Colm Burke

1145. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has submitted Ireland's health priorities for inclusion in the eighteen-month Trio Presidency programme being developed with Lithuania and Greece; if so, whether she will outline those priorities; whether the programme will address the regulation of tobacco and novel nicotine products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32832/26]

1146. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether Ireland intends to seek Council conclusions on tobacco control during its Presidency; if so, the proposed scope of such conclusions; whether such conclusions would address the regulatory treatment of novel nicotine products; and whether she has consulted with other Member States on this matter. [32833/26]

1147. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health in light of the European Commission's evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive published on 2 April 2026, which found that smoking prevalence across the EU has fallen from 28% in 2012 to 24% in 2023 but that the interim goal of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to achieve a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025 has not been met; the additional measures she believes are necessary at EU level to accelerate progress. [32834/26]

1173. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the steps planned to protect patients' safety in light of recent figures from the HPRA that show a major spike in the volume of illegally sourced obesity medicines detained last year. [32944/26]

1174. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action she intends to take to protect patients from the health risks of the rapidly increasing availability of counterfeit obesity medicines which are untested, unregulated and unlicensed. [32945/26]

5. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that consideration will be given to an automatic entitlement to the fuel allowance where a member of the household is over 70 years of age; the cost of implementing this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31303/26]

77. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the progress that has been made toward a permanent cost of disability payment; the work that has been undertaken to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31304/26]

109. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the progress to date in relation to the N/M20 Limerick to Cork motorway project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31291/26]

126. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action his Department is taking to reduce Irish driving licence exchange processing times, in view that many applicants are experiencing delays of up to 12 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31292/26]

293. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of an additional accommodation project application by a school (details supplied); when they can proceed to the next phase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31570/26]

144. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the action his Department is taking together with the Department of Social Protection to address the barriers to participation in employment faced by disabled persons, given that Ireland has one of the lowest rates of employment among disabled people in Europe standing at 32.6% in comparison with the EU average of 51.3%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30516/26]

205. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to implement, fund and expand Enterprise Ireland's Action Plan for Women in Business; the progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30517/26]

682. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is engaging with local authorities with a view to giving rates relief to childcare facilities given these facilitates are now being required to pay commercial rates even though they are providing an essential service to the community, and as a result of this additional cost many of them will not be reopening in September 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29731/26]

857. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to invest in high-powered roads policing vehicles and continue to upgrade the Garda fleet to support effective enforcement; the progress that has been made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30650/26]

923. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current status of childcare facilities which are providing childcare under the ECCE scheme, who are now required to pay commercial rates to their relevant local authority; if her Department has had any engagement with local authorities on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29730/26]

16. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made to date in relation to the introduction of e-ticketing as part of the school transport scheme; if there are plans to expand e-ticketing to other schools for the 2026-27 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28771/26]

48. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the school transport pilot scheme; the number of schools included in the scheme for the 2025/2026 academic year; if there are plans to expand the scheme to other schools for the upcoming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28772/26]

240. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the action that will be taken to increase the percentage of places available on the dental training course in UCC given that less than half are currently occupied by Irish students, that there is a need for more dentists to reduce public waiting list in the south-west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21759/26]

267. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the necessary funding will be provided to the dental school in UCC who have submitted proposed to the Department for the expansion of their training programme, which would involve the development of a new hub in which additional students could be trained and practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21758/26]

340. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the total amount collected in VAT from online casinos for each of the years 2020 to 2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29499/26]

341. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the total amount in VAT from all forms of gambling on which VAT is charged for each of the years 2020 to 2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29500/26]

38. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the action being taken by his Department to increase road safety measures (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28891/26]

39. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the details of the progress made to date on the commitment in the Programme for Government to support the implementation of Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, to increase public awareness and crack down on dangerous driving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28892/26]

40. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to use ongoing data analysis and local knowledge to identify accident-prone or ‘black spot’ areas and focus road safety interventions where they are most needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28894/26]

41. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to invest in high-powered roads policing vehicles and continue to upgrade the Garda fleet to support effective enforcement; the progress that has been made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28895/26]