Cork North-Central — week of Mon, 7 Nov — Watch Them Work

What your Cork North-Central TDs did this week

Mon, 7 Nov – 13 Nov 2022 · 5 TDs · 3 bills voted on · 79 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages

2022-11-09 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 58–74

Voted for 2 Mick Barry · Thomas Gould

Voted against 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

Mental Health (Capacity to Consent to Treatment) Bill 2021

2022-11-09 · 1 vote · Sinn Féin PMB

A bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001 and for that purpose to provide for the right of minors over the age of 16 to consent to mental health treatment and to provide for re…

full description

A bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001 and for that purpose to provide for the right of minors over the age of 16 to consent to mental health treatment and to provide for related matters.

Whether the bill should proceed (Second Stage) · motion failed 60–75

Voted for 2 Mick Barry · Thomas Gould

Voted against 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

Home Care

2022-11-09 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 77–58

Voted for 2 Colm Burke · Pádraig O'Sullivan

Voted against 2 Mick Barry · Thomas Gould

Did not vote 2 Eoghan Kenny · Ken O'Flynn

Colm Burke — Fine Gael 3 votes · 20 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 20 total

Health 11 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of medical consultants who are employed under the consultant contract who have applied for category C status, by speciality; the number who have received approval by the category C committee of the HSE; the number who are still awaiting; the length of time that each is waiting for a formal letter from the HSE CEO to confirm their approval for the change in contract type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54434/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department will put in place a strategy which will help to improve the time period where patients can get access to newly approved cancer medicines in Ireland, given that the average time period to the reimbursement decision following European Medicines Agency approval is in excess of two years, which is double the time for the EU-15 average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54531/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the way in which his Department intends working to improve the net survival rate for all invasive cancers, in view of the fact that in the five-year average, Ireland is in the middle or the lower end of the survival rates distribution across different cancer types in the EU-15 countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54532/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the strategy that his Department intends to put in place to improve the reimbursement timelines for new cancer medicines, in view of patient access to newer cancer medicines being lower and taking a longer time period in Ireland in comparison to other EU15 countries, and also taking into account that the provision of access to new, more effective treatments, whilst operating on constrained budgets, is shared by all countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54533/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to reviewing the rigorous statutory assessment arrangements in Ireland, regarding the reimbursement process for new cancer medicines, given the five-year net survival rate for all invasive cancers averaged 65% for cancer patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2018, which is in the middle and lower end of survival rates across all invasive cancers in the EU15 countries during the same time period, to improve survival rates and save additional lives of cancer patients going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54534/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the introduction of additional nationwide organised screening programmes for two of the four major cancers in Ireland, namely, prostate cancer and lung cancer, taking into account that nationwide screening programmes for breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer have led to the early detection of cases in recent decades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54535/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that he will carry out an independent review of radiation therapy to deal with recruitment and retention in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54569/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the measures that his Department and the HSE are taking to address recruitment and retention in the radiation therapy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54570/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that his Department will develop a long-term strategy which will assist in the radiation therapy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54571/22]
- 2022-11-09 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the necessary support services would be provided to women who have opted for a home birth delivery, and that no new guidelines or regulations would be put in place which would place restrictions on such a service where the person is not living immediately adjacent to a maternity unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55740/22]
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the process in place in relation to the allocation of HSE transport funding towards adult disability day service users in County Cork; the new qualifying criteria, if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55964/22]
Enterprise 3 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration will be given to extending the quota for employment permit applications for the role of dairy farm assistant, in view of the fact that dairy farmers are having difficulty in recruiting employees, and taking into consideration that employment permit applications for this role have been returned since the quota was reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54603/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employment permit applications for the role of dairy farm assistant that have been returned, in view that the 100 general employment permits established under this quota for dairy farm assistants have now been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54604/22]
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration will be given to amending the rule for employment permits, whereby after serving one year in employment with the original employer, the employee can then accept an offer from an alternative employer without notifying the original employer, given the original employer would receive notification of this change in view of the complications that may arise wherein the original employer will be unaware their employment permit is cancelled and the employee may still be working for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55957/22]
Social 3 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to increasing the allowances available under the household benefits package to assist those who cannot qualify for fuel allowance due to the cost-of-living crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55270/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost-of-living measures available to those living in congregated settings, in which all are over 70 years, to assist them with their energy bills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55271/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that her Department will give serious consideration to recognising Covid-19 as an occupational disease in health and social care and in domiciliary assistance and, in a pandemic context, in sectors where there is an outbreak in activities with proven risk of infection as advocated by the EU Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55272/22]
Transport 2 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details of the budget provided to the National Transport Authority in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55550/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the number of whole-time equivalent positions in the National Transport Authority in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55551/22]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of all payments made to fishermen and fish processing companies in County Cork for each of the years 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54443/22]

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 3 votes · 21 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 21 total

Health 12 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses from overseas who have applied to complete the aptitude tests within the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland for each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in order to obtain nursing registration; their nationalities; the wait time to complete in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54742/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the pass rate for overseas nurses of the aptitude tests within the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for each the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54743/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of modules which must be repeated if an overseas nurse fails an individual module of the aptitude test with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; the waiting time for a repeat test; the cost to the nurse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54744/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the aptitude test for overseas nurses in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is to the best international practice standards, in light of the critical shortage of nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54745/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when a formal investigation into the Covid-19 related deaths at a nursing home (details supplied) in County Cork will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55228/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the extent of communication undertaken by his Department with the families of residents at a nursing home (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55232/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the date when a request for help was made by a nursing home (details supplied) in County Cork to the HSE; the date when that help was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55236/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the length of waiting lists for cancer screening services, by county and hospital, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55264/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an estimated timeframe to clear existing waiting lists for cancer screening and cancer treatment services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55265/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to a recent suggestion from a leading oncologist to start using the vaccination ID for all hospital treatments, with a view to harmonising all health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55266/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to developing an ovarian-breast cancer specific strategy in view of a recent study titled “Comparator Report on Cancer in Ireland – Disease Burden, Cost and Access to Medicines”, which found that patient access to newer cancer medicines is limited and comes later in Ireland compared to other EU countries, and shows that Ireland’s survival rates for the disease continue to lag behind the best performers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55267/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when his Department will publish a report (details supplied) in respect of the drug reimbursement process; when the key recommendations are expected to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55268/22]
Environment 2 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of SEAI grants that have been granted in 2022; the average waiting time per application; the number of applications that remain on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55188/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of air quality monitoring stations that are being monitored by his Department in County Cork; the specific locations of these monitoring stations; if he will elaborate on what the most recent data has indicated; if there are plans to increase the number of monitoring stations in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55189/22]
Transport 2 questions
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the status of the Northern Ring Road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55574/22]
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport if the Dunkettle project is on track to be completed by February 2024; if any further delays are envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55575/22]
Finance 2 questions
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will reconsider the benefit-in-kind, BIK, changes introduced in budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55675/22]
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the review of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme; when he expects the review to be completed; the engagement he or his Department have had with the Department of Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55674/22]
Tourism 1 question
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the funding streams that are available to a club (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54375/22]
Education 1 question
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of the new ASD units for schools in Rathangan (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54712/22]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has engaged with Coillte and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the Coillte pensions; if discussions have taken place about increasing the pension payments for retired workers given that their pensions have not been increased since 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55195/22]

Thomas Gould — Sinn Féin 3 votes · 15 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 15 total

Housing 4 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of State-owned properties on derelict sites registers, by local authority, in tabular form. [54158/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage where he will publish zoned land maps as submitted by local authorities. [55145/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding given to local authorities to draft maps for the residential zoned land tax. [55564/22]
- 2022-11-09 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of Housing First tenancies delivered in each county to date in 2022, in tabular form. [55841/22]
Justice 3 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice if she has met with An Garda Síochána, the Probation Services and the Irish Prison Service to discuss derelict or vacant buildings in their ownership. [54452/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí employed in each of the divisional drugs units respectively in each of the years 2015 to date in 2022, in tabular form. [54831/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice if she has a policy of refusing applications for certificates of naturalisation where the applicant was previously illegally present in the State; the length of time which that policy has been in place [55535/22]
Education 2 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the capital expenditure on schools in each of the constituencies in County Cork in each of the past ten years in tabular form. [55538/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the proposed amalgamation of two schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55539/22]
Further and Higher Education 2 questions
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students currently enrolled in social care programmes in Munster Technological University. [54818/22]
- 2022-11-08 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the matter whereby students currently enrolled in social care programmes in Munster Technological University will graduate without CORU accreditation. [54819/22]
Transport 2 questions
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to a decision by Bus Éireann no longer to offer a single fare from Kenmare to Cork city; and if he will instruct the provider to resolve this situation, given the increase in fare prices. [55823/22]
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the current spend on BusConnects Cork to date; and the estimated timeline for the delivery of same. [55824/22]
Finance 2 questions
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Finance the estimated number of properties the proposed vacant homes tax will return to use; and if he has considered an annually increasing approach to the tax. [55825/22]
- 2022-11-10 Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the work of the Revenue Commissioners to implement the zoned land tax. [55826/22]