Parliamentary questions

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

7. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [48748/22]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Richard Boyd Barrett

14. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the shared island unit. [48333/22]

Housing Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

18. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on progress on Housing for All, which is led by his Department. [44837/22]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

26. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Environment and Climate Change will next meet. [48334/22]

Departmental Reviews

Richard Boyd Barrett

324. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will set up an independent radiation therapist review as soon as possible; if he will commit to implementing any recommendations that arise of the review dealing with the recruitment and retention crisis of radiation therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48833/22]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

3. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on education will next meet. [46016/22]

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

9. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on economic recovery and investment will next meet. [44835/22]

Public Sector Staff

Richard Boyd Barrett

85. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way that he intends to solve the recruitment crisis across the public sector in Dublin given the lack of availability of affordable rents and the high cost of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48394/22]

Public Sector Staff

Richard Boyd Barrett

100. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way that he intends to solve the recruitment crisis across the public sector, particularly in the major urban centres given the lack of availability of affordable rents or house prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48310/22]

Public Sector Pay

Richard Boyd Barrett

101. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact the Croke Park agreement hours are no longer in place; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that for many employees in the public sector, the overtime entitlement is based on the rules in place prior to these hours ending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48393/22]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Richard Boyd Barrett

119. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the consideration he gave to expanding capital investment in areas such as housing, climate and energy savings prior to budget 2023 in order to reduce the need for large current expenditures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48395/22]

Workplace Relations Commission

Richard Boyd Barrett

139. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when legislative change will be made to give the Workplace Relations Commission jurisdiction to hear complaints in relation to the working time at sea directive, as promised by his Department in January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48106/22]

Energy Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

151. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures that will be in place in future Government electricity credits to ensure persons who are on subsidiary meters, yet are paying bills on a full property, will be able to avail of the full grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47896/22]

Energy Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

152. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of apartments and studios in larger buildings that are on subsidiary meters to the main electricity account and therefore not entitled to the full electricity credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47897/22]

Tax Credits

Richard Boyd Barrett

214. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated number of tenants who will benefit from the new €500 rental credit given that the numbers of tenancies that are supported by the rental accommodation scheme, HAP or rent allowance; the numbers of students and low paid workers who do not earn enough to pay tax; the numbers of tenancies that are not registered with the Residential Tenancies Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48485/22]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

232. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the reason that karate classes for children pay a higher VAT rate than other classes such as yoga, fitness classes and pilates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48468/22]

Housing Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

302. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to publish the review that his Department has on the social housing income limits; the bodies or individuals that his Department consulted with in the course of carrying-out the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48486/22]

Housing Provision

Richard Boyd Barrett

303. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details of all projects currently being progressed by the Land Development Agency; the projected homes to be delivered; the tenure of these homes; the timelines for delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48487/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Richard Boyd Barrett

444. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person with an income under €500 will qualify for the fuel allowance in 2023 if they are in receipt of a local authority pension and are not in receipt of any social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48479/22]

Third Level Fees

Richard Boyd Barrett

516. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students who will not be entitled to the €1,000 one-off reduction in the student contribution; if he will extend it to all European Union students who have paid fees for the 2022-2023 academic year, whether student contribution or tuition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48488/22]

Third Level Costs

Richard Boyd Barrett

517. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of PhD researchers who will qualify for the €500 stipend increase that he announced in budget 2023; the proportion of PhD researchers that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48489/22]

Third Level Costs

Richard Boyd Barrett

518. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of PhD researchers in Ireland; the number of these who are in receipt of Science Foundation Ireland and Irish Research Council-funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48490/22]

Work Permits

Richard Boyd Barrett

537. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice when the results of the review of the atypical work permit scheme for non-European Economic Area fishers will be published; her plans to move these workers to the critical skills list where they can avail of the same rights to apply for a Stamp 4 permission as other migrant workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48102/22]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Richard Boyd Barrett

697. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health when the funding for public fertility treatment will commence; if he will provide a definitive date for when persons can access public treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48501/22]

Work Permits

Richard Boyd Barrett

5. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will add home care assistants to the critical skills occupations list to address the crisis in recruitment for home carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46604/22]

National Car Test

Richard Boyd Barrett

64. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport the reason that the current average wait time for an NCT booking in the Dublin centres is six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46613/22]

Schools Building Projects

Richard Boyd Barrett

246. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education when the interim building will be in place for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46802/22]

Schools Building Projects

Richard Boyd Barrett

247. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the status of the new building for three autism classes in a school (details supplied); when they will be able to go out to tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46853/22]

Widow's Pension

Richard Boyd Barrett

308. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for a working person in receipt of a widow's pension being unable to claim illness benefit if they fall ill; if there are any other benefits available to a person in this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46901/22]

State Bodies

Richard Boyd Barrett

367. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice if she intends to reduce the size and capacity of the Criminal Assets Bureau during or after its move to a new premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47469/22]

Health Services Staff

Richard Boyd Barrett

498. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the current average processing time for a nursing licence; if his attention has been drawn to any delays in the processing of such licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46893/22]

Public Transport

Richard Boyd Barrett

53. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport his plans to follow the example of other countries in relation to reducing the costs of public transport and moving to a free and frequent public transport system nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46235/22]

Transport Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

62. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the calls made by taxi representative groups at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications for supports for their industry (details supplied); his plans to support the calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46270/22]

Housing Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

109. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the way that he intends to use the billions in additional revenue now available to him as a result of the surge in corporate tax receipts expected this year; the way that these may be used to combat the ever-worsening housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46268/22]

Budget 2023

Richard Boyd Barrett

129. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance if he is planning any further taxation measures in Budget 2023 to bring the large numbers of vacant and derelict homes into use given the severity of the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46266/22]

Special Educational Needs

Richard Boyd Barrett

70. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the estimated full-year cost of rolling out the in-school and early years therapy support demonstration pilot project in each school across Ireland. [46109/22]

Nursing Homes

Richard Boyd Barrett

121. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) can be moved to a nursing home nearer to their family home in Glasthule, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46163/22]

Energy Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

72. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can clarify the policy in relation to building a liquefied natural gas terminal in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45744/22]

Energy Prices

Richard Boyd Barrett

97. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will examine the current liberalised energy system and its impact on energy prices; if his Department will look at the policies of other states who have moved to some forms of renationalisation of energy generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45745/22]

Taxi Licences

Richard Boyd Barrett

201. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport the actions that a taxi driver (details supplied) whose taxi licence expired during the pandemic and was not in a financial position to renew it until now can take to have it renewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45915/22]

Energy Prices

Richard Boyd Barrett

224. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the amount of excise duty that would be foregone if energy prices were capped as follows: Petrol at €1.75 per litre; Diesel at €1.75 per litre; Electricity at 25c per kilowatt hour; Natural Gas at 8c per kilowatt hour; Oil (kerosene) at €1 per litre. [45818/22]

Social Welfare Rates

Richard Boyd Barrett

381. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost of increasing the disability allowance for all recipients to €350 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45838/22]

Social Welfare Rates

Richard Boyd Barrett

382. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost of increasing all headline social protection payments to €300 per week, excluding the disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45839/22]

National Minimum Wage

Richard Boyd Barrett

20. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on raising the minimum wage to €15 an hour, in light of the rising cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45143/22]

Rural Schemes

Richard Boyd Barrett

128. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on her plans to increase community arts space across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32460/22]

Cost of Living Issues

Richard Boyd Barrett

150. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has considered using the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act of 2007 to limit price rises on basic food products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38605/22]

Departmental Reports

Richard Boyd Barrett

4. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach his views on his Department’s recently published annual report 2021. [44836/22]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

163. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the rationale for the taxation of social welfare maternity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44529/22]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

324. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year cost of index linking tax bands to inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42164/22]

Tax Code

Richard Boyd Barrett

325. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year cost of index linking the existing tax bands to inflation in budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42165/22]