823. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of honey bee consignments entering the State that are physically inspected at the point of entry for the presence of Tropilaelaps mites, small hive beetle and other notifiable pests, including inspection of attendant workers, brood and packaging; whether his Department has put in place mandatory physical checks at Ir…
824. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has assessed the risk to the Irish honey bee populations from Tropilaelaps mercedesae, a parasitic mite now confirmed in parts of Eastern Europe including European Russia, Georgia and Ukraine, and described by international experts as, in every way conceivable, a worse pest than Varroa; whether he will consider im…
1080. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she has reviewed the findings of the National Women's Council research report Beyond Availability: Women's Experiences of the Free Contraception Scheme, launched at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in April 2026, which found that nearly one in three women may experience barriers to accessing the scheme; the specific measures being develope…
1081. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure that information about the free contraception scheme is made available in accessible formats for disabled women and in multilingual formats for migrant communities, particularly in Cork city and county which has a significant and growing migrant population; if her Department has engaged with community pharmacy networks in Co…
1082. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current status of negotiations between her Department and manufacturers of the shingles vaccine, which she confirmed in February 2026 had been requested to enter into cost negotiations with the HSE; the timeline for when a proposal on a publicly funded shingles vaccination programme may be submitted to her Department for consideration given that the es…
1200. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that there are currently only 63 dedicated mental health beds for older people in Ireland, and that 454 beds will be required to meet recommended levels by 2030; the specific plan in place to increase acute mental health bed capacity for older adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37619/26]
1201. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current implementation status of the 2019 Model of Care for Specialist Mental Health Services for Older People; the specific actions taken to date toward full implementation; to provide a definitive timeline for its completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37620/26]
1202. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that as of 2020 only 66% of recommended older adult mental health teams existed and were staffed at just 54% capacity; the current figures for team numbers and staffing levels; the recruitment targets that have been set; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37621/26]
1203. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that almost one fifth of medical cardholders on the public counselling waiting list waited six months or more in 2024; the measures being taken to reduce these waiting times for older people specifically; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37622/26]
1209. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that 4,761 people were waiting for home support services in February 2025, primarily due to carer shortages; the current waiting list figure; the concrete measures being taken to address workforce shortages in home care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37650/26]
1210. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when the Government will complete the development and implementation of a full statutory home support scheme; the current timeline for the system design, funding model and regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37651/26]
1211. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that delayed discharges caused over 145,000 lost bed days in 2025; the specific measures that are being put in place to reduce this figure; whether targets have been set for reduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37652/26]
1212. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the reason no definitive completion timeline for Sláintecare has been provided, despite the framework being proposed for implementation in 2021; the milestones that have been met to date; when a clear delivery schedule will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37653/26]
1213. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that malnutrition risk among older adults has increased by 59% since 2012, with ALONE recording a 34% rise in nutrition-related concerns in 2024; whether the Government will commit to the recommended €10 million investment in services (details supplied) and a national nutritional awareness campaign; and if she will make a statement on the m…
1214. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health given that loneliness is strongly associated with mental health difficulties and suicide risk among older people, when the Government will develop, fund and implement a national loneliness strategy; the Department that will hold responsibility for its delivery; the evaluation mechanisms that will be put in place to ensure accountability; and if she will ma…
1325. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the capital funding that has been allocated to support the development of pharmacy laboratory and clinical simulation facilities at South East Technological University following the establishment of its new department of pharmacy; whether similar investment is being considered to support pharmacy educ…
1326. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures in place to ensure that pharmacy graduates from newly established programmes, including that at South East Technological University, can access sufficient supervised practice placements in hospital and community pharmacy settings across the south and south-east of Ireland; if his Departme…
1327. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide details on the number of pharmacy students currently enrolled across all Higher Education Institutions offering accredited pharmacy programmes in Ireland, broken down by institution; the projected number of pharmacy graduates expected to enter the workforce annually over the next fi…
1328. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the research funding streams available to support the pharmacy research ambitions set out in the inaugural strategic plan of the department of pharmacy at South East Technological University, including its stated goal of driving impactful research for regional, national and global healthcare; if Cork-…
19. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the resources that have been allocated to the Cork Garda divisional drug unit, given the increase in drug-related crime and gang activity in Cork city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34352/26]
37. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration given the current overcrowding, if he will expand on the proposals for the use of the old prison site at Rathmore Road, Cork city; if he will engage with the Prison Service to ensure that any retrofit would include a provision for community facilities and use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34353/26]
108. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the interagency arrangements in place between his Department, An Garda Síochána and local authorities to respond to serious animal welfare complaints; his views on whether current levels of enforcement are sufficient to tackle the problem of animal cruelty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34336/26]
129. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of animal welfare prosecutions taken by his Department in the past four years; the nature of each prosecution per category including fines and imprisonment and so on; whether he is satisfied that penalties under current legislation provide a sufficient deterrent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34335/26]
98. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the details of the legacy programme being developed in relation to EURO 2028; the specific long-term benefits envisaged for football and local communities; the projects, initiatives and funding streams currently under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35728/26]
162. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied that there are sufficient higher education places in STEM disciplines in Cork to meet projected regional demand over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34332/26]