Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Dental Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

669. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if it is the policy of the National Oral Health Office that funding provided for orthodontic treatment for under-18s categorised at the highest category 5 level is being used instead to treat in the private sector under-18s who are categorised in the 4 category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3048/24]

Health Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

30. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress being made on the new protocols for hospital discharges to stepdown facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2017/24]

Departmental Bodies

Ruairí Ó Murchú

52. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the establishment of his Department's 'savings and productivity taskforce'; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2016/24]

Disability Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

84. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to improve pay and conditions for personal assistants working in further education settings; and to provide an update on the development of the further education disability framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2026/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

85. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there are plans for the further expansion of apprenticeship courses in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2027/24]

Rail Network

Ruairí Ó Murchú

204. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 30 of 30 November 2023, the reason the NTA is not carrying out a study of the effect on intercity enterprise services before key decisions are made on the DART+ Coastal North Project, given that Irish Rail has already confirmed that DART+ may result in slower enterprise journey times; if he will request the NTA to discharge its statutory duty in transport planning and avoid a negative impact on this transport link; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56953/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

28. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the capital investment scheme support for renewable energy investments as part of the CAP Strategic Plan; if said support can be expected to continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55700/23]

Nitrates Usage

Ruairí Ó Murchú

59. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update regarding the work done by the agriculture water quality working group in relation to the nitrates directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55699/23]

Disability Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

97. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline any recent engagements his Department has had with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding workforce planning in the disability sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55702/23]

Legislative Reviews

Ruairí Ó Murchú

138. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update regarding the legislative proposals arising from the review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000 and Employment Equality Acts 1998); when it can be expected that these proposals will be brought forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55701/23]

Cabinet Committees

Ruairí Ó Murchú

4. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services will meet next. [55079/23]

Climate Change Negotiations

Ruairí Ó Murchú

24. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at COP28. [55080/23]

An Garda Síochána

Ruairí Ó Murchú

58. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the Garda operational model for County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55083/23]

Road Projects

Ruairí Ó Murchú

224. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the request from Louth County Council to TII to approve a motion to treat the N53 works in County Louth; when the work on the N53 will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55169/23]

Beef Sector

Ruairí Ó Murchú

629. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a farmer (details supplied) who is appealing a decision not to award him a payment under the national beef welfare scheme, and who is awaiting a decision on this appeal, can sell calves, as is normal this type of year, before a decision is made on the appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55142/23]

Dental Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

761. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the funding made available in 2021, 2022 and 2023 to the HSE orthodontic treatment waiting list initiative through the National Oral Health Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54551/23]

Dental Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

762. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the total funding being made available in 2024 for the HSE orthodontic treatment waiting list initiative through the National Oral Health Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54552/23]

Dental Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

763. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health how many 5a waiting list patients were seen in the CHO8 area under the HSE orthodontic treatment waiting list initiative in 2021, 2022 and 2023; how much was spent on this category for the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54553/23]

Dental Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

764. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health how many grade 4 waiting list patients were seen in the CHO8 area under the HSE orthodontic treatment waiting list initiative in 2021, 2022 and 2023; how much was spent on this category for the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54554/23]

Grant Payments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

38. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the report reviewing housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability; to provide a date by which we can expect said report to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54103/23]

Grant Payments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

82. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline what recent engagements his Department has had with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform regarding income thresholds and grant limits for housing adaptations for older people and people with a disability. [54104/23]

State Pensions

Ruairí Ó Murchú

98. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection to report on the progress made regarding benchmarking the State pension at 34% above average earnings, considering the budget 2024 increase in State pensions has not matched the spending power of State pensions from 2020. [54102/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Ruairí Ó Murchú

132. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection what work is being done to reduce the processing time for disability allowance applications which have increased by two weeks since December 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54101/23]

Social Insurance

Ruairí Ó Murchú

239. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the timeline for the proposed future changes to the level of PRSI stamp that pensioners who are still in paid employment will have to pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51423/23]

National Economic and Social Council

Ruairí Ó Murchú

18. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [53489/23]

Film Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

95. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to report on what recent engagements her Department has had with the Department of Finance and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the implementation of section 481 film tax relief recommendations, as outlined by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. [53475/23]

Arts Policy

Ruairí Ó Murchú

96. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what plans, if any are being established to mandate local councils to invest in the arts, considering they are primary stakeholders in local arts centres, yet are not explicitly required to allocate funding to the arts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53476/23]

Civil Service

Ruairí Ó Murchú

209. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if previous experience in the North’s civil service is taken as relevant experience by the State’s civil service when it comes to deciding where to place a new hire from the North’s civil service on the pay scale here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53892/23]

Rail Network

Ruairí Ó Murchú

30. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if timetable estimates have been carried out by Irish Rail or the National Transport Authority in relation to the possible impact on enterprise train services between Belfast and Dublin of the DART+ Coastal North plans; if not, to outline the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52751/23]

Road Projects

Ruairí Ó Murchú

32. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if he is considering making further funding available in 2024 to progress the N2 Ardee to Carrickmacross route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52752/23]

Foreign Conflicts

Ruairí Ó Murchú

157. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the recent engagements he has had with US government representatives regarding the Israeli bombardment of Gaza; to what extent these discussions were about a roadmap to ceasefire in which US support would be crucial; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49936/23]

Middle East

Ruairí Ó Murchú

179. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what sanctions he is willing to impose on Israel in order to increase international political pressure on it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49935/23]

Residency Permits

Ruairí Ó Murchú

101. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the recent postings on the irishimmigration.ie website (details supplied); if this will increase waiting times for applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52590/23]

Child Poverty

Ruairí Ó Murchú

6. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an overview on the report published by his Department on 14 November 2023 on how budget 2024 dealt with child poverty and child well-being. [52322/23]

An Garda Síochána

Ruairí Ó Murchú

16. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [52321/23]

Flood Risk Management

Ruairí Ó Murchú

53. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for an update on progress being made on flood defences in County Louth, taking into account the recent flood and near flooding in Dundalk and north Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52339/23]

Flood Risk Management

Ruairí Ó Murchú

62. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if there are plans for looking at mitigations and protections required following north Louth flooding and near flooding recently; what engagement there has been through the OPW and his Department with Louth County Council and other agencies following the flooding in north Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52340/23]

Trade Relations

Ruairí Ó Murchú

13. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether an IDA Ireland business development consultant (details supplied) has been recruited; if the Government is rethinking the role in view of the ongoing breaches of international humanitarian law and ongoing war crimes committed by Israel. [51480/23]

Insurance Industry

Ruairí Ó Murchú

145. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Finance what progress has been made regarding public liability insurance reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51422/23]

Business Supports

Ruairí Ó Murchú

195. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an update on the increased cost of business grant; at what point the details of this scheme will be finalised; the process by which eligible SMEs will apply to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51251/23]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

196. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline what flood relief schemes are available to businesses that are not eligible for the emergency flood relief scheme as they have over 20 employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51252/23]

Constitutional Amendments

Ruairí Ó Murchú

2. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his plans for constitutional amendments. [50721/23]

Social Dialogue

Ruairí Ó Murchú

11. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the social dialogue co-ordination unit of his Department. [50720/23]

Defence Forces

Ruairí Ó Murchú

42. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware of the alleged release on bail of one of the men accused of the murder of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50907/23]

Middle East

Ruairí Ó Murchú

53. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware of the concerns raised by the head of the UNIFIL mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lázaro about the security situation in South Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50908/23]

Energy Conservation

Ruairí Ó Murchú

28. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline what grant schemes to support the replacement of the communal heating systems running on fossil fuels with the new systems which use renewable energy sources will be available to landlords, residents and stakeholders in order for the programme to be sustainable and cost effective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49961/23]

Energy Conservation

Ruairí Ó Murchú

44. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update regarding the Carlinn Hall Dundalk SEAI report that was set to be published in early October; when the recommendations outlined in the report will be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49960/23]

Weather Events

Ruairí Ó Murchú

385. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, following the recent flooding in north Louth, he will outline the compensation and funding schemes available to farmers for loss of dry stock, damage to machinery and sheds, etc.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49631/23]

Weather Events

Ruairí Ó Murchú

386. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what work will be carried out by his Department to assess the damage done to farm land as a result of recent flooding in north Louth; if the Department will be working with Louth County Council or other agencies and departments on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49632/23]

Hospital Facilities

Ruairí Ó Murchú

14. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the level of additional core expenditure for new developments, excluding funding for carryover and otherwise maintaining existing levels of service, which has been allocated to the RCSI Hospital Group for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48974/23]