. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make the application for access to community welfare officers available online given the difficulties being experienced by persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34885/22]

Legislative Measures

Ruairí Ó Murchú

172. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans to implement the aspects of the EU Digital Services Act not included in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39232/22]

Industrial Development

Ruairí Ó Murchú

188. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail the future plans that the IDA has for County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39160/22]

Enterprise Policy

Ruairí Ó Murchú

189. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement that there has been recently in relation to progressing the M1 Dublin-Belfast corridor as a business and investment location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39161/22]

Broadband Infrastructure

Ruairí Ó Murchú

194. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans for interim solutions for householders in rural areas waiting on broadband that is some years away under the National Broadband Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39243/22]

Renewable Energy Generation

Ruairí Ó Murchú

212. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to ensure that the State meets climate targets in relation to electricity generation from renewables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39170/22]

Electricity Generation

Ruairí Ó Murchú

213. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of plans to improve microgeneration of electricity in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39171/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

214. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the criteria that are used for entities to be established as one stop shops for housing improvement grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39172/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

215. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the criteria that is used by one-stop shops for contractors to be included on their approved lists for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39173/22]

National Broadband Plan

Ruairí Ó Murchú

216. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are plans to accelerate the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan; the engagement there has been with National Broadband Ireland in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39174/22]

Cybersecurity Policy

Ruairí Ó Murchú

217. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the updated plans at the National Cyber Security Centre to deal with cyber and hybrid attacks in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39175/22]

Telecommunications Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

218. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details of the interactions with telecoms companies and other related agencies with regard to eliminating spam calls and texts to phone users in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39176/22]

Public Transport

Ruairí Ó Murchú

241. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the mitigations that are being considered to reduce costs in the taxi industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39238/22]

Haulage Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

242. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the mitigations that are being considered to reduce costs for the haulage industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39239/22]

Bus Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

243. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the mitigations that are being considered to reduce costs for commercial bus operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39240/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

254. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if consideration is being given to increasing the amount of money returned to commercial bus operators under the youth travel card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39300/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

284. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance the engagement by his Department and Government agencies with foreign or overseas insurance companies with a view to increasing the number of providers in the public liability insurance market in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39162/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

285. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance his Department’s plans to ensure the right of access to insurance link information following the recent European Commission finding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39163/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

286. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance the measures that the Government plans to take to ensure that changes in the judicial guidelines on personal injury claims result in reduced premiums for insurance customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39164/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

287. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance the legislative changes that are planned or are underway to ensure a reduction in insurance premiums for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39165/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

288. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the work that is being carried out under the action plan for insurance reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39166/22]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

289. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the work of the Office for the Promotion of Competition in the Insurance Market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39167/22]

Film Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

339. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of persons who are actively working in the film and television industry at the moment. [39298/22]

Film Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

340. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the actions that are being taken to address the high levels of unemployment, low levels of job security and low levels of pay within the film and television industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39299/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

374. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that HAP recipients are not able to get repayment plans if they are in arrears; the way that tenants in arrears can deal with same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39217/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

375. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of tenants who had HAP arrears and who lost their tenancies by county since 1 January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39218/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

376. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish the guidelines used by HAP and by the local authorities on the way that they deal with vulnerable customers in rent arrears; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39219/22]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

377. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request HAP to allow tenants in rent arrears to take-up payment plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39220/22]

Departmental Data

Ruairí Ó Murchú

378. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable, affordable mortgage, cost rental and council houses including Approved Housing Bodies, that will be delivered in County Louth in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39221/22]

Departmental Reviews

Ruairí Ó Murchú

379. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement that there has been by his Department with the Attorney General on the planning review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39222/22]

Brexit Issues

Ruairí Ó Murchú

413. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the Government’s international engagement on the Irish protocol particularly with the European Union, the United States and Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39178/22]

European Union

Ruairí Ó Murchú

414. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the Government engagement on the issue of accession to the European Union of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldovia and the Western Balkan countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39179/22]

Passport Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

415. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress that has been made in relation to the processing of Irish passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39180/22]

European Union

Ruairí Ó Murchú

416. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the Government’s engagement with the European Union on the issue of food security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39181/22]

Overseas Development Aid

Ruairí Ó Murchú

417. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the Government’s plans to increase overseas aid to deal with the threat of famine which has been made worse by the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39182/22]

Cybersecurity Policy

Ruairí Ó Murchú

459. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence his Department’s involvement in increasing the State’s cybersecurity infrastructure, including additional financial resources allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39152/22]

Cybersecurity Policy

Ruairí Ó Murchú

460. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence his Department’s interaction with international agencies and other states in relation to improving the State’s cybersecurity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39153/22]

Cybersecurity Policy

Ruairí Ó Murchú

461. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence if he will detail if any additional personnel from the Defence Forces of his Department have been tasked with dealing with hybrid and cybersecurity threats to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39154/22]

Departmental Reports

Ruairí Ó Murchú

462. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence the plans there are to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39155/22]

Defence Forces

Ruairí Ó Murchú

463. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence if he will detail the interaction and engagement by his Department with Dublin Airport Authority regarding the use of the Defence Forces at Dublin Airport; the details of any deployment of Defence Forces’ personnel at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39156/22]

Schools Building Projects

Ruairí Ó Murchú

492. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education the plans for the delivery of new primary and secondary schools in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39157/22]

Special Educational Needs

Ruairí Ó Murchú

493. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education the status of the delivery of the autism unit at a school (details supplied) in County Louth. [39158/22]

School Staff

Ruairí Ó Murchú

494. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education the status of the implementation of the agreement on school secretaries’ pay and conditions; the Departmental resources that are being used to ensure the speedy resolution of the issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39159/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

505. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to awarding the back-to-school allowance to families who foster children with Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39149/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

546. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of additional needs payment applications that have been received, awarded and refused in each Intreo centre in the State since 1 March 2022; the total Euro amount of payments in each Intreo centre on a monthly basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39241/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

547. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of supplementary welfare applications that have been received, awarded and refused in each Intreo centre in the State since 1 March 2022, including the total Euro amount of payments in each Intreo centre on a monthly basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39242/22]

Children in Care

Ruairí Ó Murchú

602. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to increase the foster care allowance to families who work with Tusla. [39148/22]

Family Support Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

603. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to increase the availability of early intervention for families in distress and for family supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39150/22]

Childcare Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

604. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to bolster the viability of childcare providers, including plans to reduce the cost of childcare to parents, increase wages to workers in the sector and enhance career progression of workers in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39151/22]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

612. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration will be given to an increase in the allowances for apprentices from rural areas particularly early years apprentices who often have to travel long distances for work and training due to the rising cost-of-living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39245/22]

Institutes of Technology

Ruairí Ó Murchú

623. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of Dundalk Institute of Technology’s progress towards technological university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39183/22]