Meath West — week of Mon, 10 Jul — Watch Them Work

What your Meath West TDs did this week

Mon, 10 Jul – 16 Jul 2023 · 3 TDs · 5 bills voted on · 65 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages

2023-07-12 · 2 votes

The motion · motion passed 85–50

Voted for 1 Damien English

Voted against 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 55–80

Voted for 1 Johnny Guirke

Voted against 1 Damien English

Did not vote 2 Aisling Dempsey · Peadar Tóibín

European Defence Agency Projects

2023-07-12 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 61–75

Voted for 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Voted against 1 Damien English

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

The motion · motion passed 80–56

Voted for 1 Damien English

Voted against 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

Housing and Homelessness

2023-07-12 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 76–60

Voted for 1 Damien English

Voted against 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

The motion · motion passed 76–60

Voted for 1 Damien English

Voted against 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages

2023-07-12 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 52–80

Voted for 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Voted against 1 Damien English

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 49–73

Voted for 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Voted against 1 Damien English

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2023-07-11 · 1 vote

The week's Dáil business schedule · motion passed 70–61

Voted for 1 Damien English

Voted against 2 Johnny Guirke · Peadar Tóibín

Did not vote 1 Aisling Dempsey

Aisling Dempsey — Fianna Fáil 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Johnny Guirke — Sinn Féin 9 votes · 1 question · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 1 total

Health 1 question
- 2023-07-13 Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health in relation to an application by Meath County Council in February 2023, for capital funding for the new addiction centre project in Navan, County Meath (details supplied), the current status of this application; the schedule for a decision on this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34817/23]

Peadar Tóibín — Aontú 8 votes · 64 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 64 total

Health 13 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the reason the excess mortality rate in Ireland has been spiking so high in recent months; the reason there were 25.4% more deaths in Ireland in December 2022 than the average for the same month from 2016 to 2019; the reason that the excess mortality rate in Ireland has been higher than the EU average for the past 12 months apart from July 2022; and if there is a formal investigation being carried out by any State organisation into the reasons for these excess deaths. [33438/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of cases taken against the HSE/letters of claims issued, regarding or alleging the misreading of smear tests in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [33891/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of CervicalCheck smear test samples sent abroad to foreign laboratories for testing in each of the past five years and to date in 2023; and if he can provide this figure as a percentage, in each year, of the number of smear tests carried out by CervicalCheck during that time. [33892/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of women who took cases to the CervicalCheck Tribunal; the number of cases which were settled in the tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33893/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the reason the terms of reference provided by his Department for the Expert Panel Review of Cervical Screening (details supplied) only sought an examination of slides of women who developed invasive cervical cancer, rather than seeking to determine if there had been missed opportunities to identify abnormal cells in the slides of women who had not at the time of the review developed cancer, but may still have had their slides misread; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33894/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the amount paid, per year, to a company (details supplied) by the HSE and his Department; the details of the cases being handled by year, by the company; the cases still to be resolved by the company; and a timeline for when these cases are expected to be resolved. [33895/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health what systems are in place to ensure appropriate and swift reporting of adverse incidents to the State Claims Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34387/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health what systems are in place within the HSE to ensure staff re-training takes place following adverse medical incidents where a patient suffered harm during their care. [34388/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health given the lack of hospital consultants in the midland region, the safety research that has been done by the HSE on the ambulance and patient bypass of Navan emergency department towards Mullingar hospital [34650/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health to detail the 100 highest salaries within the HSE; how many management staff in the HSE have salaries above €400,000; how many management staff in the HSE have salaries above €300,000; how many management staff in the HSE have salaries above €200,000; and how many management staff in the HSE have salaries above €100,000. [34651/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health how many medical staff in the HSE have salaries above €400,000; how many medical staff in the HSE have salaries above €300,000; how many medical staff in the HSE have salaries above €200,000; and how many medical staff in the HSE have salaries above €100,000. [34652/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health how many contract staff in the HSE have salaries above €400,000; how many contract staff in the HSE have salaries above €300,000; how many contract staff in the HSE have salaries above €200,000; and how many contract staff in the HSE have salaries above €100,000. [34653/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if there are barter accounts in the HSE; if there are accounts from which there is spending on non-money remuneration; if so, if he will detail how many and the value of expenditure from these accounts through the past ten years; and how many HSE staff, management and separately medical staff have a car or a car allowance as part of their remuneration package. [34654/23]
Justice 9 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the current ratio of gardaí to citizens in each county in the State, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33729/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice what steps her Department is undertaking to reduce violent crime in the State. [33728/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of international protection applicants who sought protection in Ireland from eight countries (details supplied) in each of the past 24 months, in tabular form. [33790/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 637 of 11 May 2021, the number of speeding fines issued on foot of evidence obtained from speed camera vans, in each county in the State, in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [34398/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic accidents in each county in the State in each of the past five years and to date in 2023. [34399/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic accidents in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, where the deceased person or persons were not wearing seatbelts. [34400/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic accidents in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, where the deceased person or persons were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident. [34401/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice what steps her Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the report the Working Group on medical negligence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34402/23]
- 2023-07-13 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons coming through the North of Ireland to apply for asylum in this jurisdiction in each of the past five years. [34814/23]
Housing 9 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the scoping maps for the residential zoned land tax, what is the total area of land, in hectares, currently scoped to which the residential zoned land tax may apply; and if a breakdown can be provided by these areas, by planning authority area. [34195/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what percentage of the lands, nationally the residential zoned land tax ‘scoped lands’ occupies. [34196/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what percentage of the lands, by local authority/ planning authority area, the residential zoned land tax scoped lands occupies. [34197/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the reason the ‘Housing Lands Availability Survey (HLAS) was not updated to accommodate the most recent residential lands identified. [34202/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to what degree it can be demonstrated that the ‘broad-brush’ approach of the residential zoned land tax scoping maps is going to contribute to the provision of additional housing, over and above that which would or could be achieved by a more forensic and detailed approach, (along the lines of the ‘Housing Lands Availability Survey’ HLAS approach), which would identify the actual developable sites, which are currently laying fallow or being hoarded. [34204/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many submissions have been received from landowners since the publication of the scoping maps in relation to the residential zoned land tax; if a breakdown on this figure can be provided per planning authority area; how many submissions, if any, were deemed invalid, as having been received outside the notified timeframe; and if a breakdown can be provided on this figure, by planning authority area. [34205/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to explain the reason the scoping of the residential zoned land tax extended to the smallest towns and villages, where demand for housing is not prevalent, nor likely to exist in the near future, unlike the housing requirements necessitated by the spatial strategy utilised in the National Planning Framework that promotes the concentration of growth in the five major cities (Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford) and five of the larger towns (Letterkenny, Sligo, Athlone, Dundalk and Drogheda), wherein the greatest need for housing, both exists and is likely to continue. [34206/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what percentage of lands ‘scoped-in’ on the residential zoned land tax-draft map are currently in active use by farmers, for farming, and not lying fallow. [34207/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will list the occasions he has corresponded with the director of the Residential Tenancies Board since he took office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33927/23]
Transport 6 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the spraying of weed-killer along the tracks of the Galway to Dublin rail line; if he will outline the amount spent by Irish Rail on weedkiller in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; the amount, in gallons or litres, sprayed along the nation's rail lines in that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33921/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport when catering services will be restored on the Galway to Dublin train service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33922/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the progress being made towards the extension/reopening of the Western Rail Corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33923/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of people who sat the driving test in each county in the State in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [34257/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of people who failed the practical driving test in each county in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [34258/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport if he will list the various reasons a person can fail the practical driving test; and if he will outline the number of candidates who failed on each of the various grounds, in each county in 2022, in tabular form. [34259/23]
Finance 6 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance what lobbying has been documented on the file pertaining to the setup and development and implementation of the residential zoned land tax. [34200/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance what influence, if any, his Department or the Revenue Commissioners have on the adoption of the broad-brush approach used to creating, mapping and implementing the residential zoned land tax. [34203/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance what consideration was given to the impact of residential zoned land tax liabilities on working farm incomes and the impact of this tax on the income of farming families, many of whom are operating on the knife-edge of viability. [34208/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance the input from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the formation of the residential zoned land tax and the criteria for exclusion, given that there is no exclusion for working farmland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34209/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance how many planning authority/local authority officials raised concerns with his Department in relation to the implementation and execution of the residential zoned land tax. [34211/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has given any consideration to rescinding and reconsidering the residential zoned land tax in its current format until the multitude of problems associated with its scoping and implementation have been resolved. [34212/23]
Taoiseach 5 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will detail the salaries of the top ten highest paid civil servants in his Department. [32079/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the new State litigation principles announced by the Attorney General on 21 June 2023. [33724/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the amount spent on advertising with RTÉ by his Department in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2023. [32076/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach how much his Department has spent on public relations in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2023. [32080/23]
- 2023-07-12 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will report on this attendance at the recent European Council meeting. [33722/23]
Tourism 5 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has been alerted to any instances where RTÉ may have been compromised editorially by financial transactions or barter accounts. [34262/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the investigation into matters in RTÉ will seek to determine if RTÉ has been compromised editorially by financial transactions or barter accounts. [34263/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she is aware of any commercial arrangement RTÉ had with any other car manufacturer other than a company (details supplied) which resulted in payments to a barter account, and or an increase in salary for any RTÉ employee or board member. [34264/23]
- 2023-07-13 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what steps her Department is taking to increase tourism in the Boyne Valley. [33735/23]
- 2023-07-13 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on the external independent review into governance and culture at RTÉ. [33736/23]
Children 5 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if applicants for international protection or refugees from Ukraine, are being housed in social housing in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33771/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount paid by the State to a company (details supplied) in each of the past twenty-four months; the number of children placed in the care of the company during the same period; if the Child and Family Agency has received any concerns regarding the quality of care provided to the children, or the validity of vetting documents, or qualifications relating to employees of the company, or the practice by the company of block-booking specific accommodation for the purposes of residential placements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33885/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who spent time in hotels or hostels while awaiting residential or foster placement, in each of the past twelve months; the average length of time these children spent in such locations; and if such hotels or hostels were open or closed to the public during the period while children were residing there. [33886/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of money paid to companies (details supplied) to provide residential care to children, in each of the past five years, in tabular form; the number of children who have come under the care of each company; and if the Child and Family Agency can confirm that all staff employed by these companies, involved in the care of these children, have been Garda vetted and are fully qualified. [33887/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children referred to Tusla in 2022 and to date in 2023; and if details or a breakdown can be provided on the occupations of the people or professionals who made the referrals, in tabular form. [34054/23]
Agriculture 4 questions
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 505 of 9 May 2023, if he will detail the value in euro by animal category, in addition to the quantity in number of head of live sheep exported from the State, by the country that it was exported to over the past five calendar years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34129/23]
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 506 of 9 May 2023, if he will detail the value in euro, in addition to the quantity in head, by animal category, (details supplied) of live sheep imported into the State, by the country that it was imported from over the past five calendar years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34130/23]
- 2023-07-13 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has had any engagement with the fishing community regarding the statutory instrument which came into effect on 1 July 2023, requiring fishing vessels longer than 15 m to have a fully qualified second skipper on board at all times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33817/23]
- 2023-07-13 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has monitored the percentage increase in the cost of fertiliser in each month for the past three years; if so, if he will provide this data, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33818/23]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will intervene in the ongoing dispute between workers (details supplied); and if he will end the practice of State contracts being given to companies which refuse to recognise trade union membership. [33458/23]
Education 1 question
- 2023-07-11 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the controversy surrounding the Leaving Certificate Maths Paper 1, with one school principal complaining in the "strongest terms" about the difficulty level of the paper; if she will address this issue and if she has a plan for these students going forward (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34136/23]