William Aird

735. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to monitor and ensure the nutritional quality of food provided under the Hot School Meals Programme; the way in which compliance checks are carried out on suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10427/26]

781. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the application for citizenship for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9177/26]

973. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 551 of 11 July 2025, when children’s eye clinic services will resume in Portlaoise; if the recruitment process has concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9193/26]

78. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he accepts that the current compensation limits for cattle removed from TB-restricted herds fall significantly below prevailing market prices, thereby imposing substantial financial losses on affected farmers; the specific timeframe within which he plans to introduce revised compensation rates that accurately reflect current market valuations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6625/26]

109. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on supports to be provided to graduate medicine students who receive no SUSI grant, no Government support, and no access to student loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6395/26]

48. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the expected timeline for commencement of construction of the new school building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6671/26]

752. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department plans to increase processing capacity to address the current volume of Join Family visa applications, with a view to reducing the significant waiting times being experienced by applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6217/26]

753. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of fixed-penalty notices issued and the number of non-compliant e-scooters seized in the year 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6218/26]

754. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the plans to progress legislation creating a specific offence for assaults or abuse against retail workers, in light of increasing reports of threats and verbal abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6219/26]

755. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current average processing times for visa, residence and international protection applications; the steps being taken to meet his Department’s digitisation and efficiency goals under the Statement of Strategy 2025–2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6222/26]

756. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress which has been made in implementing the Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Statement of Strategy 2025–2028, specifically regarding recruitment of additional Gardaí and expansion of prison capacity; the way progress will be measured and reported to the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6223/26]

813. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason only 25% of solar PV applications under TAMS 3 were approved in tranche 9, with the same rate proposed for tranche 10, despite strong farmer demand; the way this aligns with climate targets and commitments to support on-farm renewable energy; the way the current scoring system, including the use of derogation as a criterion, is justified when it disproportionately disadvantages dairy farmers with the greatest electricity demand and carbon-reduction potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6611/26]

814. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the €30 million tillage support package announced for tillage farmers in Budget 2026 will be paid; whether payments will issue before planting commences in the coming weeks; the crops which will be eligible for payment under this support; if he acknowledges the urgency of delivering this funding given the severe cashflow difficulties currently facing tillage farms, due to the continued poor economic performance of the tillage sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6612/26]

815. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has evaluated the OIE-approved, Irish-developed enferplex bovine TB antibody test for use in the national TB eradication programme; the reason it is not currently being deployed alongside SICCT and interferon-gamma tests to improve detection of mycobacterium bovis in suspect or hard-to-detect cases; whether trials, evaluations, or timelines are planned for its integration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6613/26]

816. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assessment which has been made of the employment supported by the inshore fishing sector, including onshore jobs in coastal communities; the way in which the Government plans to safeguard this employment in the context of climate change and economic pressures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6614/26]

817. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the Government plans to respond to the proposed 20–24% reduction in Ireland’s CAP Post-2027 allocation; the engagement which is taking place at EU level to protect Ireland’s CAP budget; the reason the proposals do not include ring-fenced funding for young farmers; when the National Strategy for Generational Renewal required under Article 15 will be published; the concrete measures which will be implemented to increase support for farmers under 35 years, reconcile reduced funding with generational renewal objectives, and ensure meaningful growth in young farmer participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6615/26]

818. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the immediate actions his Department is taking to strengthen Ireland’s biosecurity and import-control regime in view of evidence of serious grass-weed contamination including blackgrass, brome and wild oats in imported straw and in cover-crop seed placed on the market; the action being taken to prevent further introduction of herbicide-resistant grass weeds that threaten domestic tillage production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6616/26]

819. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Ireland’s position on the European Commission’s proposals to restructure the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027 into a single National and Regional Partnerships fund; if Ireland will oppose any dilution of ring-fenced supports for young farmers, including the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6617/26]

820. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the 2025 budget for the forgotten farmer scheme has been reduced from €5 million to €2.25 million in the supplementary estimates; whether the unspent money will be reallocated to the suckler or sheep welfare schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6618/26]

821. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the review of the agri-climate rural environment scheme; when this review is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6619/26]

822. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s plans to support and reward farmers who generate renewable energy for their own use or sell surplus energy to the grid, in line with the Programme for Government commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6620/26]

1164. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the specific timelines, accountability measures, and monitoring mechanisms which are in place to ensure the €4.55 billion Tertiary Sector Capital Investment Plan 2026–2030 is delivered on schedule and addresses existing capacity and infrastructure deficits across Ireland’s higher and further education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6240/26]

1165. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which the €65.8million Targeted Enhancement Fund will be allocated to technological universities and specialist colleges, particularly in under-resourced regions, to recruit staff, expand research capacity, and support local economic development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6241/26]

1166. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which investments such as the National Challenge Fund and COALESCE programme will measurably impact pressing societal issue including climate adaptation, flood risk, and social wellbeing beyond academic outputs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6242/26]

1167. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way his Department plans to scale up apprenticeships and further education opportunities to address skills shortages, including outcomes targets for literacy, digital skills, and green skills training over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6243/26]