Colm Burke

49. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to confirm the level of capital spending on Cork and Dublin in the years 2022 to 2024; the major capital spending plans for Cork going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40138/25]

67. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the timeline for when the public consultation will be established in relation to the Blackpool flood relief scheme given the proposal for this project has been approved by the OPW and before it can be progressed it must also receive approval from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38715/25]

91. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the progress of the €5 million pilot programme of counselling and well-being and mental health supports for the academic years 2024-25; to provide a breakdown of the progress in Cork in particular; if there are plans to expand the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40008/25]

159. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update in relation to the implementation of the terms of the school transport review to reduce distance criteria and expand eligibility, as set out in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40009/25]

37. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to increase licensed taxi drivers and vehicle supply in order to support the urban, rural, and night-time economies by at least 30% by 2027 given the significant shortage of taxis in the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40022/25]

38. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to remove the current legislation that requires newly registered taxi vehicles to be wheelchair accessible vehicles in order to allow part-time drivers to enter the market, taking into account that there is a significant shortage of taxis in the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40023/25]

39. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider increasing the wheelchair accessible vehicles SPSV grant scheme in order to financially support drivers to convert their vehicles into wheelchair accessible taxis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40024/25]

40. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider reforming the SPSV driver entry test in relation to specific geography-based knowledge, in view of the advancement in satellite navigation technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40025/25]

41. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to increase licensed taxi drivers and vehicle supply in order to support the urban, rural, and night-time economies, in particular taking into account recent NTA figures which show a 4% decline in taxi driver numbers in Cork since 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40026/25]

117. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update in relation to the expansion of the school transport scheme service as set out in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40027/25]

118. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the progress made to date in relation to the carrying out of an independent assessment on the feasibility of removing the exclusion of drivers aged over 70 from the school transport scheme, as set out in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40028/25]

90. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Taoiseach if it is intended to establish the taskforce for Cork by the end of September 2025, as set out in the Programme for Government. [39427/25]

607. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection his Department's plans to introduce a new Action Plan promoting social inclusion in rural areas, in view that "The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025" is coming to an end later this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39025/25]

856. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the ground floor and first floor of the new Mallow General Hospital will be fully operational; the plans for the use of these two sections of the hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38702/25]

918. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action her Department and HSE have taken on the proposed introduction of a national programme for the safe disposal of unused medications in the community in line with EU Directive 2001/83/EC; if she will commit to pursuing this matter further with a view to establishing a safe, consistent and accessible return system through community pharmacies nationwide as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39080/25]

919. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the engagement that has taken place between her Department and HSE with the community pharmacies with a view to introducing a national programme for the safe disposal of unused or expired medications by members of the public in line with EU Directive 2001/83/EC; if she is aware of the patient-safety, public-health and environmental risks posed by the lack of a funded national scheme for medicine return and disposal; and if she will commit to pursuing this matter further as a matter of priority with a view to establishing a consistent and accessible return system through community pharmacies nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39081/25]

920. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if there has been any engagement between her Department, HSE and a union (details supplied) on the proposed introduction of a national programme for the safe disposal of unused medications in the community in line with EU Directive 2001/83/EC; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39082/25]

1058. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the action his Department is taking to encourage young people to remain living and working in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39026/25]

77. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on the level of humanitarian support to Gaza in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38282/25]

78. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to report on his recent meeting with his German counterpart, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38281/25]

102. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the plans in place to support older people who experience loneliness and social isolation, particularly those located in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38274/25]

2. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of foreign birth register applications that have been made from persons residing in the USA in the past five years, including this year to 30 June 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38278/25]

107. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020–2025. [38451/25]

152. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm that he has engaged with both Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork with a view to increasing the number of Irish students that will be accommodated in dental training courses, in view of the fact that over 44% of training positions at the moment are provided to non-European students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37374/25]

169. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the action he is taking to ensure there is an increase in qualified people coming into the workforce, in particular those required in essential services such as dentistry, dental hygienists, radiology and radiation therapists, in order to meet the needs of citizens, in view of the fact the population of the country has increased by 43% since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37375/25]