Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Work Permits

Catherine Connolly

341. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 71 of 8 February 2024, for an update on plans to remove dental nurses from the ineligible occupation list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12926/24]

Residential Institutions

Catherine Connolly

446. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education her plans to extend the package of supports for survivors of abuse in industrial schools, reformatories and related institutions to include a pension in recognition of the unpaid labour many did while in institutions or boarded out as children, access to the Health Amendment Act (HAA) medical card and housing supports as requested by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12241/24]

Gaeltacht Policy

Catherine Connolly

513. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 24 March 2024, the status of the development of the next policy on Gaeltacht education, to replace the 2017-22 policy that was extended to the end of the 2023-24 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12857/24]

Gaeltacht Policy

Catherine Connolly

514. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 24 March 2024, the status of the Gaeltacht education policy advisory committee; for an update on the work of the committee; the role being played by the committee in the development of the next policy on Gaeltacht education; the terms of reference of the committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12858/24]

Local Elections

Catherine Connolly

629. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the official date of the forthcoming local elections; to confirm his intention to sign the statutory order for that date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11917/24]

Nitrates Usage

Catherine Connolly

668. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide outline details of the results of the 2023 Interim Review of the State's current Nitrates Action Programme (NAP); the details of where the 2023 Review is published and available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12664/24]

Waterways Issues

Catherine Connolly

682. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will detail the reason for the delay in adopting the third-cycle 2022-2027 River Basin Management Plan for Ireland; the date he expects the final plan to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12841/24]

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]

Asylum Seekers

Catherine Connolly

795. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice what provision her Department has made for Palestinians who have fled the war in Gaza to seek asylum in Ireland in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13364/24]

Asylum Applications

Catherine Connolly

796. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of family reunification applications received in 2023; the number of family reunification applications pending before FRU at the end of the year; the average time taken to decide an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11565/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

871. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice if she has received the final report of the Law Reform Commission's project on compensating the victims of crime, which was due to be delivered in 2023; her plans to publish the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12234/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

872. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the actions undertaken by her Department to ensure that all new staff in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal receive training in dealing with victims; if all new staff receive this training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12235/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

873. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the actions undertaken by her Department to ensure that all staff in her Department and in organisations under the aegis of her Department, working with victims of crime, receive training in providing trauma informed care and support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12236/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

874. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of cases currently waiting to be heard by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal; the average length of waiting times; the measures taken and planned by her Department to clear any backlogs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12237/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

875. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the total funding provided to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal in each of the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12238/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

876. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the interim financial assistance that is available to victims of crime awaiting the outcome of their applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12239/24]

Victim Support Services

Catherine Connolly

877. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the measures that are in place to ensure that applicants to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal are made aware in advance of costs arising from the tribunal process, particularly in regard to the furnishing of physical and psychiatric reports; the details of any financial assistance provided to applicants to ease the financial burden of providing such reports during the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12240/24]

Agriculture Industry

Catherine Connolly

994. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to establish the drainage status of grassland peat soils in Ireland further to the findings of a study (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/24]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

1079. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capacity of each direct provision centre by county, to include the number of places available in each direct provision in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11568/24]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

1080. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the occupancy of each direct provision centre, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11569/24]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

1081. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capacity and occupancy of each EROC centre, to include the number of places available and actual occupancy, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11570/24]

Childcare Services

Catherine Connolly

1140. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to detail his plans to secure adequate and safe accommodation for all international protection applicants and to prevent the emergence of refugee camps on our streets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12142/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Catherine Connolly

1148. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 110 of 14 December 2023, if the negotiation process between the expert negotiator and religious orders with regard to contributing to the mother and baby institutions redress scheme has been completed to date; if not, the expected timeline for the conclusion of the negotiation process; when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12339/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Catherine Connolly

1177. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of unaccompanied children in the care of the Child and Family Agency; the number of those children who, according to the process set out in section 14 (4) of the International Protection Act 2015, have made an application for international protection. [12652/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Catherine Connolly

1397. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend the special scheme to provide special leave with pay for eligible health sector staff in respect of long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12448/24]

Ukraine War

Catherine Connolly

19. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 24 January 2024, the details of Ireland's financial and in-kind assistance to Ukraine since February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11186/24]

Middle East

Catherine Connolly

23. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for a status update on Ireland's plans to support South Africa's case against Israel under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11057/24]

Middle East

Catherine Connolly

62. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 30 of 25 January 2024, his plans to formally recognise the state of Palestine, as per the commitment in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11056/24]

Middle East

Catherine Connolly

71. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of his engagement at EU level following the recent letter signed by the Taoiseach and the Spanish Prime Minister for a review of whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations under the EU/Israel Association Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11187/24]

Middle East

Catherine Connolly

72. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of his engagement to date both at bilateral level with his Israeli counterpart, and at EU level, with regard to the designation in October 2021 of six Palestinian human rights organisations as terrorist groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11188/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Catherine Connolly

86. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 25 January 2024, the date on which the export tariff phase of the small-scale renewable energy support scheme will be launched; the status of the work by economic consultants for his Department regarding the revision of the levelised cost of energy estimates required for small scale and community based generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11059/24]

Climate Action Plan

Catherine Connolly

99. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of local authority climate action plans that have been completed to-date; the details of any engagement his Department has had with Galway City and County Councils in 2024 with regard to the development of their respective local authority climate action plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11058/24]

Asylum Seekers

Catherine Connolly

310. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in view of the fact that there are now over 1,000 asylum seekers without accommodation in Ireland, his plans for the provision of basic sanitation, including toilet facilities, in cities around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11249/24]

Asylum Seekers

Catherine Connolly

311. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of any interdepartmental engagement there has been to-date in 2024 with regard to the repurposing of state-owned buildings for emergency accommodation for asylum seekers, in view of the increasing number of asylum seekers with no accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11256/24]

Asylum Seekers

Catherine Connolly

312. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of any engagement between his Department and the owners of religious institutions in the State with a view to providing emergency accommodation for asylum seekers, in view of the increasing number of asylum seekers with no accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11257/24]

Health Services

Catherine Connolly

354. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the reason for the decision to discontinue HSE funding for a programme (details supplied); when the decision was made; the details of the analysis on which the decision was based; the details of any analysis carried out into the expected impact of the withdrawal of funding; the details of any engagement he or his Department has had with adult ADHD advocacy and representative groups in relation to the withdrawal of funding to this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11286/24]

Climate Change Policy

Catherine Connolly

34. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No.123 of 25 January 2024, the status of plans for the Government to endorse the call for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11119/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

45. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 30 January 2024, the status of the monitoring committee for the implementation of the new policy for the islands; the dates of all meetings to date; the date of the next meeting; her plans to publish the minutes of the meetings of the committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10398/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

49. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 91 of 26 September 2023, for a status update on the transfer to her Department of land on Inishbofin on which the airstrip is situated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10401/24]

Harbours and Piers

Catherine Connolly

52. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 30 January 2024 for a status update on the development of Inis Oírr pier; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10400/24]

Community Development Projects

Catherine Connolly

57. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 87 of 26 September 2023, the details of the successful projects under the €20 million fund for the construction of new community centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10402/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

59. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 30 January 2024, the status of the development of Caladh Mór on Inis Meáin; the status of the preparation of the preliminary business case; the timeline for the public consultation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10399/24]

Special Educational Needs

Catherine Connolly

337. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education , further to Parliamentary Question No. 189 of 19 October 2023, the timeline for when the promised second modular classroom to accommodate the ASD unit at a school (details supplied) will be delivered and operational; the reason for the delay in the delivery of the unit; the details of any engagement with the company building the unit, particularly on the delays in delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10821/24]

Harbours and Piers

Catherine Connolly

818. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 30 January 2024, for an update on the work of the steering committee tasked with monitoring progress on the development of the piers on Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin; the date of the next meeting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10374/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Catherine Connolly

51. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1805 of 17 January 2024, if his Department has concluded its review of the SAR/PBC for the new emergency department, women and children's block at University Hospital Galway; the expected timeline for it to proceed to pre-tender stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9509/24]

Dental Services

Catherine Connolly

76. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 146 of 31 January 2024, for an update on his engagement with persons with intellectual disability and their representative groups, with regard to the availability of dental services for persons with disabilities who are medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9508/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Catherine Connolly

92. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 526 of 23 January 2024, when the mother and baby institutions redress scheme will be open for applications; the timeline for when payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9501/24]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

121. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1070 of 7 November 2023, the status of the review of the project timelines for the implementation of the White Paper to end direct provision and establish a new international protection support service; if the review has been completed to-date; the timeline for the publication of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9502/24]

Hospital Facilities

Catherine Connolly

162. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No, 142 of 18 January 2024, for an update on the development of the new elective hospital in Merlin Park; if stage 1 has concluded to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9576/24]

Hospital Facilities

Catherine Connolly

163. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the promised surgical hub in Galway; to provide details on the project; the timeline for when the surgical hub will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9577/24]