Noel McCarthy

59. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has considered the findings of the recent survey (details supplied) which found the associated notional tax loss to the Exchequer stands at approximately €645m per annum; if he accepts that further increases in tobacco excise may risk stagnating revenues by driving more consumers towards illicit and non-Irish duty paid tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40515/26]

271. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a foreign birth registration application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39965/26]

657. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the current situation with regard to pension increases for former An Post personnel; the reason the agreement has not been implemented to date; when he expects the agreed pension increases to be restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40305/26]

67. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her Department’s plans for the opening of new Irish embassies, consulates and Ireland houses over the next two years; if any specific areas that have been identified by her Department as a priority to extend Ireland’s diplomatic reach in the short term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38213/26]

81. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of urgent passport renewal appointments facilitated at the Cork, Dublin and London passport offices in each of the years 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38219/26]

100. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures being taken by his Department to alleviate the burden of community services programme funding recipients being required to provide fully audited accounts on an annual basis. [38218/26]

191. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the work undertaken to date as part of the Developer-Led Wastewater Services Infrastructure Initiative since its implementation in March 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37560/26]

246. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 5 March 2026, to provide an update on the progression of national planning guidelines for solar energy developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37559/26]

544. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 19 of 23 April 2026, to provide an update on her Department’s review of the scope of works and associated costs in providing an entrance and access way to a site (details supplied); the timeline for completion of access works to the site; if access will be made available ahead of the upcoming 2026-2027 school year given the growing local school need for recreational spaces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37726/26]

42. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the work of the Garda Vetting Review Group since its establishment; if the group has proposed any recommendations to date for the improvement of the vetting system nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35590/26]

111. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline Ireland's intended position on any forthcoming EU REACH Committee votes concerning restrictions on the manufacture, sale, importation or use of lead ammunition; if consideration has been given to the potential implications for lawful countryside and conservation activity uses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35571/26]

223. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Health to outline proposals being considered for the future development of buildings and associated sites (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35372/26]

183. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of third-level applications received by the Central Applications Office, and the non-completion rate for the full duration of a course by applicants in each of the years from 2021 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34608/26]

254. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being taken by his Department to encourage the use of plug-in solar nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34075/26]

362. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport the current vehicles that are eligible for the disability toll exemption scheme; if his Department is giving any consideration to adding private vehicles where the passenger has a physical or mental disability to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34479/26]

489. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 269 and 270 of 30 April 2026, to outline separately the current cost of the Midleton Flood Relief Project in addition to the cost of the East Cork Individual Property Protection Scheme; if it is envisaged that the cost of the Midleton Flood Relief Project is likely to increase before works completion and handover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34314/26]

548. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1237 of 14 April 2026, if the provision of additional temporary accommodation can be sanctioned for a school (details supplied) ahead of the next school year in light of a sustained increase in enrolment numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34097/26]

24. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 2 October 2025, to provide an update on the procurement of a cell based public warning system for use during public emergencies, such as in times of flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31762/26]

62. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures being taken by his Department to encourage the establishment of public swimming pools in areas where no such facilities currently exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32980/26]

113. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the Naval Service’s current fleet complement; the number of ships that are fully crewed and are regularly at sea; the number that are currently undergoing maintenance; her plans to add to current fleet numbers or to replace existing vessels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32979/26]

124. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Defence the number of recruitment applications the Defence Forces received, approved and rejected in each respective year from 2021 to 2025 inclusive and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32978/26]

435. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a response to correspondence from a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33056/26]

442. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether schools operating under the block grant scheme are considered to be within the special education teaching (SET) allocation model for the purposes of Circular 0013/2026; if so, the reason such schools have not been allocated SET co-ordination hours in line with other schools within that model; if not, the basis on which they are considered outside the model, given that Circular 0014/2017 explicitly includes schools in the free education scheme and the block grant scheme within the special education allocation framework; whether her Department intends to review such a position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33063/26]

61. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No.150 of 13 November 2025, to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to extend from 6 to 12 weeks the period of a social welfare payment following the death of a dependent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29003/26]

149. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the progress of proposals to upgrade the R624 access road to Cobh and the Great Island in east Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32177/26]