Mattie McGrath

296. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if she is concerned that guidelines for the treatment and management of Covid-19 were not issued to GP's until 27 April 2020, ninety days after the first case of Covid was recorded in Europe on 24 January 2020; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55632/25]

297. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if she is concerned that treatment guidelines for the hospital sector had been issued by NPHET and were in place and fully operational several months prior to the issuing of guidelines for the nursing home sector on 27 April 2020; the reason for the delay in issuing guidelines to the nursing home sector; if she has sought an explanation for the delay in the issuing of guidelines for the sector, bearing in mind that several hundred nursing home residents had died prior to the eventual issuing of guidelines on 27 April 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55633/25]

298. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason the hospital guidelines during Covid in place on or before 23 March 2020 expressly directed the use of hydroxychloroquine as an antiviral treatment; the reason NPHET included it in their treatment guidelines for hospital patients and at the same time requested that it should not be used by GPs in the community or in the nursing homes the very place where it was most badly needed and where it has been safely prescribed by GPs in the community for many decades; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55634/25]

299. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason the IMC president (details supplied) did not inquire into nursing home fatalities, when this matter was brought to her attention in writing, upon the resignation of a council member as far back as April 2020; if she has engaged with the IMC in relation to this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55635/25]

300. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason her Department ignored concerns raised in April 2020, by a member of the IMC in relation to the catastrophic loss of life within the nursing home sector; the reason this matter was not investigated (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55636/25]

318. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport if upgrades to the N24 and Tipperary town bypass have been included in the funding allocation from Budget 2026; if not, the reason the project has been excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55475/25]

319. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport if upgrades to Waterford- Limerick rail line have been included in the funding allocation from Budget 2026; if not, the reason the project has been excluded; when this project will receive a full budget allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55476/25]

369. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the rationale for excluding Clonmel from the recent expansion of the Living City Initiative; the criteria used to select Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Sligo for inclusion; if he will acknowledge the regeneration needs of Clonmel as a town of comparable size and historic character; and if he will commit to reviewing this decision with a view to including Clonmel in the scheme. [55458/25]

436. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth if children with emotional and behavioural challenges will continue to be supported with SNAs; the proposed changes to the SNA supports; where children with additional needs present with emotional and behavioural challenges as opposed to primary care needs; the way in which these children will be supported if they do not have access to an SNA; the way in which school classrooms will function if children with emotional and behavioural challenges do not have access to a SNA to be supported outside of the classroom during periods of overwhelm; if she is aware of the difficulties being faced by school teachers as a result of classroom disruption due to children’s emotional and behavioural challenges going unsupported; if she has consulted with teacher and school principal representative bodies in relation to any proposed changes to the SNA structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54784/25]

219. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed as inspectors at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2025. [54339/25]

220. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed in any capacity at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2025. [54340/25]

221. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, engaged on a panel of consultants at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2025. [54341/25]

222. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of occasions on which the services of a specialist consultant in ecology, ornithology, hydrology, hydrogeology, or environmental science, respectively, were engaged by An Bord Pleanála in 2024. [54342/25]

223. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed as inspectors at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2024. [54343/25]

224. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed in any capacity at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2024. [54344/25]

144. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount of funding developers of wind energy farms have received from the State in the previous ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54064/25]

145. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount of funding developers of solar energy farms have received from the State in the previous ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54066/25]

146. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount of funding developers of large scale renewable energy projects have received from the State in the previous ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54070/25]

147. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the estimated cost to the State to achieve its 2050 climate plan of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54072/25]

148. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the expected cost to the State to achieve its 2030 climate plan of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 51% compared to 2018 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54074/25]

310. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason the recruitment campaign for the consultant ophthalmologist position in south Tipperary is being advertised as a temporary position; the reason this post is not being advertised as a permanent position, making it more attractive; the number who have applied for the post in this new recruitment campaign; the number who applied for the post in the last recruitment campaign; whether it is correct that four people applied for the position; the reason a panel was not formed and the position offered to one of the other applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54016/25]

311. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health where children require appropriate eyecare and cannot be seen by a consultant ophthalmologist in the area, if there are any areas where children receive vouchers towards the cost of their eye care; if she will outline all the schemes available under which families can receive vouchers to assist them with the cost of their eye care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54017/25]

27. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether he will commit to reviewing the Government’s recycling contract (details supplied) that launched in 2024, as there is no accommodation for wheelchair users to access this public service; the reason disability access was not deemed essential as part of this contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53044/25]

172. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the serious concerns raised by parents, educators and school leaders regarding the recently published NCSE guidelines for the SNA review process for 2025-26; if she will consider suspending or reviewing these guidelines pending meaningful consultation with stakeholders; if she will address specific issues (details supplied); if she will provide assurances that SNA supports will not be reduced due to bureaucratic constraints, that appeals processes will be robust and accessible and that criteria for care needs will be co-developed with practitioners and parents to ensure fairness and transparency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53053/25]

339. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the full cost of providing hot school meals at primary and secondary level; if he has carried out a review of the levels of waste involved in this scheme, including food waste and non recyclable waste; if he has examined more cost efficient and environmentally friendly ways of providing hot meals; if a review has been carried out on the quality of the foods being provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53052/25]