Ken O'Flynn

712. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications received for the 2025 prison officer recruitment campaign; the number of applicants who referenced a podcast episode (details supplied) when applying; and the number of candidates subsequently hired who referenced the podcast as their point of engagement with the Irish Prison Service. [51788/25]

713. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the cost per applicant and cost per recruit arising from the Irish Prison Service’s podcast sponsorship with (details supplied); and the way in which the figures compare with the cost per applicant and recruit generated through other channels such as digital advertising, radio, or print media. [51789/25]

714. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the oversight and editorial approval process used in relation to the content of a sponsored podcast (details supplied); the number of edits requested by the Irish Prison Service; and the official or officials who signed off on the final broadcast version. [51790/25]

715. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a post-campaign evaluation or audit of the Irish Prison Service’s podcast sponsorship was undertaken; if so, to provide the evaluation or audit report; and whether the campaign was assessed as achieving value for money. [51791/25]

716. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the Irish Prison Service intends to undertake further sponsored podcast partnerships or similar promotional arrangements in 2026 and beyond; and if so, the mechanisms which will be put in place to guarantee value for money and accountability in such spending. [51792/25]

736. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement his Department had with Inland Fisheries Ireland regarding fish mortality events in the River Blackwater since 2024; and if continuous water quality monitoring has been considered at licensed discharge points. [51155/25]

737. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has received reports of fish mortality in the River Blackwater in 2025; and if continuous monitoring of licensed discharge points is being considered. [51168/25]

739. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if meat products produced through ritual slaughter methods, including halal, are required under current regulations to be labelled as such; if not, the rationale for this omission; and if he will consider changes to ensure clear consumer information. [51353/25]

740. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific meaning of the codes, such as 363 EC, found on packaged meat sold in Irish retail outlets; the extent to which these codes identify the method of slaughter; and whether the Department intends to make such information more transparent to consumers. [51354/25]

741. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role of his Department in ensuring that consumers are provided with accurate and accessible information on the origin, processing, and slaughter methods of meat sold in Irish shops and supermarkets, including where ritual slaughter has taken place. [51355/25]

838. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of cataract surgeries carried out in Cork hospitals in 2024; the average waiting time for surgery; and the number of patients currently awaiting procedures in 2025. [51154/25]

839. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average waiting times in Cork hospitals for hip replacement surgery, cataract surgery, and MRI scans; and the measures being taken to reduce backlogs. [51165/25]

844. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of service users currently awaiting assessment by the National Gender Service (NGS); the number of service users who have been assessed since the establishment of the NGS and the age of the youngest service user assessed. [51239/25]

845. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of service users who have applied for funding to undergo gender affirming surgery abroad; the total amount the HSE has spent to date on gender affirming surgery carried out abroad; and the age of the youngest service user who was successfully awarded funding for such surgery abroad. [51240/25]

180. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the specific measures agreed under the new UK-Ireland framework on the Troubles legacy; the extent of financial, judicial, and investigative powers being granted to victims’ families; the implications this agreement will have for the State’s legal proceedings at the European Court of Human Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51014/25]

181. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will publish the full text of the new Northern Ireland-UK legacy framework; the timeline for its implementation, including the repeal of the Legacy Act; the legislative or statutory steps required in Ireland; and to identify the resources (funding, staffing, cross-border commitments) that will be committed to ensure victims’ families receive access to inquests and truth-recovery in a timely manner. [51049/25]

182. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which a multi-agency investigation confirmed the extent of the August 2025 fish kill in the Blackwater but failed to establish a source or cause; and if additional investigative steps such as independent hydrological analysis or technical assistance from the European Commission will now be undertaken. [50871/25]

183. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide details of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s quantified estimate of fish mortalities by species and life stage on the Blackwater in August 2025; the river reach affected by kilometre, the ecological risk assessment used; and the planned remediation and stock recovery measures with timelines and funding. [50900/25]

184. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to explain his Department’s final position on the cause of the Blackwater fish kill, given public communications that evolved from possible disease to pollution; and to reconcile this with laboratory results published on 18 and 19 September 2025. [50907/25]

185. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the implications of Ireland’s ratification of the UN High Seas Treaty; whether he intends to designate additional marine protected areas under the Treaty; the funding and enforcement resources that will be allocated; the means by which Ireland will engage with EU partners to ensure compliance and cooperation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51020/25]

233. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance if consideration is being given to the introduction of a draught rebate or excise/VAT relief scheme for rural public houses; the estimated Exchequer cost of such a scheme; the alternative supports being planned to protect rural pubs as social and cultural hubs in communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51017/25]

234. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance his assessment of the degree of exposure of the Irish economy to external trade shocks arising from multinational dependency and international trade tensions; the contingency plans that exist to safeguard employment and Exchequer revenues in such a scenario; whether diversification of inward investment forms part of the Government’s current economic strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51022/25]

237. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has examined the concentration of government contracts being awarded to the same consultancy firms across multiple Departments; and if this concentration poses risks to financial accountability and value for money. [50930/25]

238. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has undertaken an analysis of the risks to public expenditure management posed by the increasing reliance of State agencies on external consultants rather than in-house expertise. [50932/25]

244. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the guidance issued in each year from 2023 to 2025 to commercial and non-commercial semi-State bodies regarding the 'grossing up' of executive benefits, such as health insurance or vehicle provision; the arrangements in place to monitor compliance with public pay policy; the number of reported breaches or derogation requests in that period and the actions taken by his Department in response. [51080/25]