Galway West — week of Mon, 18 Mar

What your Galway West TDs did this week

Mon, 18 Mar – 24 Mar 2024 · 6 TDs · 1 bill voted on · 63 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2024-03-20 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 70–61

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Éamon Ó Cuív

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

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

Catherine Connolly — Independent 0 votes · 33 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 33 total

Justice 9 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice what provision her Department has made for Palestinians who have fled the war in Gaza to seek asylum in Ireland in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13364/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of family reunification applications received in 2023; the number of family reunification applications pending before FRU at the end of the year; the average time taken to decide an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11565/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice if she has received the final report of the Law Reform Commission's project on compensating the victims of crime, which was due to be delivered in 2023; her plans to publish the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12234/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the actions undertaken by her Department to ensure that all new staff in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal receive training in dealing with victims; if all new staff receive this training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12235/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the actions undertaken by her Department to ensure that all staff in her Department and in organisations under the aegis of her Department, working with victims of crime, receive training in providing trauma informed care and support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12236/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of cases currently waiting to be heard by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal; the average length of waiting times; the measures taken and planned by her Department to clear any backlogs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12237/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the total funding provided to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal in each of the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12238/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the interim financial assistance that is available to victims of crime awaiting the outcome of their applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12239/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the measures that are in place to ensure that applicants to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal are made aware in advance of costs arising from the tribunal process, particularly in regard to the furnishing of physical and psychiatric reports; the details of any financial assistance provided to applicants to ease the financial burden of providing such reports during the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12240/24]
Children 6 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capacity of each direct provision centre by county, to include the number of places available in each direct provision in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11568/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the occupancy of each direct provision centre, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11569/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capacity and occupancy of each EROC centre, to include the number of places available and actual occupancy, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11570/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to detail his plans to secure adequate and safe accommodation for all international protection applicants and to prevent the emergence of refugee camps on our streets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12142/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 110 of 14 December 2023, if the negotiation process between the expert negotiator and religious orders with regard to contributing to the mother and baby institutions redress scheme has been completed to date; if not, the expected timeline for the conclusion of the negotiation process; when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12339/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of unaccompanied children in the care of the Child and Family Agency; the number of those children who, according to the process set out in section 14 (4) of the International Protection Act 2015, have made an application for international protection. [12652/24]
Defence 4 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the details of the new working group to develop a complaints process for civilian employees and civil servants who work with the Defence Forces; the membership of the working group; the number of meetings held to-date by the working group, and the dates of same; if minutes are taken in respect of the meetings of the working group, and if any minutes taken will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12832/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the details of Ireland's contribution to the German-led EU Battlegroup in 2024/2025; the total number of personnel posts to be filled by members of the Defence Forces; the number of posts filled to-date by members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12833/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 78 of 23 January 2024, the status of the tribunal of inquiry to examine the effectiveness of the complaints process in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12835/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 23 January 2024, the total military aid given by the EU to Ukraine since February 2022; the details of the contribution given by Ireland to-date; the details of the contribution given by Ireland towards common costs of the EU military assistance mission in support of Ukraine; the details of any contributions or donations made by the Defence Forces to Ukraine to-date since February 2022, and any contributions or donations planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12834/24]
Transport 3 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 1 February 2024, the status of the roll-out of park and ride in Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12829/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 1 February 2024, the status of the feasibility study for light rail in Galway, which is being undertaken as part of the development of the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy; the details of the strategic roads feasibility study referenced in the NTA's reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12836/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 1 February 2024, the terms of reference of the strategic roads feasibility study; who is carrying out the study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12837/24]
Education 3 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education her plans to extend the package of supports for survivors of abuse in industrial schools, reformatories and related institutions to include a pension in recognition of the unpaid labour many did while in institutions or boarded out as children, access to the Health Amendment Act (HAA) medical card and housing supports as requested by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12241/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 24 March 2024, the status of the development of the next policy on Gaeltacht education, to replace the 2017-22 policy that was extended to the end of the 2023-24 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12857/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 24 March 2024, the status of the Gaeltacht education policy advisory committee; for an update on the work of the committee; the role being played by the committee in the development of the next policy on Gaeltacht education; the terms of reference of the committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12858/24]
Housing 3 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the official date of the forthcoming local elections; to confirm his intention to sign the statutory order for that date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11917/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide outline details of the results of the 2023 Interim Review of the State's current Nitrates Action Programme (NAP); the details of where the 2023 Review is published and available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12664/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will detail the reason for the delay in adopting the third-cycle 2022-2027 River Basin Management Plan for Ireland; the date he expects the final plan to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12841/24]
Taoiseach 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Taoiseach his plans for long-Covid to be included in the terms of reference for the upcoming Covid inquiry. [12139/24]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 71 of 8 February 2024, for an update on plans to remove dental nurses from the ineligible occupation list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12926/24]
Social 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the independent external evaluation of the proposal that claims that higher financial returns can be achieved for automatic enrolment pension participants at lower costs; her plans to publish the report by the independent external evaluator; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12066/24]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to establish the drainage status of grassland peat soils in Ireland further to the findings of a study (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/24]
Health 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend the special scheme to provide special leave with pay for eligible health sector staff in respect of long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12448/24]

Hildegarde Naughton — Fine Gael 1 vote · 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 1 vote · 18 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 18 total

Transport 3 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport in relation to a recent reply to correspondence from a person with a disability (details supplied), where the NTA confirmed that 42,000 booked a seat on Irish Rail and that a charge exists to book a seat to mitigate against some customer behaviours that impact everyone; how much were the 42,000 disabled customers charged in fees; exactly how many incidents are there of those with disabilities 'behaviour's impacting other customers; and is he aware that the use of data collected using the public services card free travel pass in the manner described by the NTA is not the purpose for which this data was collected in the first instance. [12617/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the cancellation of a service (details supplied) from Galway to Dublin Airport; if he is considering steps to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13234/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he will be focusing his Department's attention on the infrastructural deficit with the maintenance of roads in Connemara; if he will allocate resources to address the persistent flooding at Cuan na Loinge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13235/24]
Further and Higher Education 3 questions
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if option 1 (details supplied) was used for calculating the amount due for those in receipt of the award of no maintenance 50% SUSI contribution; if so, the reason option 2 was not considered which would have had a greater reduction in the net amount due; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13462/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the restriction for international students becoming a sabbatical officer in a Union or as a society's auditor students due to Stamp 2 visas' terms of employment and engagement in business or trade, and if he has any plans to change this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13371/24]
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science can he provide in tabular form the full list of ETBs broken down by county, and an email address for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13372/24]
Foreign 2 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the US Air Force Gulfstream 5 executive jet number 99-0402 was permitted to fly and through Irish air space and land and refuel in Shannon Airport on 3 March 2024 on its way to Frankfurt (callsign SAM265) and from there to Cyprus and then Tel Aviv Israel on 4 March 2024; if he has concerns that this may breach Irish neutrality, given the allegations of war crimes and the potential genocide taking place in Palestine according to the ICJ, for which arms and munitions are being supplied by the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12147/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in instances in which a person has recently changed their name to its Irish version by deed poll and therefore cannot provide the requisite proof of two years' habitual usage or more of their Irish name, if such a person may legally continue to travel on their old passport which displays the English version of their name during the interim two year period only after which they can provide evidence of two years' habitual usage; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty which current rules on habitual usage timeframes present to such individuals when travelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12488/24]
Social 2 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 455 of 5 March 2024, the reason her Department requires the destination of a person's travel as evidence of travel in order to access the two week holiday entitlement under the disability allowance scheme; and in what case or circumstance would a signed letter from the recipient not be sufficient evidence. [11952/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if a public services card is required for a person to collect their pension from their local post office or if it is acceptable to use another form of identification, a passport for example to do this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12325/24]
Children 2 questions
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the full list of purpose-built student accommodation complexes that are currently being paid to house Ukrainian refugees; the current number of refugees each is currently housing; the amount that has been paid to each provider to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12475/24]
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children waiting and the length of time they are waiting for initial contact from CDNTs in CHO2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12667/24]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a complaint can be referred to the Corporate Enforcement Authority by an Oireachtas Committee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12493/24]
Education 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education when the second modular classroom in a school (details supplied) will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11777/24]
Housing 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason local authority tenants are allowed to rent a room in their home, but those in accommodation owned by the approved housing bodies are not allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11791/24]
Justice 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the Sale of Alcohol Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11587/24]
Health 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if there are clear guidelines for treating the symptoms of Paediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, PANS, and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections, PANDAS, in paediatric hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11906/24]
Environment 1 question
- 2024-03-21 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a fisheries matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13482/24]

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

Questions asked 3 total

Finance 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Finance if provisions are in place for an individual whose application for a primary medical certificate was refused and subsequently appealed the decision, but is unable to travel to Dun Laoghaire for the appeal appointment due to ill-health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12911/24]
Housing 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 246 of the 7 March 2024, if there is an appeals process for the vacant home refurbishment grant when the local authority has refused the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12433/24]
Health 1 question
- 2024-03-20 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 593 of 20 February 2024, the steps a person (details supplied) 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 take 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. [12912/24]

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

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.