Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Assisted Human Reproduction

Pauline Tully

367. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the urgency with which an Assisted Human Reproduction Bill is required so as to give legal certainty to mothers of children born through surrogacy who presently have guardianship status which ends when the child turns 18 years of age removing any legal link between the child and mother; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55340/21]

School Staff

Pauline Tully

429. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if the one release day per week for teaching principals will only extend to the end of the current school year as it appears to suggest in Circular 50/2021; if so, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54451/21]

School Staff

Pauline Tully

430. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if the recent 25 cent an hour pay increase for secretaries, caretakers and cleaners was rescinded in a note by the Financial Services Support Unit; if so, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54452/21]

Schools Refurbishment

Pauline Tully

439. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if approval will be given to an application for the summer works programme by a school (details supplied) to repair the current treacherous state of the pathways and play areas on the grounds of the school which was identified in a recent health and safety audit and risk assessment as a hazard for playtime and for children and visitors entering and exiting the school grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54502/21]

Broadband Infrastructure

Pauline Tully

440. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the major internet issues occurring on a daily basis in a school (details supplied) and that the National Centre for Technology in Education has to date been unable to resolve same; if she will request that this school is included in the National Broadband Plan roll-out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54503/21]

Deportation Orders

Pauline Tully

532. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice the reason a person (details supplied) was deported under an order signed on 21 September 2010 by the then Minister for Justice; if the reasons they sought asylum were investigated; if their deportation was in any way connected to complaints which led to the closure of a processing centre for asylum seekers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54453/21]

North-South Interconnector

Pauline Tully

27. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the review currently being conducted by his Department into the North-South Interconnector has queried why EirGrid overturned its previous preference of an overhead line for the Kildare-Meath grid upgrade in favour of a 400kV underground cable; if the review has since examined this as a preferable option for the North-South Interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53703/21]

Exploration Industry

Pauline Tully

69. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timetable for the final policy statement on mineral exploration and mining to be submitted to Government for consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53702/21]

Consumer Rights

Pauline Tully

96. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport his plans to make a submission to the EU regarding the review of regulation 1107/2006 and regulation 261/2004 on air passenger rights specifically in terms of changes to the classification of mobility equipment and assistive devices for persons with a disability when travelling by air and the level of compensation that they are entitled to for damaged equipment as this is currently limited to approximately €1,400; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53705/21]

Transport Policy

Pauline Tully

137. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which the National Transport Authority has engaged with organisations of persons with disabilities in the creation of their connecting Ireland plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53704/21]

Home Help Service

Pauline Tully

168. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the actions he will take regarding the employment terms and conditions and contracts of employment in the home care sector that have according to his Department been factors in the shortage of homecare workers rather than a demonstratable labour shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53185/21]

Enterprise Support Services

Pauline Tully

43. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 17 December 2020, if Enterprise Ireland’s draft disability inclusion strategy, supporting entrepreneurship, has been approved by the Enterprise Ireland senior management team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53184/21]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Pauline Tully

1104. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 356 of 21 October 2021, the timeframe for publication of the Bill on assisted human reproduction; the steps he has taken to consult with stakeholders including the AHR community regarding the Bill; if the Bill will encompass international surrogacy; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53285/21]

Common Agricultural Policy

Pauline Tully

21. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals he intends to bring forward to increase the number of recognised female farmers as part of the CAP strategic plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51083/21]

Agriculture Industry

Pauline Tully

38. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the considerations he has given to accelerate the adoption of LESS technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51082/21]

Victim Support Services

Pauline Tully

92. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice if she will put a mechanism in place in Garda stations whereby the victim of a violent crime would be notified of the release of the perpetrator from prison three months in advance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51160/21]

Guardian Status

Pauline Tully

356. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health if he has considered any plans in relation to the introduction of legislation on surrogacy that would give legal status to parents whose child was born through the use of a surrogate; if these plans have considered retrospective parentage for parents who have currently been granted guardianship; if these plans have considered the need to extend parental leave and benefits to those parents whose child was born through the use of a surrogate; if these plans have considered the need to streamline this process and reduce the legal costs on parents whose child was born through the use of a surrogate in gaining their legal status as parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51333/21]

Health Services

Pauline Tully

129. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 809 of 28 September 2021, if, considering that a high volume of breast cancer cases are oestrogen-driven and many women experience hormonal changes from the age of 40 onwards, he has considered extending breast check screening to all women from 40 years of age to 69 years of age and introducing ultrasound screening for all women from 25 years of age to 40 years of age in addition to women of 70 years of age and over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50833/21]

General Practitioner Services

Pauline Tully

200. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the appointment of a permanent doctor to the general practitioner practice in Swanlinbar, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50461/21]

Energy Policy

Pauline Tully

289. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will instruct his Department to extend the deadline for the town hall consultation meetings for stakeholders in relation to mineral exploration and mining here beyond 22 October 2021 to facilitate an open and in-person consultation that will not disenfranchise rural communities that have restricted access to internet connection considering the final phase of the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic comes into effect on 22 October 2021 which will see most of the remaining Covid-19 restrictions lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51163/21]

Local Authorities

Pauline Tully

437. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the level of funding that was allocated to each local authority in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021; the level of funding that was allocated specifically to each local authority housing section in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50427/21]

Irish Language

Pauline Tully

570. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will begin an immediate consultation process to formulate the policy for Irish in the education system from preschool to third-level and immediately stop the introduction of new specifications for the leaving certificate and all other consultations relating to the Irish language until this policy is formulated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50864/21]

International Protection

Pauline Tully

640. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a reply will issue to a person (details supplied) in regard to consideration for the inclusion of his or her daughter in the Irish refugee protection programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51220/21]

Hospital Services

Pauline Tully

824. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the plans he has considered to increase capacity at Cavan General Hospital to deal with likely emergency department overflows in winter 2021 to ensure that both scheduled and unscheduled care can take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50960/21]

Community Development Projects

Pauline Tully

237. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will increase the level of funding to the transitional Leader programme to ensure its continuity until the new programme is commenced in 2023 given the high demand under the transitional programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50194/21]

Community Development Projects

Pauline Tully

238. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if prior to the commencement of the new round of the Leader programme in 2023, she will review the programme guidelines to introduce a tiered system that makes it less bureaucratic for those seeking small levels of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50196/21]

Third Level Fees

Pauline Tully

52. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the income criteria for the SUSI grant with a view to removing the income of students who defer a year to work and save for college, work part-time or during their holiday periods and not consider this as reckonable income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49176/21]

Third Level Education

Pauline Tully

63. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the shortfall in phycologists which is preventing the HSE from progressing the recruitment of staff for their children’s disability network teams; if he will raise this issue with the Higher Education Authority with a view to expanding the number of places available in this subject area in third-level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49177/21]

Brexit Supports

Pauline Tully

142. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if Ireland’s share of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, which is approximately €1 billion, will be targeted at the Border region in which Brexit has hit hardest. [46654/21]

Ministerial Appointments

Pauline Tully

216. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to make an official visit to Singapore before the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49469/21]

Defence Forces

Pauline Tully

238. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Defence the number of vacant promotions positions waiting to be filled in the Defence Forces as of 4 October 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49473/21]

School Transport

Pauline Tully

248. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will consider raising the amount paid to parents for the special school transport grant in view of the rising cost of fuel and insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49151/21]

Education Policy

Pauline Tully

249. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will meet with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss the way a programme could become embedded into national education policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49157/21]

Special Educational Needs

Pauline Tully

252. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit will be provided at a school (details supplied); the timetable for this to be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49185/21]

School Staff

Pauline Tully

299. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the situation in which teacher's salary payments for the summer programme is marked as autistic programme; if she will instruct her Department to cease the use of this terminology and instead refer to the school-based summer programme and the home-based summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49688/21]

Equality Issues

Pauline Tully

354. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will meet with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss the way an innovative, intercultural solution to tackle racism at a social and institutional level can become embedded into national policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49158/21]

Departmental Data

Pauline Tully

444. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice the number of full-time accountants working in the Criminal Assets Bureau in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49470/21]

An Garda Síochána

Pauline Tully

445. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí by rank attached to the Cavan-Monaghan drugs unit as of 1 January 2020 and 5 October 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49471/21]

Departmental Data

Pauline Tully

494. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for mental health services by CHO, county and age category; the breakdown by the length of time they have been waiting in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49213/21]

Health Services Staff

Pauline Tully

543. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time opticians employed by the HSE who work in counties Monaghan and Cavan in each of the past three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49465/21]

Health Services Staff

Pauline Tully

544. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time epilepsy nurse specialists employed by the HSE in each of the past three years, in tabular form; the hospitals in which these nurses are located; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49466/21]

Hospital Services

Pauline Tully

545. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the opening hours of the minor injuries unit at Monaghan Hospital from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49467/21]

Hospital Staff

Pauline Tully

546. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the posts at Cavan General Hospital that have been offered to applicants but await a start date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49468/21]

Vaccination Programme

Pauline Tully

558. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of girls aged 12 to 13 years who were eligible for the human papillomavirus, HPV, vaccination programme, from September 2009 to September 2010, who did not avail of a vaccination; the number of first-year girls eligible for the HPV vaccination programme from September 2010 to September 2019 who did not avail of a vaccination; the number of first-year boys and girls eligible for the HPV vaccination programme from September 2019 to September 2021 who did not avail of a vaccination; the estimated cost of vaccinating all those who were eligible for the HPV vaccination programme but did not avail of a vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49506/21]

Hospital Services

Pauline Tully

567. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the reason women attending antenatal appointments in Cavan General Hospital are being instructed to attend appointments alone in the case of appointments scheduled after 22 October 2021 (details supplied); when the majority of restrictions are being lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49529/21]

Hospital Staff

Pauline Tully

613. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of neurology nurse specialists currently working in Beaumont Hospital; if he has plans to increase the number of neurology nurse specialists in the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49692/21]

Food Industry

Pauline Tully

661. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the quantities of chilled and frozen beef imported from Poland in 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49472/21]

Community Welfare Services

Pauline Tully

53. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the low morale that exists amongst community welfare officers due to the increased workload that Covid-19 has placed on them; her plans to increase the number of community welfare officers in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48293/21]

Rural Schemes

Pauline Tully

72. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider removing a rule in relation to the rural social scheme (details supplied); her views on the adequacy of the €20 top-up payment for rural social scheme participants; if she will consider the approval of an increase in the top-up to €50; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48294/21]

Direct Provision System

Pauline Tully

153. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 3 December 2020, the reason the latest inspection report on the International Protection Accommodation Service website for this direct provision centre is for May 2019 when an inspection was supposed to have been carried out in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48692/21]