Parliamentary questions

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

515. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a copy of all communication between his Department and An Garda Síochána in relation to events in Roscrea between 11 and 16 January 2024; if his Department requested the assistance of An Garda Síochána to deliver international protection applicants to Racket Hall, Roscrea while the community was involved in protests; who made the decision to bring women and children to the hotel while a protest was ongoing; what efforts were made to engage with the community and those engaging in a protest to relieve tensions prior to the arrival of these applicants to avoid introducing them to a tense environment; the reason a decision was not taken to mediate with the community prior to the arrival of applicants to ease tensions to report on assurances given by him during a meeting of Roscrea community representatives in relation to the number of IP applicants and Ukrainians already being accommodated in Roscrea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2601/24]

Care Services

Mattie McGrath

518. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when transport to a rehab day service will be restored in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2664/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Mattie McGrath

48. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a decision will be made on an application for foreign birth registration (details supplied); the reason for the delay in processing the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1796/24]

Road Projects

Mattie McGrath

235. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport the expected timeline for completion of the inner relief road Thurles, County Tipperary linking Slievenamon Road to the Mill Road; if funding is in place for same; if a route been finalised; if all land required has been secured; if the Thurles Bypass project will be considered for inclusion on the National Development Plan in the review to take place in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1096/24]

Road Safety

Mattie McGrath

275. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport his plans to make the wearing of high-visibility clothing a legal requirement for pedestrians and cyclists due to the high level of pedestrian fatalities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1396/24]

Road Safety Authority

Mattie McGrath

281. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport the reason seven driving testers are being made redundant by the RSA in February and March this year, particularly given the current backlogs; the reason these driving testers have not been given permanent contracts to date despite being employed by the RSA as driving testers for three years; to list the areas where redundancies are being made in 2024 together with the waiting lists in those areas; if he will urgently review this issue to avoid further backlogs particularly when Government policy is to increase the number of tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1511/24]

Tax Code

Mattie McGrath

341. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the reason for the change to the refund of VAT for unregistered farmers; if this change will be reversed immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1026/24]

School Staff

Mattie McGrath

459. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers waiting for payment for the July home provision scheme; the reason there is such a delay in processing payments; the steps that will be taken to address this problem to ensure no such delays will take place in 2024; her views on whether the delays in processing payments are leading to teachers withdrawing from the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56285/23]

Education Schemes

Mattie McGrath

636. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education the reason the Youth Encounter Project operated by the Tipperary ETB has to be relocated from Ferryhouse where it has been located for years; if the needs of a school (details supplied) have been considered when considering the relocation; if she is aware of the concerns of the school in relation to the proposed relocation of the Youth Encounter Project; if this proposed relocation can be reconsidered given the concerns of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1420/24]

School Funding

Mattie McGrath

654. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education to list all of the schools awarded STEM grants in 2023, by county and school type, that is rural, urban and DEIS; the reason she feels a lottery system to allocate the funding was appropriate, given the time and effort required to submit applications; the reason her Department did not select roll numbers at random to avoid schools wasting time with an application process when the applications were not selected on merit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1565/24]

Special Educational Needs

Mattie McGrath

668. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education the current status of the additional ASD classroom project for a school in County Tipperary (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1654/24]

Water Services

Mattie McGrath

803. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the promised referendum on the public ownership of water services will be held (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1156/24]

Water Services

Mattie McGrath

804. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage due to the delays with the proposed eastern and midlands water supply project which was due to go for planning in 2019, if he will call for a review of this project as part of the Government review of major state infrastructure projects as the project is unnecessary and damaging to the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1157/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mattie McGrath

987. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if a directive will be implemented to ensure that recipients of non-contributory pensions in Ireland who have temporary protection status must collect their social welfare payments by presenting at a post office, rather than through a bank account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1999/24]

Social Welfare Code

Mattie McGrath

988. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection what checks are being carried out to ensure that recipients of social welfare payments who have temporary protection status are still living in the State when payments are being made into bank accounts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2000/24]

Childcare Services

Mattie McGrath

1311. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what funding streams are available to private childcare providers (details supplied) to invest, expand and develop new facilities in areas otherwise not serviced by preschool services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56369/23]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

1420. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of refugees-international protection applicants currently housed in Ferryhouse campus, Clonmel, County Tipperary; their age and gender; the reason the Youth Encounter Project that has been based in Ferryhouse for many years has to be relocated as a result of housing IPAS-refugees on this campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1419/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Mattie McGrath

1423. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if children attending ASD preschools are not eligible for an overage ECCE exemption; if ASD preschools are funded separately to the ECCE Programme; the reason a student attending an ASD preschool may be ineligible for an overage exemption despite fulfilling the medical criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1591/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

1445. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of refugees-international protection applicants that are currently housed in Ferryhouse campus, Clonmel, County Tipperary, their age and gender; the reason a school (details supplied) that has been based in Ferryhouse for many years has to be relocated as a result of housing IPAs-refugees on this campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2001/24]

Health Service Executive

Mattie McGrath

1527. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the current plans for a building (details supplied) which is currently vacant and owned by HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56664/23]

Departmental Staff

Mattie McGrath

1726. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant public health nurse posts in each county and area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1566/24]

Housing Schemes

Mattie McGrath

127. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address a matter concerning HAP (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55697/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mattie McGrath

150. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the extension in child benefit to those aged 18 years in full-time employment has been delayed until September 2024 and will not be introduced in January; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55597/23]

Housing Schemes

Mattie McGrath

417. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an eligible person can avail of the housing assistance payment scheme when renting a room in a house where the landlord resides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54922/23]

Housing Schemes

Mattie McGrath

418. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households that have requested flexibility to breech HAP rental limits; the number of these households to which flexibility has been approved to breech HAP rental limits for the local authority area of County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54923/23]

Local Authorities

Mattie McGrath

439. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider using net pay to calculate eligibility for local authority housing adaptation grant thresholds rather than gross pay in order to support working taxpayers who have become ill and require adaptation works in the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55090/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Mattie McGrath

618. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to clarify the reasoning behind excluding new basic payment scheme applicants from the ACRES 2 scheme in 2023; the number of affected farmers; if a review of this decision is under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54921/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Mattie McGrath

622. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on an ACRES appeal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54964/23]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

684. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to list the details of the 37 properties purchased by his Department to house IPAS applicants; the type of property; the size of property; the county within which each property is located; the cost of each property and the former use of each property; whether the properties were purchased on the open market or through private deals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54768/23]

Childcare Services

Mattie McGrath

695. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child (details supplied) with ASD who cannot secure a school placement can remain in preschool for an additional year provided there is space in the preschool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54929/23]

Childcare Services

Mattie McGrath

696. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child (details supplied) with ASD who cannot secure a school placement can remain in preschool for an additional year provided there is space in the preschool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54930/23]

Grant Payments

Mattie McGrath

4. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to increase the grant awards allowable for local authority housing adaptation grants to meet the increased building costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54366/23]

Legislative Reviews

Mattie McGrath

381. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice her views on the Success of the Mediation Act 2017; to outline any reviews of this legislation that have been carried out or if she intends to carry out any further reviews of the legislation; to outline what key performance indicators if any, have been met; what plans she has, if any, to further promote the role of mediation as an alternative dispute mechanism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53310/23]

Tobacco Control Measures

Mattie McGrath

510. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he has noted Sweden's smoking rate of 5.6%, which is lower than the EU average of 23%, while the country promotes alternatives to smoking such as vaping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53251/23]

Tobacco Control Measures

Mattie McGrath

511. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the success of Sweden's approach to tobacco control, embracing alternatives to smoking like vaping, will be reflected in the plan for Tobacco Free Ireland 2025, instead of adopting the more restrictive and less successful approaches by countries like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, where the average smoking rate across the four countries is 24.75%, compared to Sweden's smoking rate of 5.6%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53252/23]

Tobacco Control Measures

Mattie McGrath

512. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the efficacy of Ireland's tobacco reduction strategy, considering Ireland's smoking rate has been 18% since 2019, while Sweden's is currently at 5.6%, as an example; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53253/23]

Tobacco Control Measures

Mattie McGrath

513. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the price of the licence and timeline of implementation of the licensing system contained in the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53255/23]

Local Authorities

Mattie McGrath

392. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons for the delays in local authorities paying out croí cónaithe grants to applicants who have completed their works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52897/23]

Local Authorities

Mattie McGrath

393. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the provision of the second vacant homes officer for Tipperary County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52899/23]

Local Authorities

Mattie McGrath

394. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the provision of additional housing staff to Tipperary County Council for the establishment of new affordable housing schemes in towns and villages across the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52900/23]

Healthcare Policy

Mattie McGrath

486. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health whether he or the Government have accepted or rejected amendments to Article 59 of the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, including details on the public consultation process; the rationale for not facilitating a Dáil Éireann debate, and a request to publish all communication on the matter with the WHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53021/23]

Healthcare Policy

Mattie McGrath

487. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health what steps he proposes to take for a genuine public consultation process, potentially including a referendum and a Dáil Éireann debate, before deciding to support or reject the WHO Global Pandemic Treaty, as this consideration is crucial due to the treaty's legal binding nature and its potential impact on Ireland's democratic sovereignty, which may undermine national decision-making, especially given the WHO's influence by China and multinational pharmaceutical corporations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53023/23]

Healthcare Policy

Mattie McGrath

488. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to outline all details of the Government’s engagement with the World Health Organisation concerning the controversial amendments to the International Health Regulations, providing the WHO with expanded powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53024/23]

Healthcare Policy

Mattie McGrath

489. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to disclose publicly the legal opinion or risk assessment, if any, undertaken or provided regarding Ireland’s position on the amendments and future negotiations on a proposed WHO Global Pandemic Treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53025/23]

Climate Action Plan

Mattie McGrath

15. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide the latest financial modelling of the total cost of implementing all actions set out in the 2021 Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero targets by 2030, and also targets between 2030 and 2050, including a detailed breakdown of the costings, along with details of how these broad ranges of measures will be funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52672/23]

Climate Action Plan

Mattie McGrath

16. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide details of all cost-benefit analysis studies that have been carried out on the total cost of implementing all actions set out in the 2021 climate action plan to achieve net-zero targets by 2030, and also targets between 2030 and 2050, incorporating the impact on living standards and on inflation, and to provide a detailed breakdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52674/23]

Climate Action Plan

Mattie McGrath

17. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the ground transport, heat and electrical sector generation, transmission, and distribution have been fully factored into both the 2030 and 2050 climate action targets; if so, to provide detailed financial assumptions for each, including how they will be funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52676/23]

Electricity Grid

Mattie McGrath

18. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline in detail the projected size requirement of the Irish electricity grid to power all the heating required for buildings, both domestic and commercial, as set out in the climate action plan using joule heat (heat pumps), in comparison to today's grid size; the financial costs of doing so; how this investment will be funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52679/23]

Electricity Transmission Network

Mattie McGrath

19. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the expected number of homes in Ireland that will have to be rewired (details supplied) including with a bigger mains fuse, other necessary rewiring, etc., to meet the needs of the new electrical distribution system (as set out in the climate action plan) being proposed to power EVs, heat pumps, and other energy efficiency measures; the average costs for each home; the existing proposals from the Government to fund such investment for both domestic and commercial buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52680/23]

Electric Vehicles

Mattie McGrath

20. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the analysis that has been carried out by his Department to determine if the Irish vehicle fleet were to go electric tomorrow, how many tonnes of cobalt, lithium carbonate and copper would be required; whether he agrees that this increase in metal mining via open-cast mining is unsustainable from an ecological perspective, and also from a human rights perspective due to the exploitation of workers, including child labour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52682/23]