Cork North-Central — week of Mon, 14 Dec — Watch Them Work

What your Cork North-Central TDs did this week

Mon, 14 Dec – 20 Dec 2020 · 5 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 77 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Planning and Development Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages

2020-12-16 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 52–80

Voted for 1 Thomas Gould

Voted against 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 52–79

Voted for 1 Thomas Gould

Voted against 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

Impact of Covid-19 Restrictions

2020-12-16 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 78–59

Voted for 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Voted against 2 Mick Barry · Thomas Gould

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

Prohibition of Sulky-Racing Bill 2018

2020-12-16 · 1 vote · Independent PMB

A bill to prohibit sulky racing where no lawful permission has been granted

Whether the bill should proceed (Second Stage) · motion failed 57–75

Voted for 1 Thomas Gould

Voted against 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Abstained 1 Mick Barry

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2020-12-15 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 25–20

Voted for 1 Colm Burke

Did not vote 4 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn · Pádraig O'Sullivan · Thomas Gould

Colm Burke — Fine Gael 5 votes · 29 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 29 total

Health 16 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if clinics for those who have suffered from Covid-19 have been established in hospitals in order to manage patients with complications as a result of a Covid-19 diagnosis or who require follow-up care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44292/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if a national strategy will be put in place pertaining to the operations of clinics for those who have suffered from Covid-19; if consideration has been given to the ring-fencing of funding either at local hospital group level or national level for persons who have contracted Covid-19 and as a result have suffered prolonged ill health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44293/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to classifying Covid-19 as a long-term medical condition in view of the long-term ill health and complications experienced by some who contracted the disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44294/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to implementing co-ordinated services on a national level for persons who have contracted Covid-19 and are since recovering but require follow-up care or referrals to specialists where necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44295/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if a co-ordinated national strategy on follow-up care for those who have contracted and been affected on a long-term basis due to Covid-19 has been discussed between his Department and hospitals with post-Covid clinic facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44296/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if persons who have contracted Covid-19 in 2020 will be included in priority groups under the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44297/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to awarding a consultant contract to existing specialists in public health medicine as per the recommendations of the Crowe Horwath report, the Scally report and the report of the Covid-19 nursing homes expert panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44305/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to implementing targeted measures to recruit and retain hospital consultants across all specialties to increase the number of consultant posts in line with the recommended ratios of the national clinical programmes and the postgraduate training bodies and to address the shortage of hospital consultants in Ireland in comparison to its European counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44306/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to increasing the number of basic and higher postgraduate specialist training posts in order to meet the demand with the number of posts front-loaded in year 1 accompanied by a corresponding increase in the number of consultants required to provide training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44307/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the modernisation of postgraduate specialist training reflecting changes in the practice of medicine and the changing demographics of doctors in training by establishing a differentiated model that provides clearer career paths with greater predictability of training arrangements, greater predictability at the outset of training schemes regarding locations of rotations over the course of a scheme and the improvement of working conditions as set out in the recommendations made in the report of the Strategic Review of Medical Training and Career Structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44310/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if investment of targeted incentives for general practice and the development of infrastructure, including premises, medical equipment, diagnostic equipment and IT equipment, will be considered, as per the recommendations in a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44311/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if further financial supports to allow newly established general practices to remain financially viable and open to patients will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44312/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if further financial supports will be considered in order for established general practices to employ additional general practitioners, practice nurses and other support staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44313/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to establishing a multi-annual programme of investment in 5,000 additional public acute bed capacity, including investment in standalone public hospitals for elective care and a doubling of critical care capacity to 550 critical care beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44314/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to expanding access to diagnostic, radiology and laboratory services to allow timely access to investigations and results of same to general practitioners, which will support them in appropriately managing patients in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44315/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the further resourcing of diagnostic, radiology and laboratory departments in hospitals to allow timely access to investigations and results of same for hospital doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44316/20]
Transport 6 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the reason the terms of the Irish Aviation Authority 1996 superannuation scheme were amended in 2012 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44317/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the reason Irish Aviation Authority members were not informed of changes to the Irish Aviation Authority 1996 superannuation scheme in 2012 and were not given mandatory notice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44318/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if consideration will be given to rescinding the 2012 amendment of the Irish Aviation Authority 1996 superannuation scheme given that his Department has now been notified that the rationale for its introduction was based on misinformation provided by the IAA and a subsequent admission by the IAA that the measures should only be temporary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44319/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if pension in payment increases will be awarded as guaranteed under section 41(5) of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44320/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the authority under which the board of the Irish Aviation Authority decided not to award pension increases given that such authority is vested in the Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44322/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the authority under which the board of the Irish Aviation Authority instructed the trustees and actuary to make no provision for future pension increases when determining the fund liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44323/20]
Further and Higher Education 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the development of the Munster technological university; his views on the areas in which technological universities will fit in the further and higher education landscape in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43219/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the courses available to older persons to improve their digital skills by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43218/20]
Rural 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps her Department will take to implement the National Volunteering Strategy and the measures to support volunteering given its importance to communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43687/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on the operation of the public participation networks; her plans for further developing this structure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43688/20]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of Brexit preparations from his Department and its agencies for 1 January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43684/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the work that is underway in relation to farm safety including training and other assistance to farmers in order to help reduce the number of fatal farm accidents and non-fatal accidents each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41562/20]
Social 1 question
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if provisions or supports have been put in place for persons who have contracted Covid-19 and as a result have been unable to work due to prolonged ill health and who require an indefinite period of work leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44298/20]

Eoghan Kenny — Labour Party 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Ken O'Flynn — Independent Ireland 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Pádraig O'Sullivan — Fianna Fáil 4 votes · 13 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 13 total

Health 4 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to allowing yoga classes to proceed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43460/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he has undertaken a review of the system for early assessment and prioritisation of therapies for children with special needs which despite extra resources seems to continue to struggle to provide time supports; his views on whether the success on the pilot integrating therapies into the school provided model offers an opportunity of a different approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43653/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the disability day services that have not reopened since Covid-19; when it is planned to open services fully; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43650/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will engage with companies to negotiate a suitable price for the drug dupilumab for the treatment of severe atopic eczema; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43651/20]
Further and Higher Education 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the work of the European Commission and the consultants appointed by the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support that are aiming to investigate methods of increasing the sustainability of higher and further education provision in Ireland. [41757/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to support the development of Munster Technological University following its establishment. [41758/20]
Transport 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport if a dedicated Oireachtas helpline and email address can be created for both the NDLS and the RSA in view of fact the current waiting times for proper communication are unsustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42890/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No.124 of 8 December 2020, when he will sign off on a pension agreement (details supplied); if there is a timeframe in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43375/20]
Rural 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the restrictions and regulations being imposed on puppy farmers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43590/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration will be given to extending the local improvement scheme for the new areas of Cork city which were areas of Cork County and should not be disadvantaged as a result of boundary changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43591/20]
Justice 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice when the final version of the youth justice strategy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44236/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice when the next allocation of Garda recruits will be going to Templemore; if persons who were previously approved and on the waiting list will be contacted first in respect of offers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44260/20]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the Brexit preparations of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43668/20]

Thomas Gould — Sinn Féin 4 votes · 24 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 24 total

Health 12 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no age limit regulating the sale of vape products; and his plans to rectify the situation. [43374/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the duties home helps can perform; and if his attention has been drawn to a situation in which persons are being informed home helps will now only perform personal care duties. [42990/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the reason for the continued closure of bowling alleys. [43116/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the schemes available to persons who need to avail of medical expertise not available in this jurisdiction but available in the UK; the processes through which a patient can apply for these schemes if the tests and procedures required are available here but expertise for interpretation are not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43428/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the reason medicinal cannabis must be sourced from the Hague; if other exporters are available; and if consideration has been given to sourcing the product from other sources. [43430/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he has contacted his counterparts in the UK and Northern Ireland to discuss their arrangements for the importation of medicinal cannabis. [43431/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a situation in which persons who are required to access preoperative Covid-19 testing are forced to travel to the hospital or a sister hospital and cannot avail of this through the centralised testing system, particularly in circumstances in which this is a significant distance from their home address and in view of Crumlin children’s hospital's agreement with a private hospital to reduce the backlog. [43659/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the stage in the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out at which those in active addiction will be vaccinated given previous assertions that these groups and those in recovery are at high risk of Covid-19. [43748/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding streams available to support the work of a project (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the extraordinary work it does; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44230/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding provided in budget 2021 to support those addressing gambling addiction, education programmes surrounding the dangers of gambling and the importance of accessing support for harmful gambling. [44233/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of patients admitted to the Keltoi centre for isolation purposes, including the location they were referred from and the reason they could not make use of the facility in Citywest, Dublin 24. [44257/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the name and location of rehabilitation detoxification services that have been closed and used as isolation facilities due to Covid-19. [44439/20]
Tourism 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if an organisation (details supplied) will receive support in fast-tracking its application for membership of Sport Ireland given the impact this will have on its ability to train under level 3 Covid-19 restrictions. [42886/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the initiatives that have been developed to educate young persons through sporting organisations on the dangers of problem gambling; her plans for more initiatives in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44234/20]
Housing 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the capital expenditure allocation for Irish Water to replace water mains pipes over the period 2021 to 2024. [42871/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the budget allocation for Irish Water for salaries, maintenance, repairs, burst pipes and overdrafts in tabular form. [42873/20]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to protect the rights and redundancies of workers. [44544/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to address the issue of zero-hour contracts given the recent controversy surrounding contact tracing contracts. [44545/20]
Justice 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the parts of the gambling regulation Bill that need to be updated; the reason this will take until 2021; and if consideration has been given to using a similar Bill proposed by Fianna Fáil in 2018. [44228/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the funding streams available to support the work of a project (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the extraordinary work it does; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44229/20]
Further and Higher Education 1 question
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to encourage qualitative research methodology in Irish research given a shift towards quantitative methods in recent years and the importance of qualitative research in developing rich and deep understandings of human behaviour. [43215/20]
Environment 1 question
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the roll-out plan for the national broadband scheme. [44547/20]
Children 1 question
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding streams available to support the work of a project (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the extraordinary work it does; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44232/20]
Rural 1 question
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans for remote working hubs in County Cork. [44546/20]