Donegal — week of Mon, 4 Nov — Watch Them Work

What your Donegal TDs did this week

Mon, 4 Nov – 10 Nov 2024 · 5 TDs · 3 bills voted on · 72 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Equitable Beef Pricing Bill 2020

2024-11-06 · 1 vote · Aontú PMB

A bill to ensure the provision of an equitable price for beef to farmers operating in that sector in order to ensure that it is a sustainable means for them to earn a livelihood

full description

A bill to ensure the provision of an equitable price for beef to farmers operating in that sector in order to ensure that it is a sustainable means for them to earn a livelihood; and to provide for related matters.

Whether the bill should proceed (Second Stage) · motion failed 57–69

Voted for 2 Pádraig Mac Lochlainn · Thomas Pringle

Voted against 1 Charlie McConalogue

Did not vote 3 Charles Ward · Pat the Cope Gallagher · Pearse Doherty

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2024-11-05 · 1 vote

The week's Dáil business schedule · motion passed 72–58

Voted for 2 Charlie McConalogue · Joe McHugh

Voted against 3 Pearse Doherty · Pádraig Mac Lochlainn · Thomas Pringle

Did not vote 2 Charles Ward · Pat the Cope Gallagher

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages

2024-11-05 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 75–55

Voted for 2 Charlie McConalogue · Joe McHugh

Voted against 3 Pearse Doherty · Pádraig Mac Lochlainn · Thomas Pringle

Did not vote 2 Charles Ward · Pat the Cope Gallagher

Charles Ward — 100% RDR 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Charlie McConalogue — Fianna Fáil 3 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Pat the Cope Gallagher — Fianna Fáil 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Pearse Doherty — Sinn Féin 2 votes · 42 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 42 total

Finance 18 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the net tax expenditures outlined in the summer economic statement are incorporated at the same level within the projections for revenue and balances contained in the Fiscal Outlook 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44055/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the projected net expenditure on tax measures contained in the fiscal outlook 2025 for the year 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44076/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue of increasing stamp duty on residential property with a value over €1 million to 6%, including all multi-unit purchases of houses and apartments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44179/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance what is in the base each year for the rent tax credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44180/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 88 of 16 October 2024, to outline the full cost estimated for the planned increases to the standard fund threshold contained within the economic projection of the Economic and Fiscal Outlook for each year from 2025 to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44181/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered amending section 126 (2B) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to ensure that adult dependant social welfare pensions could be paid directly to the adult dependant; to outline the wider implications and costs related to such an amendment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44733/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered amending section 119 (3) of the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 to extend its provision to all VAT payments not just VAT repayment outside the State to allow for a refusal by the Revenue Commissioners to process any VAT repayment appealable to the third-party process of the Tax Appeals Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44734/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered amending section 949I (6) of the Taxes and Consolidation Act 1997 to ensure that taxpayers lodging an appeal have a fair opportunity to make a case to a third party independent hearing, where a tax assessment is disputed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44735/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost to the Exchequer in each of the years 2025 to 2030 to not proceed with any additional carbon tax increases, to undo 2024 carbon tax increases, to not proceed with any additional carbon tax increases and to undo 2023 and 2024 carbon tax increases and to not proceed with any additional carbon tax increases, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44742/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised by increasing stamp duty on any residential property other than the primary residence to 6%; the estimated additional revenue raised by each percentage increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45101/24]
- 2024-11-06 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised on a first- and full-year basis of ending the non-domicile regime on 1 April 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45332/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of residential units and the number of persons subject to the 10% rate of stamp duty with respect to the acquisition of certain residential property where a person acquires at least ten such units during any 12-month period, in each of the years 2022,2023, and 2024 respectively; and the total value of said stamp duty paid in each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. [45700/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered proposals submitted to him by a person (details supplied); if he has considered the implications that these proposals would have for tax payers; if so, the implications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45705/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 15 October 2024, when he became aware that the Central Bank was or was to become, the ‘home’ country for Israeli bonds within the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45804/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance when sanctions could be applied if the Central Bank of Ireland chose to not approve or withdraw approval of the prospectus of Israeli bonds without providing a legal basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45805/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that the prospectus for Israeli bonds approved by the Central Bank of Ireland which allows the bonds to be sold across Europe does not include information on the fact that these bonds are used to fund to the ongoing genocide in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45806/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 15 October 2024, if he accepts that Israeli bonds are used to fund the ongoing genocide in Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45807/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 88 and 89 of 16 October 2024, if he accepts that estimating the cost of increasing the standard fund threshold using only the available information about previous payments of chargeable excess tax will have underestimated the actual cost of this measure; if his officials provided a higher range scenario based potential behavioural change; if so, if he will provide that higher range scenario; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45987/24]
Health 8 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if it is policy for ambulance arrival times not to be shared with callers during emergency calls; if this is the case, the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45112/24]
- 2024-11-06 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a child in Donegal (details supplied) will receive an appointment in University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45433/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting on CAMHS waiting lists in Donegal, broken down by how many months they are waiting, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45754/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of positions at Letterkenny University Hospital which are vacant, unfilled or filled on a temporary, agency and locum basis, at staff grade level, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45516/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the current number of respite hours that each respite facility in Donegal provides, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45708/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of children in Donegal that have been turned down for CAMHS over the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45756/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of adults and children who have medical cards awaiting dental treatment in Donegal, broken down by area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45781/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development of Lifford Community Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45803/24]
Children 5 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a meeting that groups in Donegal have requested (details supplied) with Minister of State Rabbitte to discuss issues with the children’s disability service grant fund, will happen; if so, when it will happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45081/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total funds provided from his Department to youth groups and youth organisations in County Donegal, broken down by group and organisation, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44468/24]
- 2024-11-06 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department plans to move refugees into a premises in County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45313/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in County Donegal that have been turned down by CDNTs over the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45759/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children waiting on CDNT waiting lists in Donegal, broken down by team and, by the number months they have been waiting, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45760/24]
Transport 3 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport if the electric vehicle home charger grants will be paid to a person (details supplied) who installed an EV charger; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44796/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport the number of people waiting on driving tests in all driving test centres, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45978/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons waiting on driving tests in all driving test centres, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45989/24]
Public Expenditure 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the non-tax new measure expenditures outlined in the summer economic statement are incorporated at the same level within the projections for revenue and balances contained in the fiscal outlook 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44077/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for the projected non-tax new measures expenditure contained in the fiscal outlook 2025 for the year 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44078/24]
Social 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a domiciliary care allowance review (details supplied); the current processing times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44488/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a disability allowance payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal following a successful appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44946/24]
Justice 2 questions
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice if, given the recent statement by the Garda Commissioner that a public inquiry into the Creeslough tragedy could occur at the same time as the criminal investigation, if she will reconsider her position and support a public inquiry into what happened; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45626/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice the number of Irish speaking Gardaí covering Gaeltacht areas in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45822/24]
Environment 1 question
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are any plans to expand the national broadband plan to the many parts of Donegal that are not featured in the plan currently and are also not currently serviced appropriately by commercial providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44469/24]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if draft net licence holders are eligible under any of the recently announced fisheries grant schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45986/24]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn — Sinn Féin 3 votes · 28 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 28 total

Children 8 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has developed an online reporting system for the 2024 gender pay gap reporting cycle, which will consist of a central portal where all employer reports will be uploaded and can be accessed publicly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44531/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the criteria for the removal of a service user from the CDNT in County Donegal to another team, that is, primary care; and the decision makers involved in this process. [45669/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the numbers of children removed from the CDNT in Donegal east since 1 January 2024; and a breakdown of what services these numbers were transferred to (i.e. primary care or discharged from all HSE teams). [45670/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of vacancies, by grade code, in each of the County Donegal CDNT areas, Donegal east, Donegal south west, Donegal north and Donegal Inishowen. [45672/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm the number of applicants are within the recruitment process at present for the individual Donegal CDNT areas Donegal east, Donegal South west, Donegal north and Donegal Inishowen. [45673/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to what is the turnover rate of staff, by grade code, in each Donegal CDNT area Donegal east, Donegal south west, Donegal north and Donegal Inishowen, in the past 12 months. [45674/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an accurate number of overdue assessment of needs in County Donegal, as of 1 November 2024. [45675/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current breakdown of staff in place, by grade code as of 1 November 2024, in each County Donegal CDNT area, Donegal east, Donegal south west, Donegal north and Donegal Inishowen. [45982/24]
Agriculture 5 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will seek a derogation from the ban on pollack fishing for some limited categories of inshore and island fishers that can demonstrate that they utilise low-impact methods of fishing. [44173/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to specify the funding that is pre-committed under the National Development Plan for fishery harbour centre improvements in each of the years 2025 to 2030, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44239/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to specify the pre-committed funding under the National Development Plan that was expended on fishery harbour centre improvements in each of the years 2021 to 2024 and for future years until 2030, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44240/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding committed to Ireland under the European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund in each of the years 2023 to 2027, with a breakdown of funding committed by EU funds and co-funded by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44241/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding committed to Ireland under the European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund in each of the years 2023 to 2027 that will be dedicated to funding the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44242/24]
Health 3 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if provision has been made within the recent Budget announcement for women who are required to take hormone blocking medication such as zoladex and letrozole as part of their cancer treatment, in the same manner that provision has been made for women to receive free HRT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45128/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person in County Donegal (details supplied) can expect to receive a date for an operation in Galway University Hospital vascular clinic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45499/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of staff in receipt of the advanced paramedic allowance in the National Ambulance Service, by grade code from the National Director down. [45667/24]
Foreign 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on the status of his negotiations with the British Government on an agreement that would resolve the long-standing jurisdictional dispute over Lough Foyle and allow for the licensing and regulation of those operators who have overseen the proliferation of oyster trestles on the western shore of the lough. [44174/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on the status of his negotiations with the British Government on an agreement that would reinstate access for Irish fishermen to their traditional fishing grounds at Rockall. [44175/24]
Transport 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered reviewing the national ports policy to allow for increased State funding flexibility options, especially through European Union funding available measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45235/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport the amount of funding provided to each port in the State since 2014 through the Connecting Europe Facility, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45237/24]
Education 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education if the current arrangement for sraithpictiúir in the Leaving Certificate Irish oral exam, whereby 10 pictures are required to be learned for assessment, will remain in place for academic year 2026 (details supplied), or if it will return to the 20 picture assessment as was the requirement pre 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44218/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 25 September 2024, if the analysis of the survey relating to school caretakers’ work pattern, terms and conditions has been completed and reviewed by her Department; if the Minister or her officials have or intend to engage with the relevant union representing school caretakers on foot of the survey; the indicative timeframe for any such engagement; if a report of the survey responses will be published by the Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44351/24]
Housing 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the enhanced defective block grant scheme to allow homeowners to have their engineer fees reimbursed if that qualified engineer has recommended a remediation option under the previous scheme. [44792/24]
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a family who have been forced out of their primary home due to unsafe conditions brought about by defective concrete blocks can avail of the enhanced defective block grant scheme, having moved to another property. [45249/24]
Social 2 questions
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection when she will introduce the legislation for cohabiting couples to gain access to the widow’s, widower’s and surviving civil partner’s contributory pension following the Supreme Court decision on 22 January 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44020/24]
- 2024-11-07 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 23 October 2024, the number of these illness benefit claims which lasted for one year; the number of these claims which ceased as a result of having up to 259 weeks of social insurance contributions; the number of these illness benefit claims which lasted for the maximum two years; of the 213 disability allowance claims in payment, the number that transferred over from illness benefit after one year, and the number of these claimants that are in receipt of this payment for at least six months, and those of one year or more in payment; of the 213 disability allowance claims in payment, the number that transferred over from illness benefit after two years, and the number of these claimants that are in receipt of this payment for at least six months, and those of one year or more in payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45671/24]
Environment 1 question
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when it is expected that marine area consents will be decided on by Marine Area Regulatory Authority, given that the Oireachtas has now approved the south coast designated maritime area plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45236/24]
Rural 1 question
- 2024-11-05 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there are plans to increase the wage allowance to community organisations participating in the community services programme to reflect the increasing costs for participating organisations. [44177/24]