Robert O'Donoghue

411. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the interaction between disability-related income supports and eligibility for the local authority home loan, in circumstances where the withdrawal of a disability allowance results in a household being treated as single-income and subsequently excluded from affordable credit schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11230/26]

412. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he considers it equitable that a modest disability allowance may be counted as income for means-testing purposes in some contexts, yet the absence of that payment results in households being excluded from affordability supports such as the local authority home loan; if he will review this apparent inconsistency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11231/26]

413. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the risk assessment underpinning the local authority home loan distinguishes between lack of repayment capacity and changed household circumstances arising from long-term illness or disability; and if not, whether he will commit to refining this distinction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11232/26]

414. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify whether the local authority home loan is intended solely for households unable to access credit at all, or whether it is also designed to support households who can access credit only on unsustainable or significantly less favourable terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11233/26]

415. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted, or plans to conduct, a review of groups disproportionately excluded from the local authority home loan, including households affected by disability or long-term illness; and if so, when this review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11234/26]

416. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he acknowledges that households who were compelled to sell their home following the onset of a spouse's disability or long-term illness may be excluded from the fresh start principle and other housing supports through no fault of their own; whether a review of this cohort will be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11235/26]

483. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dedicated livestock vessel used to transport the 117 pregnant heifers exported from Ireland to Libya on 5 January 2025, including the name of the vessel on which the animals were shipped from Spain; whether this vessel will be authorised for use from Ireland under Irish and EU animal welfare and transport standards; the total duration of the sea journey from Spain to Libya; whether any mortalities occurred during the voyage or whether any of the heifers aborted while in transit; the reason his Department discharged its responsibilities under EC Regulation No. 1/2005, which provides that the competent authority responsible for animal welfare and export health certification to a third country is the member State in which the export health certification is completed and approved, notwithstanding transit through another member State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11243/26]

391. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his Department or the Revenue Commissioners publish figures on actual Exchequer tax revenue generated specifically from carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit; if so, to provide those figures for the past three tax years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9339/26]

397. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will confirm that carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit are treated as taxable income for income tax purposes; to clarify under which tax codes or Revenue rules this treatment is applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9336/26]

398. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of recipients of carer’s allowance which were newly contacted by Revenue during the most recent tax year in respect of tax liabilities arising from carer’s allowance; the total amount of tax assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9338/26]

548. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria, assessment process and decision-making framework used to select the 105 school building projects announced for delivery in 2026 and 2027, including whether demographic need, school capacity and regional balance were considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9246/26]

673. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of public funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the past five years; the way in which this funding is allocated across administration, high-performance programmes, youth development, and athlete support, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9755/26]

674. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which he justifies the practice of charging families for participation in state-supported Olympic development pathways, particularly where athletes have met high-performance selection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9760/26]

675. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps which are being taken to ensure that access to elite development pathways in Irish sport is based on ability and performance rather than a family’s capacity to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9763/26]

693. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will consider introducing national planning guidance or legislative requirements to provide for the installation of swift nesting boxes in new residential and public developments; if his attention has been drawn to initiatives led by Fingal County Council, including the provision of swift boxes in new local authority buildings and the designation of 2026 as the Year of the Swift; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9254/26]

694. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has examined the potential biodiversity benefits of requiring swift nesting boxes in new developments, given their low cost, minimal maintenance and role in protecting a declining species; whether such measures could be incorporated into national biodiversity or climate adaptation policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9256/26]

710. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage and consult with a group (details supplied) regarding S.I. No. 374/2024 - European Union (Invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024 on the designation of Fallow and Sika deer as invasive alien species; if he will confirm he will apply the lawful EU derogation as intended for Ireland; if he will make no further changes to current open seasons (section 29 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 as amended) for wild deer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9751/26]

730. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the inclusion of Dublin Fingal within the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme; the engagement that has taken place between his Department and Fingal County Council in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10375/26]

731. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Dublin Fingal will be included in the Pyrite Remediation Scheme; when a decision is expected; if he will outline the steps being taken to support homeowners in Fingal affected by pyrite in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10376/26]

737. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps his Department has taken in recent years to notify carers of their tax obligations in respect of carer’s allowance, particularly in view of recent changes to automatic data-sharing between his Department and the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9337/26]

738. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the Government’s current policy on the means test for carer’s allowance, including any specific timeline or milestones for its abolition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9340/26]

739. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to publish an interdepartmental or policy review on the future of the carer’s allowance means test; the timeframe for publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9341/26]

740. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify in which Budget or fiscal year the means test will be abolished or substantially reformed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9342/26]

741. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government plans to consult with stakeholders such as an organisation (details supplied) and advocacy group on the means test reform; and if so, the planned schedule for those consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9343/26]

816. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of any policy sanctioned by his or other Departments which allows for the confiscation of donations made to international protection applications; if he is aware of where these donated items are redirected to once confiscated; the body or person which has the authority to implement such a policy and the basis; if such a policy will be provided for in writing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9804/26]