David Maxwell

214. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of concerns raised by Irish teachers returning from teaching overseas regarding the Teaching Council registration process; the number of applications for registration from teachers qualified and experienced overseas that are currently awaiting determination; the average processing time for such applications over the past three years; whether her Department has engaged with the Teaching Council regarding reported delays, inconsistent registration outcomes and barriers faced by returning Irish teachers; whether consideration is being given to introducing a dedicated registration pathway for Irish teachers returning from recognised education systems abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54071/26]

138. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to clarify the Government’s position on student fees, in light of recent media reports suggesting that fees may not be reduced as previously indicated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37219/26]

391. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider measures to ensure that broadband connectivity can be extended to outbuildings, sheds and outhouses that have no assigned Eircode, in recognition of the increasing reliance of farmers on digital technologies for livestock monitoring, farm management systems and security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47716/26]

153. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered introducing measures to support riding centres in meeting commercial rates liabilities, including the possibility of subsidising such centres or reclassifying them as agricultural rather than commercial; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23516/26]

61. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of proposals to acquire lands adjacent to a school (details supplied); to confirm whether her Department is engaged in discussions regarding the potential purchase of these lands; whether funding has been identified for such an acquisition; whether this would facilitate the provision of additional facilities, including a sports hall given the built at the school will be for the betterment of school students for generations to come. [17299/26]

91. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the proposed amalgamation of schools (details supplied); the current status of discussions with the respective school patrons and Boards of Management; the proposed timeline for any decision on amalgamation; and the steps her Department is taking to support this process. [17298/26]

356. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the additional school accommodation project for a school (details supplied); the timeline for the next stages of delivery; when further correspondence will issue to the school community, in light of the fact that funding has been formally approved by her Department and planning permission has been granted by Monaghan County Council, and given that the project has been ongoing since 2023. [17297/26]

391. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of proposals to acquire lands adjacent to a school (details supplied); if her Department is engaged in discussions regarding the potential purchase of these lands; whether funding has been identified for such an acquisition; and whether this would facilitate the provision of additional facilities, including a sports hall, at the school.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29556/26]

395. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the figures published in Bord Bia’s Export Performance and Prospects Report 2025/2026 (details supplied), the total value and volume of beef, poultry and other meat products exported from Ireland in 2025; of these exports, the value and volume derived from animals reared and slaughtered in Ireland; the value and volume of meat products that were imported into Ireland and subsequently processed, altered, packaged or otherwise value-added before being exported again; the estimated proportion of Ireland’s meat export value that relates to Irish farm-produced livestock versus imported meat products processed in Ireland for export; whether his Department maintains data distinguishing between “reared in Ireland”, “slaughtered in Ireland” and “processed in Ireland” in the export statistics reported by Bord Bia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23478/26]

55. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a proposed date has been set for the next Garda Reserve recruitment campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11574/26]

1874. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the Government's position on proposals to provide legal recognition for a service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19356/26]

188. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline any plans to review or increase the local and regional roads funding allocations for both counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2026; if he will consider providing additional or emergency funding to address urgent repair, restoration, and maintenance needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14948/26]

208. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Transport the reasons counties Cavan and Monaghan have experienced a reduction in local and regional roads funding allocations in 2026 compared to 2025; and if he will acknowledge the significant deterioration of road conditions across both counties following recent prolonged periods of severe and adverse weather. [14947/26]

286. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will consider extending eligibility for the personal alarm scheme, which is currently provided free of charge to persons aged 65 years and over, to include persons under the age of 65 who are in receipt of disability-related social welfare payments, including disability allowance and invalidity pension, and who are medically assessed or otherwise deemed to be at risk of falls or living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15390/26]

287. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht , if he will consider introducing financial supports or waiving the monitoring and associated costs for personal alarm systems for persons under 65 years of age who are in receipt of disability-related social welfare payments, in light of the current costs of approximately €66 per year for landline monitoring and €144 per year for mobile monitoring, which may act as a barrier to access for vulnerable persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15391/26]

449. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will undertake a review of the critical skills occupations list to ensure it accurately reflects current labour market shortages. [14555/26]

450. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will examine the continued inclusion of certain IT-ICT, business support, administrative and sales roles on the critical skills occupations list in view of anecdotal and reported evidence suggesting that many qualified graduates and experienced professionals in Ireland are currently experiencing difficulty securing employment in these fields. [14556/26]

451. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the criteria, labour market data and consultation processes used to determine which occupations remain on or are removed from the critical skills occupations list; and whether any review is planned or underway in 2026. [14557/26]

452. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will consider the inclusion of skilled trades occupations on the critical skills occupations list, including but not limited to plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and bricklayers, given the well-documented shortages in these professions and their importance in supporting housing delivery and infrastructure development. [14558/26]

905. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of group homes and residential disability services operating in the Cavan–Monaghan area, by those catering primarily for people with intellectual disabilities; people with physical and/or sensory disabilities; the number of residents supported in each category; the service providers responsible for these homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9798/26]

906. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a breakdown, by county of HIQA-registered group homes by disability type, including intellectual, physical, sensory, and mixed-disability services, to ensure transparency and support evidence-based disability service planning. [9799/26]

940. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a breakdown of group homes and residential services in the Cavan–Monaghan area by disability type, including those supporting people with intellectual disabilities and those supporting people with physical and/or sensory disabilities; the identified gaps in provision for people with physical and sensory disabilities in this region; and the plans which exist to address any imbalance in residential service provision. [9800/26]

941. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department or the HSE has conducted a needs assessment for residential group home provision for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities in the Cavan–Monaghan area; if not, when such an assessment will be undertaken; and the way in which future capital and service planning will ensure equitable access to residential supports across disability types. [9801/26]

942. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on any further announcements, beyond those already made, regarding the establishment of new family resource centres in counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2026; the status of any applications or site assessments relating to Cavan and Monaghan; whether any funding has been ring-fenced for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9802/26]

12. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the current compensation paid to farmers who have to cull animals under a notifiable disease order, such as TB and bird flu, will be reviewed so that a fair compensation is paid, over and above the market value of the animals, to include a proportion of consequential loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70152/25]