Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

School Transport

Paul Murphy

1062. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will consider raising the compulsory retirement age of drivers who are in possession of a full PSV licence, a full driver licence and are certified as medically fit to drive who have been working for contractors on contracts with Bus Éireann but are currently required to retire at 70 years of age such as a person (details supplied). [20129/21]

Social Welfare Code

Paul Murphy

1114. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of either the disability allowance, an invalidity pension or other disability payment from her Department is permitted to take up a Ph.D. scholarship or bursary without the loss of his or her disability allowance, invalidity pension or other disability payment, or any part thereof. [18364/21]

Gender Recognition

Paul Murphy

1148. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on progress regarding the legal recognition of non-binary persons. [19221/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Paul Murphy

1177. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will amend the recently announced benefit payment for 65 year olds in order that each person, irrespective of their record of PRSI contributions is eligible for this payment from the date at which they are 65; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19852/21]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

1280. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the practice by the Science Foundation of Ireland Centre for Research Training at the University of Limerick of requiring PhD students to undertake unpaid work placement as interns for 12 weeks of up to 45 hours per week as part of their PhD scheme (details supplied); if this practise at the university is also carried out by other universities here; if he will request the University of Limerick and any other universities to review these practises, including a requirement that PhD student interns are paid the same as other interns for the work they carry out and are allowed to freely choose which companies they work for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18540/21]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

1281. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will request the University of Limerick and or the Science Foundation of Ireland Centre for Research Training at the University of Limerick to comply with GDPR requirements; if they will be requested to provide their PhD students with all or any information collected in relation to those students that was used in any PhD student internship allocation process by companies involved in such PhD student internship allocation processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18541/21]

Medical Internships

Paul Murphy

1540. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the way he and the Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE plan to facilitate the commencement and completion of clinical placements by unpaid first, second and third year student nurses who are unvaccinated or decline to be vaccinated and who are due to commence HSE clinical placements from 1 April 2021; the way the HSE will facilitate a person (details supplied) who has a documented medical contraindication to vaccination to commence and complete their clinical placement in a context in which Waterford Institute of Technology has recently informed them that they cannot commence their HSE clinical placement as planned.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18186/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

1563. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the provisions in place or that are about to be put in place for pregnant women in the context of the current and changing Covid-19 restrictions in order that can they have the full range of maternity services provided to them before, during and after childbirth and in order that they will be able to have the presence and support of a friend, a partner or birth-partner at these times given the ad-hoc and sometimes traumatic situations that happened in the maternity services in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18270/21]

Medicinal Products

Paul Murphy

1851. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in September 2020 the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics refused reimbursement for the life-changing gene therapy luxturna unless cost effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that there are no existing treatments for inherited retinal disease (details supplied); if he will request that the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics review its decision and include the drug in the list of drug treatments approved for reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19135/21]

Healthcare Policy

Paul Murphy

1880. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will commence a review of healthcare for transgender and non-binary persons with a view to changing the system in order that it corresponds to the recommendations of an association (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19220/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

2070. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if restrictions on non-essential travel will remain in place for travel beyond the new limits in the context of persons now being allowed to travel within their county of residence or up to 20km if travelling across a county boundary. [19740/21]

Departmental Funding

Paul Murphy

2566. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has allocated additional funds to local authorities in the context of the major increase in outdoor recreational activity which is likely to continue into the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19848/21]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

5. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on education last met; and when it will next meet. [16823/21]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Covid-19 will next meet. [13274/21]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

14. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Covid-19 last met; and when it next plans to meet. [16824/21]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

18. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health last met; and when it next plans to meet. [16825/21]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

24. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with the economy will next meet. [13273/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

63. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the amounts due to be returned from employers for overpayments of the temporary wage subsidy scheme and employment wage subsidy scheme; the manner in which this will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17209/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

94. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the total amounts owed by workers for outstanding tax as a result of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; the plans in place to deduct this from workers; the way tax refunds due to workers are affected by same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17208/21]

Tax Reliefs

Paul Murphy

380. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the ongoing efforts being made by his Department and the Revenue Commissioners to ensure full compliance by film production companies with the conditions attached to receipt of section 481 film tax relief particularly following a recent ruling by the scope section that one of the regular recipients of section 481 over many years was found to have wrongly classified an employee as self-employed and in circumstances in which many workers in the industry claim this practice is widespread; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17199/21]

Tax Collection

Paul Murphy

381. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain his reported remarks on 4 March 2021 in which he warned of increased taxes post the Covid-19 pandemic; if he is considering specific tax increases; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17200/21]

Disability Allowance

Paul Murphy

677. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if the recent announcement that those on the disability allowance will become eligible for PhD scholarships without the loss of disability allowance and a medical card will also apply to those on the invalidity payment and other disability-related welfare supports. [17061/21]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

6. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with housing will next meet. [13272/21]

Motor Industry

Paul Murphy

354. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered introducing a requirement for identification to be provided by the buyer of a car when ownership is being transferred to avoid a situation in which a buyer can provide a false address. [15530/21]

Horse Racing Industry

Paul Murphy

2025. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of thoroughbred foals born over the past five years; the number registered to race on the track; the number of horses exiting racing over the same period; and the number of same that were sent to slaughter. [15584/21]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

2032. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) in relation to the welfare of dairy calves born in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15667/21]

Ministerial Meetings

Paul Murphy

163. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will meet with an organisation (details supplied) in view of his statement in Dáil Éireann on 15 December 2020 in relation to same; and if he has responded to correspondence from the organisation of 25 January 2021. [13629/21]

Climate Action Plan

Paul Murphy

46. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will seek to future proof the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2020 against potential misuse of negative emissions technology to delay reducing overall greenhouse gas, GHG, emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1498/21]

Defence Forces Investigations

Paul Murphy

471. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the progress of an investigation in the Defence Forces into the involvement of one or more members of same with the far right (details supplied). [13136/21]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

961. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will review the policy of allocating only certain types of vaccines (details supplied) for the over 70s in view of the recent decisions in this respect by the French and German Governments. [13443/21]

Pension Provisions

Paul Murphy

148. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport when he will sign the Statutory Instrument to implement the enhanced benefits to the CIÉ regular wages scheme pension as proposed by the WRC in December 2019 and agreed through secret ballot by the CIÉ worker-members of the regular wages scheme in June 2020. [11746/21]

Pension Provisions

Paul Murphy

149. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will make provision in the Statutory Instrument regarding the changes proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission to the CIÉ regular wages scheme pension in order that those members of the scheme who have retired since the date of the members ballot in June 2020 which agreed to those WRC proposals receive back payment of the enhanced benefits agreed under the WRC proposals to the date of their retirement. [11747/21]

DEIS Scheme

Paul Murphy

440. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently introduce a reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio for the staffing schedule for all DEIS band 1 schools and in particular for DEIS band 1 junior schools of at least the same percentage reduction of pupil-teacher ratios provided for the mainstream schools in recent years to address the needs of the most disadvantaged children in the school community. [11446/21]

Education Policy

Paul Murphy

472. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if provision will be made for remote learning to continue for leaving certificate school students in circumstances in which their parents who they live with are highly vulnerable, for example, if they have cancer and their oncologist advises it is not safe for their child to return to school. [11685/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Paul Murphy

550. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if the record will be corrected regarding the statement by the chief appeals officer of the Social Welfare Appeals Office to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection that the office does not use test cases in view of the fact this contradicts a letter of 9 January 2019 taking into account that the answer of the former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection of 18 December 2019 did not constitute a correction of the record, given that the Minister stated that the chief appeals officer does not consider that a contradiction has occurred but is happy to clarify the position as outlined (details supplied). [11642/21]

Stardust Fire

Paul Murphy

689. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding recognition of professional researchers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11757/21]

Electronic Cigarettes

Paul Murphy

840. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the measures that are being or have been taken to prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to persons under 18 years of age. [11471/21]

Diplomatic Immunity

Paul Murphy

357. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of flights given diplomatic clearance since the beginning of 2021. [10118/21]

Civil Service

Paul Murphy

102. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether a social media policy for public servants referred to in an article (details supplied) undermines the right of those public servants to freedom of expression; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9033/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Paul Murphy

135. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of expenditure for each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, showing consultancy, financial, legal, recruitment, quality assurance and training fees incurred by the election observation programme in tabular form; the amount involved for each service; the name of the suppliers; the nature of the services provided; if public procurement procedures were followed for these services; if his attention has been drawn to concerns in relation to the operation and management of the programme; his views on whether the programme would benefit from an independent investigation to assess the programme against international best practice; if he will direct that an independent investigation be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9035/21]

Light Rail Projects

Paul Murphy

90. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered the submission made to him by a group (details supplied) in December 2020 on the terms of reference for the feasibility study on the continuation of the MetroLink to south-west Dublin; his views on the concerns raised by the group about the terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8268/21]

Animal Sales

Paul Murphy

999. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department monitors advertisements for the sale of puppies on websites such as a website (details supplied) or other advertising websites to check that dog and puppy vendors are licensed as a registered breeding establishment or that the puppies offered for sale are from a licensed registered breeding establishment; if his Department has received reports in the past two years of unlicensed breeders or vendors offering puppies for sale; if so, the number of such reports; the number of inspections; and the number of prosecutions carried out by inspectors of his Department or other inspectors since 1 January 2019 of unlicensed breeders or vendors who are offering puppies for sale. [8039/21]

Greyhound Industry

Paul Murphy

1000. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that organisations (details supplied) are presenting misleading information on their websites to the effect that greyhounds exported to China are still owned by persons in Ireland; if such sales or transfers of ownership from Ireland to China have been recorded in line with section 10 of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011; if prosecutions and or penalties have been imposed on persons who failed to comply with section 10 of the Act; if he will cease such exports to China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8040/21]

Agriculture Schemes

Paul Murphy

1012. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to introduce grants for those farmers wishing to transition away from animal agriculture. [8267/21]

Children First Guidelines

Paul Murphy

211. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will urgently review and amend the Children First national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children in Ireland to be inclusive of all children who are at risk, including children deemed to be a risk to themselves regarding acknowledged behavioural conditions; if he will add to the child protection register a fifth such category of risk to the four categories already specified in the guidelines and thereby guide all the relevant bodies in their provision of appropriate protective and support measures to children who are deemed to be a risk to themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7651/21]

Visa Applications

Paul Murphy

235. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if, in a context in which many English language students have made a significant contribution to Irish society by working during the Covid crisis, including deliveries, cleaning, caregiving and childcare, and in which restrictions on international travel are likely to remain in place for a significant period, she will act to retain this needed workforce and grant a 12-month visa extension for all stamp 2 workers from 30 April 2021 until 30 April 2022. [7544/21]

Public Sector Staff

Paul Murphy

246. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the groups of public sector workers to which the updated social media policy which includes the instruction not to comment on or like social media posts which would undermine the Minister, the Department, the Government or Government policy has been sent to; and the groups of public sector workers to which it applies. [7011/21]

Special Educational Needs

Paul Murphy

459. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the arrangements for the return of children with special educational needs to mainstream schools, including proposed special staffing arrangements and additional resources; the planned phasing arrangements; the proposed dates and timelines for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7120/21]

Special Educational Needs

Paul Murphy

460. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the date for the reopening of special schools and the planned phasing of that reopening; the special staffing arrangements for same; the additional resources she plans to provide to these schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7122/21]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Murphy

169. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if donations to non-SIPO-registered far-right political entities through online crowdfunding platforms are counted by the Revenue Commissioners as taxable income; the income that has been declared to the Revenue Commissioners by non-SIPO-registered far-right political entities since 2016; the amount the Revenue Commissioners have collected from taxable income in the form of donations to non-SIPO-registered far-right political entities since 2016; the initiatives which have been or are being taken by the Revenue Commissioners to collect any such tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5034/21]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

277. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an organisation (details supplied) and its members will be instructed to immediately release all hares currently in captivity for the purposes of hare coursing in view of the High Court ruling that hare coursing should not resume during level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5392/21]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

278. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the length of time that hares may be held in captivity for the purposes of hare coursing. [5393/21]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

291. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if all of the hares under the control of an organisation (details supplied) have been released given the decision of the High Court in relation to the Covid-19 restrictions and hare coursing; if not, when they are due to be released; and if there is a time limit for the length of time the organisation can keep a hare in captivity. [5562/21]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

773. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 20 January 2021, if his Department has a list of the locations of the animal testing laboratories; and if the list will be published. [5565/21]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

774. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the body with responsibility for the inspection of laboratories involved in animal testing and the treatment and condition of animals within those laboratories; and the regime of inspection. [5566/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

873. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if there was a breach of the Covid visiting policy at the HSEs Clonakilty Community Hospital on 30 December 2020, in which a group of eight persons allegedly visited a resident in the hospital, as indicated in a report in the media (details supplied) on 16 January 2021; if four of the group of eight visitors subsequently tested positive for Covid-19; if the resident who was visited by the group was moved into isolation on foot of the visitors’ Covid-19 test results; if that resident subsequently tested positive for Covid-19; his views on the implementation of Covid-19 visiting regulations for public and private hospitals and residential care facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5899/21]

Property Management Companies

Paul Murphy

198. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the remedy available to residents who discover that their owners’ management company has not established a sinking fund contrary to the Multi-Unit Development Act 2011. [4617/21]

Property Management Companies

Paul Murphy

199. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the remedy available to residents who discover that their owners’ management company has not held an AGM within the timeframe set out in the company constitution and according to the relevant legislation. [4618/21]

Energy Efficiency

Paul Murphy

69. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the SEAI will start to revisit homes in 2021 in which insulation or other energy efficiency works were done in the past under the energy upgrade scheme but which would now benefit from a further upgrade of insulation and or other energy efficiency works as stated on the SEAI website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4363/21]

Driver Licences

Paul Murphy

97. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will request An Garda Síochána to waive the renewal fee for SPSV driver licences which are due for renewal in 2021 given the dramatic reduction of incomes for taxi and small public service vehicle drivers due to the Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3688/21]

Rental Sector

Paul Murphy

353. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the tenancy rights and right of recourse to the RTB which tenants in tied accommodation currently enjoy (details supplied); if necessary amendments will be made to the legislation and regulations to ensure that workers in tied accommodation have the same rights and security of tenure and have recourse to the RTB in the same way as other persons who rent accommodation; if tenancy agreements will be declared as illegal which give tenants in tied accommodation lesser rights than other tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4364/21]

Jobseeker's Payments

Paul Murphy

510. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the review of the backdated payments due to workers (details supplied) under the short-time work support scheme; if in the process of that review, her Department has had the co-operation of the management of the company in processing short-time work support claims by the workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4029/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

514. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason her Department continues to review social protection payments, including seeking bank statements for six months from persons despite the level 5 lockdown (details supplied). [4112/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

684. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that up to 80 persons arrived in Ireland from the UK and South Africa up to 17 January 2021 without having provided evidence of a negative Covid-19 test; the person or body responsible for ensuring that newly arrived travellers or migrant workers from the UK and European countries with high rates of infection, South Africa or South America self-isolate for 14 days; the means by which they will ensure such self-isolation takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3686/21]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

780. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the way and location in which providers of home care services can register for the vaccination of home care workers on the Covid-19 vaccination list. [4030/21]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

791. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the position of adults with special needs on the Covid-19 vaccination list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4079/21]

Horse Racing Industry

Paul Murphy

882. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that up to 200 horses along with up to 350 trainers, jockeys and grooms are preparing to go to the UK for Cheltenham week from 16 to 19 March 2021 at a time when infection rates of the British variant of Covid-19 are likely to be still very high; if he has been notified of and or approved these travel preparations; if any of those preparing to go to Cheltenham are in receipt of or benefit from the €76.8 million of State funding to Horse Racing Ireland, directly or indirectly; if Horse Racing Ireland will be sending an official delegation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3687/21]

Naval Service

Paul Murphy

168. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a position with the Naval Service as a radio and radar technician; his plans to change the entry age limit; if so, the date on which such a change will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3243/21]

Human Rights

Paul Murphy

170. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will reopen the redress scheme for survivors of sexual abuse in schools and require it to act in accordance with various court recommendations from a case (details supplied) such that survivors of sexual abuse in schools are not required to demonstrate a prior complaint and likewise not required to seek redress through the courts or any other adversarial procedure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3268/21]

JobPath Programme

Paul Murphy

231. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the continued operation of JobPath is inappropriate in the current circumstances of mass layoffs, job losses and restrictions on travel due to Covid-19; if the motion taken in Dáil Éireann on 6 February 2019 to close down the JobPath scheme will be acted upon; if she will terminate the contracts for Turas Nua and Seetec and cease pressurising persons on the pandemic unemployment payment and jobseeker's with threats of payment cuts to apply for jobs or job interviews they are unlikely to get; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3381/21]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

353. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including the parents and carers of persons with particular underlying conditions (details supplied) who are especially vulnerable to Covid-19 and any person in receipt of family, carer’s allowance or benefit in the Covid-19 vaccination category of front-line healthcare workers given their essential role in the care of particularly vulnerable persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3067/21]

Hospital Appointments Status

Paul Murphy

395. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the delayed provision of an MRI scan and delayed autism assessments and treatments for a person (details supplied). [3245/21]

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

Paul Murphy

435. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the authorisation of medical procedures that were applied for before the end of December 2020 to be carried out in Belfast under the cross-border directive. [3323/21]

Felling Licences

Paul Murphy

497. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, in a specific case (details supplied), a felling licence was obligatory; if so, if a felling licence was sought; and if it was granted. [3322/21]

Dublin Bus

Paul Murphy

103. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if there is a plan to reduce the frequency of Dublin Bus Monday to Friday services to Saturday times. [2748/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

285. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the status of boarding schools, given the general closure of schools announced until the end of January 2021 as a consequence of the pandemic. [2221/21]

State Examinations

Paul Murphy

309. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if a deadline will be set for a decision on whether the leaving certificate oral and practical exams are to proceed, given the spread of Covid-19 infection and the possibility that schools will remain closed beyond 31 January 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2530/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

310. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if funding to schools will be increased to ensure full PPE provision, given the need to stop the spread of Covid-19 infection now and into the future and taking account of the concerns of teachers, students and their families regarding the safe functioning and reopening of schools, in particular in special education settings; if she will review the procedures for contact tracing in schools to give schools the deciding role in identifying close contacts of persons who attended with confirmed Covid-19 infection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2531/21]

State Examinations

Paul Murphy

311. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will give leaving certificate students the option of predicted grades or sitting the written exams, given the spread of Covid-19 infection and the possibility that schools will remain closed longer than 31 January 2021; if she will set a date to announce these options along with the relevant details; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2532/21]

Departmental Inquiries

Paul Murphy

421. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if an inquiry into the operation of spy cops in Ireland will be initiated in view of the revelation that UK so-called spy cops infiltrated Irish political and civil rights groups and in further view of the undercover policing inquiry in the UK that held its opening statement and first evidence hearings from 2 November to 19 November 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2595/21]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

568. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department has a record of animal testing laboratories that are located in Ireland; and if so, if this information will be provided. [2597/21]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

569. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the funding being allocated towards finding non-animal testing methods; and if his Department is actively encouraging third level institutions to apply for such funding. [2598/21]

Animal Welfare

Paul Murphy

570. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the details of experiments will be disclosed on animals listed as having a severe level of suffering during experimentation as listed in the latest report by the Health Products Regulatory Authority. [2599/21]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

613. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if it will be ensured that student nurses are included with other front-line health workers as a priority group to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, given that student nurses are an essential part of the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2696/21]

National Car Test

Paul Murphy

31. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if, in the context of the need to stop the spread of Covid-19 infection, he will immediately instruct the RSA to close the NCT test centres as was done from 28 March to 8 June 2020 and similarly extend the validity of NCT certs by four months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2037/21]

Driver Licences

Paul Murphy

159. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if the current extensions for driving licences and learner permits will be extended by six months in order to alleviate the pressure on and risks to National Driving Licence Service, NDLS, staff and to reduce the need for persons to travel long distances and increase the risks of infection in order to renew same in a context of already long waiting times. [1118/21]

Taxi Licences

Paul Murphy

197. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will instruct the National Transport Authority to reduce the renewal fee for small public service vehicle licenses that are due for renewal in 2021 from €250 to €50 in the context of the dramatic reduction of incomes of taxi and small public service vehicle drivers due to the Covid-19 restrictions. [1734/21]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Paul Murphy

244. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance when assessments for applications for primary medical certificates will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1312/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

284. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will publish the full list of recipients of funding under the music industry stimulus package including the allocations by first music contact, her Department and the Arts Council of Ireland; the criteria by which recipients are chosen; the criteria used by the allocating bodies to dispense funding in each case to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44715/20]

School Admissions

Paul Murphy

435. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education her views on whether a school admissions policy that states a written request should be made to the principal of the school (details supplied) and provides no further information is in compliance with section 62(7)(n) of the Education Act 1998, which requires schools to publish an admission policy that provides details of the school’s arrangements in respect of any student who wants to attend religious instruction or in cases of students under 18 years of age in which it is the wish of the parents of the student. [44825/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

642. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, in the context of the closure of schools and colleges to reduce the spread of Covid-19 infection, he will instruct all education and training boards to close all Youthreach centres in line with the closure of the other educational establishments for the duration of the current Covid restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1780/21]

Citizenship Applications

Paul Murphy

721. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide a comprehensive report on all applications for Irish citizenship submitted since 1 January 2014 for each application under headings (details supplied). [1231/21]

Paediatric Services

Paul Murphy

813. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of progress for the recruitment of a third paediatric rheumatologist, which was promised for 2019 in the context of children waiting up to three years to see a paediatric rheumatologist; the status of reducing waiting times for paediatric rheumatology and MRI scans for children with Down's syndrome associated arthritis to not more than 12 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44905/20]

Workplace Relations Commission

Paul Murphy

157. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the workings of the Workplace Relations Commission. [43851/20]

Workplace Relations Commission

Paul Murphy

184. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the future work plan of the Workplace Relations Commission. [43852/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

382. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the procedures in place to protect school staff and students, some with underlying medical vulnerabilities, from Covid-19 infection in a situation in which a student refuses to wear a mask and social distancing of two meters is not possible; the specific evidence and documentation of medical need to not wear a mask required in order to be exempted from the requirement to wear one; the procedures in place to protect school staff and students in situations in which a student has a medical exemption to not wear a mask and social distancing of two meters is not possible (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44238/20]

Community Services Programme

Paul Murphy

677. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will ensure that all community services programme workers and the organisations in which they work, many of which have continued to provide essential services during the Covid-19 crisis, have their full funding needs guaranteed by her Department for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic and for the subsequent ongoing service requirements caused by the pandemic. [44607/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

16. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of staff in his Department on the #antiviral social media campaign. [42052/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

117. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 232 and 248 of 8 December 2020, if her Department will issue an official statement or circular clarifying the situation. [43755/20]

Economic Policy

Paul Murphy

2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the progress of his plans for a high-level review of the economy to be led by his Department. [43141/20]