Barry Heneghan

4. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether, in light of Ireland’s policy of military neutrality and long standing leadership in nuclear disarmament, she has assessed the implications of the expiry of the New START Treaty for European security architecture and strategic stability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17379/26]

5. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether Ireland will use its position within the European Union to advocate for a coordinated EU diplomatic initiative aimed at restoring legally binding and verifiable strategic arms control arrangements between nuclear weapons states following the expiration of the New START Treaty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17380/26]

6. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department has examined the potential impact of the expiry of the New START Treaty on Ireland’s national security interests, including risks associated with the erosion of verification mechanisms and transparency measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17381/26]

7. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether Ireland will propose specific verification, transparency or confidence building measures at the forthcoming Review Conferences of the Treaty on the Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in response to the expiration of the New START Treaty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17382/26]

8. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether the Government intends to increase Ireland’s financial or technical support for international nuclear disarmament verification initiatives or multilateral disarmament bodies in response to the current weakening of bilateral arms control arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17383/26]

277. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that the recent decision not to provide an automatic transition to permanent contracts for newly qualified paramedics will not negatively impact frontline ambulance capacity and response times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17405/26]

278. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current number of approved whole time equivalent paramedic posts within the National Ambulance Service; the number filled; the number vacant; and the projected staffing requirement for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17406/26]

279. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has advised her of any risks to service delivery arising from potential attrition of newly qualified paramedics as a result of uncertainty regarding permanent employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17407/26]

280. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the average ambulance response times in each HSE region in 2024 and to date in 2026; whether workforce shortages have been identified as a contributing factor in any region, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17408/26]

281. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she will direct the HSE and the National Ambulance Service to provide a clear and time bound pathway to permanent employment for paramedic trainees in order to protect frontline capacity and patient safety; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17409/26]

15. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which he chaired on 8 December 2025. [14762/26]

19. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. [16763/26]

32. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on implementation of the well-being framework published by his Department. [16764/26]

136. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to set out all funding provided by his Department or by Sport Ireland to a centre (details supplied) over the past five years; the amount provided each year; the purpose of the funding; any conditions attached, including requirements around community access or participation; whether those conditions have been reviewed for compliance, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17225/26]

170. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the specific steps being taken to improve disability inclusion and accessibility across all sports, including participation pathways, accessible facilities and targeted funding supports; the way in which these measures are being delivered and monitored at local level, including in north Dublin; the way in which delivery is coordinated through Sport Ireland and the relevant National Governing Bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16765/26]

177. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the actions he is taking to expand investment in community sports facilities, grassroots clubs and shared school and community sports infrastructure; the way in which funding under existing capital programmes is being prioritised to address gaps in provision in densely populated urban constituencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16766/26]

225. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether Ireland, in its capacity as a participating State of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, intends to nominate and deploy Irish election observers through the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to monitor the forthcoming snap parliamentary elections in Bulgaria; if so, the number of observers proposed; the basis on which such nominations are determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16627/26]

226. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether Ireland, as a participating State of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, will nominate and deploy Irish election observers through the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to monitor the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Hungary; if so, the number of observers proposed; the criteria applied by her Department when deciding on participation in such missions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16628/26]

472. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children and young people who are blind or visually impaired and who are currently receiving orientation and mobility or rehabilitation services delivered by an organisation (details supplied), and funded by her Department, in counties Cork, Tipperary and Waterford. in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16838/26]

476. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the review into the upper age limit of 70 for drivers operating under the school transport scheme; when that review is expected to conclude; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16862/26]

477. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school transport drivers who have been required to cease driving upon reaching the age of 70 in each of the past three years; the projected number expected to be affected in the next two years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16863/26]

478. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the extent to which the mandatory upper age limit of 70 for school transport drivers is contributing to driver shortages; the assessment her Department has undertaken in this regard; the contingency measures in place to maintain continuity of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16864/26]

479. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether consideration is being given to permitting drivers over the age of 70 to continue operating school transport services subject to annual medical and eyesight certification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16865/26]

480. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role of Bus Éireann in determining the upper age limit for drivers operating under the school transport scheme; whether her Department has directed or requested a review of this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16866/26]

481. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made to date on the Programme for Government commitment to assess the feasibility of removing the exclusion of drivers aged over 70 from participation in the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16867/26]