Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Social Welfare Eligibility

Colm Burke

719. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the criteria for fuel allowance so that those who are living with another family member, earning a low income and not in receipt of one of the qualifying payments for fuel allowance would not be disqualified from the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36611/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Colm Burke

720. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the criteria for fuel allowance so that those who are living with children of working age who are earning a low income and not in receipt of one of the qualifying payments for fuel allowance would not be disqualified from the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36612/23]

Coroners Service

Colm Burke

829. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice to confirm what action will be taken to reduce the waiting time for cases being listed for inquest in the coronial service, particularly in light of the fact that coronial service and families affected have been experiencing significant delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36161/23]

Legal Aid

Colm Burke

830. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide additional funding to the Legal Aid Board to ensure that waiting times for access legal aid are reduced (currently 35 weeks in some parts of the country); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36177/23]

Legal Aid

Colm Burke

831. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if she will give due consideration to increasing the means test for access to Legal Aid Board services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36178/23]

Coroners Service

Colm Burke

842. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice what action will be taken to recruit additional staff to provide support to coroners, particularly in view of the fact that the coronial service, and families affected, have been experiencing significant delays in cases being listed for inquest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36351/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Colm Burke

913. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action is being taken by his Department to ensure that the phone app AgriSnap, developed by his Department to streamline the submission of scoreboards under the new agri-climate rural environment scheme, is fit for purpose in view of recent technical issues with the app; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35912/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

930. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the timeframe for the commencement of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027, in view of the fact that the postponement of same compromises the Government's climate action obligations to plant 8,000 hectares of new forests annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36376/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

931. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what steps his Department is taking to promote agroforestry and its integration into agricultural practices for sustainable land use through the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 which is due to commence in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36377/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

932. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what measures will be implemented by his Department to promote sustainable forestry practices and minimize the environmental impact of the forestry industry in Ireland through the Forestry Programme 2023-2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36378/23]

Forestry Sector

Colm Burke

933. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an overview of the funding specifically allocated to forest conservation and management programmes in Ireland; how these funds are utilised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36379/23]

Nursing Homes

Colm Burke

955. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will give due consideration to allocating funding to enable the estimated 1,200 people aged under 65 years who are currently living in a nursing home to access more appropriate housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36175/23]

State Bodies

Colm Burke

1110. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to appoint a board for the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal to deal with appeals under the disabled drivers and passengers tax relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35678/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

1166. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of persons employed within the health service, by categories (details supplied) for each year from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35920/23]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Colm Burke

1226. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide immediate financial relief to parents and family carers who have been forced to pay privately for assessment costs either through reimbursement, or payment through the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36172/23]

Mental Health Services

Colm Burke

1227. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ringfence dedicated funding to finance an urgent review of open cases across all Child and Adult Mental Health Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36173/23]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Colm Burke

1228. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to extending the National Treatment Purchase Fund to include occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy to enable backlogs to be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36179/23]

Hospital Facilities

Colm Burke

1229. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm the up-to-date position in respect of the proposed building of a helicopter pad in Cork University Hospital, for which planning permission has been granted; if further public consultation is planned with immediate residents to alleviate concerns during construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36180/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Colm Burke

1230. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be provided with a date for a surgical procedure to alleviate the challenges they have arising out of scoliosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36181/23]

Hospital Procedures

Colm Burke

1337. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the 33,348 cataract surgeries which were carried out in 2021; the number completed in public hospitals; what number were completed under the treatment purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36601/23]

Hospital Procedures

Colm Burke

1338. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details in respect of the 11,159 hip replacements which were carried out in 2021; the number completed in public hospitals; what number were completed under the treatment purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36602/23]

General Practitioner Services

Colm Burke

1343. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to outline what action he, his Department and the HSE intend on taking with a view to retaining an out-of-hours GP service in the Fermoy, Mitchelstown area, in particular from 10pm and 8am, given the service which was in place has been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36666/23]

Farm Safety

Colm Burke

20. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action is being taken by his Department to improve farmers’ knowledge and awareness of the prevention of injury and ill-health on farms, in particular the use of targeted media campaigns, and how awareness is raised in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34492/23]

Nitrates Usage

Colm Burke

37. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the nitrates derogation and recent discussions regarding the proposed changes to the current levels which are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34491/23]

Raidió Teilifís Éireann

Colm Burke

75. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to clarify when the independent root-and-branch examination into RTÉ will commence; how long the process will take; when it is envisaged the findings of the report will be made available to her Department in order that she can address the recommendations proposed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34489/23]

Raidió Teilifís Éireann

Colm Burke

104. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if consideration will be given to the implementation of regular external reviews of RTÉ whereby an independent root-and-branch examination of the organisation would be carried out going forward, in view of what has transpired in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34490/23]

Citizenship Applications

Colm Burke

522. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice what action is being taken to reduce the waiting time for the processing and completion of e-vetting applications for applicants of the Irish citizenship by naturalisation application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34801/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

783. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what action is being taking to ensure that pharmacies and hospitals have access to sufficient supplies of insulin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35242/23]

Hospital Charges

Colm Burke

784. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that consideration would be given to removing emergency department charges in public hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35246/23]

Citizenship Applications

Colm Burke

178. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice to confirm the current timeframe for the processing of citizenship applications, given it is almost six years since an application (details supplied) was lodged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34560/23]

Job Creation

Colm Burke

45. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Taoiseach how many new jobs have been created in Cork for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. [31605/23]

Prison Service

Colm Burke

76. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice to confirm what action she intends on taking in order to alleviate the number of prisoners who are required to sleep on the floor in their cells; in particular to confirm the date when it is proposed to open the new women’s prison in Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34037/23]

Naturalisation Applications

Colm Burke

94. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice what actions are being taken by her Department to continue to improve the Irish citizenship by naturalisation application process for applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34036/23]

Radon Gas Levels

Colm Burke

130. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ringfence funding to meet the costs for the provision of radon testing kits for householders, radon being the main cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in Ireland; if he will provide a grant for radon extraction fans in high-risk areas (estimated costs per unit of €1,000-2,000); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33644/23]

Tax Reliefs

Colm Burke

188. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if his Department would consider extending the alcohol products tax relief to small artisan distilleries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33557/23]

Tax Code

Colm Burke

189. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if his Department would consider exempting from VAT all new buildings at the Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) Standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33558/23]

Tax Code

Colm Burke

190. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if his Department would consider reducing tax charged from the marginal to the standard rate and removing PRSI liability from rental income as an interim measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33559/23]

Tax Code

Colm Burke

194. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will give due consideration to extending "the rent a room relief scheme" to landlords whose total rental income does not exceed the current threshold of €14,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33640/23]

Tax Code

Colm Burke

195. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will give due consideration for the provision of a VAT rebate on tools, materials and electricity for all Men's Sheds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33657/23]

Tax Reliefs

Colm Burke

203. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will give due consideration to granting tax relief at the higher rate on all non-routine dental care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34134/23]

Redundancy Payments

Colm Burke

248. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department would consider reintroducing the statutory redundancy rebate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33564/23]

Employment Schemes

Colm Burke

254. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will give due consideration to the funding of pilot schemes to enable young cancer survivors' reintegration to work following cancer treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33649/23]

Planning Issues

Colm Burke

354. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department would consider reforming the zoning and planning process to improve the timelines for delivery of housing and infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33560/23]

Planning Issues

Colm Burke

355. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department would consider simplifying and shortening the planning process to hasten building of housing and energy infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33561/23]

Planning Issues

Colm Burke

356. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what action his Department will take with local authorities where planning permission was issued for commercial units on the ground floor subject to the construction of residential units on floors one and two, and where the property developers are now refusing to make residential units available for occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33571/23]

Commercial Rates

Colm Burke

427. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will actively engage with local authorities to ensure that where commercial rates are already in place for a building, a waiver may be sought if such building is now used as a men's shed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34315/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Colm Burke

437. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give due consideration to extending the treatment benefit scheme (currently available to dependent spouses, civil partners or cohabitants of qualified persons subject to certain conditions), to dependent children up to the age of 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33639/23]

Visa Applications

Colm Burke

508. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice what action is being taken by her Department to improve upon the timeframe for the processing of appeals on decisions of visa applications whereby the application was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34049/23]

Childcare Services

Colm Burke

597. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm that CORE funding will be increased to support childcare services and parents, particularly in light of rising costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33469/23]

Health Services Staff

Colm Burke

655. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm how €750,000 provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places has been allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33466/23]