Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Early Childhood Care and Education

Richard Bruton

533. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has recorded a significant drop-off in children in early childhood settings or in the number of providers offering service during Covid-19. [40111/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

658. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that international advice from an institution (details supplied) recommends stronger protections for women over 28 weeks pregnant than is being applied by the HSE in its advice for the public service; and if he will assess whether that advice should be amended. [39741/20]

Overseas Development Aid

Richard Bruton

43. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if overseas development programmes have been hampered by the Covid-19 virus; and if unspent money can be carried forward. [37952/20]

Overseas Development Aid

Richard Bruton

48. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will consider the possibility of allowing local communities decide the use of a small part of the ODA budget through a democratic consultation process in locations in which a well-structured aid programme is in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37953/20]

Departmental Strategy Statements

Richard Bruton

78. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the innovations he plans for the upcoming statement of strategy of his Department. [36171/20]

Tax Code

Richard Bruton

153. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance his plans to refresh the roadmap for tax policy in relation to the taxation of companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36170/20]

DEIS Scheme

Richard Bruton

272. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the reason improvements in staffing were provided to DEIS band 1 senior schools but not to junior schools or integrated schools in the same category; and if it has been decided the way in which the planned €5 million for such schools will be allocated. [39428/20]

Local Authority Housing

Richard Bruton

79. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the assertion that red tape and restrictions on borrowing capacity are preventing councils from engaging in more direct building; the typical timelines for design, master planning, cost appraisal, establishment of funding lines, planning approval, tendering and construction on direct build projects; and if his Department has undertaken any evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of these processes compared to best international practice. [39142/20]

Land Development Agency

Richard Bruton

80. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the improvements he has identified in the manner in which the Land Development Agency will operate in order to reduce the time and cost involved in site assembly and acquisition, in design, master planning, cost appraisal, establishment of funding lines, planning approval, tendering and construction; and if he is satisfied that the draft legislation provides the necessary legislative powers to allow this State developer fulfil its game-changing potential identified in the recent NESC report. [39143/20]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Richard Bruton

71. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps which remain to be completed in order to sign the new guidelines for renewable generation at windfarms; and if he will set a deadline for when they will enter force. [37956/20]

Office of the Parliamentary Counsel

Richard Bruton

112. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the arrangements which have and are being made to ensure that priority access to legal drafters is assigned to the marine planning legislation without which the development of offshore renewable energy will be held back; and if he will outline a timed roadmap for its presentation for consideration by the Houses of the Oireachtas. [37955/20]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

133. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of new and of imported electric cars, plug-in hybrids and recharging hybrids licensed during the year to date; and the percentage of total new and total imported cars, respectively, accounted for by these categories. [37750/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

314. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the recent grants to support cultural activities during Covid-19 have catered to the needs of the events sector that does not own premises; and if she has had discussions with the sector regarding its plight. [38342/20]

Architectural Heritage

Richard Bruton

349. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if funds are available for the upkeep of protected structures on the grounds of schools or other institutions that do not have their own resources for such work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38381/20]

School Enrolments

Richard Bruton

482. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the extent to which there is spare capacity for enrolments in secondary schools in a catchment area (details supplied); the extent to which there is a pattern flow of pupils within the catchment area leaving for secondary school and of those from outside entering; and her plans to assess the need for more places based on the lack of available capacity. [37946/20]

Departmental Strategy Statements

Richard Bruton

20. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the innovation she plans for the upcoming statement of strategy of her Department. [36167/20]

Radio Broadcasting

Richard Bruton

43. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the supports her Department has made available for local radio since July 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36166/20]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

97. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of new sites which have had electric vehicle chargers installed and their distribution classified by capacity range of the charger under the Climate Action Fund allocation to the ESB and under the grant scheme to local authorities since these schemes were initiated; and the number of sites in which upgrades of capacity have occurred under these schemes. [37643/20]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

98. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of electric vehicle chargers and their aggregate capacity available for public use in at the most recent date for which information is available; and the capacity in each county in tabular form. [37644/20]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

99. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of electric vehicle chargers and their aggregate capacity available for public use in at the most recent date for which information is available; and the capacity in each county in tabular form. [37645/20]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

100. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of installation of electric vehicle chargers in service stations and in shopping centres made without State support in the past 12 months. [37646/20]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

101. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there is a system in place for quickly identifying public electric vehicle chargers which break down and arranging for their repair. [37647/20]

Departmental Strategy Statements

Richard Bruton

106. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the innovations he plans for the upcoming statement of strategy of his Department. [36169/20]

Departmental Functions

Richard Bruton

138. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps the special unit in his Department on preventative policy delivery has taken to date; and if it has a programme of work and a budget for 2021. [36168/20]

Pension Provisions

Richard Bruton

299. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if recent increases have been made to the pensions of those who retired at the top of the assistant principal scale; if the FEMPI cuts have been fully restored; and if increases are due in respect of more recent pay agreements. [36452/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Bruton

24. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the work being undertaken by his Department during the current level 5 restrictions to better equip sectors under his guidance to be resilient in the face of any future resurgence of Covid-19 cases in order that they can remain open safely, even in the face of a step-up in restrictions on social interaction. [34557/20]

Departmental Strategies

Richard Bruton

60. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the innovations he plans for the upcoming statement of strategy of his Department. [34556/20]

Passport Services

Richard Bruton

224. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Passport Office has ceased processing passports for children during level 5; and if this renders it impossible for families with children who need a new passport from exercising their right to travel in which they honour all due restrictions for the destination. [35849/20]

Parental Leave

Richard Bruton

280. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many parents face challenges in providing continuity of childcare for young babies; and if it is feasible to permit the extra three weeks of parental benefit to be taken now to help them overcome those challenges. [36050/20]

Census of Population

Richard Bruton

28. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of homes which were vacant, occupied by one person and occupied by two persons, respectively in the most recent census; and the distribution of such homes by number of bedrooms contained within the home and the age of the head of household in each case.. [35577/20]

Departmental Strategies

Richard Bruton

81. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the innovations he plans for the upcoming statement of strategy of his Department. [34554/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Bruton

85. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the work being carried out by his Department during the current level 5 restrictions to better equip sectors under his guidance to be resilient in the face of any future resurgence of Covid-19 cases in order that they can remain open safely in the face of a step-up in restrictions on social interaction. [34555/20]

Departmental Strategies

Richard Bruton

107. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the innovations he plans for the upcoming statement of strategy of his Department. [34558/20]

Climate Change Policy

Richard Bruton

118. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to bring forward investments for accelerated delivery in the context of the national economic plan. [34559/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Bruton

162. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if self-employed persons aged 66 and over can qualify for the restart grant to ensure that there is no discrimination between such business operators on age grounds. [34639/20]

Recycling Policy

Richard Bruton

192. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the initiatives being planned to promote recycling in multi-dwelling complexes in which such options are not now available. [34908/20]

Schools Site Acquisitions

Richard Bruton

421. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the progress in securing a site for the proposed school (details supplied) in Killester, Raheny and Clontarf, County Dublin; when construction will commence on a permanent site; and her plans to assist the school develop enrolments in view of the fact its temporary accommodation is located entirely outside the catchment that it is intended to serve. [34551/20]

Occupational Injuries Benefit

Richard Bruton

479. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will consider extending an occupational injury scheme to teachers, similar to that which applies to gardaí and nurses, in view of the risk exposures the profession faces. [35362/20]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Richard Bruton

493. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide clarity in relation to the cases of persons (details supplied). [34530/20]

Gambling Sector

Richard Bruton

606. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if a clear distinction is drawn between online games and online gambling; the basis on which the distinction is drawn; and her views as to whether there is a concern that some games are developing the features of gambling. [34839/20]

Vaccination Programme

Richard Bruton

746. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has considered introducing legislation to cover vaccinations; if so, the circumstances in which it could be required in the public interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35256/20]

Flexible Work Practices

Richard Bruton

27. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has assessed the scope for replicating the Ludgate Centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33395/20]

Climate Change Policy

Richard Bruton

49. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has assessed the opportunities for rural development of a switch to a more climate resilient agriculture. [33396/20]

Recycling Policy

Richard Bruton

23. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he has developed initiatives to extend full household recycling to apartment developments which do not now provide them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34001/20]

Recycling Policy

Richard Bruton

59. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if planning permissions for apartment developments are now required to provide full recycling facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33998/20]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Richard Bruton

32. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has an estimate of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on greenhouse gas emissions during 2020; and if he envisages domestic policy initiatives to make Irish agriculture more climate resilient in 2021. [33394/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

164. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the nature and composition of a target capacity for test trace and quarantine at the various levels of the Government's roadmap; and if he envisages problems of building the surge capacity or getting compliance with quarantine and isolation [33391/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

175. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if there is evidence that Ireland has learned to manage the medical progress of Covid-19 in vulnerable populations since spring; and the way in which it is influencing policy for managing the virus [33392/20]

Search and Rescue Service Provision

Richard Bruton

321. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered the potential of the Air Corps to participate in the search and rescue operations; if this has been factored into future plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32858/20]

Housing Data

Richard Bruton

590. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of low-cost sites that have been made available in the past year for persons to build a home or for a small co-operative to build a set of homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32591/20]