Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Media Pluralism

Brendan Howlin

133. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he supports the campaign by more than 50 journalists calling on Israel and Egypt to provide free and unfettered access to Gaza for all foreign media; the steps he will take to achieve this important objective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11216/24]

Foreign Policy

Brendan Howlin

134. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to set out the actions he has taken to protest to Russia on foot of the death in custody of Alexei Navalny; if he believes that the number of persons accredited to the Russian Embassy in Dublin are appropriate for a country of Ireland's size; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11217/24]

Human Rights

Brendan Howlin

95. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to set out the representations he has made to the Iraqi authorities regarding the illegal detention of an Irish citizen and anti-corruption advocate (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10531/24]

School Admissions

Brendan Howlin

314. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education the plans to address the shortage of secondary school places in the Greystones Municipal District; if she is aware of the population growth in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10535/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Brendan Howlin

126. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if a capital allocation to construct the new 97-bed block at Wexford General Hospital, which has full planning permission, is included in this year's capital programme for the HSE; when he expects construction to begin on this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9426/24]

Road Projects

Brendan Howlin

123. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the timeframe envisaged for the completion of the M11 motorway from Oylegate to Rosslare Europort; when the location of the required motorway service station will be known; when he expects construction to begin; when the motorway will be open to traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9158/24]

Legislative Measures

Brendan Howlin

296. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he intends to commence part 4 and 5 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022; if he intends for these parts of the Act to be in force before the upcoming European and local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9286/24]

Disability Services

Brendan Howlin

405. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a community neuro-rehabilitation team will be put in place for CHO 5; if funding has been allocated in 2024 to provide this service; when recruitment for this team will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9145/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Brendan Howlin

129. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education the reason the pension abatement of a person (details supplied) who worked on occasions for WWETB after his retirement was calculated on a daily basis; when a daily calculation of days worked, regardless of hours worked, was introduced by her Department for pension abatement purposes; if this method of calculation applies to all employees under the auspices of her Department; if this method of calculation applied to employees of ETBs prior to the issuing of circular letter 0003/2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8409/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Howlin

187. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if, pending the submission of additional information requested for a disability allowance for a person (details supplied), she will allow continued payment of the allowance until eligibility has been established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8438/24]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Howlin

275. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that it is now virtually impossible for any new patient in Wexford town to be accepted by any of the existing GP practices, which are at capacity in terms of service delivery; the plans he intends to put in place to address this critical health issue, which is having a significant impact both on the health and well-being of the existing growing Wexford population and on the prospects of attracting new people to live and work in the town; if he plans to provide any particular incentives to attract new doctors to work in general practice in Wexford, or to existing practices to expand their services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8450/24]

Departmental Schemes

Brendan Howlin

179. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance when the revised disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme will be introduced; when the criteria for issuing a primary medical certificate for his scheme will be revised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7180/24]

Citizenship Applications

Brendan Howlin

281. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice when a decision will be made on the application for citizenship by a person (details supplied) who applied to her Department for citizenship on 19 February 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7194/24]

Middle East

Brendan Howlin

154. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government accepts that Israeli settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories is a breach of peremptory norms of international law, including in particular international humanitarian law; if the Government recognises the obligation of the State not to recognise the illegal situation created by this breach, and not to aid or assist in maintaining this illegal situation; his views on whether this includes a legal obligation to abstain from entering into economic or other forms of relationship or dealings with Israel or Israeli entities that purport to acknowledge Israeli authority over Palestinian territory or which would give legal effect to settlement activities or would otherwise entrench the illegal situation; his views on whether the State has a duty to dissuade Irish business from contributing to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including by developing economic relations with settlement enterprises; whether the Implementation Group of the National Plan on Business and Human Rights has considered the issue; if so, to outline its view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6653/24]

Ukraine War

Brendan Howlin

6. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he expects an agreement to be reached at the EU Council on the Special Fund for Ukraine; the discussions he has had with other EU Foreign Ministers on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3131/24]

Official Engagements

Brendan Howlin

50. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to set out the issues he raised with the Mexican Foreign Minister on his recent visit to Mexico; if he will provide details of the meetings he had there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3128/24]

Middle East

Brendan Howlin

75. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had any contact with the government of South Africa to discuss that country's legal case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, concerning the carnage being inflicted of the people of Gaza; if he sees a role for Ireland in assisting or supporting this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3127/24]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

86. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide details of the contact he has had with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State since the beginning of the year; the efforts made by him to encourage a restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3130/24]

Official Engagements

Brendan Howlin

87. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to set out the issues he raised with Columbian officials on his recent visit to Columbia; the role Ireland will play as guarantor of the ongoing peace dialogue there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3129/24]

Passport Services

Brendan Howlin

153. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs why there is a difference in duration in the validity of a card passport and a book passport; why both cannot run for a full ten years, which would reduce the necessity of renewal applications and the workload of the Passport Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3593/24]