Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Housing Policy

Violet-Anne Wynne

695. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending the application of the rent pressure zones legislation to include digs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12999/24]

Rental Sector

Violet-Anne Wynne

696. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify in the situation whereby a social housing tenant in local authority housing is providing a couch for a homeless individual to sleep on if they will face sanction by the local authority for breaching tenancy agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13004/24]

Planning Issues

Seán Canney

697. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the size of an extension from 40 to 60 square metres as exempted development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13070/24]

Grant Payments

Paul Kehoe

698. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider an increase in the threshold to the income limits for the mobility aids grant taking into account current inflation and cost of living; if he will consider allowing the same sliding scale of income limits as is currently being used for the Housing Aid for Older People to allow for a percentage grant to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13073/24]

Housing Provision

Ivana Bacik

699. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has carried out a review of his Department's voids programme to take account of construction inflation; if not, his plans to do so; the average cost of a void turnaround in each local authority area; and the average time taken to convert a void in each local authority area, in tabular form. [13082/24]

Housing Provision

Michael Lowry

700. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending the temporary development contribution waiver scheme (details supplied); if he will seek to have all dates extended by a minimum 18 months to allow large housing developments which commence just before the current 24 April 2024 deadline adequate time to complete the works satisfactorily; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13099/24]

Electoral Process

Holly Cairns

701. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to fix all discrepancies and inaccuracies on the electoral register and bring it up to date in advance of the local and European elections in June; if he will provide further funding for local authorities to facilitate this major update of the register; and to detail the plan of action for continually keeping on top of changes. [13102/24]

Local Authorities

Paul Murphy

702. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if charity shops are exempt from payment of rates to local authorities (details supplied) [13106/24]

International Protection

Peter Burke

703. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the facility to fast track the provision of temporary accommodation without the need for planning permission for Ukrainian families is still in place; when this order will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13124/24]

Housing Provision

Cian O'Callaghan

704. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the time spent to carry out the four-stage approval process for publicly funded capital projects for each social housing, cost rental, affordable purchase, and mixed tenure development completed in 2022, broken down by tenure type and county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13125/24]

Local Authorities

Patrick Costello

705. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update in relation to the negotiations between him and the Minister for Rural and Community Development about hiring more dog wardens; how many additional dog warden positions will be created; where these positions will be assigned; how much additional funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13152/24]

Local Authorities

Seán Sherlock

706. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications for additional staff and the Department those applications were related to, by all local authorities for 2022, 2023, and to date in 2024, tabular form. [13177/24]

Electoral Commission

Paul Murphy

707. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of an issue (details supplied); the changes he will implement to ensure that this does not happen in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13186/24]

Public Private Partnerships

Rose Conway-Walsh

708. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details on all planned PPP projects and ongoing PPP contracts; the status of each project; the anticipated or known capital cost; the anticipated or known cost to the Exchequer over the lifetime of the contracts; the annual total payment of PPP unitary charges and the percentage share of the total capital budget for his Department and all public bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13199/24]

Public Private Partnerships

Rose Conway-Walsh

709. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the PPP social housing bundle 1 and 2; the total capital cost; the total projected Exchequer cost spread over the lifetime of the contract; the hand back date; the cost per unit on the capital cost; the cost per unit on the projected Exchequer cost, in tabular from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13216/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Violet-Anne Wynne

710. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what proposals he has received for additional emergency accommodation by a Local Authority (details supplied) in the past 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13319/24]

Rental Sector

Violet-Anne Wynne

711. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish a new category of planning permission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13324/24]

Planning Issues

Violet-Anne Wynne

712. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the national policy with respect to planning permission for log cabins; if he will establish a new category of planning permission to provide for a national planning policy with respect to log cabins; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13325/24]

Planning Issues

Violet-Anne Wynne

713. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the national policy with respect to planning permission for modular homes; if he will establish a new category of planning permission to provide for a national planning policy with respect to modular homes if needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13326/24]

Departmental Correspondence

James Lawless

714. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13117/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Brendan Griffin

715. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for partial capacity benefit will be processed in respect of a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11520/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

716. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for illness benefit will be processed in respect of a person from County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11524/24]

Widow's Pension

Patrick O'Donovan

717. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an unmarried person can now claim the widow's pension entitlement following the recent judgement by the Supreme Court in relation to widow's pension eligibility (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11528/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

718. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if those children who turned 18 between January and now and had child benefit halted, but remain in full time education, will be reinstated when the child benefit changes for 18-year-olds come into effect in May. [11529/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

719. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the decision of an appeal's officer in the recent appeal case for carer’s allowance (details supplied) can reissue to the appellant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11581/24]

An Garda Síochána

Carol Nolan

720. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if their Department has had the need to contact An Garda Síochána due to verbal, written (including electronically) or physical threats being addressed to staff or Ministers, at any level, working within their Department during the period 2020 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11602/24]

State Pensions

Brendan Griffin

721. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in County Kerry will be considered for a State pension (contributory) (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11683/24]

Disability Services

Claire Kerrane

722. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will roll out WALK employment across the State to ensure that young people with intellectual disabilities finishing post-primary school have opportunities for training and employment after school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11726/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Niamh Smyth

723. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for an appeal decision for a domiciliary allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11780/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Alan Dillon

724. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection what supports are in place for those suffering from long-Covid who are no longer able to continue in employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11831/24]

Social Welfare Payments

John McGuinness

725. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is in receipt of maximum benefit. [11896/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Colm Burke

726. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal (details supplied) by a person; when a decision is likely to be received, as this has been pending for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11922/24]

School Meals Programme

Paul Murphy

727. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the Government has a duty to ensure that all children are treated equally and fairly in relation to the school meals programme and the need for gluten free meals for coeliac children, and that no child is left behind or excluded from the benefits of the programme; if she will make it compulsory for schools participating in the programme to cater to the needs of coeliac children if there is a demand for it (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11945/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

728. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 455 of 5 March 2024, the reason her Department requires the destination of a person's travel as evidence of travel in order to access the two week holiday entitlement under the disability allowance scheme; and in what case or circumstance would a signed letter from the recipient not be sufficient evidence. [11952/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Thomas Pringle

729. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider backdating child benefit payments for the intervening period from May 2023 to May 2024 for the small cohort of 18 year-olds that lost out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11965/24]

Departmental Data

David Stanton

730. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans, if any, to update the Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status which was published in July 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11990/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

731. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determining an appeal (details supplied); when a final determination is likely to issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12028/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

732. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determination of review in the case of a person (details supplied) who has applied for an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12029/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

733. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision be made in relation to a disability allowance review (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12046/24]

Departmental Reports

Catherine Connolly

734. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the independent external evaluation of the proposal that claims that higher financial returns can be achieved for automatic enrolment pension participants at lower costs; her plans to publish the report by the independent external evaluator; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12066/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Pauline Tully

735. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason self-employed people are not entitled to claim carer's benefit; if she will consider changing the eligibility criteria whereby self-employed people can claim carer's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12074/24]

Pension Provisions

Pauline Tully

736. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will adjust the new flexible pension arrangements to allow people under the age of 70 years to work if they so choose and claim contributions towards a State pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12075/24]

School Meals Programme

Steven Matthews

737. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the challenges facing some schools (details supplied) in sourcing venders to provide a hot school meals programme; if any measures are in place to address such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12077/24]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

738. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish the Pensions Council-commissioned independent evaluation report by (details supplied) into the alternative auto-enrolled pensions proposal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12104/24]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

739. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish the Pensions Council's own evaluation report into the alternative auto-enrolled pensions proposal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12106/24]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

740. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Pensions Council has presented her with both the Pensions Council-commissioned independent evaluation report by a person (details supplied) and its own evaluation report into the alternative auto-enrolled pensions proposal by another person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12108/24]

Pension Provisions

John McGuinness

741. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a history of contributions made by a person (details supplied) to determine if they have sufficient contributions to qualify for a State pension (contributory). [12114/24]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Bernard Durkan

742. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason her Department has declined to issue a PPSN to a person (details supplied) given they are an Irish citizen and have been living in Ireland since December 2022, who requires same to access a number of services; if their application will be reviewed with a view to issuing the number as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12161/24]

Departmental Offices

Brendan Griffin

743. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if additional resources will be provided to the social welfare appeals office to address the three-month delay in registering appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12259/24]

Departmental Staff

Brendan Griffin

744. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff in the independent social welfare appeals office for the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12264/24]