Parliamentary questions

Library Services

Gino Kenny

654. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he is aware that the Local Government Management Agency recently changed library borrowing rules for children and young people borrowing age appropriate books, so that they now require signed consent from a parent to move up an age group for example, to the 12-14 age category when they have reached 12 years of age, and that this change appears to be in response to pressure from anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups; if he will reverse this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19399/23]

Abortion Services

Gino Kenny

2. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health when the report of the review of abortion laws in Ireland will be published; the steps he will take to ensure the law is amended to fully reflect the repeal referendum result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17661/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Gino Kenny

8. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health what plans the HSE has for holistic, neuro-focused, multidisciplinary long Covid clinics; if he will tackle the long waiting lists for long Covid appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17659/23]

Covid-19 Tests

Gino Kenny

25. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health why PCR testing centres have been closed despite a recent uptick in infections and hospital admissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17658/23]

Health Services

Gino Kenny

76. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the lack of public health cover for people with serious and life-long allergies, and the significant financial costs they face, such as for epi-pens, eye drops and other medications; if he will confirm that people who suffer from serious allergies will be entitled to medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17657/23]

Mental Health Services

Gino Kenny

78. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will establish a public inquiry into the CAMHS service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17660/23]

Citizenship Applications

Gino Kenny

86. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of long delays at the Immigration Service Delivery, ISD, formerly the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, in response to citizenship applications; that this issue is one of great importance to thousands of individuals and their families and creates real consequential limitations on their lives in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17607/23]

Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Gino Kenny

92. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that a person (details supplied) was sentenced to five years in jail in December 2022 and is currently in Limerick Prison for donating medical cannabis to people suffering pain; if he will change the law in this regard and release the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17671/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

237. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the upcoming statutory inquiry into gender-based violence, bullying and harassment in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16602/23]

Disability Services

Gino Kenny

1256. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if applied behaviour analysis is in use in the health service for people with autism; and if so, how widespread the practice is. [17515/23]

Health Services Staff

Gino Kenny

1384. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the vacant position of public health nurse in the Newcastle area has not been filled for some time, which is impacting significantly on the population in that area, including the lack of check-ups for new-born babies; when this position will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16487/23]

Third Level Education

Gino Kenny

75. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the national review of State supports for PhD researchers; if he will commit to continuing the examination of the working status of PhD researchers, including consultation with all stakeholders and an examination of international comparators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15757/23]

Cabinet Committees

Gino Kenny

4. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [11610/23]

Rights of People with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

62. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications given that Ireland ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities five years ago, his plans for providing that disabled persons organisations, DPOs, are prioritised in consultations and monitoring regarding the sustainable development goals, as advised by the UN Committee Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in general comment No. 7, paragraphs 9, 32, 92, and 94 (r). [15644/23]

Rights of People with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

77. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport if he and his Departments will immediately comply with its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by prioritising and distinguishing disabled persons organisations, DPOs, in all consultations affecting disabled people. [15641/23]

Rights of People with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

78. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport what the National Transport Authority plans to prioritise for the Disabled Persons Organisations (as per Article 4 (3) and General Comment No. 7 of the CRPD), to disability-proof all current projects and plans in compliance with the CRPD. [15642/23]

Cabinet Committees

Gino Kenny

5. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach when the most recent meeting of the Cabinet committee on health took place. [12869/23]

Departmental Offices

Gino Kenny

18. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the international division of his Department. [11609/23]

Social Welfare Rates

Gino Kenny

88. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase social welfare rates in line with inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15204/23]

Community Employment Schemes

Gino Kenny

118. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend eligibility for CE schemes to people in direct provision, as has been done for Ukrainian refugees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15203/23]

School Staff

Gino Kenny

402. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that post-primary teachers have very limited secure ways to switch teaching roles; if she will enable transfers for teachers between education and training boards and establish a national voluntary redeployment panel for teachers who wish to relocate and keep their permanent or contract of indefinite duration status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14955/23]

Military Neutrality

Gino Kenny

2. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has any concern regarding Irish military neutrality following the decision for Irish troops to be withdrawn from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, in the Golan Heights on the Israeli-Syrian border for participation in the German-led EU battle group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13380/23]

Foreign Policy

Gino Kenny

14. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the considerations of expanding cooperation with NATO in areas of cyber-attack and maritime intelligence; if this has implications for Ireland’s position of military neutrality; its implications on the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13385/23]

Defence Forces

Gino Kenny

51. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline the rationale for the Irish Defence Forces personnel being withdrawn from the peacekeeping mission in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13381/23]

School Staff

Gino Kenny

93. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to address the shortage of teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13892/23]

School Staff

Gino Kenny

115. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce a housing allowance for teachers living in areas with high housing costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13891/23]

Home Care Packages

Gino Kenny

346. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on an application by a person (details supplied); and if the decision will be expedited. [14444/23]

Church-State Relations

Gino Kenny

5. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will report on recent engagements with church leaders. [12861/23]

Cabinet Committees

Gino Kenny

16. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination will next meet. [12868/23]

Middle East

Gino Kenny

87. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the increasingly high levels of Palestinian civilian casualties in the occupied West Bank with the new Israeli government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13389/23]

Ukraine War

Gino Kenny

89. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has engaged with other foreign ministers regarding the loss of electricity power at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine due to Russian missile bombardment; if he is concerned about the potential result of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13386/23]

Official Engagements

Gino Kenny

90. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the engagement he will have on his St. Patrick's day visit to the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13390/23]

Disaster Response

Gino Kenny

106. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has engaged with his counterparts in Turkey and Syria in relation to the devastating earthquakes in the two countries; what Ireland’s response to these catastrophes will be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13388/23]

Middle East

Gino Kenny

120. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will condemn Israeli bombing and raids in Nablus in the West Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13387/23]

Foreign Policy

Gino Kenny

549. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will further elaborate on his comments, reported in the media regarding Irish neutrality, that neutrality is a policy issue that can change at any time, subject to the Houses of the Oireachtas or the Government of the day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13382/23]

International Relations

Gino Kenny

550. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed with his counterparts in Finland and Sweden their decision to join NATO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13384/23]

Schools Building Projects

Gino Kenny

740. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education if every effort will be made to commence construction at a school (details supplied) in the coming months, given the announcement that a large number of school construction projects have been put on hold due to cost evaluation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13421/23]

Medical Records

Gino Kenny

1210. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the provision that has been put into place regarding women who have suffered a still birth at pregnancy; and if there is 'pregnancy after loss' notification on medical files to inform the doctor/midwife/consultant of the bereaved mother's medical history prior to an appointment and assessment. [12517/23]

Medical Records

Gino Kenny

1391. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will acknowledge the pain and trauma parents experience following the loss of a stillborn child and the impact that this can have on future pregnancies in terms of fear, anxiety and the re-experiencing of the loss; in recognition of this, if he will consider the introduction of a coded sticker that can be applied to pregnancy charts to indicate that the current pregnancy is a 'pregnancy after loss' that will alert medical staff immediately to read the history and act accordingly, thereby minimising the pain of having to explain at each visit about the previous loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13238/23]

Housing Provision

Gino Kenny

138. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that Tathony House is acquired for social and affordable housing despite the fact that some of the tenants are not currently eligible for either social or affordable homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11869/23]

Departmental Priorities

Gino Kenny

10. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [11365/23]

Tax Code

Gino Kenny

81. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of an organisation's (details supplied) recent call for a wealth tax of graduated rates of 2%, 3% and 5% on wealth above €4.7 million, with the organisation stating that such a wealth tax would raise €8.2 billion annually and has the potential to transform Irish public services in health, housing and education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11371/23]

Tax Code

Gino Kenny

106. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that leading global tax researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Copenhagen (details supplied) have identified Ireland as a major tax haven and estimate that Ireland artificially attracts €130 billion in profits from other countries and gains €7.2 billion in tax revenue from this profit shifting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11372/23]

Cabinet Committees

Gino Kenny

20. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [9961/23]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Gino Kenny

85. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can clarify the Government’s plan to deal with recent EPA figures that show increases in CO2 emissions in the State, and that Ireland is the worst performer in the EU, according to EUROSTAT data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9972/23]

Nursing Homes

Gino Kenny

15. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he has met with the Attorney General following publication of his report on nursing home charges and the disabled persons maintenance allowance. [8833/23]

Departmental Bodies

Gino Kenny

31. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the social dialogue co-ordination unit of his Department. [8579/23]

Public Inquiries

Gino Kenny

2. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he will indicate his support for a public inquiry into the death of a person (details supplied) who was killed in a hit-and-run by a driver while cycling near his home in Carrickmacross on 2 August 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8015/23]

Public Inquiries

Gino Kenny

24. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he will indicate his support for a public inquiry into the killing of a person (details supplied) over two years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7659/23]

Crime Prevention

Gino Kenny

77. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice if he has been in contact with the Garda Commissioner regarding serious threats being made against refugees, the LGBTQI community, anti-racism campaigners and other sections of our society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7660/23]