Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Passport Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

435. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when an application for a passport will be processed for a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason, despite the fact that the application was lodged on 13 January 2022, that the applicant was only notified that there was a problem with their application via a letter sent to them in the past week; if the passport will issue to the applicant on time now that all documentation has been returned to the Passport Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11721/22]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Éamon Ó Cuív

15. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cén leagan amach atá i gceist maidir leis an dul i gcomhairle maidir le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta agus struchtúr an Bhoird; cén uair atá súil aige a bheith in ann cinntí a dhéanamh faoin gceist seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [10472/22]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Éamon Ó Cuív

51. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cén uair a thagann deireadh le tréimhse na gcomhaltaí de Bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta atá ann faoi láthair; an bhfuil sé dóchasach go mbeidh structúir nua boird i bhfeidhm roimh an dáta sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [10473/22]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

84. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to have a higher rate of grant and higher threshold of cost for householders, together with a lower threshold of turnover for contractors, based on islands under the national home energy upgrade scheme and the retrofit scheme to ensure the challenges of island life relating to cost, scale and income opportunities are taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10467/22]

National Broadband Plan

Éamon Ó Cuív

169. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of premises passed by the roll-out of the national broadband plan to date compared with the number that were originally planned to be passed by February 2022; the projected number of premises that will be passed by the end of the year under the roll-out compared with that originally planned; the actions he is taking to ensure all the targets of the roll-out are achieved; the penalties that will be incurred by National Broadband Ireland for failure to adhere to the schedule it agreed contractually with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10466/22]

Road Projects

Éamon Ó Cuív

219. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the progress made since the granting of planning permission by an Bord Pleanála with the N6 Galway city ring road motorway scheme 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10655/22]

Archaeological Sites

Éamon Ó Cuív

235. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he or the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works intend to visit the Dún Aengus fort in Árann in 2022 to see at first hand this extraordinary site and the lack of parking and other facilities serving the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10656/22]

Foreshore Issues

Éamon Ó Cuív

272. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans to clear the backlog of applications for foreshore licences awaiting decision in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10643/22]

Foreshore Issues

Éamon Ó Cuív

273. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the new legislation on foreshore licences will be implemented; the responsibilities transferring to local authorities and the responsibilities transferring to MARA; the resources that will be made available to ensure that speedy decisions will be made on future foreshore applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10644/22]

Passport Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

279. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are issues and delays updating the passport tracking system; if so, when the system is likely to be made fully functional again in order that applicants can monitor the progress of their applications as they are finding it difficult to get in contact with the Passport Office by telephone; the reason, despite the additional staff that he said would be recruited to the Passport Office in January 2022, that there are still significant delays in processing passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10568/22]

Oideachas Gaeltachta

Éamon Ó Cuív

308. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais céard iad na hacmhainní airgid breise atá á gcur ar fáil in 2022 leis an mbeartas nua don Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht a fhorbairt; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [10641/22]

Oideachas Gaeltachta

Éamon Ó Cuív

309. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais cé mhéad airgid a caitheadh go sonrach ar chur i bhfeidhm an bheartais Oideachais Gaeltachta anuraidh; cé mhéad atá curtha ar fáil chuige seo i mbliana; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [10642/22]

Island Communities

Éamon Ó Cuív

474. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will meet as a matter of urgency in the coming weeks with a delegation from Inis Meáin and with local representatives to discuss their concerns with the slow progress being made with the development of An Caladh Mór in view of the ongoing serious safety concerns and constraints with the present arrangements for landing cargo on the island and other constraints relating to passenger services and fishing boats; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10646/22]

Seirbhísí Farantóireachta

Éamon Ó Cuív

475. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail an bhfuil i gceist aici go mbeidh coinníoll sa chéad chonradh farantóireachta paisinéirí eile chuig Oileáin Árann go mbeidh deis nó gléas ann le boscaí agus málaí a iompar isteach agus amach as an mbád go sábhailte; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [10657/22]

Hospital Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

254. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of cancer resection surgeries which took place in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10408/22]

Hospital Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

255. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the proportion of patients who received their first cycle of chemotherapy in the day ward setting, during the reporting month, within 15 working days of the date of being deemed ready to treat in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10409/22]

Hospital Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

256. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the proportion of patients who completed radical treatment for a primary cancer and commenced treatment within 15 working days of being deemed ready to be treated by their clinician; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10410/22]

Universal Social Charge

Éamon Ó Cuív

40. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance the amount of revenue raised each year since its inception by the universal social charge; the estimated amount to be collected in 2022; if consideration has been given to exempting all those earning the equivalent of a standard 39-hour week on the minimum wage from this charge; the estimated cost of doing so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9475/22]

Tax Code

Éamon Ó Cuív

50. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to amalgamating income tax and the universal social charge into one tax raising the same revenue rather than having two separate taxes on income; the advantages of the present system over having a single coherent tax on income; the disadvantages of it from a taxpayer and Revenue Commissioners point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9476/22]

Northern Ireland

Éamon Ó Cuív

402. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he or his officials have had since Christmas 2021 with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Office and with members of the Northern Ireland executive and administration regarding the prison conditions relating to republican prisoners held in HMP Magheraberry and HMP Hydebank Prisons, particularly issues relating to the conditions attaching to family visits, controlled movement, full body searching and educational issues; if these discussions have also covered the issues of extremely long remand and bail periods for prisoners awaiting trial for up to and over seven years in some cases; the response he has received in relation to these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10026/22]

Oideachas Gaeltachta

Éamon Ó Cuív

454. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais líon na mBunscoileanna Gaeltachta atá aitheanta faoin bPolasaí Oideachais Gaeltachta; an líon múinteoirí ranga atá i ngach scoil acu, briste síos de réir contae; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [9439/22]

Social Welfare Appeals

Éamon Ó Cuív

550. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when a social welfare payment will be reinstated in the case of a person (details supplied) following an appeal that was allowed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office; when the arrears will issue in respect of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9861/22]

State Pensions

Éamon Ó Cuív

559. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an overpayment assessment of a State pension (non-contributory) in the case of a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in making a decision on the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10019/22]

Prison Service

Éamon Ó Cuív

642. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice when she received the section 31(2) report submitted to her Department by the Chief Inspector of Prisons on the Mountjoy Women’s Prison, Dóchas Centre; when she plans to publish the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9611/22]

Digital Hubs

Éamon Ó Cuív

24. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the method by which it is intended to decide the location of remote working hubs to be funded by her Department; the scheme under which they will be funded; the body communities should apply to in order to access this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7975/22]

Rural Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

35. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when is it intended to seek applications under category 2 of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7976/22]

Prison Service

Éamon Ó Cuív

113. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the arrangements in force at present in relation to prison visits in view of the general opening up of society recently due to changes in the challenges from Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6334/22]

An Garda Síochána

Éamon Ó Cuív

158. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the discussions that were held with her Department by An Garda Síochána in the past four years in relation to the requirement to have a knowledge of Irish for recruitment to the force and for promotion to certain ranks within An Garda Síochána; the steps she intends taking to ensure that An Garda Síochána can provide services through Irish to Irish speakers in and outside the Gaeltacht; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6333/22]

An Garda Síochána

Éamon Ó Cuív

256. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the steps that are being taken in the new Garda recruitment campaign to ensure that enough fluent Irish speakers are recruited to provide services to those in and outside the Gaeltacht who use the Irish language as a daily language. [8976/22]

Health Services Staff

Éamon Ó Cuív

317. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the process followed in each community health office across the State to select and appoint persons to senior management positions; if these processes are uniform across each CHO; the steps taken to ensure that there is full compliance with these processes by each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8929/22]

Offshore Islands

Éamon Ó Cuív

340. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has taken a decision to reduce ferry and air fares to the offshore islands from 1 April 2022 to the end of 2022 as part of the measures to reduce the impact of inflation and to mirror what has happened in other transport sectors in Ireland; if not, if she plans to take such a decision in the coming week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8924/22]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Éamon Ó Cuív

229. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when the new care unit replacing St. Anne’s, Clifden and Clifden nursing home will go to construction; the progress made with this project to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8691/22]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Éamon Ó Cuív

85. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with spina bifida who are on waiting lists for operations by hospital group area; the longest waiting time on each list; the steps he is taking to eliminate these waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7954/22]

Medical Cards

Éamon Ó Cuív

131. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if he is considering suspending all reviews of the eligibility of existing medical card holders for the remainder of 2022 in view of the rapid rise in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7955/22]

Energy Prices

Éamon Ó Cuív

234. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the arrangements that have been made to ensure that persons who are in own-door direct provision will get the €100 plus VAT reduction on their electricity bills as passed by Dáil Éireann recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8443/22]

Immigration Policy

Éamon Ó Cuív

619. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if consideration will be given to reducing the fees for registration for the scheme for the regularisation for long-term undocumented migrants given that many of the applicants particularly those in direct provision have very limited means; the way that the scale of fees was arrived at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8441/22]

Immigration Policy

Éamon Ó Cuív

620. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if there will be a new scheme in the future to regularise the situation for undocumented persons already in the country but who are here for less than four years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8442/22]

Aquaculture Industry

Éamon Ó Cuív

987. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of appeals on hand with the Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board in six month intervals by the length of time they are lodged; if he plans to provide further resources to the board to clear the backlog of appeals, some of which are taking years to complete, in order to facilitate the growth of this important sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8406/22]

Aquaculture Industry

Éamon Ó Cuív

988. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applications for aquaculture licences (details supplied) which has been years being processed in his Department and now with the Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board will be decided; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8407/22]

State Properties

Éamon Ó Cuív

46. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the agencies under the remit of his Department that own land banks; if an examination has been carried out to ascertain if some of the land banks could be used for the provision of housing; if so, the results of this examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6709/22]

Foreign Direct Investment

Éamon Ó Cuív

69. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the main attractions and drawbacks of Ireland as an attractive place to locate foreign direct investment; the policies being pursued to improve the attractiveness of Ireland as a location for such investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6710/22]

Forestry Sector

Éamon Ó Cuív

106. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of planting, felling and road licences issued for forestry operations in each of the past five years; the volume of timber licensed for felling; the number of hectares licensed for planting; the length of road granted permission for construction in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6339/22]

Common Agricultural Policy

Éamon Ó Cuív

147. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made to date in the roll-out of the Common Agricultural Policy to 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6338/22]

Water Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

280. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to ensure that all orphan group water schemes, that is, schemes that no longer have trustees and are connected to the Irish Water supply, are brought up to standard and taken in charge by Irish Water; the estimated number of such schemes in the country; the estimated cost of doing this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7245/22]

Water Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

281. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to radically increase the grants for new group water schemes that will be connected to the existing Irish Water network to help eliminate the proliferation of persons around the country depending on private, variable sources of private water; the estimated costings for the provision of new connections and provision of new water pipes based on Irish Water charges for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7246/22]

Ambulance Service

Éamon Ó Cuív

420. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when the ambulance staff based in Galway city will move into the new ambulance base that has been built recently there; the reason for the delay in doing same given the existing base is substandard and has been a source of dissatisfaction for many years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7223/22]

Third Level Admissions

Éamon Ó Cuív

52. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he intends taking to ensure that more students entering third-level education have access to the course of their choice and that the enormous pressure on students to perform well in the leaving certificate would be reduced as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6328/22]

Irish Language

Éamon Ó Cuív

116. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the discussions that have taken place between his Department and the Department of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and the Media to ensure that there will be a sufficient supply of graduates with a competency in Irish across a broad range of disciplines in order that the Official Languages Act (Amendment) 2021 can be fully implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6329/22]

Inshore Fisheries

Éamon Ó Cuív

202. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he received a high-level plan in relation to the preservation of the great western lakes of Corrib, Carra and Mask as primarily salmonid fisheries; when he intends making a decision on this plan; if primary or secondary legislation will be required to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6318/22]

Transport Policy

Éamon Ó Cuív

228. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport if changes to public roads through widening and so on, under BusConnects, is considered as roads expenditure or public transport expenditure in relation to the two to one split in capital spending on public transport versus roads expenditure; the category under which the provision of dedicated bus lanes on other public roads is considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6331/22]