Charles Ward

989. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the evidence, including reports, submissions, correspondence, or consultation records, on which his Department relies to assert that the defective concrete blocks grant scheme was designed to reflect the preferences of affected homeowners regarding remediation options; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57756/25]

990. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given that the structural risks associated with defective concrete, including pyrrhotite and sulphate attack, are already scientifically established, the reason his Department has not suspended partial remediation and implemented immediate, full, State-managed remediation to protect homeowners from ongoing structural, financial and health harm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57757/25]

991. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the legal and policy basis on which his Department considers it reasonable and proportionate to allow homeowners to remain in dwellings subject to partial remediation, exposed to known structural risk, progressive property deterioration, and significant financial burden, pending a revision of I.S. 465 and the option of a technical review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57758/25]

992. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to protect the physical safety and health of homeowners currently living in unsafe properties subject to partial remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57759/25]

993. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to mitigate the severe mental and psychological harm caused by prolonged uncertainty and limbo caused by waiting for reviews, as documented in research such as "An Earthquake in Slow Motion"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57760/25]

994. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means by which his Department's continuation of partial remediation complies with its statutory, constitutional and public law obligations, including the duty to act reasonably, proportionately and in the public interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57761/25]

995. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to ensure that the voices and experiences of homeowners affected by defective concrete are adequately represented and reflected in the drafting of proposed legislative amendments to the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, including any formal consultation, submissions or engagement processes; the means by which his Department will verify that these perspectives inform the content and implementation of the amendments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57762/25]

996. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the proposed legislative amendments to the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, including whether these amendments will recognise that all homeowners affected by defective concrete are in a vulnerable position, thus include provisions to allow for side-by-side remediation or rebuilding where possible, in order to ensure equitable treatment and protection of homeowners' rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57763/25]

997. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the amendment to the defective concrete blocks grant scheme asserts that homeowners who completed remediation early were not disadvantaged by the transitional provisions of the 2022 Act; given that 43 homeowners completed remediation prior to the proposed cut-off for retrospective increases, to clarify how these homeowners will benefit from the increased grant cap and rates; to provide details of his Department's plan to ensure that no early mover is financially penalised as a result of the scheme's retrospective provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57765/25]

998. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify the position regarding the eligibility of apartments, duplexes and other multi-unit dwellings under the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; the reason, under the previous scheme, the term “dwelling” was defined to include a house, apartment, duplex or maisonette, whereas under the enhanced scheme, the term “dwelling” is now restricted to a house, thereby excluding apartments, maisonettes and duplexes; if he will acknowledge that, in view of this legislative change, it is incorrect to suggest that all affected homes can be remediated, as only certain types of homes are eligible; if he will outline the actions he intends to take to rectify this matter and ensure that residents of apartments and multi-unit developments are not excluded from access to redress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57775/25]

999. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify the scope of powers available to the appeals panel established under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 and related regulations; specifically, if he will confirm whether the appeals panel has the authority to reinstate a homeowner’s original engineer-determined remediation option, as assessed prior to the transfer of technical functions from local authorities to the Housing Agency; to confirm whether the panel’s powers are limited to annulling a decision and directing that a dwelling be reconsidered, rather than substituting or reinstating a previous technical determination; to outline the steps he intends to take to ensure fairness and transparency for homeowners whose original engineer’s findings were downgraded or disregarded in the process of reassessment by the Housing Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57776/25]

1050. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that homeowners that have received emails from the Housing Agency, confirming that third party chartered engineering consultancy services providers have apparently experienced a cyber incident affecting its IT systems (details supplied); if he will urgently seek absolute assurance from the Housing Agency that no data has been lost or compromised that would be subject to examination or investigation by the Independent Appeals Panel or the Office of the Information Commissioner as part of the appeals or complaints processes undertaken by homeowners who have had the recommendations of their State appointed engineers overturned by the Housing Agency [58774/25]

178. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Health if she will sanction the appointment of a WTE consultant paediatric endocrinologist into Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) which has been listed by Government and HSE guidelines as a critical resource needed since 2015, and has been included in LUH estimates for 2025, (but still not sanctioned), to fully support children with type 1 diabetes and their families living in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57491/25]

387. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the emergency funding application submitted by a school (details supplied), regarding structural issues arising from defective concrete; if her Department has completed or commenced an assessment of the extent of the defects; the interim measures being put in place to ensure the safety of pupils and staff; and if she will outline the expected timelines for decision, approval, and commencement of any approved works. [56601/25]

491. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that his relevant Department officials participate in the Multi- Stakeholder Working Group including representative groups (details supplied) established to address the range of problems affecting victims of the defective concrete block crisis, given the need to restore a normal and functioning housing market in the affected counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57230/25]

492. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding for Traveller accommodation applied for by each housing authority per year from 2024 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57232/25]

801. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Health if funding has been allocated in Budget 2026 or through the HSE Capital Plan for the Radharc na Sléibhte supervised residential unit (SRU) in Carndonagh, County Donegal; the status of the capital funding application previously referenced by the HSE to transition the facility into a recovery-focused crisis and step-down unit; if any portion of the €15 million national allocation for crisis supports and suicide prevention, or the 300 additional whole-time equivalent mental health posts announced under Budget 2026, will be assigned to Donegal or the Inishowen area; the plans to retain or enhance the existing SRU service model in Carndonagh to ensure continuity of care for local residents, given the essential mental health role this facility provides in a rural region with limited service access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56840/25]

460. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a child with autism (details supplied) will obtain an urgent NEPS report;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55093/25]

64. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if a new cadetship recruitment campaign for the Naval Service will be launched before the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53682/25]

106. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport the number of WTE qualified structural engineers employed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53621/25]

107. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport the number of clubs within Donegal that have been included in the scope of all-island sports club EV charging project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53622/25]

114. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a 2024 end-of-year report on the Connecting Ireland plan for County Donegal; the funding that was allocated and spent; the services that have been delivered; the funding that was allocated in 2025; the services that will be delivered in 2025 in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53683/25]

115. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport the number of HGVs, coaches and buses that were inspected by the Road Safety Authority in 2024, and for the first seven months of 2025; the number of those vehicles inspected that were found to have major or dangerous defects in 2024, and for the first seven months of 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53684/25]

136. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide the vehicle registration tax enforcement statistics for May, June and July 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53685/25]

158. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment when he last met the CEO of the Corporate Enforcement Authority; when he is next scheduled to meet the CEO of Corporate Enforcement Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53691/25]