Galway West — week of Mon, 2 Oct

What your Galway West TDs did this week

Mon, 2 Oct – 8 Oct 2023 · 6 TDs · 3 bills voted on · 52 questions · 2 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Childcare Fees

2023-10-04 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 73–62

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 3 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell · Noel Grealish

Did not vote 2 John Connolly · Seán Kyne

An Garda Síochána

2023-10-04 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 75–66

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 3 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell · Noel Grealish

Did not vote 2 John Connolly · Seán Kyne

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2023-10-03 · 1 vote

The week's Dáil business schedule · motion passed 72–56

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 John Connolly · Seán Kyne

Catherine Connolly — Independent 3 votes · 18 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 18 total

Defence 4 questions
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of the terms of reference for the judge-led tribunal of inquiry to examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces into workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct; the timeline for the publication of the terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42546/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 12 of 16 May 2023, to provide an update on Ireland's involvement in the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine; the number of Defence Forces personnel deployed to the mission to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42547/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of the promised legislation to establish the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42556/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on the work of the non-statutory External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces; if he has received any reports from the body to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42557/23]
Foreign 4 questions
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on a report (details supplied) by the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42927/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the United States of America to close the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42928/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs what engagement he has had with his EU and UN counterparts on the issue of the closure of the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42929/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps being taken to support the humanitarian resettlement of those arbitrarily detained at Guantánamo Bay, in particular the 16 cleared detainees who remain at Guantánamo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42930/23]
Finance 4 questions
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance his plans to include compliance with the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, as well as the EU copyright directive, as a specified requirement in order to avail of the section 481 tax credit, in line with recommendation 8 of the May 2023 Report on Section 481 - Film Tax Credit by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42941/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance the details of any engagement between his Department and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Sport and Media with regard to the establishment of a stakeholder forum, in line with recommendation 14 of the May 2023 Report on Section 481 - Film Tax Credit by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42942/23]
- 2023-10-05 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 137 of 22 June 2023, the status of the disabled drivers medical board of appeal; the details of any engagement between his Department and the National Rehabilitation Hospital with regard to resolving issues which led to the withdrawal of its services in February 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42980/23]
- 2023-10-05 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 55 of 9 May 2023, his plans for the phasing out of the help-to-buy scheme; the details of any planned changes to the criteria of the scheme in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42981/23]
Transport 2 questions
- 2023-10-05 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 410 of 11 September 2023, for a status update on the rollout of park-and-ride in Galway city; for an update on the site location analysis; the expected timeline for the rollout of park-and-ride in the identified areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42976/23]
- 2023-10-05 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 25 July 2023, for a status update on the feasibility study on light rail in Galway; the expected timeline for the public consultation on the draft Galway metropolitan area transport strategy; the expected timeline for the completed updated strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42977/23]
Justice 1 question
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 147 of 1 March 2023, her plans to reduce or remove the annual fee for renewals of Irish residence permit cards for non-EEA nationals; her plans to review this matter; the details of any reviews carried out or commissioned to date by her Department in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42845/23]
Tourism 1 question
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the details of any engagement between her Department and the Department of Finance with regard to the establishment of a stakeholder forum, in line with recommendation 14 of the May 2023 Report on Section 481 - Film Tax Credit by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42918/23]
Housing 1 question
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a foreshore licence was required for the survey activity referred to in marine notices Nos. 46 and 47 of 2023; if so, to provide the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42873/23]
Further and Higher Education 1 question
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to raise the PhD stipend level to €25,000 per year, as recommended in the National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers: First Report (May 2023); the details of any analysis carried out by his Department with regard to the implementation of this recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42998/23]

Hildegarde Naughton — Fine Gael 3 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

John Connolly — Fianna Fáil 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Mairéad Farrell — Sinn Féin 3 votes · 9 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 9 total

Further and Higher Education 4 questions
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline, in light of the recent publication of his report on PhD stipends, the discussions he has had with different universities; if he can confirm, in tabular form, which universities have agreed to increase the value of their stipend; the value of the increase; the date this is being enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42567/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, in relation to the issue of PhD stipends and his Department's recent report recommending they be increased, he is aware that some institutions provide stipends from benefaction funds; if he is aware that stipends from such funding sources are being considered for the increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42568/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to address matters raised (details supplied) regarding students from the North wishing to study in universities in the South; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42688/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1085 of 20 September 2023, the current number of apprentices waiting for off-the-job training at levels 2, 4 and 6; the numbers waiting for such training in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43004/23]
Transport 2 questions
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that citizens who have been trained as helicopter pilots in the North of Ireland have their qualification recognised to be able to work across Ireland as a helicopter pilot, as per section 8 of the memorandum of understanding between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the Common Travel Area and associated reciprocal rights and privileges’ (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42127/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport in relation to the Galway Oranmore Passing Loop rail project which was announced in 2021, stated that it would commence in Autumn 2022 and be opened in early 2024; however little progress to date has been made; if the Minister can outline the reasons for this and provide an updated timeline for commencement and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42274/23]
Health 2 questions
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the maximum bed capacity in Áras Mhic Dara, An Cheathrú Rua each year from 2018 to 2023, in tabular form; the number of beds that are currently occupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42203/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if respite and end of life care is currently provided in Áras Mhic Dara, An Cheathrú Rua; if so, the number of respite spaces currently available; if not, when these services were terminated; what is being done with those bed spaces now; what analysis was conducted as the basis for ceasing the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42204/23]
Social 1 question
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department's recommendation to people who are suffering a short-term illness or injury which prevents them from engaging in work but do not have adequate PRSI contributions to qualify for illness benefit; if there is a suitable payment that this cohort can apply for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42797/23]

Noel Grealish — Independent 3 votes · 8 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 8 total

Health 5 questions
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if a medical card holder, who cannot secure an appointment with a dentist providing medical card services in their area, can avail of any other scheme to help with the cost of emergency dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42315/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if there is a list of dentists providing treatment until the medical card scheme; if so, if such a list can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42316/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for people to be seen and treated at the pain clinic in Galway; the number of people waiting for an appointment, by length of time or number of years on the waiting list, in tabular form; the number of people on the waiting list for pain relief in Galway who have an appointment date; the number still waiting for an appointment date; the reasons for a delay of four to five years in people receiving pain relief treatment in Galway; and what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting times. [43013/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of people on the pain relief waiting list in Galway University Hospital who have had their treatment outsourced to private hospitals or clinics in the Republic and to hospitals or clinics in the North of Ireland or elsewhere outside the jurisdiction in each of the past five years and to date in 2023; how many are expected to be referred within the next six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43014/23]
- 2023-10-04 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for people on the waiting lists for gastroenterology to be seen and treated at Galway University Hospital; the number of people waiting for an appointment, by length of time on the waiting list, in tabular form; the number of people on the waiting lists to be seen who have an appointment date; the number still waiting for an appointment date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43015/23]
Transport 2 questions
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport the reason that the alternatively fuelled heavy duty purchasing scheme has been paused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42636/23]
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is planning to reintroduce the alternatively fuelled heavy duty purchasing scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42637/23]
Education 1 question
- 2023-10-03 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education the reason that days worked by an SNA are not cumulative for payscale purposes; the reason that they are based on contracts, given that a person on a short-hour contract can go to higher point on a payscale than a person who could have many more days of experience in a classroom; if she will consider changing this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42196/23]

Seán Kyne — Fine Gael 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.