Barry Ward

22. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the Mitchell Scholarship and the funding for it; if he is supportive of the aims and continuation of this fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54868/25]

62. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the extensive waiting lists for mental health supports in third level institutions; the actions he will take to address these delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54867/25]

96. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on the merits of providing multi-annual funding for men’s and women’s sheds to allow them to plan longer term projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54869/25]

135. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the position regarding supports provided at a local level in community centres targeted at addressing social exclusion; if he will consider increasing funding in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54870/25]

264. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to carers who did not benefit from changes to income thresholds in Budget 2026; the actions he will take to support this cohort with the increased costs that they are facing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56296/25]

265. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider including verified disability-related expenses and private care costs as allowable deductions when assessing means for carer’s allowance; given the reality of many families not being able to access public healthcare supports due to significant delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56297/25]

266. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the phasing out of the carers allowance means test, as committed to in the Programme for Government; if there is a timeline for this commitment to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56298/25]

267. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the income thresholds for carers allowance; if will he consider introducing a model similar to the Disability Tax Credit approach, where disability-related costs are acknowledged as reducing disposable income, thereby adjusting eligibility thresholds accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56299/25]

268. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any research or consideration given into the payment of a universal or partially universal carer support payment to replace or supplement the means-tested system, ensuring equity across income brackets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56300/25]

269. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement that he has had with advocacy groups (details supplied) regarding the practical impact of the income disregard limits and proposed reforms, in relation to the income thresholds for carers allowance, the feedback he received, the way in which it is being incorporated into policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56301/25]

59. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport if he will raise at upcoming meetings of the EU Energy Council the issue of EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on US-origin hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO); his assessment of the implications of these measures for our renewable fuel supply, pricing and security of supply; and how this aligns with the Programme for Government commitments to continue with the significant annual increases in the road transport fuels Obligation mandate, and support decarbonisation of road freight and commercial coaches with fuels such as HVO. [55624/25]

60. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to capacity issues on a bus route (details supplied); the actions he will take to work with the NTA to address these concerns and improve this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55712/25]

144. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the new school building project (details supplied); the actions she will take to progress this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55637/25]

145. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to significant details in progressing a new school building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55638/25]

146. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the basis for the stalling of works in relation to a new school building for (details supplied); if she is conscious of the significant financial outlay made by her Department to the appointed design team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55639/25]

147. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the total level of expenditure to date spent by her Department on the new school building (details supplied); if she is conscious of the need to ensure value for money in the progression of this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55640/25]

336. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 440 of 2 October 2025, whether transgender men who have undergone oophorectomies are eligible for the scheme; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55900/25]

337. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 440 of 2 October 2025, the reason for the distinction being made in the implementation of the free HRT scheme between women experiencing menopausal symptoms as a consequence of surgical removal of the ovaries, and women born without ovaries who are experiencing the same symptoms. [55901/25]

105. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement he has had with farming groups in relation to farm succession planning including the transfer of farmland and other assets, particularly in cases whereby the transfer is to a niece or a nephew; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54666/25]

140. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is conscious of the need to support dry stock farmers in the Dublin region; the engagement he has had with farmers in this region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54866/25]

167. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the progress of the accession of Montenegro to the European Union. [55213/25]

270. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to capacity issues on a bus route (details supplied); the actions he will take to work with the NTA to address these concerns and improve this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54926/25]

299. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport his justification for the €1 plus VAT fee applied to a product (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55297/25]

300. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of making the M50 toll barrier free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55298/25]

301. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport his plans to make any further motorways across Ireland barrier free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55299/25]