Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

School Transport

Michael Lowry

313. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will provide information on any meetings that she or her Departmental officials have had with Bus Éireann concerning the ban on school bus drivers who are over 70 years of age (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7990/24]

Medical Cards

Michael Lowry

529. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health when the guideline and calculations used to assess the qualification for the under-70s medical card was last reviewed; how can it be justified and deemed equitable that the basic allowance for a couple to qualify for a full medical under-70s medical card still stands at €266.50 per week, when the rate of jobseeker’s allowance for a couple is €386.00 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7496/24]

Dental Services

Michael Lowry

606. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the current status of the provision of primary school dental services by the Health Service Executive in CHO5 and 3; the waiting times for the initial assessment of an individual and the subsequent waiting times for orthodontic treatment for such individuals once they have been referred; his views on whether it is acceptable that a child residing in Tipperary will be subjected to a waiting period of 24 months or longer for an initial assessment (details supplied) upon completion of the assessment; the anticipated waiting period for this child to receive dental and orthodontic treatment; if a child’s case will be referred to the treatment purchase fund for immediate treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7974/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Michael Lowry

66. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he can review an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7088/24]

Special Educational Needs

Michael Lowry

136. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will review the case of a school (details supplied), and consider a request from the board of management and parents for support from her Department to establish an autism-specific special class in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6726/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

265. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding breeding waders and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6837/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

266. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding farmland birds and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6838/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

267. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding high nature value farmland and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6839/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

268. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding the hen harrier within the ‘current distribution and breeding distribution for hen harrier’ layer and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6840/24]

Disability Services

Michael Lowry

288. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the current caseload of the Nenagh Child and Family Agency Children’s Disability Network Team; the current level of whole time equivalent staff based in Nenagh’s CDNT; the number of WTE staff positions that are currently vacant, and the plans in place to address these vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6678/24]

Departmental Inquiries

Michael Lowry

329. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 479 of 7 February 2024, if he will provide another status update concerning an inquiry into the historical licensing and use of sodium valproate in women of child-bearing potential in the State; when the terms of reference for this inquiry will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7083/24]

Motor Fuels

Michael Lowry

227. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the plans for the end of the motor fuel subsidy on 31 March 2024 (details supplied); if he plans to review or reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6143/24]

School Management

Michael Lowry

329. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 542 of 17 January 2024, when her Department will issue a detailed and explanatory response to serious matters raised in correspondence from the management and principal of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6567/24]

School Funding

Michael Lowry

330. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 542 of 17 January 2024, how the lottery system used during the STEM grant application process was highlighted in the briefing document to schools before they applied; her views on whether a lottery system was fair, considering the short timeframe offered to schools to complete the application, and the considerable effort schools put into submitting these applications and for them to fail without having the opportunity to be fully assessed on their individual merits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6568/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Lowry

455. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection the options available to small rural primary schools that do not have the equipment or staff to heat, maintain and serve hot school meals through the hot meals programme; if her Department will provide such schools with additional funding to obtain heating equipment and the finances to compensate an existing member of staff, such as the school secretary, for the additional work and time needed to prepare, heat, and serve these meals to students five days per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6564/24]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael Lowry

490. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will intervene in the case of issues concerning a 2023 basic income support for sustainability, BISS, application by farmers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6310/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

518. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he intends to launch the native woodland conservation scheme as part of the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6645/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

519. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date he intends to launch the revised ash dieback scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6646/24]

Forestry Sector

Michael Lowry

520. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of clearfell and thinning licensed per county for 2024, 2025, 2026; the details that are available to him on the felling licence application provided by the applicants, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6647/24]

Health Services

Michael Lowry

534. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); when a final decision will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6311/24]