Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Economic Policy

Paul Murphy

3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if his Department has convened the well-being expert group as committed to in the programme for Government. [43143/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

10. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the person or body that represented his Department at the first meeting of the high-level task force on Covid-19 vaccination. [41722/20]

Higher Education Institutions

Paul Murphy

45. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the practice of postgraduate students being expected to do unpaid teaching hours. [41659/20]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

96. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to review the employment status of postgraduate students who also work for third level education institutions as part of their degree. [41658/20]

Brexit Issues

Paul Murphy

214. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the taxes that will apply to used cars imported from the UK after 1 January 2021. [43373/20]

Education Policy

Paul Murphy

320. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the sanctions in place for schools that fail to meet the legal requirement to include in their admission policies detailed arrangements for those not attending religious instruction. [42887/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Murphy

350. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if it will be ensured that when a person applies for the pandemic unemployment payment that the Revenue Commissioners and-or her Department include in the calculation a person's annual income, for the purposes of deciding on the appropriate rate of payment, any income from State benefits including maternity or parental benefits to avoid discriminatory underpayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43093/20]

Student Accommodation

Paul Murphy

411. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when universities will implement his policy statement of 6 December 2020 (details supplied) that any college-owned accommodation refunds should be provided for; if such rent refunds will be backdated; if so, the date from which they will be backdated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42944/20]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

485. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the free flu vaccine scheme to children up to 17 years of age in view of the relatively low rates of take-up of the nasal flu vaccine by children aged two to 12 years of age [42889/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

100. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health when restrictions on partners attending at maternity hospitals will be lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42443/20]

Nursing Education

Paul Murphy

173. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if a commitment will be given to pay student nurses and midwives properly for their labour; if the number of permanent nurses and midwives will be increased to adequate levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40485/20]

Foreign Conflicts

Paul Murphy

286. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent outbreak of war between Eritrea and Tigray; the position of the Government on the events taking place in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tigray; his views on reports of mistreatment of refugees and civilians by the Eritrean Government; the steps Ireland is taking in the EU and at the UN to ensure that humanitarian and food supplies are not cut off from the civilian populations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42610/20]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Paul Murphy

308. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if recipients of illness benefit or Covid-19 illness benefit will receive the Christmas bonus; if not, if she will take steps to ensure that recipients of the benefits will get the Christmas bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42596/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

311. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider amending the regulations for the Covid-related additional three weeks maternity and parental leave to allow women and parents finishing their maternity leave before April 2021 to add the extra three weeks of parental leave to the end of their existing maternity leave rather than having to return to work before being able to take the extra leave from April 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42716/20]

Ministerial Advisers

Paul Murphy

2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the number of advisers appointed in his Department, including press advisers; and the annual cost. [42050/20]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with the economy last met. [42051/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

10. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work being conducted by a consultancy firm (details supplied) for his Department. [40645/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the amount his Department is spending on consultancy firms advising on Covid-19 related matters. [40646/20]

Programme for Government

Paul Murphy

6. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he plans to publish a review of the progress made in implementing the programme for Government. [40066/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

77. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work being conducted by a company (details supplied) for his Department. [41723/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

78. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the breakdown of his Department’s spend on consultancy firms advising on Covid-19-related matters. [41724/20]

Domestic Violence Policy

Paul Murphy

35. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to introduce paid leave from employment for those experiencing domestic violence. [40023/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Murphy

74. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that all workers from the performing arts and live entertainments industries including those who by the nature of their work are self-employed and who might have gaps or periods of unemployment between contracts and based upon such workers being certified by a reference from a relevant previous employer or cultural organisation here, are made eligible for full payment of the pandemic unemployment payment for the duration of the shutdown of live entertainments and artistic events due to Covid-19. [39983/20]

Carer's Allowance

Paul Murphy

247. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the rate of carer’s allowance to the full pandemic unemployment payment rate for the duration of the Covid-19 restrictions in recognition of the work of family carers especially during the Covid-19 restrictions; if she will instruct the HSE to redirect funding not spent on HSE respite services to the carers themselves to facilitate them getting respite care from private providers for those who have had reductions in HSE respite provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41067/20]

Immigration Data

Paul Murphy

302. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of times for the period from 2004 to date UK immigration officials have been present in Irish airports or ports whether this be in any role, including advisory or training course or exercise; when and the location this has this taken place; the role of liaison officers; the departments and location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40803/20]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

5. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee dealing with foreign affairs will next meet. [40064/20]

Departmental Strategy Statements

Paul Murphy

9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if his Department plans to publish a statement of strategy. [40065/20]

Medicinal Products

Paul Murphy

170. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the availability to patients with PKU in Dublin and throughout Ireland of the HSE-approved medicine kuvan; the reason kuvan it is not being made available to children with PKU at Temple Street Hospital or adults with PKU at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; the reason the care pathway stipulates that patients must be admitted for 48 hours to have blood spot tolerance tests done since these are the same tests that patients do on a weekly basis at home leaving some with no option but to travel to another country to have the testing done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40672/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the status of plans for reopening after level 5 Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. [38834/20]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Paul Murphy

40. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the method used to decide the allocation of special education teachers for a school (details supplied) in the context of a current school population of 330 rather than the earlier 171 and the high number of children with special and additional needs, including 12 children with complex needs in the ASD evergreen unit classes; if she will make a recommendation to the NCSE to review the number of special education teachers allocated to the school and to consider the request from parents for a minimum allocation of six special education teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39981/20]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Paul Murphy

62. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the method used in the new SNA allocations model (details supplied). [40041/20]

Student Assistance Fund

Paul Murphy

210. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if the funding students receive from the student assistance fund will be regarded as taxable income for those students who are not eligible or in receipt of a SUSI grant; and if so, if he will consider exempting all payments from the student assistance fund from being regarded as taxable income. [39685/20]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

304. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the ban on hare coursing will be extended until at least the end of March 2020 in a context in which any extension of the current coursing season into March 2021 would be to allow coursing during the height of the breeding season and potentially disrupt the reproduction of the Irish hare population. [40240/20]

EU Issues

Paul Murphy

321. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current expected cost of the European Peace Facility to Ireland for each of the years 2021-2027 noting that the Athena mechanism and the African Peace Facility are funded through his Department and the Department of Defence, respectively; the Department that will have primary policy responsibility for the European Peace Facility; the expected timetable for bringing the European Peace Facility before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40035/20]

Third Level Fees

Paul Murphy

555. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether a scenario in relation to a person (details supplied) is fair and equitable; if he will request the university to cease demanding such charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39743/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

96. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has modelled the economic impacts of pursuing a zero-Covid policy compared to the current policy of intermittent lockdowns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39168/20]

Revenue Commissioners

Paul Murphy

118. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will act to ensure that the Revenue Commissioners have the powers necessary to fully investigate potential cases of bogus self-employment. [39169/20]

Military Aircraft

Paul Murphy

170. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the number of US troops and military personnel that have passed through Shannon Airport in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020. [39421/20]

Military Aircraft

Paul Murphy

171. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the amount paid to Shannon Airport or to the Shannon Airport Authority in landing charges for US military aircraft or in landing charges for US-leased aircraft carrying non-civilian passengers or goods in each year from 1 January 2001 to date. [39422/20]

Dublin Bus

Paul Murphy

179. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if action will be taken to ensure that sufficient capacity will be provided on a Dublin Bus route (details supplied) [39344/20]

Driver Test

Paul Murphy

191. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide additional resources for the RSA to enable it to expedite driver theory tests for which there are now excessively long waiting lists (details supplied). [39432/20]

School Staff

Paul Murphy

394. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the advice the HSE is providing in relation to women who are 28 weeks or more pregnant and are working in schools as in the case of a teacher (details supplied) but who are being denied health and safety leave on grounds of the advice that an organisation is receiving from the HSE; if the HSE will amend its advice to the organisation and in general regarding women who are 28 weeks or more pregnant in accordance with the advice of the professional colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39429/20]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality is due to meet next. [36616/20]

Jobseeker's Allowance

Paul Murphy

142. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who is financially independent is currently being paid €5.45 per day in short-time work support while the person's over-25s colleagues with the same employer and with the same reduced hours of employment are currently being paid €40 per day in short-time work support possibly in breach of the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39082/20]

General Practitioner Services

Paul Murphy

199. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will ask the HSE to issue an instruction to all general practitioners to cease charging the holders of general practitioner cards or medical cards for blood tests and other such diagnostic tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38950/20]

Fur Farming

Paul Murphy

273. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if fur farming will be ended fully after the culling of minks which has been announced. [38946/20]

Fur Farming

Paul Murphy

274. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any remaining mink in Ireland will be culled as a safety measure against the spread of Covid-19; if he is introducing measures to keep the associated fur farms closed thereby ending fur farming in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38964/20]

Future of Media Commission

Paul Murphy

2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the inaugural meeting of the Future of Media Commission. [36612/20]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee which addresses climate change will next meet. [38833/20]

Constitutional Amendments

Paul Murphy

119. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to hold a referendum on the right to water and public ownership of the water infrastructure. [31331/20]

Election Monitoring Missions

Paul Murphy

410. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recommendations of the Oireachtas Select Committee on Public Accounts in 2018 that the five year duration of the election observation roster should be reviewed as to whether it is excessive; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that EU countries refresh their election observation rosters every two or three years; the plans he has to replace the current roster; if officials in the audit unit examined the roster; if he will detail their findings and recommendations; the date on which it was decided to suspend the contribution by Ireland to international election observation missions of the OSCE; the basis upon which that decision was made; if other Departments were consulted in advance of the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37818/20]

Defence Forces Deployment

Paul Murphy

467. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if members of the Permanent Defence Forces including the Army Ranger Wing are still deployed in Mali; if so, the nature of their mission; and if there is a timeline for their withdrawal. [38726/20]

Pensions Council

Paul Murphy

552. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to ensure that the Pension Commission includes representation of those who would be most affected by an increase in the State pension age by including representation from organisations (details supplied) in the membership of the commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37998/20]

Courts Service

Paul Murphy

714. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the percentage of rape cases commenced and concluded in each of the years 2017 to 2019 which resulted in convictions. [38030/20]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

965. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the ban on hare coursing until at least the end of March 2020, in a context in which any extension of the current coursing season into March 2020 would be to allow hare coursing during the height of the breeding season and potentially disrupt the reproduction of the Irish hare population. [37984/20]

Census of Population

Paul Murphy

11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will consider revising the 100-year rule and bring forward the date for publication of the 1926 Census to 2021. [37322/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

26. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the plans in place to support the creative and performing arts community for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis and the recovery period beyond. [37321/20]

Tax Collection

Paul Murphy

129. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will suspend the deduction of stamp duty on debit and credit cards for persons in receipt of State welfare benefits including unemployment or Covid-related payment, sick pay, lone parents benefits, carer's allowance and benefit given that a deduction of almost €30 amounts to 14% of a jobseekers’ or pandemic unemployment payment of €203; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37508/20]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Paul Murphy

254. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the transfer of refugees from the Greek island of Lesbos to Ireland; the age and sex of the refugees transferred here to date; the dates for future transfers of refugees from Lesvos here; the accommodation provided for recently transferred refugees; the accommodation planned for future refugees coming here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37419/20]

Cabinet Committees

Paul Murphy

7. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on education is due to meet next. [36611/20]

Middle East

Paul Murphy

91. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent death in an Israeli prison of a Palestinian detainee (details supplied) who died from the medical negligence of their cancer; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Israeli state has also withheld their remains from their family in an act of collective punishment; if he will write to the Israeli Ambassador in Ireland to call upon the government of Israel to immediately release the remains of the person to their family for a proper funeral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37357/20]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

139. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 1 October 2020, his views on whether the requirement by the National University of Ireland Galway for PhD students to make contributions of on average five hours per week over 24 weeks over three academic years without extra payment, breaches the requirement of the same postgraduates to sign a declaration to the Revenue Commissioners that there would be no element of service directly or indirectly between the sponsor and the scholarship recipient or between the colleges university and the scholarship recipient. [37364/20]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

140. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether requiring unpaid postgraduate workers to carry out in-person teaching at NUI Galway such as lab demonstrations which cannot be done online during a global pandemic should be regarded as an integral part of the training of a research masters or PhD student. [37365/20]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

141. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 1 October 2020, his views on whether NUI Galway is complying with the obligation of employers and or funders under the European Researchers Charter to ensure that teaching duties are adequately remunerated given the requirement of the university of PhD students to make contributions of on average five hours per week over 24 weeks over three academic years without extra payment. [37366/20]

Third Level Staff

Paul Murphy

142. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if higher educational institutions should comply with the Irish Research Council Government-funded scholarship guideline that where scholars undertake such teaching or demonstration duties as listed that they should be appropriately remunerated by their HEI; if not, if this is optional; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37367/20]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Paul Murphy

8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with leaders of the Catholic Church on 28 October 2020. [36613/20]

Defence Forces Representative Organisations

Paul Murphy

51. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if permission will be granted to an association (details supplied) to apply for membership to a body. [36609/20]

Permanent Structured Co-operation

Paul Murphy

81. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the activities of Ireland under PESCO since its implementation. [36610/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Paul Murphy

101. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount his Department and the bodies under the aegis of his Department have spent on the use of recruitment agencies for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 to date. [36607/20]

Legislative Programme

Paul Murphy

114. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if it is planned to review existing lobbying legislation. [36608/20]

Light Rail Projects

Paul Murphy

217. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he has received and or read a document from a group (details supplied); if he or officials in the NTA have considered other proposals to the NTA for the terms of reference of the feasibility study to include a continuation of the MetroLink to south-west Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36444/20]

Budget 2021

Paul Murphy

279. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the exact amount of ring-fenced funding across all relevant Departments to be provided to domestic violence services in budget 2021; and the additional funding that is being allocated in order that services can respond adequately to the shadow pandemic of domestic violence through Covid-19 and beyond. [36879/20]

Census of Population

Paul Murphy

337. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will consider bringing forward the date for publication of the 1926 census from 2026 to 2021 in view of the fact this would stimulate interest amongst the Irish diaspora and possibly increase international travel to Ireland in the coming years. [36567/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

390. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, at the proposed end of the current Covid-19 level 5 restrictions on 1 December 2020 and-or when the ban on the implementation of eviction notices ends ten days later, he will extend the ban on the implementation of eviction notices until such time as all level 2, 3 and 4 Covid-19 restrictions are also lifted in order that tenants that face the threat of eviction from 10 December 2020 are not made homeless due to the fact that they are not allowed visit the homes of prospective landlords with a view to renting alternative shared accommodation on account of the restrictions on visits by non-household members and to non-household members under levels 2, 3 and 4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36917/20]

Defence Forces Representative Organisations

Paul Murphy

431. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the reason he has not granted consent to a group (details supplied) to affiliate to a union. [36461/20]

Special Educational Needs

Paul Murphy

472. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will direct her officials to provide for the needs of particular children by ensuring that NEPS psychologists, speech and language therapists and art therapists are given access to primary schools in the context of her assertions that primary schools are safe for both children and adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36271/20]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Paul Murphy

500. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will consider extending the class size reductions planned for DEIS band one senior schools to include DEIS band one junior schools and DEIS band one vertical schools in a context of evidence that class size matters most for younger children; the way in which the currently planned increased investment in DEIS schools is to be transparently allocated; if she will consider allocating an increase in resources and staffing to all DEIS band one schools in the context of the shortages exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36507/20]

Budget 2021

Paul Murphy

625. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the exact amount of ring-fenced funding across all relevant Departments to be provided to domestic violence services in Budget 2021; and the additional funding that is being allocated in order that services can respond adequately to the shadow pandemic of domestic violence through Covid-19 and beyond. [36880/20]

Domestic Violence Services

Paul Murphy

675. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the exact amount of ring-fenced funding across all relevant Departments to be provided to domestic violence services in Budget 2021; and the additional funding that is being allocated in order that services can respond adequately to the shadow pandemic of domestic violence through Covid-19 and beyond. [36881/20]

Ferry Services

Paul Murphy

8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the plans in place to ensure access for foot passengers on ferry services to France. [35795/20]

Rural Transport Services

Paul Murphy

12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider the expansion of the Local Link and Rural Link bus services to reduce isolation for persons living in rural areas. [33153/20]

Protected Disclosures

Paul Murphy

107. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications when the investigation into the protected disclosure of a person (details supplied) will be completed. [35848/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

342. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has put a standard PPE procedure in place for the hospital staff, including student nurses and midwives, who are involved in the treatment of Covid-19-infected patients in hospitals; if the HSE has put a standard cohorting procedure in place for Covid-19-infected patients in hospitals to prevent the spread of infection; if all hospital staff, including student nurses and midwives, are regularly made aware of these procedures; if there is a confidential reporting procedure in place by which staff, including student nurses and midwives, can report concerns about the implementation of such Covid-19-related procedures (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36015/20]

Nursing Staff

Paul Murphy

343. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate the healthcare assistant pay scheme for student nurses and midwives which was introduced in March 2020 but is no longer in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36016/20]

Fur Farming

Paul Murphy

378. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has ordered the closure of the three remaining fur farms here in the interests of public health in view of a mutated strain of Covid-19 which can spread from mink to humans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35928/20]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

384. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all hare coursing activity will be suspended for the purpose of restricting the spread of Covid-19 for the duration of all travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36017/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

6. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the consultation his Department undertook in preparing the list of essential retail outlets it published on 14 October 2020 and updated on 23 October 2020. [33424/20]

Taoiseach's Communications

Paul Murphy

9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he has had recent communications with the US ambassador to Ireland; and if so, if he will report on those communications. [33426/20]

Schools Building Projects

Paul Murphy

463. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a progress report on the construction of the new school buildings for a school (details suppled). [35165/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Paul Murphy

553. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will reconvene and attend a meeting of the collaborative forum established by his predecessor; and if so, if the 13 items recommended by members of the forum (details supplied) will be included on the agenda. [34838/20]

Disability Services Provision

Paul Murphy

777. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if a progress report and roadmap will be provided for the way in which he plans to provide the services which he is required to provide under the Disability Act 2005, now and into the future; if a progress report in relation to the recruitment of the necessary additional HSE-employed permanent full-time clinical staff will also be provided (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35395/20]

Post Office Network

Paul Murphy

14. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will recognise the importance of the post office network for rural towns and villages. [33152/20]

Departmental Functions

Paul Murphy

3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the housing, infrastructure and digital unit of his Department. [33421/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

5. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on recent correspondences with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. [31332/20]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Paul Murphy

54. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to misleading claims being made regarding the environmental effects of methane from livestock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33419/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

62. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if further action will be taken against the producers of a product (details supplied) which his Department removed from the biocidal product register due to possible public health concerns. [33420/20]

Narcolepsy Issues

Paul Murphy

95. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to ensure that persons who suffered narcolepsy after receiving the pandemrix vaccine will receive appropriate compensation without the need for expensive court cases [33177/20]

Hospital Services

Paul Murphy

152. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken to incorporate services in private hospitals into the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33555/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

202. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the regulations made in relation to the items supermarkets and other shops may sell during the operation of level 5. [33711/20]

National Car Test

Paul Murphy

315. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if the NCT testing centres will be closed for the duration of the new Covid-19 restrictions with workers pay maintained at least at the level of the TWSS, as they were from March to June 2020; if and when the test centres reopen, if the employers will provide the workers with full and appropriate PPE including masks; if he will provide for test exemptions during periods of Covid-19 travel restrictions for those persons that may have to travel significant distances or across county boundaries for tests due to problems in some test centres with ramps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32630/20]