Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

State Visits

Catherine Connolly

206. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to make an official visit to Israel later in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47199/21]

EU Meetings

Catherine Connolly

236. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 41 of 29 July 2021, the number of European Defence Fund Programme Committee meetings attended by representatives of his Department to date in 2021; the dates of these meetings; if he will provide a copy of the minutes of the meetings, when available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47200/21]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

285. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to expand the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in order to accept an increased number of refugees from Afghanistan; the engagement he has had with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47276/21]

Visa Applications

Catherine Connolly

299. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice her plans to publish a policy decision to relax the usual evidentiary burden in relation to the supporting documents required for D visa applications in respect of persons currently in Afghanistan, particularly in view of the difficulties and risks associated with obtaining, translating and transporting original documents under the Taliban; if copies of supporting documents, such as passports and birth certificates, are currently being accepted by her Department in respect of visa applications from persons in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47275/21]

Visa Applications

Catherine Connolly

300. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice if her Department is currently waiving the usual financial requirements in respect of D visas in respect of persons from Afghanistan as permitted by paragraph 1.12 of the December 2016 Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification in view of the current humanitarian situation in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47277/21]

Disability Services

Catherine Connolly

356. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of respite hours provided for adults in Galway city and county; the number of respite hours provided for adults with an intellectual disability in Galway city and county in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47324/21]

Disability Services

Catherine Connolly

357. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of respite hours provided for children with an intellectual disability in Galway city and county in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47325/21]

Disability Services

Catherine Connolly

358. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the current status of respite provision in Galway city and county; when respite services in Galway city and county will be fully restored to pre-pandemic levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47326/21]

Hospital Facilities

Catherine Connolly

359. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1920 of 27 July 2021, the total amount of funding allocated to date for the delivery of two orthopaedic theatres with ancillary accommodation for the provision of elective procedures in Merlin Park University Hospital; the amount of this funding which has been spent to date; the projected total cost for the delivery of the two operating theatres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47329/21]

Disability Services

Catherine Connolly

360. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 679 of 15 September 2021, the number of persons in Galway city and county who have been on the waiting list for respite for 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18, 18-24 months, 2-3 years and more than 4 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47330/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Catherine Connolly

361. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for orthopaedic surgery in Galway; the average waiting time for orthopaedic surgery in Galway; the number of patients waiting for orthopaedic surgery in Galway for 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18, 18-24, 24-30, 30-36, 36-42, 42-48 and over 48 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47331/21]

Local Authorities

Catherine Connolly

103. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement he or his Department have had with Galway city and county councils with regard to allocating resources for additional staff members in order to have the capacity to deliver on its social housing programmes and the range of infrastructural services required to facilitate such developments as highlighted in the minutes of a meeting (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46394/21]

Local Authorities

Catherine Connolly

112. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement he or his Department had with Galway city and county councils in 2021 to address the funding and legacy debt issues highlighted in the minutes of a meeting (details supplied) in order to minimise their risk in the financing of affordable housing schemes and to maximise the delivery of affordable homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46393/21]

National Broadband Plan

Catherine Connolly

221. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason that a road (details supplied) has been excluded from the intervention area for the National Broadband Plan, particularly in view of the fact that a number of hospitality businesses are located there and broadband speeds from the private provider are too slow to cater to their needs; when this road will be included in the NBI intervention area; the analysis which has been carried out into the possibility of including this road in the intervention area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46314/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Catherine Connolly

273. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance if the special arrangement for registered early learning and care and school-age children services to be exempt from the employment wage subsidy scheme turnover test will be extended beyond Q3 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46719/21]

Water Quality

Catherine Connolly

361. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the examination by the Bathing Water Expert Group into increasing the frequency of bathing water monitoring; if the expert group has examined the possibility of daily bathing water monitoring in areas in which recurrent sewage and pollution issues have been recorded, such as Clifden, County Galway; his plans to extend the bathing water season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46542/21]

Local Authorities

Catherine Connolly

362. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 24 June 2021, the status of the review of the position in relation to the filling of the post of chief executive of Galway County Council on a permanent basis; the person or body that is carrying out the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46543/21]

Local Authorities

Catherine Connolly

363. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the promised review by the Office of the Planning Regulator of Galway County Council under section 31AS of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, as part of the Pilot Programme of Reviews of Local Authorities’ Systems and Procedures in the Performance of Planning Functions; the timeline for the completion of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46546/21]

Local Authorities

Catherine Connolly

364. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the promised review by the Office of the Planning Regulator of Galway City Council under section 31AS of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended as part of the Pilot Programme of Reviews of Local Authorities’ Systems and Procedures in the Performance of Planning Functions; the timeline for the completion of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46547/21]

Departmental Communications

Catherine Connolly

538. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he has had with the Minister for Finance with regard to extending the EWSS exemption beyond Q3 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46719/21]