Barry Heneghan

1642. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to support local authorities in identifying and unlocking vacant or underused space in city centres for residential use, particularly through changes to development plans, fast-track processes, or use of section 28 guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43830/25]

1837. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) whose application for invalidity pension has been repeatedly refused despite medical evidence from their GP advising against their return to work due to ongoing mental health issues; if he will ensure his Department gives due consideration to the medical opinion provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42828/25]

2137. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has engaged with the Law Reform Commission on a matter (details supplied) since it was first taken under review, including the nature of any such engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44198/25]

2264. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to increase investment in childcare infrastructure and expand creche and after-school service capacity in the Raheny, Kilbarrack area, in light of the growing shortage of childcare places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40897/25]

2265. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline the actions being taken to improve pay and conditions for childcare workers and to support working families in the Raheny, Kilbarrack area, struggling to access affordable childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40898/25]

2427. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to recent data from the national federation of voluntary service providers showing that 1,500 people with intellectual disabilities are living with family carers aged 70 or older; if she will outline her Department’s plans to respond to this crisis in care and housing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42672/25]

2428. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm whether the Government remains fully committed to meeting the residential and respite funding needs identified in the disability capacity review to 2032; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42673/25]

2429. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the finding of the disability capacity review to 2032 that approximately 90 new residential places are required annually to meet demographic needs in the disability sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42674/25]

2430. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new residential disability places that have been created since the publication of the disability capacity review to 2032, in tabular form by year;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42675/25]

2431. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of times the Cabinet Committee on Children, Education and Disability has met since the formation of the current Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42676/25]

2432. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in view of the recent announcement by a service provider (details supplied) if she is willing to release emergency funding to address the crisis now facing hundreds of aging parents who care for their adult children with an intellectual disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42677/25]

2494. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider the recommendations put forward by an organisation (details supplied) in its pre-budget submission 2026, including the need to expand access to therapeutic supports for children in care, review the aftercare allowance, improve financial recognition for foster carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43816/25]

2495. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will examine the possibility of extending the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to all children in State care by removing the means testing requirement for foster families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43817/25]

2496. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider supporting the introduction of a 10% candidate quota for people with disabilities on party ballots, in line with the Programme for Government’s commitments to improve equality and political participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43818/25]

2512. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider extending paid maternity leave or increasing parents' leave as an interim measure to support working families with infants under one year-of-age, given the current gap in childcare availability for this age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44191/25]

2513. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to move from an emergency-based approach to a planned, rights-based model of disability support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44192/25]

2514. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of over 14,000 overdue assessments of need for children with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44193/25]

2515. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline any new funding or staffing measures being put in place to clear the assessment of need backlog, particularly in high-pressure areas such as CHO9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44194/25]

2516. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe within which she expects the current backlog in disability assessments and supports for children to be resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44195/25]

2517. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is working with the HSE to develop a long-term plan to ensure timely access to assessments, therapies and supports for children with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44196/25]

2554. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 828 of 25 February 2025, when and by whom the decision was taken to exclude medical scientists who retired before 1 January 2024 from receiving the pay parity increases recommended by the Labour Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40826/25]

2555. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 828 of 25 February 2025, if excluding retired medical scientists from the Labour Court-recommended pay adjustments is consistent with past practice on pension parity for public servants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40827/25]

2556. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 828 of 25 February 2025, if she will review the implementation of the Labour Court’s recommendation on pay parity for medical scientists to ensure that those who retired before 1 January 2024, including those who returned to support the health service during Covid-19 and the cyberattack, are treated fairly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40828/25]

2603. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of instances in which free nicotine pouches have been distributed by retailers and at music festivals throughout Dublin bay north and elsewhere, including to individuals who may be under the age of 18; if she will outline the current enforcement measures in place to regulate this practice; if new legislative or regulatory steps are being considered to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41089/25]

2604. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the growing availability and use of high-THC products, particularly among young people aged 12 to 17; if she will outline the current regulatory mechanisms in place to address the sale and distribution of these substances; if she will provide an update on measures being taken to respond to the health risks associated with high-potency THC products, including the psychological impacts of synthetic or chemically altered variants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41090/25]