Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

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]

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]