Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Social Welfare Benefits

Duncan Smith

106. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to expedite an application for carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) which was submitted in December 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18224/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Denis Naughten

107. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 814 of 9 April 2024, the corresponding number of recipients of carer's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18233/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Denis Naughten

108. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 814 of 9 April 2024, if she will provide a breakdown of the numbers and primary payments received by recipients of the half-rate carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18235/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

109. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider making changes to the ongoing situation where workers (details supplied) have to sign on for jobseeker's allowance during school holidays, given the time delay and difficulties workers face on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18252/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Thomas Pringle

110. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a domiciliary care allowance application (details supplied) which has been in processing for a number of months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18267/24]

School Meals Programme

David Stanton

111. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection how students with serious medical conditions, such as those who are coeliac, are accommodated under her Department’s hot school meals programme; if there is a distinction between medical conditions and food intolerances under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18365/24]

Pension Provisions

Catherine Connolly

112. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to the proposed automatic enrolment pension scheme, what analysis has been carried out regarding the consequences; if there are fewer participants than the 750,000/800,000 on which the scheme is predicated; what analysis has been carried out regarding the consequences of varying numbers of participants opting out of and/or suspending participation in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18375/24]

Departmental Advertising

Ged Nash

113. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in her Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18399/24]

Departmental Contracts

Carol Nolan

114. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if she or her officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18451/24]

Departmental Schemes

David Stanton

115. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications received under the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme in each respective year since its inception; the number of applications accepted, and the number refused each year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18140/24]

Prison Service

Pa Daly

116. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 824 of 7 November 2023, for an update on the establishment of the Penal Policy Consultative Council. [18188/24]

Prison Service

Pa Daly

117. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the current number of persons on remand, by prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18190/24]

Prison Service

Pa Daly

118. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the reports that have been submitted to her office by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons that are awaiting publication; the date of submission of each of these reports; when these reports will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18191/24]

Restorative Justice

Pa Daly

119. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice when she will bring forward reform of community sanctions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18192/24]

Legislative Measures

Pa Daly

120. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice her views on the Inspection of the Places of Detention Bill 2022. [18193/24]

Legislative Measures

Pa Daly

121. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice her current plans to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture. [18194/24]

Prison Service

Pa Daly

122. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons currently engaged with the bail supervision scheme in the youth justice system; her plans to extend this scheme to the adult population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18195/24]

Prison Service

Pa Daly

123. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the number of former prisoners who have been referred to the housing first scheme since its establishment in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18196/24]

Programme for Government

Pa Daly

124. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice her views on the Programme for Government commitment to introduce legislation to address the issue of spent convictions; and her plans for reform in the area. [18197/24]

An Garda Síochána

Pádraig O'Sullivan

125. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 20 March 2024, the number of Garda vetting appeals heard by appeals officers for the years 2019 to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18206/24]

An Garda Síochána

Paul Donnelly

126. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of marked Garda vans attached to each Garda district within DMR as of 18 April 2024, in tabular form. [18231/24]

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Brendan Smith

127. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice when a health impact assessment will be carried out in respect of the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18239/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Carol Nolan

128. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if her Department can provide data on the number of unaccompanied minors who have arrived at Dublin Airport for each of the years 2019 to date; the procedures followed by her Department or the border management unit and the Garda National Immigration Bureau when an unaccompanied minor child enters the state without correct identification or no identification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18251/24]

Constitutional Amendments

Carol Nolan

129. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if the concerns expressed by officials within the legal and immigration units of her Department and obtained an FOI request from an organisation (details supplied) were brought to her attention prior to the recent family and care referenda; when this took place; her response to these concerns, particularly with respect to the clear views of staff within her Department's immigration units that if the constitutional amendments were passed this would likely result in massively increased legal costs and the destabilisation of the State's capacity to maintain an effective immigration system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18284/24]

Departmental Funding

Mark Ward

130. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice when applications for the community safety innovation fund will be open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18382/24]

Departmental Advertising

Ged Nash

131. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in her Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18396/24]

Departmental Contracts

Carol Nolan

132. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if her Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if she or her officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18448/24]

Animal Welfare

Claire Kerrane

133. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Government made a submission to the recent EU consultation on animal welfare during transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18150/24]

Agriculture Supports

Carol Nolan

134. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will intervene with the Minister for Finance to support the extension of the tax warehousing scheme for the farm and forestry contractors sector in Ireland, which has been the most severely impacted by the bad weather since September 2023 and now faces huge cashflow difficulties due to the late spring sowing season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18208/24]

Forestry Sector

Claire Kerrane

135. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commit to commencing an immediate review of the forestry programme, given that more than six months have now passed since the programme's inception and the persistently low levels of uptake by farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18237/24]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael Ring

136. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive his TB compensation payment considering that the herd was removed on 14 February last; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18253/24]

Agriculture Supports

Claire Kerrane

137. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has engaged with the Minister for Finance on sectoral requests for an extension to the tax warehousing scheme for agricultural and forestry contractors, given concerns around financial and weather constraints on work activity in the agricultural and forestry contractor sector in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18257/24]

Pesticide Use

Claire Kerrane

138. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers will be penalised for spreading fertiliser that has phosphorus in it, given that many fertilisers have some level of fertilisers in them and considering new requirements to have soil tested before spreading compound fertilisers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18279/24]

Veterinary Services

Jackie Cahill

139. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide the schedule of fees paid to private veterinary practitioners for TB testing on farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18308/24]

Departmental Advertising

Ged Nash

140. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in his Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18385/24]

Departmental Contracts

Carol Nolan

141. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if he or his officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18437/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

142. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional rental payments are being made by Ukrainians to top up their ARP; if this is permitted in law; if Ukrainians benefitting from the ARP are given a distinct advantage over ordinary citizens seeking rental properties where the ARP is a tax-free payment for landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18363/24]

Disability Services

Peadar Tóibín

143. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of school OT staff who exist for each of the past five years; and the number of school speech therapist staff who exist for each of the past five years. [18165/24]

Disability Services

Peadar Tóibín

144. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of speech therapist appointments that have been cancelled for each of the past five years; the number of cancellations of school OT services appointments in each of the past five years; and the number of cancellations of school psychology appointments in each of the past five years. [18166/24]

Youth Services

Michael Healy-Rae

145. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18173/24]

Youth Services

Michael Healy-Rae

146. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding will be provided to ensure that youth workers are covered by the WRC recommendations to allow them to continue their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18174/24]

Youth Services

Michael Healy-Rae

147. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18180/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Carol Nolan

148. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department engages with the Department of Justice with respect to the accommodation of unaccompanied minors; if so, the number of unaccompanied minors who have been assisted with accommodation needs by his Department for each year during the period 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18249/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Carol Nolan

149. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department, or any body under the aegis of his Department, retains and collates data on the number of accompanied minors who were accommodated by the State but who are now unable to be contacted or communicated by the Department due to their locations being unknown; if so, the number of such instances for the period 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18250/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

150. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the return of essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists, and social worker to a special school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18262/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

151. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm the reason a special school (details supplied) is still without essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists, and a social worker; the date they will start; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18263/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

152. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to increasing the allocation of therapists to an area (details supplied) to meet the needs of the caseload, in view that the current level of allocation does not deliver essential intervention and support necessary to every pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18264/24]

Youth Work Supports

Brendan Smith

153. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider the request of a group (details supplied) in relation to the need to improve services throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18282/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

154. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of accommodation recognition payments being provided in 2023 and to date in 2024; the type of accommodation provided that is single room in a house/ full house and so on; the amount of rental properties being provided to Ukrainians under this scheme; and the amount of Ukrainians who have transferred from State provided accommodation to the ARP payment to date in 2024. [18361/24]

Childcare Services

Mark Ward

155. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are any plans to provide funding for the construction or assistance of new community creches for the Newcastle area of County Dublin, in view of the changing demographics and the current pressure on childcare services in the area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18368/24]