Parliamentary questions

Childcare Services

Ivana Bacik

648. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way the extension of the national childcare scheme universal subsidy to children under 15 will be applied; the way the hours will be awarded; if, in the case of a child attending afterschool care for 30 hours a week, that child will be entitled to a subsidy of 50 cent an hour to the value of €15 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50926/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Ivana Bacik

649. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way funding of the €69 million for early learning and care and school age services provided in Budget 2022 will be awarded; the projected start date for those programmes; if he will provide a breakdown and detailed explanation of the costings that underpin the additional allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50927/21]

Childcare Services

Ivana Bacik

650. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which the additional €9 million for the national childcare scheme will be spent; if he will provide a detailed explanation of the costings that underpin the extra funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50928/21]

An Garda Síochána

Ivana Bacik

683. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the figures on the allocation of resources to community policing in the Dublin north inner city area for 2021. [50451/21]

Antisocial Behaviour

Ivana Bacik

684. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to recent incidences of violent antisocial behaviour in the north inner city of Dublin; the steps her Department is taking to address escalating crime in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50452/21]

Medicinal Products

Ivana Bacik

716. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the HSE recommended medication cariban should be added to the approved drugs list under the drugs payment scheme; his views on whether the drug should be made available on the medical card; and the treatments available under each scheme to treat hyperemesis gravidarum. [50369/21]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Ivana Bacik

733. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the publication of recommendations from the full health technology assessment of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system. [50450/21]

Care of the Elderly

Ivana Bacik

808. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to research from a group (details supplied); and the way he plans to implement its recommendations. [50929/21]

Departmental Strategies

Ivana Bacik

809. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the portion of the €30 million for national strategies in Budget 2022 that will be allocated for the National Carers Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50930/21]

Energy Policy

Ivana Bacik

85. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the policy position of his Department in relation to the storage of electricity particularly that generated from renewable sources; if he has a specific position on encouraging the development of pumped hydro storage as an integral part of improving the robustness the national grid and as a means of storing excess renewable energy that may arise from wind turbines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50240/21]

Energy Policy

Ivana Bacik

86. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his interpretation of directive 2003/54/EC and the classification of pumped hydropower storage systems such as Turlough Hill as electricity generation facilities; if engagement has occurred with the European Commission on reclassifying facilities such as these as grid infrastructure that act as batteries or strategic services for the purposes of the grid operator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50241/21]

Legislative Measures

Ivana Bacik

139. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education when she proposes to commence section 8 of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018; and the reason for the delay in commencement. [50114/21]

Departmental Projects

Ivana Bacik

146. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for the completion of a research project undertaken by the civil registration unit on the process of registration for babies born outside of the criteria for still birth and related matters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49974/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Ivana Bacik

152. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide dedicated supports in addition to illness benefit for persons who are unable to work due to long Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50040/21]

Residential Institutions

Ivana Bacik

156. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to address the issues of the former residents of the Bethany homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49977/21]

Student Accommodation

Ivana Bacik

165. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will request that purpose-built student accommodation ceases to be offered to tourists during term-time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49976/21]

Departmental Data

Ivana Bacik

183. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting time for refugee travel documents issued to date in 2021. [50038/21]

Departmental Data

Ivana Bacik

184. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting time for temporary travel documents issued to date in 2021. [50039/21]

Departmental Data

Ivana Bacik

185. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí that will enter training in 2022. [50043/21]

Departmental Data

Ivana Bacik

186. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the details of and figures for the allocation of resources to community policing in the Dublin south inner-city area. [50044/21]

Departmental Data

Ivana Bacik

187. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to recent reports which raise concerns regarding child protection and governance policies and practices within an organisation (details supplied); the extent of funding provided to that organisation; and if she plans to provide a mechanism for the exchange of information regarding child protection concerns on a cross-Border basis between Ireland and Northern Ireland. [50045/21]

Civil Registration Service

Ivana Bacik

206. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 425 of 5 May 2021, the status of a review of thresholds for still birth registrations. [49975/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ivana Bacik

222. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his Department will undertake research to discern the number of persons in Ireland that are living with long Covid and to produce recommendations to him regarding a national response to long Covid including provision of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nutrition and dietetics and counselling. [50041/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ivana Bacik

223. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his Department has developed a plan to deliver best practice guidelines, guidance and training to general practitioners treating long Covid patients. [50042/21]

Foreign Policy

Ivana Bacik

218. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 73 of 30 September 2021, his views on the need for concrete measures to dissuade the Israeli government from breaking international law given the concerns he outlined in the response; and his plans to introduce such measures. [49492/21]

Education Policy

Ivana Bacik

383. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department plans to undertake a universal design review of all further education and higher education institutions in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49199/21]

Legislative Measures

Ivana Bacik

488. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the status of the human tissue (transplantation, post-mortem, anatomical examination and public display) Bill; and his plans to progress it through the Houses of the Oireachtas. [49195/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ivana Bacik

489. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce waiting lists for heart, lung, kidney, liver or pancreas transplants. [49196/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ivana Bacik

490. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his Department has developed contingency plans to ensure that services for conditions such as COPD, cystic fibrosis and lung fibrosis are protected in the event of an upsurge in Covid-19 infections. [49197/21]

Departmental Strategies

Ivana Bacik

491. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the status of his plans to appoint a senior official to manage liaison regarding the rare disease plan (details supplied). [49198/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ivana Bacik

551. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the planned removal of HSE facilities in Dublin that facilitate quarantining for Roma families (details supplied); and his plans to support service users after it is removed. [49491/21]

Child Protection

Ivana Bacik

111. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been brought to recent reports which raise concerns about child protection and governance policies and practices within an organisation (details supplied); if he will provide details as to the extent of Tusla funding provided to the organisation; and if he has plans to provide a mechanism for the exchange of information about child protection concerns on a cross-Border basis between this jurisdiction and Northern Ireland. [48515/21]

Medical Cards

Ivana Bacik

126. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the work undertaken to date to fulfil obligations arising from an amendment to a private members motion on the Mother and Baby Homes Commission which was passed and provides an entitlement to a full medical card for all persons that spent any time in a mother and baby home. [48517/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Ivana Bacik

144. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the development and roll-out of a new funding model for childcare, for early learning and care and for school-age childcare in view of the recent crèche closures and fee increases in childcare facilities in an area (details supplied). [48516/21]

Departmental Policies

Ivana Bacik

163. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he intends to publish the review into the national childcare scheme; the way he plans to implement the recommendations of the review; and if he will implement these recommendations early in 2022. [48518/21]

Employment Rights

Ivana Bacik

169. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to reports of mistreatment of vulnerable migrant workers in the Irish meat industry (details supplied); if his Department plans to engage with migrant workers to address these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48798/21]

Electricity Generation

Ivana Bacik

180. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if State bodies under his aegis are involved in or propose to become involved in projects for developing large-scale electricity storage capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48799/21]

Medicinal Products

Ivana Bacik

385. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his Department plans to remove the age restriction on funding for the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system for persons with diabetes over the age of 21 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48801/21]

Care Services

Ivana Bacik

386. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if it is his Department’s policy that HSE funding committed to persons in healthcare and residential facilities must be accounted for and spent solely on their care in the manner agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48802/21]

Recycling Policy

Ivana Bacik

114. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason the proposed deposit return scheme of his Department excludes glass bottles; and if he plans to amend the scheme to include glass. [47829/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ivana Bacik

241. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if a dedicated helpline and email address will be created for business owners in the tourism hospitality industry to seek clarity on the permissibility of planned events in the context of public health advice during the pandemic. [47871/21]

National Council for Special Education

Ivana Bacik

401. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education if she will consider requesting the NCSE to adopt a policy of assumption of allocation of a special needs assistant at secondary level in cases in which a child had one at primary level. [47874/21]

School Staff

Ivana Bacik

402. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education if she plans to commence a teacher recruitment programme to address shortages of teachers in certain geographical areas. [47875/21]

School Staff

Ivana Bacik

403. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education if she plans to introduce supports for school principals experiencing burnout. [47876/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Ivana Bacik

484. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to introduce additional entry points during the year for parents availing of the ECCE scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47870/21]

Child Protection

Ivana Bacik

485. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to ratify the optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; and if so, if he will supply a timeline for same. [47873/21]

An Garda Síochána

Ivana Bacik

533. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to reports that appointments with the Garda National Immigration Bureau are being booked and sold online by a non-authorised entity; the steps her Department has taken to investigate this matter since it was raised in a parliamentary question (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48177/21]

Citizenship Applications

Ivana Bacik

534. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the number of Irish citizenship applicants currently waiting longer than 12 months for a decision on their application; and the number of citizenship applicants currently waiting longer than 24 months for a decision on their application. [48178/21]

Citizenship Applications

Ivana Bacik

535. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting time for citizenship applications to date in 2021. [48179/21]

Citizenship Applications

Ivana Bacik

536. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice the number of citizenship applicants her Department plans to communicate a decision to in 2021. [48180/21]