Robert O'Donoghue

379. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the engagements he and his Department have had with European institutions and other member states regarding the revision of Public Procurement Directives; when these will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17222/26]

380. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for a comprehensive update regarding any and all ongoing reviews, updates or strategies relating to public procurement being worked by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17223/26]

473. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of funding currently allocated to post-primary school for the employment of substitute teachers; the basis on which this allocation is calculated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16847/26]

474. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the grant or allocation provided to schools for each substitute teacher cover has increased in each of the past 20 years; to provide a year-by-year breakdown of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16848/26]

475. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the allocation for substitute teacher cover has remained unchanged over the past two decades despite increases in salary scales and cost-of-living pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16849/26]

491. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total funding allocated for assistive technology in schools for each of the years 2020 to 2025 inclusive; the number of students supported under this funding in each of those years, in tabular form; whether she intends to increase funding in light of the growing number and increasingly complex needs of children requiring assistive technology supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16925/26]

492. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding which is currently allocated to schools for support for children diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia; the criteria for accessing this funding; whether her Department plans to increase this allocation in the next financial year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16962/26]

493. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the financial support or grants available for families of children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia to access therapies, tutoring, or assistive technologies outside of school; the number of families that accessed this funding in the past three years; whether there are plans to expand this support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16963/26]

494. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to ensure equitable access to funding for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia across different regions; whether disparities exist; the steps being taken to address them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16964/26]

495. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the effectiveness of funding for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia is monitored; the outcomes that are tracked; and whether there is evidence that current funding levels meet the needs of children both in and outside of school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16965/26]

496. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether funding is allocated specifically for training teachers and support staff in supporting children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia; the amount of such funding; whether there are plans to expand professional development in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16966/26]

500. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the changes that have occurred in substitute teacher daily rates and salary scales over the past 20 years; if she will provide a breakdown of these changes by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16981/26]

563. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he is aware of any existing difficulties in the rollout of the National Broadband Ireland (NBI) campaign due to overlap between legacy infrastructure problems and commercial provider coverage; if he is aware of any measures or alternatives for residents who have issues with establishing a connection resulting from ‘direct buried ducting’; if he is aware of any reported difficulties in the NBI rollout in north County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17041/26]

572. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for a detailed update on the National Counter Disinformation Strategy and its operation to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17217/26]

683. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the timeline for the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17214/26]

684. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to detail ongoing engagements with European colleagues to tackle cyber-crime and online extremism; the way in which these interactions are to be strengthened in the Third National Cyber Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17215/26]

717. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of family resource centres currently funded nationally; the plans in place to expand the family resource centre programme in 2026; the locations under consideration for inclusion; specifically, whether Balbriggan family resource centre, County Dublin, is being considered for inclusion, given its significant population growth and identified levels of deprivation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16196/26]

754. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether providers delivering the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme only, are liable for commercial rates; to indicate if any assessment has been undertaken regarding the financial sustainability of ECCE-only services in light of commercial rates and other overhead costs; to clarify whether services who are permitted to charge parents for an additional 30 minutes outside of the ECCE session are also liable for commercial rates; if she considers the current funding model adequate to ensure the viability of such services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16914/26]

831. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of any out-of-hours GP care and mental health services in north county Dublin Fingal; her plans to expand the provision of such care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16441/26]

399. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given the recent confirmation that homes in Dublin Fingal west are now to be included in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, the reason repeated representations, clear timelines and confirmed funding arrangements have not been provided to affected homeowners; when precisely applications from Dublin Fingal west will be opened, assessed and approved; the ring-fenced funding that has been allocated to ensure these homeowners are not left competing with other areas for limited resources; the definitive commencement date for the release of grant payments; if he will provide a clear, binding timeline and funding commitment to bring certainty to these homeowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16106/26]

471. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the legal charge (lien) placed on properties in respect of the Early Years Services Building Blocks Extension Grant in 2025; the conditions attached to that charge, including the duration of the charge and the circumstances under which it may be enforced; if a funded early years service ceases operation or disposes of the property during the period of the charge; whether the Department will require repayment of the full amount of the grant or only a proportion relative to the number of years remaining under the charge; the details of any formula or policy used to calculate the amount of any such repayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16108/26]

139. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he is aware of the serious difficulties being experienced by households in accessing adequate broadband services, particularly in circumstances where reliable connectivity is essential for the operation of medical devices within the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15265/26]

140. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will engage directly with service providers, including Eir, regarding internal policies or procedural barriers that may be preventing or delaying connections to homes and estates, including situations where the objection of a single neighbouring property can impede broadband access for multiple households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15266/26]

141. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the oversight or regulatory measures in place to ensure that providers do not unduly restrict access to essential broadband infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15267/26]

142. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider the designation of broadband as an essential service, particularly in light of its critical role in healthcare, remote monitoring, education, and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15268/26]