Paul Lawless

1236. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health when the single point of access system for children's services will be fully operational; the way it will prevent families such as that of a child (details supplied) from being passed between primary care, disability services, and CAMHS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12841/26]

1243. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive continues to refuse legally compliant written references that confirm only dates of employment and job titles, the full extent of what many private employers are permitted to provide under their own governance and liability policies, and instead applies pressure on private companies to issue verbal or expanded written references that contravene those employers’ established reference policies; and if the Minister will outline the justification for this practice and the steps being taken to rectify the delays in this position starting. [12890/26]

1244. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the average recruitment timeline for Health Service Executive nursing positions in County Mayo, from the point at which a vacancy is approved and advertised; to the issuing of a job offer; to the commencement date of the successful candidate; if the Minister will comment on the causes of delays occurring particularly between offer and start date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12891/26]

1245. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the specific background checks, verification processes, and credential assessments carried out by the Health Service Executive and relevant regulatory bodies on foreign-trained nurses and doctors seeking employment within the HSE; the way in which their qualifications and clinical training are benchmarked against those required of Irish-trained health professionals and by which council; the robustness and consistency of these equivalency assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12892/26]

101. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the projected timeline for the roll-out of the 1,717 additional SNAs and 860 additional SETs announced as part of budget 2026; the regional allocation model; and the measures in place to ensure timely recruitment. [11013/26]

146. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department intends to address recent findings that education policy-making in Ireland remains cautious and fragmented, and is not keeping pace with rapid technological changes including artificial intelligence; and the reforms planned to ensure schools can respond effectively to emerging challenges. [11014/26]

157. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific actions her Department is taking to address overcrowded classrooms, particularly where it is impacting the effective delivery of the updated social, personal and health education curriculum, including drug education modules at secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11012/26]

172. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which participation in the National Conversation on Education is being promoted among students, parents, teachers, and youth organisations; and how the responses gathered will be incorporated into the upcoming Convention on Education and long-term strategy development. [11015/26]

196. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the development and planned rollout of the new DEIS Plus scheme, commencing in September 2026; the way in which schools will be identified; the supports that will be provided; and the way in which the scheme will target students with the highest risk of educational disadvantage. [11016/26]

435. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the role of Bord Bia in the hot school meals programme; if suppliers are required, encouraged or incentivised to use Bord Bia quality assured ingredients; if any data is collected on the proportion of Bord Bia certified products used in school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11195/26]

443. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the hot school meals programme will guarantee that food supplied to participating schools is of Irish origin; if not, the European Union procurement restrictions that prevent the State from mandating Irish only produce in school meal contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11192/26]

444. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the oversight mechanisms in place to monitor compliance by food suppliers under the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11193/26]

445. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if beef used in the hot school meals programme is required to be Irish beef. [11196/26]

446. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if beef imported for the hot school meal programme is subject to EU and Bord Bia standards. [11197/26]

447. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the mandatory labelling requirements for beef used in school meals where the beef is not of Irish origin, including obligations regarding country of slaughter, country of fattening, and full traceability information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11198/26]

535. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to amend S.I. No. 307/2006 to extend mandatory country-of-origin labelling to poultry, pork and lamb in the hospitality and catering sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11118/26]

536. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health to detail the steps her Department is taking to ensure that processed meat products, such as chicken Kievs or pre-prepared meals, cannot use 'Product of Ireland' branding if the primary meat ingredient was hatched, reared or slaughtered in a non-EU country; and if he will address the impact of 'substantial transformation' rules on consumer clarity. [11119/26]

546. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the statutory role of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in supervising, auditing, or enforcing food safety, hygiene, and traceability among suppliers participating in the hot school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11194/26]

605. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment to see the paediatric spinal neurosurgery service at Beaumont Hospital; if she is aware of the delay in scheduling a consultation despite clinical findings indicating a suspected tethered spinal cord and progressive neurological deterioration; and if she will ensure that this case is prioritised given the time-sensitive nature of the condition. [11478/26]

34. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the difficulties faced by 18–20-year-old licence holders, including fully qualified rigid truck drivers and apprentices, in obtaining insurance cover for commercial or recovery vehicles despite holding all required driving qualifications and certificates; if he will engage with the insurance industry to remove age-based barriers that prevent young people from entering trades and transport-related apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10865/26]

79. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will address the ongoing discrimination young drivers face in accessing private motor insurance and commercial motor insurance, particularly those under 21 years-of-age who hold all necessary licences and qualifications; the steps his Department is taking to ensure that qualified young people can obtain affordable insurance in their own name, including for commercial vehicles such as recovery trucks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10864/26]

198. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) rent limits have not been increased since July 2016, despite significant rises in market rents during that period; the rationale for maintaining these limits at 2016 levels; his views on an organisation’s (details supplied) confirmation that the HAP limits were last reviewed in July 2016 and remain insufficient for many low-income households to secure accommodation; and if he will outline when the next review will take place and whether an increase to the base HAP limits will be implemented. [10551/26]

199. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the rental accommodation scheme (RAS) has no national rent thresholds despite its central role in housing long-term rent supplement recipients; the absence of updated, standardised rent caps within RAS schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10552/26]

8. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that oversees agriculture will next meet. [5989/26]

40. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [10089/26]