Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Period Poverty

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1502. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in progressing his commitments following Government support of the Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021 and implementation of the recommendations of the Discussion Paper on Period Poverty jointly published by him and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth three years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56561/23]

Period Poverty

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1503. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the dates on which the inter-departmental Period Poverty Implementation Group has met since its inaugural meeting on 8 July 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56562/23]

Period Poverty

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1504. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the annual budgetary amount allocated to the work of the inter-departmental Period Poverty Implementation Group from 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56563/23]

Hospital Procedures

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1570. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a diagnoses from a colonoscopy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56968/23]

Pharmacy Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1590. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay for pharmacies in County Donegal not receiving ipramol at the same time as other pharmacies in the South of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57082/23]

Hospital Transfers

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1793. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if an urgent transfer can be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1864/24]

Period Poverty

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1817. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the annual budgetary amount allocated to the provision of a range of free, adequate, safe and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings including schools, colleges and HEIs from 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56558/23]

Period Poverty

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1818. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the breakdown of the €0.5 million allocated to each further and higher education institution in Budget 2024 for free period products, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56559/23]

Period Poverty

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1819. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the nine further education and training colleges that undertook the ‘Worryfree’ pilot delivering free, sustainable period products and dispensers for students in participating ETBs, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56595/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

5. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the projected financial loss to the vessels of the Irish fishing fleet arising from the actions of the UK and Scottish Governments in blocking them from fishing in their traditional fishing grounds around Rockall for the past number of years; and to provide an update on the status of negotiations with the UK and Scottish Governments, aimed at finding a resolution. [55295/23]

Inshore Fisheries

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

15. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the immediate financial support measures he can put in place for the Irish inshore fishing sector to address the deepening crisis in the industry that is threatening the livelihoods of inshore fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55722/23]

Public Parks

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

237. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the reason the monument at An Grianán of Aileach, County Donegal has been closed to visitors for the past three weeks. [55926/23]

Hospital Transfers

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

505. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to be transferred from Letterkenny University Hospital to Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56127/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

510. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway can expect to receive an appointment from Cappagh Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56205/23]

Driver Test

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

223. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport if an Irish citizen who passed a driving test in Ireland, held an Irish driver's licence, subsequently moved to the USA and held a licence there, before returning to Ireland, can renew the Irish licence without having to re-sit the test. [55102/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

509. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is in receipt of carer's allowance and works part-time and is paid monthly, how her Department determines a person's weekly hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55309/23]

Agriculture Supports

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

597. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in the BISS payment being made to a person in County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54452/23]

Disability Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

710. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if urgent respite can be provided for a person (details supplied) in Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55265/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

34. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish written confirmation from the Banking and Payments Federation that homes remediated or rebuilt under the enhanced defective concrete block grant scheme will be mortgageable or remortgageable once completed. [54172/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

60. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline why defective concrete block homeowners in counties Donegal, Mayo, Clare and Limerick have been offered support through another limited grant scheme rather than an actual redress scheme similar to the pyrite remediation scheme. [54171/23]

School Transport

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

192. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if her Department will increase the rate of pay for school transport escorts to a level commensurate with special needs assistants; and the reason school transport escorts continue to have to sign on for unemployment benefits when schools are on holidays. [54246/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

436. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish, in tabular form, the number of registered inshore and offshore fishing vessels in the ranges under 10, 10 to 12, 12 to 15 and over 15 metres licensed to catch fish for commercial reasons in Ireland for the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53417/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

437. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the nature of the business relationship between Fexco and Bord Iascaigh Mhara in administering funding schemes for the fisheries sector; if there are direct employees of BIM available to answer queries the applicants may have on these schemes and particularly the application and drawdown of funding process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53418/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

438. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department officials have considered introducing a market disruption fund for shellfish fishermen from EMFAF funding streams due to significant market disturbance in the last while; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53419/23]

Fisheries Protection

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

439. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish the basis and rationale for any proposed cut to the total allowable catch for pollock; if there are any scientific studies behind that proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53420/23]

Departmental Data

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

521. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide the following information in modular form the percentage of inpatients (excluding day cases) who were discharged after one day in hospital, for each Model 3 and Model 4 hospital, in each of the calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022. [53281/23]

Departmental Data

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

522. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide, in modular form, the average length of inpatient stay (for all inpatients) for each Model 3 and Model 4 hospital, in each of the calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022. [53282/23]

Medicinal Products

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

585. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if the drug phesgo can be administered by general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53579/23]

School Transport

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

359. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education the number of school transport escorts that are employed by schools across the State in each of the years 2016 to 2023, in tabular form. [53106/23]

School Transport

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

360. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education the total amount of grants provided to schools for the employment of school transport escorts in each of the years 2016 to 2023, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53107/23]

Defective Building Materials

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

87. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 146 of 4 October 2023 and his assertion of an understanding that “once a home has been certified as being remediated under the scheme that it will be viewed by banks in the same way as other properties and therefore homes will not be required to be remediated to current building regulations”, if he has officially established from an organisation (details supplied) and other representative bodies for the banks and financial institutions in Ireland that homes remediated or rebuilt under the enhanced defective concrete block grant scheme will be mortgageable or re-mortgageable. [52666/23]

Passport Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

107. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will assist a person (details supplied) with getting a passport approved for educational purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52511/23]

Heritage Sites

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

228. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the OPW will consider referencing the connection of Red Hugh (Hugh Roe/ Aodh Ruadh) O’ Donnell to Dublin Castle in guided tours and information points at the castle; and if the OPW will consider erecting a plaque at Dublin Castle to commemorate this great leader in Irish history, similar to the plaque erected by Valladolid City Council in Spain in his memory. [52512/23]

School Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

284. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that retired teachers with a class A stamp lose the benefit of their supplementary pension if they step in to assist a local school as a substitute teacher; and if she will have this policy changed, considering that so many schools are impacted by the recruitment and retention crisis. [52381/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

259. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish the Brexit pelagic fisheries support scheme application submitted by Ireland to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51642/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

260. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he considers that financial losses faced by vessels in respect of pelagic stocks such as mackerel and herring will be adequately compensated for by the Brexit pelagic fisheries support scheme, given that they will be required to repay any funding received for months that their vessels were tied up as part of the Brexit temporary fleet tie-up scheme or other introduced temporary schemes through the seafood taskforce scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51643/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

304. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Donegal is on the routine or urgent waiting list for a consultation in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51622/23]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

305. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can be considered for an earlier appointment through the National Treatment Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51623/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

350. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of posts removed from profile as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for Letterkenny University Hospital, in tabular form; the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate; the number which were new posts; the number which were replacement posts or vacant posts; and the number which were related to absence/leave cover. [51770/23]

Health Services Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

351. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of posts removed from profile as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for CHO1, in tabular form; the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate; the number which were new posts; the number which were replacement posts or vacant posts; and the number which were related to absence/leave cover. [51771/23]

Hospital Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

352. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of job offers which have been withdrawn as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for Letterkenny University Hospital, in tabular form; and the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate. [51772/23]

Health Services Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

353. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of job offers which have been withdrawn as a result of the memorandums CEO ref. 09954 and 10166 of 2023, by grade for CHO1, in tabular form; and the number of headcount posts and the WTE to which these relate. [51773/23]

Schools Building Projects

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

78. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education to provide urgent clarification on the timeline for the construction and handover of the new three-school campus at Buncrana, County Donegal, in response to recent media reports that this long-delayed and vital project will not be completed until 2030; and if she will honour the previously-made commitments to fast-track this project. [51162/23]

Fishing Industry

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

138. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department officials will meet with several organisations (details supplied), following their withdrawal from the North West Herring Group; if he can confirm a date when such a meeting can take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51408/23]

Ambulance Service

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

518. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on plans by the National Ambulance Service to develop a permanent ambulance base at Buncrana, County Donegal. [50705/23]

Patient Files

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

584. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the release on social media of videos that show patients' medical records and files stored in unsecured premises at a hospital (details supplied); to confirm that none of the medical records that are being stored there have been stolen or removed after the recent intrusion; what security measures the hospital has deployed at the site where the records were held to protect the medical records; the procedures needed for storing patient medical records; if Letterkenny University Hospital has an inventory of all the medical records that have been stored there; and if the hospital has plans to upgrade security or plans to move the files stored there to a more secure facility. [51116/23]

Education Policy

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

137. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education her views on submissions that her Department has received to date from the teacher representative unions in the State about the challenge of accommodating children and students from Ukrainian refugee families; her plans to provide the necessary resources to schools and teachers for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50311/23]

Educational Disadvantage

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

138. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education to outline how she plans to reduce class sizes in DEIS schools across Donegal in response to the challenge for teachers in trying to accommodate a diverse range of needs in the large class groups, in particular practical subjects, due to the lack of physical space in rooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50312/23]

School Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

139. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education her plans to address the challenge of teacher retention and supply at schools across Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50313/23]

National Educational Psychological Service

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

140. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the necessary resources to ensure the availability of a comprehensive National Education Psychological Service at schools across Donegal. [50314/23]