Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Benefits

Mick Barry

91. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure there will be a guarantee that no claimant will receive less under the new pay-related jobseeker’s benefit than he or she would currently receive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54132/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

4. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [53403/23]

Departmental Offices

Mick Barry

12. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach to report on the work of the parliamentary liaison unit in his Department. [52325/23]

National Economic and Social Council

Mick Barry

17. Deputy Mick Barry 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. [53404/23]

Work Permits

Mick Barry

69. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the review of the policy in relation to work permits, in particular in relation to permits for healthcare assistants and nursing; the rights and entitlements of those permit holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54087/23]

Family Reunification

Mick Barry

130. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice the status of the review taking place in relation to the income thresholds at which people can apply for family reunification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54088/23]

Maternity Leave

Mick Barry

489. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth following reports by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative that women in Ireland struggle to access breastfeeding support, if he will consider introducing legislation for the provision of longer maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53755/23]

Healthcare Policy

Mick Barry

603. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health following reports by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative that women in Ireland struggle to access breastfeeding support, what measures his Department will take to ensure that healthcare professionals and volunteer support groups are more efficiently equipped to provide said support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53756/23]

Child Poverty

Mick Barry

4. Deputy Mick Barry 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. [51893/23]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Mick Barry

9. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his engagement with the French Prime Minister. [51894/23]

An Garda Síochána

Mick Barry

11. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [51895/23]

Foreign Conflicts

Mick Barry

161. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport how many exemption orders for the transport of munitions of war have been granted in each of the last 10 years; how many exemption orders have been issued for munitions destined for Israel in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52117/23]

Human Rights

Mick Barry

246. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the Department of Foreign Affairs has raised any human rights or foreign policy concerns with his Department in relation to issuing of dual use export licences to Israel in the last five years, and the number of times such issues were raised by the Department per year in relation to Israeli exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52118/23]

Departmental Priorities

Mick Barry

304. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline the measures she intends to take to oblige social media platforms and internet service providers to ensure that minors are protected from access to pornography; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52116/23]

Traveller Accommodation

Mick Barry

324. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will contact local and national Traveller organisations to assess the level of difficulty Travellers have in accessing social housing lists; if he will further initiate appropriate research to meet his Department’s outstanding commitment on this matter since 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52119/23]

Fishing Industry

Mick Barry

457. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 2 of 9 March 2023, if he can reconcile the response with the eventual diametrically opposite position taken by Bord Iascaigh Mhara in correspondence between the fishers and a representative of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52301/23]

Hospital Services

Mick Barry

602. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that children who require treatment from a paediatric orthopaedic consultant in Temple Street will get the treatment they require; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52113/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Mick Barry

603. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if he will consider widening the eligibility for further Covid-19 vaccines to more age groups; if he will consider reinstating PCR testing for Covid-19; what steps he will take to ensure there is better data on the prevalence of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52115/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

7. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination will next meet. [49678/23]

Education Policy

Mick Barry

238. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education the steps she will take to increase awareness and resources in schools in relation to dealing with the use of cannabis-based vapes among students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50757/23]

Racism in Sport

Mick Barry

280. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her Department has allocated specific funds to ensure proper training and education against racism in sport; if so, the amount; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51017/23]

Racism in Sport

Mick Barry

281. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on whether Sport Ireland is adequately funded to provide efficient anti-racist training and education; and whether there are plans to increase such funding in the aftermath of the racist incident during a Gymnastics Ireland event. [51018/23]

Housing Provision

Mick Barry

313. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the report from an organisation (details supplied) that has reported that the charity dealt with 12,031 households that were at risk of homelessness; the measures he is taking to ensure that this level of households are not at risk of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51019/23]

Health Services

Mick Barry

462. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the safety of opioid drug users, given the reported deaths due to a highly potent synthetic opioid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50594/23]

Traveller Accommodation

Mick Barry

99. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his Department’s actions in exploring difficulties Travellers might have in opening and retaining social housing applications since 2017, as per the Department’s commitment in action 130 of the National Traveller & Roma Inclusion Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50136/23]

Planning Issues

Mick Barry

100. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding his Department’s circular (Housing 09/2023 - PL 01/2023) to all local authorities regarding the moratorium on Part 8 planning approvals, to outline the monitoring procedures has he put in place to ensure that this moratorium and its circular will be implemented by local authorities; to report on the number of Traveller-specific developments that are being pursued under the terms of the circular; to provide a breakdown per local authority on the Traveller developments pursued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50137/23]

Middle East

Mick Barry

101. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport if he will take measures to ensure that no arms are transported to Israel through Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49508/23]

Middle East

Mick Barry

166. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of licences for dual use items issued for trade with Israel in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49502/23]

International Protection

Mick Barry

423. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who IPAS have contracted for the management and operation of International Protection Services at Kilbride Army Camp, Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49503/23]

International Protection

Mick Barry

424. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a list of all international protection accommodation services and the contracted companies that are involved in the management of each facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49504/23]

International Protection

Mick Barry

425. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who is responsible for the training of staff working in international protection accommodation centres, and what the guidelines and standards are that should be implemented for that training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49505/23]

International Protection

Mick Barry

426. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if management at Kilbride International Protection Centre have informed IPAS in writing of potential health issues or potential medical requirements at the centre due to the refusal of food by residents seeking to highlight their situation to management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49506/23]

International Protection

Mick Barry

427. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with regard to Kilbride International Protection Accommodation Centre, to report on how many men are currently at the camp and how long they have been there; how much funding has been received to date by the management company at Kilbride International Protection Accommodation Centre; where responsibility lies for the provision of transport, onsite medical services, mental health services and does he feel they are adequately provided at the site; to outline the pathway for residents at Kilbride International Protection Centre and when residents there can expect transfer to a more suitable facility; what staffing levels he is aware of and what roles and services are undertaken by the contractor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49507/23]

Trade Unions

Mick Barry

460. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will be supporting a campaign (details supplied) launched by a number of trade unions for improved workplace supports concerning menstruation and the menopause; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49800/23]

Care of the Elderly

Mick Barry

562. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health to assist in resolving the difficult situation a stage 4 COPD and dementia patient (details supplied) being refused care by at least three nursing homes, including at least one with a dementia bed, on the grounds of their "psychiatric needs being too great". [49799/23]

Hospital Overcrowding

Mick Barry

563. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health his views on the upward trend noted by the INMO's 'Trolley Watch' (details supplied) in the last week; what measures his Department is taking to significantly reduce the numbers of patients being cared for on trolleys, chairs and corridors in our hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49801/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

6. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [46495/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

10. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [47664/23]

International Relations

Mick Barry

15. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in the extraordinary European Council meeting on 17 October 2023. [47665/23]

International Relations

Mick Barry

16. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach to report on any meetings or communication he has with the Israeli Government. [48577/23]

Northern Ireland

Mick Barry

4. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach to report on any recent meetings he has had with the British Prime Minister. [47663/23]

Departmental Reports

Mick Barry

10. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach his views on the recently published annual report of his Department. [46494/23]

Education Policy

Mick Barry

537. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education if schools with a religious ethos are not permitted to ask for certificates showing training in particular religious ideologies, such as the certificate in religious studies, when seeking to employ teachers; her views on whether this practice discriminates against people of different religious ideas and backgrounds to the school in which they are seeking employment; if she believes legislative change is required to end this practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48501/23]

Wildlife Protection

Mick Barry

891. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he would consider a ban on the use of snares in light of the impact they are having on the protected badger population and other wildlife; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47383/23]

Fishing Industry

Mick Barry

951. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 453 of 26 September 2023, if, now that the process of payments to the owners of fishing vessels being decommissioned under the Bord Iascaigh Mhara permanent cessation scheme is complete, he can provide the list, by vessel name, owner, size and quota and amount of compensation per vessel as previously requested, in tabular form. [48540/23]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Mick Barry

7. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach to report on his attendance at the recent European Political Community meeting in Granada, Spain. [45266/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

6. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [44962/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

9. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [46493/23]

Cabinet Committees

Mick Barry

14. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [45264/23]

Departmental Offices

Mick Barry

19. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach for an update on the economic policy unit of his Department. [45265/23]