Pádraig Rice

674. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will put in place a permanent scheme of paid leave for eligible public health sector employees suffering from long covid; to replace the existing scheme which is due to expire on 31 December 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50335/25]

675. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the lack of progress in implementing the recommendations of the national radiation therapist review; the status of the implementation group; the number of times the group has met; if an implementation plan will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50341/25]

676. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health her views on the growing spend on contracting out radiation therapy (RT) for public patients to private providers (details supplied); the engagements she has had with the HSE with regard to the outsourcing of RT services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50342/25]

677. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2920 of 29 July 2025, to provide further details regarding the major equipment replacement programme and expansion programme underway at St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network (details supplied); the timeline for completion of the replacement project for linear accelerators in St. Luke's, Rathgar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50343/25]

679. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been brought to a proposal to establish a national radiotherapy equipment replacement programme (details supplied); if she will commit to doing so to address the critically outdated linear accelerators in many of the State’s public cancer treatment facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50354/25]

689. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 494 of 20 March 2025, the number of cases diagnosed in each of the years since 2018, by condition (details supplied); the number treated with Intersex genital mutilation (IGM); in cases in which IGM was deemed necessary, to provide an indication as to the reasoning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50396/25]

690. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if the incidence of intersex genital mutilation is reducing in Ireland; if so, to provide data to support this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50397/25]

691. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the information provided to parents of intersex infants; the involvement, that intersex people have in informing and monitoring this information; if parents with intersex infants are being referred to an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50398/25]

696. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the timeline she is working towards in publishing the draft heads of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2025; if she will commit to publication in advance of the Christmas recess; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50424/25]

697. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the timeline she is working towards in publishing the draft heads of the Health (Single Use Vapes) Bill 2025; if she will commit to publication in advance of the Christmas recess; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50425/25]

698. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide further details with respect to the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill, listed for priority drafting in the Government’s Autumn Legislative Programme; the proposed main provisions of the Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50426/25]

703. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the introduction of the common conditions service in community pharmacies; if it is her intention to have this service operational by year end; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50510/25]

704. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health following publication of the community pharmacy agreement 2025, to provide further details in respect of the consultation fee for the common conditions service; if a set rate has been agreed; if this fee will be covered under the medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50511/25]

705. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that has been made on the issue of pension provision for research staff grades who do not have access to public service pensions in higher education institutions, particularly in relation to the technological university sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50395/25]

385. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reason for the disruption to the authorisation of newly qualified paramedics and advanced paramedics within the National Ambulance Service; to outline the rationale for not conducting any consultation or providing an explanation for the disruption; the persons responsible for issuing the necessary letters of authorisation; the date at which these graduates will be formally authorised to practice (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49575/25]

255. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider amending an element of the Road Traffic Acts (details supplied); if he is aware of claims that the limited three-hour window is causing undue pressure for An Garda Síochána to collect blood samples and could be helping intoxicated drivers evade the collection of a blood sample; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49181/25]

256. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider amending the Road Traffic Acts to allow a designated doctor to take a blood sample (details supplied); if he is aware that this is standard practice in many jurisdictions, such as Australia, where blood samples are taken by medical professionals and placed in a container with a tamper-evident seal that has a unique identifying number marked on it and stored in a one-way box for collection by the police; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49182/25]

339. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Finance if any moneys invested on behalf of the State through ISIF/ the Irish Whiskey Growth Fund has been lost; the reasons for the loss including liquidation, examinership, cessation of trading, bankruptcy or other; to provide the details of the amount of investment lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49186/25]

413. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the status of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48043/25]

483. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure parity of health and safety leave entitlements between special needs assistants, SNAs, and teaching staff; to explain the rationale for the existing 21-day cap on such leave for pregnant SNAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48097/25]

706. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the legislative observations made by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in relation to the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024; if he is aware of the Commission’s recommendation (details supplied); the steps or actions his Department has taken in view of that recommendation; the further steps his Department intends to take; if his Department has issued any written response to the Commission in relation to this recommendation; if his Department intends to issue any public written response to the Commission’s recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48968/25]

707. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the legislative observations made by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in relation to the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024; if he is aware of the Commission’s recommendations (details supplied); the steps or actions including engagement with the Commission his Department has taken in view of those recommendations; the further steps his Department intends to take in this regard; the steps or actions his Department has taken to comply with its obligations under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 regarding the proposals contained in the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024; if the steps or actions have included the preparation of any human rights and equality impact assessments and if any such assessments will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48969/25]

797. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the Programme for Government commitment to “continue to significantly increase the income disregards for carer’s allowance in each budget with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government”; the work carried out to date to progress this commitment; his plans with respect to the upcoming Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49179/25]

798. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection the justification for only allowing persons to qualify for half-rate carer’s allowance in instances where they are in receipt of a contributory State pension (details supplied); his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49180/25]

1155. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will expedite approval and funding of a new drug (details supplied) to treat those living with Barakat Syndrome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47827/25]