Galway West — week of Mon, 12 Feb — Watch Them Work

What your Galway West TDs did this week

Mon, 12 Feb – 18 Feb 2024 · 6 TDs · 3 bills voted on · 46 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Reform of the Television Licence Fee Model

2024-02-14 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 79–57

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 John Connolly · Seán Kyne

The motion · motion passed 78–56

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 3 Catherine Connolly · John Connolly · Seán Kyne

Business Costs for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

2024-02-14 · 1 vote

Amendment again put: · motion passed 73–64

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 2 Mairéad Farrell · Noel Grealish

Did not vote 3 Catherine Connolly · John Connolly · Seán Kyne

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2024-02-13 · 1 vote

The week's Dáil business schedule · motion passed 67–56

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 John Connolly · Seán Kyne

Catherine Connolly — Independent 2 votes · 19 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 19 total

Tourism 7 questions
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 623 of 13 June 2023, the status of the preparation of language plans in respect of the 16 towns identified as possible Gaeltacht service towns following the consultation process in 2014; for a breakdown of the language plans completed to date, the language plans approved to-date, the towns in respect of which language plans are currently in preparation and the towns in respect of which the preparation of language plans is yet to begin; the timeline for the completion of all language plans in respect of Gaeltacht service towns; the reason for the delay in delivering the plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6793/24]
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 624 of 13 June 2023, the status of plans for the designation of additional Irish language networks; the details of the proposed additional networks; the details of the engagement between her Department and Foras na Gaeilge in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6794/24]
- 2024-02-15 D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán maidir le Ceist Uimh. 81 den 5 Nollaig 2023, an dtabharfaidh sí soiléiriú ar an bplean a d’eascair as an obair athbhreithniúcháin a rinne Údarás na Gaeltachta faoin bpunann iomlán maoine atá aige agus faoi na féidearthachtaí forbartha atá ann; an dtabharfaidh sí soiléiriú ar na hacmhainní airgeadais a bheidh ag teastáil chun an plean a chur i gcrích; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [6814/24]
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 5 December 2023, the status of the drawdown of the €1 million in Galway 2020 legacy funding; the amount drawn down to date; the breakdown of where any funds drawn down to date have been allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6817/24]
- 2024-02-15 D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 284 den 5 Nollaig 2023; cén dul chun cinn atá déanta ar an obair athbhreithniúcháin ar na chéad 10 bplean teanga a ceadaíodh faoi Acht na Gaeltachta, 2012; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [6815/24]
- 2024-02-15 D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 97 den 5 Nollaig 2023, an dtabharfaidh sí an t-eolas is déanaí ar aon teagmháil idir a Roinn agus Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir le tithíocht a chur ar fáil ar thalamh agus réadmhaoin atá faoi úinéireacht an Údaráis; an dtabharfaidh sí na sonraí a bhaineann leis an gcur chuige a d'ullmhaigh an tÚdarás agus a bhí le cur i láthair Bhord an Údaráis ag cruinniú na Nollag 2023; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [6813/24]
- 2024-02-15 D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 68 den 5 Nollaig 2023, cén dul chun cinn atá déanta ar an obair athbhreithniúcháin a rinne Údarás na Gaeltachta i ndáil leis na córais agus leis an gcur chuige atá i ngníomh ag an Údarás chun tacú le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge sna cliant-chuideachtaí agus i ndáil leis na bealaí ina ndéantar an t-ábhar a bhaineann leo a riaradh; cén dul chun cinn atá déanta ar an scéim nua tacaíochta dá chliaint le tacú leo an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn sa ghnó; an dtabharfaidh sí soiléiriú ar an scéim nua; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [6816/24]
Education 4 questions
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 25 November 2023, the timeline for the publication of the final report of the review of the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6394/24]
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the steps that her Department is taking to ensure that all children starting secondary school in Galway city and county will have a school place in their local area for the academic year 2024-2025; the details of any engagement she has had with parent representative groups in this regard in the current academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6393/24]
- 2024-02-13 D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Oideachais maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte No. 77 of 29 Samhain 2023, an dtabharfaidh sí soiléiriú ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir leis an bplean chun beartas cuimsitheach don Ghaeilge sa chóras oideachais, idir leibhéal an oideachais réamhscoile agus leibhéal an oideachais do mhúinteoirí, a fhorbairt agus a fhoilsiú; cathain a fhoilseofar an beartas nua; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [6460/24]
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education her plans to develop school catchment areas that would be applicable nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6461/24]
Housing 4 questions
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 6 December 2023, the status of the development of the new rural housing guidelines; the timeline for the publication of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6790/24]
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 108 of 6 December 2023, the status of the review by his Department of resources for the planning sector; the status of the development of the related Ministerial action plan; the timeline for the publication of the action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6791/24]
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 5 of 7 December 2023, what engagement he has had with the Galway Social Housing task force to-date in 2024 with regard to the availability of properties to rent in Galway within standard or discretionary HAP limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6789/24]
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 85 of 7 December 2023, the timeline for the publication of the draft planning guidelines for Gaeltacht areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6788/24]
Health 2 questions
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans for the independent regulation of CAMHS under the Mental Health Act 2001, as recommended in a report (details supplied); the timeline for same; the reason for the delay in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6106/24]
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the health services currently covered by medical cards and GP visit cards, with a view to ensuring the inclusion of blood tests; the details of any recent engagement he or his Department has had with GP representative bodies with a view to reaching an agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7185/24]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how many businesses in County Galway are likely to qualify for the increased cost of business grant; what engagement his Department has had with Galway City and County Councils in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6740/24]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the programme that will be put in place for the fisheries local action groups under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, to replace the previous programme; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7197/24]

Hildegarde Naughton — Fine Gael 4 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 4 votes · 12 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 12 total

Further and Higher Education 3 questions
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that have been taken to combat the practice of compulsory lease lengths imposed on students by private student accommodation providers in Dublin and Cork including a company (details supplied). [6354/24]
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how his Department will ensure the enforceability of the definition for student accommodation as provided for in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended by the Residential Tenancies Act 2019 (details supplied) for the purpose of ensuring that licence agreements and other measures designated for student specific accommodation is not used by providers that place their properties outside the scope of the said definition through imposing a lease length that is longer than the academic term. [6355/24]
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the delivery of purpose built student accommodation for the technological universities, if he envisages a role for the Irish Strategic Investment Fund through Activate Capital, which has already part funded some other PBSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6802/24]
Housing 2 questions
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how his Department supports local authorities to complete maintenance works on council-owned homes in a timely fashion. [7335/24]
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of improvement letters, improvement notices and prohibition notices issued by Galway City Council and Galway County Council, respectively in 2023; and if he will provide additional resources to local authorities to ensure properties in private rental market meet minimum standards. [7336/24]
Foreign 1 question
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a US Navy Hercules KC130T aircraft was allowed to land and refuel at Shannon Airport on two occasions recently (details supplied); the reason this aircraft was allowed to land and refuel at Shannon Airport in breach of international laws on neutrality; and if steps were taken to ensure that this aircraft was not transporting military materials to Israel in breach of the Government's duties under the Genocide Convention. [6105/24]
Transport 1 question
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport in relation to fines levied on students who fail to present their student travel card on bus and rail services, if the National Transport Authority provides an appeal mechanism where this can be waived if they can later show that they had simply forgotten the card; and if he would support such an initiative if one does not already exist. [6350/24]
Finance 1 question
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if NAMA keeps a record of all properties and sites that it has disposed of, and if this information is publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6516/24]
Social 1 question
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible for an Irish citizen and resident, who previously lived in Australia and obtained Australian citizenship, to receive an Australian state pension; whether the procedure for applying to receive this must also involve her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6241/24]
Education 1 question
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she plans to increase the grant paid to schools to provide for transport assistants who work on buses assisting those with profound mental/physical disabilities, as these workers have not had an increase since 2020, which was only 26 cents per hour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7089/24]
Tourism 1 question
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the outcome of the preliminary report on the provision of a swimming pool in Loughrea, County Galway under the local authority swimming pool programme; the reason this project did not progress; if her Department's review of the large scale sport infrastructure fund has been completed; if a report of the review will be completed; if she intends to reopen the fund to provide for the development of public swimming pools in towns such as Loughrea; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6774/24]
Health 1 question
- 2024-02-14 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health considering that patients from University Hospital Galway (UHG) are being sent to Kingsbridge Hospital in the North for certain urology procedures as part of the national treatment purchase fund, and additional expenses related to travel and accommodation are incurred, if he has considered hiring an additional urologist for UHG as a cost saving measure. [7069/24]

Noel Grealish — Independent 4 votes · 5 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 5 total

Education 2 questions
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education if she will increase the upper age limit for school bus drivers from 70 to 75 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7117/24]
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education the current status of a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7118/24]
Social 1 question
- 2024-02-13 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons that are in receipt of a reduced rate of disability allowance as a result of a legacy pension following the death of a parent, and the disability allowance is reduced on a euro for euro amount, did not qualify for any bonus or cost of living payment, given that they are still only in receipt of an income up to the maximum rate of disability allowance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6334/24]
Environment 1 question
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when five-year contract positions for the post of climate action officer and climate action coordinator in local authorities will be converted to permanent positions for those staff who have been appointed, particularly considering all those employed during the course of 2023 will have their employment contracts expire in 2028, the year prior to the end of the lifetime of the Local Authority Climate Action Plan (2024-2029), and before 2030 targets will have been measured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7114/24]
Transport 1 question
- 2024-02-15 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport how much funding was allocated to Bóthar Dhoirefhearta, Carraroe, County Galway, in 2021, 2022 and 2023; if any funding allocated was unused; if so, what happened to this unused funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7115/24]

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

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.