Galway West — week of Mon, 19 Feb — Watch Them Work

What your Galway West TDs did this week

Mon, 19 Feb – 25 Feb 2024 · 6 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 66 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services

2024-02-21 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 71–60

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Noel Grealish · Seán Kyne

The motion · motion passed 71–61

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Noel Grealish · Seán Kyne

Healthcare Provision in Rural Communities

2024-02-21 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 70–60

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Noel Grealish · Seán Kyne

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2024

2024-02-21 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 42–89

Voted for 1 Mairéad Farrell

Voted against 3 Catherine Connolly · Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Noel Grealish · Seán Kyne

Commissions of Investigation (Amendment) Bill 2023

2024-02-21 · 1 vote · Sinn Féin PMB

A bill to amend and extend the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 and to provide for related matters

Whether the bill should proceed (Second Stage) · motion failed 56–73

Voted for 1 Mairéad Farrell

Voted against 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Did not vote 4 Catherine Connolly · John Connolly · Noel Grealish · Seán Kyne

Catherine Connolly — Independent 4 votes · 25 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 25 total

Education 7 questions
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the availability, location and number of places in ASD units in primary schools in Galway city and county for the 2024-25 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8283/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the availability, location and number of places in ASD units in primary schools in Galway city and county for the current academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8284/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the availability, location and number of places in ASD units in secondary schools in Galway city and county for the 2024-25 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8285/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the availability, location and number of places in ASD units in secondary schools in Galway city and county for the current academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8286/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the reason for the removal of complex needs from the criteria for the allocation of special education teaching hours; the details of any consultation undertaken by her Department with teacher and parent representative groups with regard to the decision to remove complex needs from the criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8287/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the details of her engagement with a group (details supplied) with regard to its proposal for a new mechanism to allow schools to inform the Department and NCSE of the level of special educational needs in their schools on a yearly basis to allow for more accurate SET and SNA allocations by the NCSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8288/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the number of schools, nationwide and in Galway city and county, that will lose special education teaching resources under the new education model for special needs resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8289/24]
Social 4 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the long-term carers contribution scheme; the number of applications received to date; the number approved; the number rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8028/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received by her Department under the humanitarian assistance scheme in respect of Galway city and county since the flooding in Galway in November 2023; the amount paid out to-date under the scheme to the residents of Galway city and county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7854/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 7 December 2023, for a status update on his Department's engagement with representatives of community employment supervisors and Tús supervisors with a view to resolving the pay gap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7853/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of submissions received to-date to the consultation on the Green Paper on Disability Reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8032/24]
Health 4 questions
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1797 of 18 April 2023, the progress of the vaccine injury compensation scheme for the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8182/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 31 January 2024, for a breakdown of the number of dentists who left the dental treatment services scheme, by year of leaving the scheme and by geographical area in Galway, where they had been providing dental care to medical card patients in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8254/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of dentist vacancies in Galway city and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8255/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of dental nurse vacancies in Galway city and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8256/24]
Agriculture 3 questions
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 47 of 14 December 2023, the status of plans for the introduction of measures to protect the sprat fishery, which is concentrated within the six-nautical-mile zone; the total amount of sprat caught in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8217/24]
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of work to develop the new inshore fisheries sector strategy, in light of the fact that the previous one expired in 2023; the timeline for the publication of the new strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8250/24]
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 14 December 2023, for an update on the work of the wool council; if the €30,000 in departmental funding has been drawn down to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8243/24]
Foreign 2 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs given his statement of 26 January 2024 when he recalled the commitment by Dáil Éireann to "strongly consider intervention" in the South Africa case at the ICJ, and stated that he had asked his officials to prepare legal advice for his consideration on an "urgent basis"; if he will brief Dáil Éireann on the detailed particulars of the legal advice he has sought; if he will provide that legal advice to Dáil Éireann; if he will outline a deadline for the State's decision regarding an intervention in the ICJ case, in the context of the slaughter of 30,000 Palestinians by Israel, the almost total destruction of civilian infrastructure and, now, the spread of famine and disease among a weak and vulnerable population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7448/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 350 of 25 October 2022, for an update on the engagement he has had with his Algerian, European and UN counterparts in relation to the kidnapping on 6 January 2009 in Algiers of the sibling of an Irish citizen (details supplied) for which the UNHCR established Algeria’s responsibility; the circumstances of their abduction; the reason for their detention without trial; the steps that he has taken to secure their safe return; the engagement he has had with their family in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8160/24]
Housing 2 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options available to a HAP recipient whose medical circumstances mean that they are permanently disabled and wheelchair bound, resulting in their present accommodation being unsuitable, in terms of both priority on the social housing list and availability of grants and schemes to the owner of the HAP property to make the property adaptable for their tenant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7687/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of his Department’s role in the national agricultural inspection programme; the details of any engagement between his Department, local authorities and the County and City Management Association in 2022, 2023 and 2024 with regard to this programme; the details of any engagement between his Department and the EPA in 2022, 2023 and 2024 with regard to this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8134/24]
Justice 2 questions
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 78 of 12 December 2023, the status of the independent review of part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017; the status of the recruitment process to replace the individual who had previously been engaged to carry out the study; if the new person has been appointed; the timeline for the completion of the review; the timeline for the publication of the final report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8202/24]
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of people currently in Gaza who have permission to remain in Ireland, or who have a visa to live, study or work in Ireland; the steps being taken by her Department to assist them in exiting Gaza; the details of any engagement between her Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs in this regard since October 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8203/24]
Public Expenditure 1 question
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the progress made in delivering National Development Plan 2021-2030 projects for County Galway for each year of the lifetime of the current Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8251/24]

Hildegarde Naughton — Fine Gael 5 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 5 votes · 14 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 14 total

Housing 3 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the new practice with the land registry whereby if a change of deeds form is submitted incorrectly, when the form is returned to the solicitor the section which requires correcting is no longer identified, and thus slows down the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7484/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the revenue raised by each local authority from local property tax for 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8179/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 280 of 1 February 2024, when he expects the data for 2023 related to local authorities' income from commercial rates and income from the provision of goods and services to be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8185/24]
Foreign 2 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he believes further action from Ireland is warranted following attacks from Israel on civilians in Rafah; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7598/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 136 of 13 February 2024, what steps were taken to ensure that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation, especially as no US military aircraft ever leaves its bases in the US or its foreign bases around the world unless it is on a military operation or on a military exercise, and that US soldiers travelling to war zones on these military aircraft are normally required to bring their personal weapons with them; and how he reconciles these DFA restrictions on military aircraft with the fact that successive Ministers for Transport since 2001 have been approving the transit of over three million US soldiers through Shannon Airport on civilian aircraft on contract to the US military and approving the fact that most of the US soldiers are carrying their personal automatic rifles with them on these aircraft. [7813/24]
Health 2 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health for the cost to date of the State Solicitor’s Office’s expenditure on external legal and consultancy fees related to all litigation arising from the National Children’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8076/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the current progress and planned delivery date for each of the primary care centres planned for Connemara; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7926/24]
Further and Higher Education 2 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 578 of 30 January 2024, when an answer can be expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7978/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 131 of 17 February 2021, the value of direct financial supports provided to purpose-built student accommodation providers in 2000 to 2010, and 2019 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8077/24]
Defence 1 question
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in relation to the NATO Partnerships for Peace agreements and the attempt to increase Ireland’s Defence Forces interoperability with NATO standards and systems, if these agreements have any requirements for arms, equipment, systems or other infrastructure to be procured from manufacturers in NATO members states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7814/24]
Finance 1 question
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 7 February 2024, the return on investment and internal rate of return for each investment in each year of its existence, compared to the ISIF's annual benchmark, that is, the average cost of Irish Government debt, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7815/24]
Environment 1 question
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the situation whereby the SEAI will not disburse grants from its better homes scheme to holders of credit union accounts and if he has engaged with the SEAI in relation to same. [8120/24]
Justice 1 question
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the discrepancy in treatment of doctors who transitioned from stamp 1 permits to stamp 4 permits prior to the introduction of the stamp 1H permit, where those who have a stamp 1H permit can then get a two-year stamp 4 permit and those who previously had a stamp 1 permit must renew their stamp 4 permit on an annual basis; if she intends to address this discrepancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8151/24]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if psychotherapists accredited by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy are considered under the medical professional occupation category for critical skills employment permits. [8437/24]

Noel Grealish — Independent 0 votes · 10 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 10 total

Health 3 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health what an individual, who is employed in a private company, but worked on a contract in a clinical setting in a hospital during the peak of the Covid pandemic can do in order to apply for the Covid bonus when their employer refuses to lodge an application on their behalf, but they meet the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7850/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will support the provision of melatonin on the list of drugs available under the medical card scheme for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8262/24]
- 2024-02-21 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a matter (details supplied). [8263/24]
Justice 2 questions
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice what progress has been made in establishing the conveyancing profession; when the results from the Legal Services Regulatory Authority report on the matter will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7696/24]
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice what actions she is taking to address delays in the property purchasing processes pertaining to conveyancing; if she will consider implementing a seller's legal pack under the Bill of the same name, or a similar measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7697/24]
Transport 1 question
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport the current status of the Claregalway Inner Relief Road project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7562/24]
Housing 1 question
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current length of time it takes for housing assistance payments (HAP) to be made to a landlord, when a qualified tenant takes up occupancy of a rented house; the current average length of delays in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7994/24]
Rural 1 question
- 2024-02-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when applications for the new Community Recognition Fund 2024 will open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7502/24]
Finance 1 question
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Finance the exact procedure for a person wishing to import a car from Australia; the costs associated with importing a car; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8568/24]
Social 1 question
- 2024-02-22 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection they way in which a company applies to provide school meals under the school meals programme; when applications will open and the way in which applications are made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8570/24]

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

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.