Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Work Permits

Patricia Ryan

42. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport what assistance measures he can put in place, or what measures he would consider, to assist bus companies (details supplied) with the high costs of applications for work permits for drivers, having had to source them from outside this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31500/23]

Work Permits

Patricia Ryan

60. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will expedite the process of issuing work permits to drivers at a company (details supplied) in order that the company can address chronic staff shortages which are causing significant problems with providing an efficient reliable bus service between County Kildare and Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31499/23]

Housing Schemes

Patricia Ryan

85. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 14 June 2023, if he will clearly indicate the amount of funding given to Kildare County Council to purchase homes under the tenant-in-situ scheme since the lifting of the ban on no-fault evictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31498/23]

Vacant Properties

Patricia Ryan

86. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, with regard to the vacant property refurbishment grant, he can clarify how people who wish to apply for the grant but cannot get a mortgage on the vacant property concerned due to its not being 'habitable' (i.e. no working kitchen) will be able to avail of the grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31501/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Patricia Ryan

18. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport if he can explain the reason that, despite his Department having an underspend of €97 million on transport and infrastructure, this Deputy has been informed by Kildare County Council that there "are no funds" to repair and resurface dangerously deteriorated sections of road in Kildare South; when, if ever, he intends to allocate these funds to already financially pressed local authorities to be used, or if those funds have or are intended to be re-allocated for other purposes; and if so, what purposes. [30211/23]

Road Projects

Patricia Ryan

69. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport when he intends to allocate funding from his Department’s €97 million surplus for road maintenance; how much of that will be allocated to Kildare County Council, which, in response to representations made by this Deputy, has stated that it has nothing in the budget to fix a very badly deteriorated and pot-holed section of road in Monasterevin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30213/23]

Approved Housing Bodies

Patricia Ryan

132. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide, in tabular form, the numbers of social housing units allocated to approved housing bodies in the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the methodology used for such allocation; and what measures could be taken to ensure smaller approved housing bodies with specific remits, such as (details supplied) and other such smaller AHBs, have an equal chance of being allocated properties in Part V developments. [30215/23]

Deportation Orders

Patricia Ryan

154. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Justice the number of deportation orders granted in the State in the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; of those orders, how many have been fully executed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30212/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Patricia Ryan

225. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he can clarify the reasons employees of a company (details supplied) have been deemed ineligible to receive the pandemic special recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30214/23]

Nursing Homes

Patricia Ryan

226. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health how many private nursing homes have closed in County Kildare in the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [30216/23]

Health Services Staff

Patricia Ryan

227. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health to provide the locations of the 47 community specialist teams, 60 in total, currently operating in each CHN or CHO, in tabular form; and the locations and projected dates of coming into operation of the remaining 13 teams. [30217/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Patricia Ryan

228. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been informed there is a minimum waiting time of eight weeks at the Mater Hospital in Dublin to receive an urgent ultrasound to their throat; if he will explain how urgent something has to be when a two-month wait is required before such urgent treatment can be accessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30218/23]

Energy Prices

Patricia Ryan

51. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures or reliefs he could consider or put in place to prevent pensioners and others on low fixed incomes being further energy-impoverished by "standing charges" imposed on them by gas providers, even when there is no gas being used, as a €20 standing charge per month is a significant sum out of a pensioner's income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28787/23]

School Staff

Patricia Ryan

88. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education the reason that a school (details supplied) is to lose a teacher for the coming school year, resulting in the two largest classes having to be divided up, despite enrolment numbers in excess of 25 for the past two years; if anything can be done to prevent this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28786/23]

Housing Schemes

Patricia Ryan

109. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of additional funding that has been given to Kildare County Council to purchase homes under the 'tenant in situ' scheme since the lifting of the 'no fault' eviction ban on 1 April 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28788/23]

Child and Family Agency

Patricia Ryan

131. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider intervening in the very serious case of a young mother (details supplied); the measures he can take to help this woman and her family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28789/23]

Health Services

Patricia Ryan

165. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of physiotherapists and physiotherapy services available to MS sufferers, and those with other neurological conditions in CHO7 for the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and the cost of funding same. [28790/23]

Nursing Homes

Patricia Ryan

166. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if, with regard to the revoking of the ban on nursing homes transferring their business and converting to providing accommodation for people under temporary protection, he has considered the consequences of that revocation on the number of available places in nursing homes for people who really need them, given that families are already struggling to find suitable nursing home places for their loved ones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28791/23]

Medicinal Products

Patricia Ryan

167. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that Solpadine and its generic equivalents can only be dispensed in capsule form, usually in 60 capsule packs, and not in soluble form to medical card holders to whom it has been prescribed, which is causing problems among those for whom swallowing capsules/tablets would be difficult, if not impossible, and that pharmacists, having informed the medical card holder of this issue, are saying to the person that they can sell the soluble version to them over the counter at a cost of approximately €14 per pack of 24 (details supplied); if he can arrange for the soluble version to be available on the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28792/23]

Water Pollution

Patricia Ryan

147. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Environmental Protection Agency tests all rivers for the quality of the water to establish their suitability for swimming and water activities. [26763/23]

Road Network

Patricia Ryan

201. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport if the Government has any plans for the development and installation of motion sensor street lighting on Irish streets and roads. [26356/23]

National Car Test

Patricia Ryan

202. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport the number of cars currently awaiting NCT tests in Kildare; the availability of timely appointments; the earliest appointment available at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26358/23]

Financial Services

Patricia Ryan

227. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the measures and-or plans that he or the Government have in place, or intend to introduce, to assist the many struggling mortgage holders who find themselves again facing uncertainty following the sale of their mortgage to a vulture fund by the original lender; the options available to these mortgage holders if the vulture fund fails or refuses to negotiate in any way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26357/23]

Financial Services

Patricia Ryan

228. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the number of family home mortgages, by county, that are now in the hands of vulture funds in 2023, in tabular form; the number of those mortgages that are or were the subject of alternative payment arrangements or split or shelved portion mortgages prior to their being sold to vulture funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26362/23]

Housing Provision

Patricia Ryan

434. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he or the Government have plans or intentions, given our increasing ageing population, to establish a distinct unit to operate together across both his Department and the Department of Health to provide for a joint plan to ensure the provision of age-friendly independent and supported-living environments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26359/23]

Housing Provision

Patricia Ryan

435. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable homes that have been delivered, per county, in the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26361/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Patricia Ryan

441. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government has plans to review the criteria for home care workers' entitlement to DSP payments (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25551/23]

Departmental Data

Patricia Ryan

784. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of dementia advisors there are for each CHO area, for the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [26360/23]

Home Care Packages

Patricia Ryan

785. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 371 of 20 April 2023, the number of hours that were provided in 2022 on intensive home care packages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26363/23]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Patricia Ryan

786. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently waiting for an eye-specialist/optician appointment for each CHO area, in tabular form; the reason there is a delay in such appointments being allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26364/23]

School Transport

Patricia Ryan

139. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education if school transport can be provided to a child (details supplied) from their home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25331/23]

Rental Sector

Patricia Ryan

176. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people on the social housing lists currently subject to notices-to-quit in County Kildare; the likelihood of those people/families being socially housed before the expiration of their notice, or what other alternatives in terms of emergency accommodation are available to them to prevent their falling into homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25334/23]

Departmental Programmes

Patricia Ryan

246. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health with regard to the healthy age friendly homes programme, the amount of resources under the programme that have been allocated; and the number of older people that have benefitted from the scheme. [25475/23]

Nursing Homes

Patricia Ryan

248. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health with regard to the recent withdrawal of a nursing home (details supplied) in Cork from the fair deal scheme due to the difference between the amounts paid per resident in private nursing homes compared with HSE public ones, if he can clarify the parameters around which the amounts are based for each payment; the measures the Government will consider putting in place to prevent further exodus of private nursing homes from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25332/23]

Home Care Packages

Patricia Ryan

249. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of intensive home support packages that have been delivered to date; the number of intensive home care hours that have been delivered to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25333/23]

Health Services

Patricia Ryan

250. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the new national safeguarding policy for the health and social care sector, as promised in budget 2023, with particular emphasis on the safeguarding of adults and older people, if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25335/23]

Health Services

Patricia Ryan

251. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of additional adult day care places for older people and dementia/Alzheimer's sufferers provided in CHO7 since Budget 2023, in tabular form; and the locations and accessibility for service users of those places, as such centres play a vital role in enabling older people and others with disabilities to live independently at home, while being able to access social and health services in their communities. [25336/23]

Meals-on-Wheels Services

Patricia Ryan

291. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of the 170,000 additional meals on wheels allocated to CHO 7 in budget 2023, covering 34 services, which have been drawn down in the intervening time, in tabular form. [25474/23]

Health Services Staff

Patricia Ryan

292. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has developed and-or instituted a medium three-to-five-year-term recruitment plan aimed at increasing direct provision of home care support and to ensure the HSE has a minimum capacity in each CHO or RHA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25540/23]

Fire Service

Patricia Ryan

95. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on actions that are to be taken to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the retained fire service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23639/23]

Special Educational Needs

Patricia Ryan

102. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education given the shortage of special needs and ASD school places in Kildare South, when he anticipates the ASD unit in a school (details supplied) will be ready to accept pupils; the timeframe surrounding it; if he has plans in place to cater for the parents children needing places, should the opening of the unit be delayed who have nowhere else to send their children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23694/23]

Water Services

Patricia Ryan

153. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Government have a date for the proposed referendum for the transfer of the employment contracts of local authority workers, currently working for Irish Water/Uisce Éireann, from the local authorities to Irish Water. [23691/23]

Mental Health Services

Patricia Ryan

253. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health further to your reply to my previous question confirming there are no mental health services for lorry drivers whose mental health has been badly affected by other drivers committing suicide by crashing into them, if he envisages any future grants or resources being put in place to assist the Irish Road Haulage Association in helping their members who have been so affected to safeguard and promote their mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23689/23]

Home Care Packages

Patricia Ryan

254. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the expected date for completion of the homecare tender 2023 process; the reason behind the delay in its publication to date; whether or not it contains provisions for funding a new rate to account for the increased costs of care , and to allow homecare providers to provide living wages to their employees, taking into consideration travel time and fuel costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23692/23]

Medical Cards

Patricia Ryan

255. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he can investigate the refusal of a medical card and mobility aids to a person (details supplied). [23693/23]

Electoral Process

Patricia Ryan

122. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to amend the Electoral Acts to allow voting at 16 years of age for local and European elections, to bring Ireland into line with the UK and other developed nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22120/23]

Youth Services

Patricia Ryan

150. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures he and his Department have to address the crisis in recruitment and high staff turnover in qualified professionals across a range of disciplines in the youth services sector due to salaries being frozen, and gaps of 20% with salaries available elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22118/23]

Child and Family Agency

Patricia Ryan

158. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will challenge the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform’s decision to freeze Tusla funding at to community and voluntary organisations at 18% below 2009 levels, thus reducing their ability to provide essential services to vulnerable children and families in south Kildare and countrywide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22114/23]

Mental Health Services

Patricia Ryan

159. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with regard to the serious mental health issues facing young people today and the significant benefits of the counselling that Youth Services provides, if he and his Department will consider further investments in the provision of a unified counselling system for local youth services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22115/23]

Child and Family Agency

Patricia Ryan

160. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he and his party have had with Tusla, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and other relevant stakeholders returning funding to community and voluntary organisations, whose current funding is still below 18% 2009 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22116/23]