Michael Collins

276. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether analysis indicating that domestically produced gas from Barryroe could result in significantly lower production emissions, up to 70% lower than imported gas has been assessed by his Department in the context of Ireland's climate objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29611/26]

277. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has engaged with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the potential role of domestic transition fuels as a temporary support to Ireland's renewable energy rollout, including proposals linking such projects to the delivery of offshore wind and solar capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29612/26]

376. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport the measures currently in place to regulate the brightness, alignment and use of modern LED vehicle headlights (details supplied); his plans to introduce or strengthen legislation, regulations or enforcement standards in this area, including limits on brightness and mandatory alignment requirements, to ensure the safety and comfort of all road users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30376/26]

407. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the rationale for the decision to reduce the VAT rate for hairdressers and barbers from 13.5% to 9% from July 2026, while excluding beauty services from the same measure; whether his Department carried out an assessment of the comparability of operating costs and business models across these closely related sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29704/26]

408. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he acknowledges that maintaining a higher VAT rate for beauty services than for hairdressers and barbers may create an uneven competitive environment within the personal care sector; whether this divergence was considered during the formulation of the VAT measure; and whether he will review the decision with a view to ensuring fair and consistent treatment across comparable small businesses. [29705/26]

409. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the consideration that has been given to the sustained cost pressures facing small, independent beauty businesses, including rising rent, wages, insurance, utilities, training requirements, and professional product costs; whether these factors were taken into account when deciding not to extend the reduced VAT rate to the beauty sector; and if additional supports are being considered. [29706/26]

410. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the estimated impact of excluding beauty services from the proposed VAT reduction on employment and business viability in towns and villages, particularly in rural areas; whether he accepts that small beauty enterprises play an important role in local economies, supply chains and community wellbeing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29707/26]

417. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the rationale for excluding paramedics and emergency medical technicians employed by the National Ambulance Service from eligibility for the flat-rate expense allowance for uniform laundering (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30226/26]

418. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether he will request the Revenue Commissioners to review the current occupational classification applied to paramedics and emergency medical technicians for the purposes of flat-rate expense relief, with a view to extending the uniform laundering allowance to these frontline pre-hospital healthcare professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30227/26]

419. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has considered the impact of rising electricity and living costs on paramedics and EMTs who are required to launder uniforms after individual shifts due to contamination risks; whether he will consider introducing or extending a modest tax relief to alleviate these unavoidable out-of-pocket expenses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30228/26]

420. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he accepts that paramedics and emergency medical technicians carry out clinical duties comparable to those of other healthcare professionals who qualify for a flat-rate uniform laundering allowance; whether he will act to ensure parity of treatment across frontline healthcare roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30229/26]

484. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether his Department has engaged, or intends to engage, with representatives of the beauty sector regarding the exclusion of beauty services from the forthcoming VAT reduction; whether he will support discussions with the Minister for Finance to seek a more equitable policy approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29708/26]

840. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which renewal decisions are made in respect of a non-EEA national (details supplied); whether the receipt of such supports by the Irish-citizen partner will have any bearing on the renewal of the non-EEA national’s de facto partner permission, notwithstanding that the permission holder remains in full-time employment and continues to comply with all conditions attaching to that permission; the consideration given to humanitarian and compassionate circumstances in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30256/26]

884. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has carried out an updated assessment of Ireland's food security in light of ongoing international conflicts, including instability in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the associated disruption to global food, fertiliser and energy markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30237/26]

885. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the extent to which Ireland relies on imported vegetables (details supplied); whether this level of dependence is considered sustainable from a food security and affordability perspective.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30238/26]

886. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the significant decline in domestic potato production from over 20,000 hectares in the 1990s to fewer than 9,000 hectares in recent years represents a strategic vulnerability for the State, given that Ireland is now a net importer of a staple crop historically produced at scale domestically; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30239/26]

887. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targeted grant or emergency support schemes currently available or under consideration to assist Irish vegetable and potato growers with rising input costs, including fertiliser, fuel and energy, particularly in the context of food price inflation which peaked at over 16% in 2022, according to the CSO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30240/26]

888. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine given that the spring growing season is already underway, if he will introduce immediate measures to incentivise expanded domestic planting of staple crops in 2026; his views on whether increased investment in Irish food production should be treated as a strategic national priority to improve resilience, reduce import dependence and support rural employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30241/26]

1206. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the extent to which adequate on-site laundering facilities are available to National Ambulance Service staff; her views on whether limited access to shared facilities in some cases involving a single washing machine for large numbers of staff across day and night shifts results in paramedics being forced to launder uniforms at home at their own expense; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30230/26]

1222. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) waited three hours and ten minutes for an ambulance after it was requested by SouthDoc in Bantry on the night of 14 April 2026; whether this response time complies with HSE and National Ambulance Service targets for potentially life threatening respiratory emergencies; the measures she is taking to ensure that patients in rural areas are not placed at serious risk due to excessive ambulance waiting times.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30372/26]

1223. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason a consultant in Cork University Hospital, a level one tertiary hospital, was unable to make an urgent or emergency referral to the ENT department in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (details supplied); whether it is policy that the South Infirmary does not accept consultant to consultant referrals from other hospitals; the steps being taken to establish a clear and safe emergency referral pathway to designated centres of excellence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30373/26]

1224. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the reasons waiting times to be seen by the ENT department at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital have exceeded 18 months for non urgent patients; the number of patients currently on the ENT waiting list at that hospital; the number that have been waiting longer than 12 and 18 months respectively; and the actions being taken to reduce these waiting times, particularly for young adults whose education and quality of life are being significantly affected by repeated infections and reliance on long term antibiotics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30374/26]

1225. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health her views on whether repeated reliance on antibiotics, prolonged ENT waiting lists and the absence of clear emergency referral pathways represent a failure of joined up care within the public health system; if she will provide a timeline for reform to ensure patient safety is prioritised over administrative barriers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30375/26]

222. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of first consultations and second consultations for abortions that were provided by general practitioners, family planning clinics and women’s health clinics in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28878/26]

51. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the progress to date under national strategic outcome 10 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26707/26]