930. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will outline the reasons for the change in practice from the former Joint Policing Committees, which operated with full media access as standard, to the new Local Community Safety Partnerships where media attendance has been significantly restricted; if he will clarify whether this shift reflects a policy change by his Departmen…
931. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he recognises that public confidence in policing and community safety structures requires transparency; if he accepts that many of the issues raised at Local Community Safety Partnership meetings, such as crime trends, antisocial behaviour, and resource deployment, are clearly in the public interest; and if he will outline the way …
932. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he acknowledges the vital role played by independent local media in scrutinising policing and community safety matters; if he has evaluated the impact of excluding journalists from Local Community Safety Partnership meetings on public information and oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12670/26]
933. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will direct Local Community Safety Partnership Chairs to hold meetings in public session as the default, in keeping with long established practice under the former Joint Policing Committees; if he will confirm that private sessions should be limited strictly to sensitive matters involving personal data or operational Garda infor…
934. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to clarify the precise guidance conveyed by his Department at the recent briefing for newly elected Chairs of Local Community Safety Partnerships in Dublin; if any recommendation was made to limit or prohibit media attendance; and if he will publish the formal terms of reference and national protocols issued to the Chairs. [12672/26]
935. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he agrees that while there may be occasions where sensitive Garda or personal information requires a private session, imposing a blanket ban on media attendance at Local Community Safety Partnerships is neither necessary nor proportionate; if he will intervene to prevent such a blanket prohibition; and if he will make a statement o…
936. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will outline the measures his Department is taking to safeguard democratic oversight within Local Community Safety Partnerships; if he has assessed the risk that removing media access will erode transparency and weaken public accountability; and if he will commit to reviewing national guidance to restore public confidence in the…
946. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline residency and citizenship pathways for a non-Irish spouse of a returning Irish citizen, and processing timelines. [12786/26]
993. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will direct the HSE to review the referral pathway decision for a child (details supplied) whose case has been refused by the Children's Disability Network Team on three occasions despite a completed assessment of need and general practitioner concerns; if she will ensure that the child's case is reconsidered in light of ongoing …
994. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of cases in which families, including that of a child (details supplied), are repeatedly directed to apply to the CDNT despite previous referral forum decisions ruling them ineligible; the measures which are being taken to ensure families receive accurate and consistent guidance; and if she will make a statement on the m…
995. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which the HSE ensures that children (details supplied) who receive an assessment of need diagnosis subsequently receive timely and appropriate interventions; if she is satisfied that current practice is meeting statutory obligations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12842/26]
1234. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that a five session primary care occupational therapy 'Episode of Care' is an adequate intervention for a child (details supplied) with a confirmed autism diagnosis and ongoing sensory, behavioural, and attention related needs; if she will review the appropriateness of limiting autistic children to short block interventions within primary car…
1235. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the basis on which CAMHS excludes a child (details supplied) whose behavioural and emotional needs fall outside the capacity of Primary Care; the mental health supports that are available for autistic children who do not meet CAMHS criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12839/26]
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 refe…
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…
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 profession…
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]