Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

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]