Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Childcare Services

Richard Bruton

87. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the work carried out to date on the establishment of the childcare development agency; and if he will set out the milestones remaining to its full establishment. [19054/24]

Childcare Services

Richard Bruton

88. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the unmet need for childcare places, the uptake of the new capital scheme which he has published and his future plans for the sector. [19053/24]

Tax Reliefs

Richard Bruton

233. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the apparent obligation on a care centre to become a registered charity in order to get tax relief for the use of a wheelchair bus, used to transport persons who themselves have primary certificates establishing their severe disability; and if he will devise a simpler route of access to this tax relief. [19040/24]

General Register Office

Richard Bruton

434. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that the research room for the general records is now only open one day a week, down from five, which is considerably hampering research; and if she will consider arrangements to make it more accessible. [19415/24]

Departmental Programmes

Richard Bruton

16. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered the scope for promoting engaging activities and positive health measures as a part of the welfare programmes promoted by her Department to the pensioners whom she supports with regular financial payments and occasional urgent need payments as part of a more joined-up approach to positive ageing. [18076/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Richard Bruton

47. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered designing new initiatives to tackle under-claiming of benefits, which is widespread across her own Department and other agencies of Government. [18077/24]

Agriculture Industry

Richard Bruton

61. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the potential of a carbon farming initiative in the transformation of the sustainability profile of the farming sector. [18080/24]

Food Industry

Richard Bruton

82. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has developed proposals within his area of responsibility which would fit with the ambition to deliver a circular economy initiative for the Irish food sector. [18081/24]

Inland Fisheries

Richard Bruton

127. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the review of the recent controversies within the Inland Fisheries Ireland has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18534/24]

Recycling Policy

Richard Bruton

128. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has set a date from which all sales of cans or PET bottles must have a deposit paid; if he has discussed with retailers whether products without the logo and bar code printed on the container can apply a deposit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18591/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Richard Bruton

56. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he has considered the extent of unclaimed benefits across different Government programmes; if he would consider establishing a cross-government initiative to better promote take-up of these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15267/24]

Public Services Provision

Richard Bruton

89. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the initiatives he plans to promote better planning to promote a longer and more fruitful retirement, across all of government, harnessing technology, promoting optimal choices of accommodation and adapting existing services to the new requirements. [15266/24]

Waste Management

Richard Bruton

113. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a scheme has been established whereby persons with medical conditions that result in the generation of high volumes of waste can get relief on their waste charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17332/24]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Bruton

117. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of energy upgrades undertaken in each of the past five years under the free (warmer homes) scheme; the distribution by the intensity of upgrade; and if he will indicate the extent of the waiting list for this scheme. [17478/24]

Air Quality

Richard Bruton

132. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if wood products are permitted to be burned in urban areas; and if they are subject to particular conditions nationally or under local by-laws. [17883/24]

Air Quality

Richard Bruton

133. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if air quality standards apply to emissions from household burning outside of the bans on certain products that are in place; and the procedures for monitoring air quality that may be associated with such uses. [17887/24]

Tax Exemptions

Richard Bruton

196. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the number of claimants of a tax exemption on renting a room up to €14,000. [17479/24]

Grant Payments

Richard Bruton

356. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the number of grants issued by local authorities under each of the grants for older people, housing aid, mobility aid and adaptation grant in each of the past five years; and whether he has information on the extent of a waiting list for these schemes. [17477/24]

Housing Policy

Richard Bruton

358. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of councils that offer a contribution scheme under which persons in homes too big for their needs can sell or offer the home to the council and, in return for a contribution from the proceeds of a sale, secure a council tenancy in a secure complex; and the number of homes that have been processed under this scheme in the past three years. [17499/24]

Tax Reliefs

Richard Bruton

399. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will indicate the number of claimants who are availing of the exemption from the means test of the renting of a room with revenue up to €14,000. [17480/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Richard Bruton

604. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the most common technology aids provided under the medical appliances scheme offered by the HSE; the number sanctioned in each of the past three years; if an evaluation has been carried out on the effectiveness of such technologies to keep people independent in their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17498/24]

Schools Building Projects

Richard Bruton

183. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the present status of the project to redevelop a school (details supplied), where many strains are being experienced in the existing facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17115/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Bruton

130. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the distribution of retirees across the entire Irish workforce, by age of retirement; the difference of pattern among the self-employed and the rest; and their estimate of the number of persons at work aged 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, and 70 or over. [15927/24]

Electric Vehicles

Richard Bruton

211. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland has published proposals for a regional and local EV charging network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16592/24]

Housing Policy

Richard Bruton

43. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered the provision of incentives towards the creation of safe secure living in town centres suitable for those seeking to rightsize and to gain access to homes where assisted living within the community could be facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15265/24]

Housing Schemes

Richard Bruton

92. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which the scheme for promoting the sale of apartments to owner-occupiers has been taken up; and if he would consider simplifying its terms so that higher take-up can be achieved. [15264/24]

Pension Provisions

Richard Bruton

106. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered relaxing the rules on pension drawdown to permit drawdown for certain purposes which might contribute to positive ageing, such as home adaptations, installation of technology, or caring support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15929/24]

Public Sector Staff

Richard Bruton

109. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the distribution of retirees from the public service, by age of retirement; and his estimate of the number of public servants at work aged 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, and 70 or over. [15928/24]

School Funding

Richard Bruton

118. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will assess the position of a school (details supplied) which lost out last year through the cancellation of the Covid grant, the IT grant and the minor works grant and fears that the IT grant will again not be paid, thereby undermining its funding position. [15791/24]

Housing Policy

Richard Bruton

150. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what policy tools have been put in place to support rightsizing of accommodation for those, particularly older people to move to a smaller home or to adapt their existing home into two residential units, releasing unneeded space upgrading the energy use and comfort of the home; and if he will indicate his estimate of the number of such moves which are being made annually. [15930/24]

Housing Policy

Richard Bruton

151. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the directives which are in place requiring local authorities to make adequate provision for a positive environment to support a ageing population in their area; and whether any audit of the adequacy of planning policy to meet this challenge has been undertaken. [15931/24]

Housing Policy

Richard Bruton

152. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has set any target for the development of purpose-built housing for older people by the councils or Approved Housing Agencies, distinguishing the level of wrap-around service for those designated for people who require assisted living. [15932/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

257. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate the growth in the acute hospital budget in each year since 2000; and the growth in the budgets for primary care and for community care services over the same period. [15933/24]

Nursing Homes

Richard Bruton

258. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health what the lessons have been for public health policy of managing a pandemic in nursing home settings; and whether new protocols are being put in place to embed these lessons. [15934/24]

Legislative Measures

Richard Bruton

259. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health whether he has plans to implement safeguarding legislation of the sort advocated by the Law Reform Commission and others seeking reform in the area. [15935/24]

Tax Code

Richard Bruton

5. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered how the tax system might make a better contribution towards adjustment to a longer and more fruitful retirement through supporting rightsizing, early release of pension savings in certain circumstances, more flexibility in continued working from employers, better recognition of family carers and in other ways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15262/24]

Tax Credits

Richard Bruton

20. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the extent of unclaimed tax allowances and other benefits; if he would consider establishing a cross-Government initiative to promote better take-up of such benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15263/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Bruton

1. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will indicate the life expectancy at birth and at age 65 in 1950, 1970, 1990, 2010 and the most recent year for which data is available. [13516/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Bruton

2. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the numbers of people aged 65-74, 75-84, and 85+ in 2000, 2022, and projected for 2040, and the corresponding ratio each represents as a proportion of those of working age in those years. [13517/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Bruton

3. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the ratio of those aged 65+ to the population of working age in each local authority. [13518/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Bruton

4. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the numbers of people at work who have pension coverage beyond the social insurance pension, and the number who do not, distinguishing the pattern for male versus female workers, and for those aged under 50 years, and those 50+ years. [13519/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Bruton

5. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of people aged 65-69, 70-74, and 75+ who are still in employment. [13520/24]

Schools Building Projects

Richard Bruton

525. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the status of the planning for a new secondary school (details supplied), and if her Department has had an update on new developments under construction or in the pipeline which will drive pupil numbers. [14944/24]

Schools Building Projects

Richard Bruton

526. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the status of the masterplan for the new build for a school (details supplied) in Swords; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14945/24]

Development Contributions

Richard Bruton

714. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered extending the deadline for the temporary waiver of development fees, as many applicants were unable to complete the process within the short timeframe given. [15376/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Richard Bruton

787. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered the costs for a homeless family being rehoused in unfurnished accommodation; whether the present ceiling of €3,000 for establishment costs adequately reflects the true cost of a family setting up home; and if she would consider establishing a higher limit. [14742/24]

Departmental Staff

Richard Bruton

1015. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department, where it mistakenly placed an employee on too high a PRSI deduction for a lengthy period, will repay the over-deduction over the full period; and if not, if the refund will only apply to the four year period for which the Department of Social Protection will make repayments. [14835/24]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Richard Bruton

1468. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if the NTPF has set out an activity plan for 2024 setting out the outpatient appointments, inpatient procedures and diagnostic evaluations and scopes that will be carried out in the course of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14708/24]

Health Services Staff

Richard Bruton

1534. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has considered a Dublin premium for health workers where there is a high level of attrition from posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14943/24]

Defence Forces

Richard Bruton

22. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has undertaken an assessment of Ireland's defence vulnerabilities in light of the deteriorating defence situation in Europe. [13260/24]