William Aird

1437. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the 2024 and 2025 expenditure for targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, under Vote 30; to detail whether any underspends occurred; the number of eligible applicants who did not draw down funding in that period; the measures being taken to ensure the full utilisation of allocated TAMS funding in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19025/26]

240. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will include the shingrix (shingles) vaccine in the HSE’s covered vaccine schedule, particularly for immunocompromised patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17262/26]

241. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to expand the delivery of hearing and eye care services in community settings; her plans to increase the role of primary and community care providers in improving access to these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17263/26]

242. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the assessment that has been made of the barriers faced by older people and other vulnerable groups in accessing hearing care services, including cost, waiting times and geographic availability; the actions planned to address these barriers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17264/26]

243. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she intends to establish the joint working group proposed at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, comprising CORU, organisations (details supplied), academic institutions, service users to examine improvements to CORU regulatory standards; if community-based therapy providers, including section 39 and section 56 organisations funded by Tusla, the HSE and other agencies, will be formally included; the timeline for the group’s establishment and first meeting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17265/26]

244. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant orthopaedic surgeons based at Portlaoise Regional Hospital as of 26 February 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17266/26]

245. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the staffing budget for Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise in 2024, 2025 and 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17267/26]

246. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the number of agency staff employed by Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise across all departments, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17268/26]

247. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant psychiatrists attached to Laois mental health services as of 26 February 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17269/26]

248. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will include acarizax on the reimbursement list of medicines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17270/26]

555. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken to ensure that capital investment in sports facilities is reaching grassroots and community clubs in a timely manner; the measurable targets in place to address reported funding shortfalls and facility backlogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16887/26]

556. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way his Department balances funding allocations between elite sport and grassroots participation programmes; and the proportion of overall sports funding allocated to each in the most recent financial year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16888/26]

557. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the oversight and compliance mechanisms that are in place to ensure that sporting bodies in receipt of public funding adhere to governance, transparency and safeguarding standards; and if he will provide details of any sanctions applied in cases of non-compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16889/26]

558. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the specific measures being taken to ensure that funding for arts and cultural organisations, particularly in rural and regional areas, is distributed equitably; and if he will provide details of any delays or funding shortfalls reported in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16890/26]

559. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the oversight mechanisms that exist to ensure that public funding for major cultural and heritage projects is spent efficiently and transparently; and if he will provide details of any projects where governance or accountability issues have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16891/26]

33. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to carry out a review of the current Certificate of Professional Competence for HGV drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15256/26]

34. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport the current waiting time for driving tests in County Laois, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15257/26]

35. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken to reduce current waiting times for those waiting for driving tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15258/26]

36. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport the current waiting time for tests in NCT test centres nationwide, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15259/26]

37. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport the way in which his Department is preparing transport networks to maintain safety and reliability during extreme weather events, such as flooding or storms; the early-warning systems which are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15260/26]

38. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport the recent measures introduced to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries; the way in which their effectiveness is being monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15261/26]

246. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the current waiting times for BER assessments associated with SEAI grants for County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14818/26]

247. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to confirm that there are sufficient staff in place to process applications for the new and expanded retrofitting measures; the expected timeframe from application to completion of a project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14819/26]

681. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider implementing a localised weather warning system, given the recent severe weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14816/26]

727. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare payment appeals being processed by his Department for the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15170/26]