Questions

276. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider creating or extending funding streams through Sport Ireland or other sporting organisations to ensure that amateur athletes in equestrian sport can access grants when competing internationally; if he will introduce specific measures to directly support grassroots equestrian sport; if this will be considered in the…

277. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the role his Department had in the dispersion of NFL starters kits (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50949/25]

278. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to consider introducing a murals scheme for all towns and villages across County Kerry, as such a scheme will enhance the attractiveness of these towns and villages and encourage visitors to stop, shop and stay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51005/25]

279. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when fibre broadband be available to homes in the town of Dromahair, as it currently only has fibre to cabinet, and requires fibre cables to be installed from cabinet to homes. [51089/25]

280. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when additional legislative and regulatory measures will be implemented to prevent online abuse and the online dissemination of misinformation and disinformation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51096/25]

281. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider reviewing the statutory framework for political party funding and governance in light of recent public controversies; the reforms being considered to enhance transparency and compliance; whether new sanctions or monitoring mechanisms are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51021/25]

282. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rules governing political party support for independent candidates in presidential elections; the spending or resource implications that arise when parties formally back independents; and the means by which transparency will be maintained over funding, endorsements, and campaign coordination.; and if he will make a statement on …

283. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage , further to Parliamentary Question No. 276 of 1 October 2024, if he has engaged with the Housing Agency to ensure that it is actually adhering to this guideline (details supplied); if he is aware that 86 affected homeowners in Donegal, who have had their Government-approved engineer’s recommendation for remediation, overr…

284. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Programme for Government commitment to delivering a new above the shop grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50866/25]

285. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Inland Fisheries Ireland has assessed the impact of the August 2025 Blackwater fish kill on invertebrate populations, including caddisflies, and other macroinvertebrates used as water-quality indicators; and to publish results of any kick-sampling surveys conducted. [50874/25]

286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the National Parks and Wildlife Service has undertaken an ecological damage assessment on species of conservation concern within the Blackwater river (Cork/Waterford) SAC (002170), including otter, kingfisher, lamprey, atlantic salmon, and freshwater pearl mussel; and if he will provide the findings [50875/25]

287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legal obligations under Article 6 of the Habitats Directive triggered by the Blackwater incident; and whether a formal appropriate assessment has been initiated in response. [50876/25]

288. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mitigation and recovery measures in place to support the recolonisation of protected species within the SAC; and the timelines and estimated costs. [50877/25]

289. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether funding will be allocated to long-term biodiversity monitoring programmes on the Blackwater, including aquatic plants, insect life, and riparian bird species; and the monitoring design of same. [50878/25]

290. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will consider setting up a funding mechanism within his Department to deal with the challenge of unfinished housing estates, where the existing or exhausted cash or insurance bonds fall well short of the required funds to deal with structural, sewerage and water deficits (details supplied). [50912/25]

291. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rules governing cost rental eligibility for persons who are officially still on the title deeds of their family home, but have a legal separation or divorce agreement giving their former partner exclusive residential access to the family home. [50923/25]

292. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sites on the derelict sites register on 31 December 2024; the amount levied in 2024; the amount collected; the cumulative amount owed; the number of sites for which CPO notices were issued; the number of sites CPO’d; the number of sites for which derelict sites register notices were issued; and the number of sites add…

293. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the function of the Traveller Accommodation Unit (TAU); the means by which funds from the TAU are allocated for housing in traveller communities; whether the funds can be used to staff traveller liaison officers, or other key support workers in Local Authorities; the amount of funding local authorities are allowed to draw…

294. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that planning authorities are required to formally consult the HSE on pertinent planning applications that require an environmental impact assessment to be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50999/25]

295. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when additional funding will be provided in 2025 to Cavan County Council for the housing aid for older people grant, the housing adaptation grant for people with a disability and the mobility aids grant scheme. [51088/25]

296. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he and his Department will sign off on a defective concrete block scheme to remediate council owned homes; and the reason this has taken so long, considering the impact on large numbers of families. [51090/25]

297. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will ask a professional body (details supplied) to provide an updated report on the real building costs for families affected by defective concrete blocks, and to inform the review that he is conducting into the defective concrete blocks grant scheme. [51091/25]

298. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether legislation is needed for the establishment of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) by Dublin City Council to lead the execution of the roadmap for delivery for implementation of the Dublin City Centre Taskforce recommendations; if he can provide an update on any legislation or policy measure that is needed by him in respec…

299. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has concerns about the quality of meals being provided under the hot school meals scheme; if he has concerns about the amount of food provided under the scheme being binned due to these issues; if he has engaged with meal providers regarding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50996/25]

300. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons given to his Department for the refusal of a school (details supplied) to sign up to the hot meals scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51001/25]