Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

School Transport

Colm Burke

221. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if suitable transport can be identified for a total of 25 children (details supplied) to attend the school in view of the large number involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44735/23]

Housing Provision

Colm Burke

310. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of new houses and apartments which are managed by local authorities or voluntary housing agencies, and which have become available and are occupied for each of the years ending 31 December 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44727/23]

Naturalisation Applications

Colm Burke

393. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice to confirm the status of an application for Irish citizenship by naturalisation (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be reached, given that it is over 29 months since the application was submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45086/23]

Harbours and Piers

Colm Burke

433. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of funding applications made by Cork County Council to his Department in respect of the Old Pier at Keelbeg, Union Hall, County Cork, in tabular form, over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45198/23]

International Agreements

Colm Burke

591. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when he and his Department will be prepared to sign the Joint Ministerial Declaration on the Guarantee of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the European Union; the reason it was not possible to sign the declaration with the other Member States at the time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45168/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

599. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the waiting list for podiatry appointments by CHO area and region including the length of time each person has been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45201/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

600. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE posts vacant across all community healthcare services by CHO area and region, including the length of time the post has been vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45202/23]

Regulatory Bodies

Colm Burke

601. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on progress made to date by his Department on work to develop a policy framework to guide policy on the regulation of health and social care professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45204/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

602. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm if any further progress has been made to date by his Department regarding the inclusion of certified athletic therapists in the CORU regulation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45205/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

603. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the inclusion certified athletic therapists in the CORU regulation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45206/23]

Work Permits

Colm Burke

36. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a team has been appointed to conduct a review of the occupations on the critical skills occupation list and ineligible occupations list for employment permits; when this review will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44399/23]

Schools Building Projects

Colm Burke

112. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) that completed a Stage 2B submission on 2 June 2023 to the building unit of her Department under the additional accommodation scheme will be permitted to proceed to tender for this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44522/23]

Job Creation

Colm Burke

43. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Taoiseach the number of jobs created by year in Cork from 1 January 2018 to the most up-to-date figures available for 2023 [44405/23]

Work Permits

Colm Burke

87. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider extending the quota of meat processor operatives under general employment permits in view that the quota has been filled and there is a shortage of operatives in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44404/23]

Animal Diseases

Colm Burke

395. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to improve the timeline from when livestock in a herd have been tested and identified positive with tuberculosis and when these animals are collected and removed from the herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43872/23]

Animal Diseases

Colm Burke

396. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm the average timeline from when an animal/animals have been tested and identified positive with tuberculosis in a herd and when they are collected and removed from the herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43873/23]

Animal Diseases

Colm Burke

397. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration would be given to amending the start date for the loss of income support for a farmer (details supplied), in view that the timeline for the identification of tuberculosis in the herd and the date of collection of the animals and removal from the herd is managed by his Department and not the farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43874/23]

Disability Services

Colm Burke

411. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current position in relation to transport for people with disabilities aged 18 years and over attending day services to facilitate attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43501/23]

Disability Services

Colm Burke

420. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the return of essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists and a social worker to a special school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43621/23]

Disability Services

Colm Burke

421. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a special school (details supplied) is still without essential therapists, including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists and a social worker; the date they will start; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43622/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

502. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if a child (details supplied) will be seen by a public ophthalmologist sooner than 2026/2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43626/23]

Cancer Services

Colm Burke

522. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm he is aware of the report by clinicians from the National Cancer Control Programme to an Implementation Working Group (details supplied) that 25% of cancer patients do not receive standard of care due to lack of access to new medicines which are available elsewhere in Europe; if he is concerned by this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43726/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

523. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider increasing funding in 2024 to prevent Ireland’s average timelines for patient access to new medicines from deteriorating relative to our European peers in 2024 in view of the fact Ireland now ranks 27th out of 35 European countries according to the latest IQVIA Patients WAIT Indicator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43727/23]

Nursing Homes

Colm Burke

559. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of beds in use in each HSE area in public nursing homes for the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44010/23]

Road Projects

Colm Burke

47. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action his Department is taking to progress the north ring road in Cork city; what level of funding will be allocated for the coming year, in view of the large volume of traffic which is now forced to travel through Mayfield, including traffic heading for the port facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43081/23]

Road Projects

Colm Burke

67. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action his Department is taking to progress the Mallow relief road project; what level of funding will be allocated for the coming year, in view that €100,000 was allocated in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43080/23]

Bus Services

Colm Burke

170. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action his Department is taking to improve the bus service in Cork in view that there are recurring issues with reliability and capacity; if additional funding will be provided to improve the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43199/23]

Road Projects

Colm Burke

171. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on progress made to date on the Banduff road scheme project; the level of funding that will be provided by the Department for the project in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43200/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

349. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the review of cardiac services will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43378/23]

School Transport

Colm Burke

301. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education when a child (details supplied) will be provided with SEN school transport, in view that it is now over 4 weeks since the school term commenced, and the child still has no transportation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42306/23]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Colm Burke

353. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm when the revised wind energy development guidelines will be published; when they are expected to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42214/23]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

183. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 370 of 20 September 2023, the reason that her Department refers to the fact that a maximum amount of home tuition hours for primary school pupils has been allocated to a pupil, as the student in question (details supplied) is a secondary school student; if further hours could be allocated on this basis and due to the fact that there will be only two ASD places available in secondary schools in the Ballincollig area in September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42040/23]

Citizenship Applications

Colm Burke

220. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the current status of an application (details supplied) for citizenship; when a decision is likely to be reached, in view of the fact that the application was submitted over two years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41958/23]

Schools Building Projects

Colm Burke

230. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the current status of an application for emergency works (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be made in this case, in view of the fact that these facilities are urgently required as the leaks are deteriorating; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40986/23]

School Transport

Colm Burke

277. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education what action her Department is taking to ensure that all pupils who require school transport at both primary and post-primary level are facilitated in view that school transport is an essential service for families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41486/23]

School Transport

Colm Burke

278. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the review of the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41487/23]

School Transport

Colm Burke

279. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education to set out in tabular form the number of pupils in Cork who applied for school transport under the primary school transport scheme for 2023/2024, who are regarded as concessionary and who have been refused school transport for the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41488/23]

School Transport

Colm Burke

280. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education to set out in tabular form the number of pupils in Cork who applied for school transport under the post-primary school transport scheme for 2023/2024, who are regarded as concessionary and who have been refused school transport for the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41489/23]

School Transport

Colm Burke

281. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education what action her Department is taking to assist families who are regarded as concessionary under the current school transport scheme and who have not been awarded tickets for this coming year (details supplied), taking into account that these families rely solely on the school bus to take their children to/from school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41490/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Colm Burke

386. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if there will be a provision for an increase in optical benefit (eye examinations) payments claims by dispensing opticians and optometrists under the treatment benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41481/23]

Disease Management

Colm Burke

495. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration would be given to classifying long-Covid as a disability, in view that long-Covid is characterised by extreme exhaustion after minimal exertion, cardiovascular issues including MI, myocarditis/pericarditis, clots, arrhythmias, and neurological issues such as cognitive impairment, stroke, and ultimately that there is no treatment for the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41455/23]

Health Services

Colm Burke

583. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the commitment to increase the fees payable to contractors for a standard eye examination under the community ophthalmic services scheme will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41480/23]

Hospital Facilities

Colm Burke

47. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the hospitals that currently have free Wi-Fi in public areas as of August 2023, in tabular form; and the estimated cost of ensuring that every public hospital in this country has Wi-Fi available for patients. [40619/23]

Health and Safety

Colm Burke

67. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if there are plans in place to further restrict the sale of single-use vapes in the country, especially those aimed at children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40618/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

97. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the action his Department is taking to improve the number of places in healthcare and therapy areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40446/23]

Construction Industry

Colm Burke

115. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the action his Department is taking to recruit more women to construction, in view that the shortage of construction workers is one of the biggest challenges facing the building industry, with not enough skilled labour to meet the demand for housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40447/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

231. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the new afforestation scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40771/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

232. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to increase afforestation in view that there has been almost an 80% drop in all new forestry plantings since 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40772/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

233. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027, if preference will be given to support the preservation of certain habitats over others like open hill, depleted upland bog and heathland, even if native woodland was the original habitat in a given area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40773/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

234. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to increase native woodland establishment targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40774/23]