Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

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]

Electric Vehicles

Brendan Howlin

193. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if he will set out the number and location of fast electric vehicle chargers currently available in the country; the number expected to be in place in each of the next three years; if it is his intention to have a common pricing system for chargers across the country in order to encourage greater E.V usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3523/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Howlin

384. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering the excluding of maintenance payments made by social welfare recipients in the calculation of weekly means in determining eligibility for the free fuel allowance; if she considers it fair and reasonable to include such regular outgoing payments as means; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2453/24]

Asylum Seekers

Brendan Howlin

421. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the supports available to enable international protection applicants, long-time resident in direct provision centres, to undertake courses of study to acquire skills that will be useful to enable them to find employment if their applications are approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2440/24]

Work Permits

Brendan Howlin

435. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the new minimum salary requirements for general employment permits announced by his Department will also apply to existing permit holders when they apply to renew their permits to work in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1213/24]

Qualifications Recognition

Brendan Howlin

1679. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the length of time it normally takes between the registration of an application with CORU for professional recognition as an occupational therapist and the verification of such an application by CORU; the number of such applications currently awaiting verification at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1331/24]

Health Services Staff

Brendan Howlin

1681. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health when a registration with CORU for a qualified occupational therapist (details supplied) will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1345/24]

Driver Licences

Brendan Howlin

180. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport when a bus driver licence will issue to a person (details supplied) who has passed all relevant tests and is urgently required by their employer to begin work as a bus driver; the length of time, on average, it takes to issue a bus licence following the successful completion of all test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53735/23]

Foreign Conflicts

Brendan Howlin

229. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Pakistan as a result of the decision of the Government of Pakistan to deport 1.7 million Afghan refugees, many of whom face persecution in Afghanistan; the action he has taken to date to highlight this issue; if he has made contact with the Pakistan authorities to set out his concerns on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48922/23]