Questions

154. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No 263 of 6 November 2025, his views on the concerns raised by Dublin Fire Brigade regarding the creation of two different CAD systems, one for fire and rescue calls, the other for ambulance calls, which poses a serious threat to the resilience currently present and threatens public safety and the h…

155. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to monitor and enforce compliance within the housing assistance payment scheme. [68337/25]

156. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a requirement or quota for wheelchair-accessible one/two-bedroom units in new housing developments. [68338/25]

157. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans there are to reduce the number of quangos and strip out the amassed red tape and bureaucracy that exists, in order to allow the delivery of projects under his Department’s remit in a more timely, efficient and customer-friendly manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68372/25]

158. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that one of the last remaining ‘ghost estates’ (details supplied) is taken in charge for affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68380/25]

159. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 2148 of 4 November 2025 to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in which he confirmed that, although not required by statute, his Department voluntarily publishes its annual consultancy spending online in the interest of transparency and accessibility,…

160. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount the Government has spent on the school meals programme, by year from 2019 to date in 2025; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68199/25]

161. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the main providers of the school meals programme; the way in which providers are contracted; the way in which they apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68200/25]

162. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to local providers in the school meals programme; if the Government advertises in local media for food suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68201/25]

163. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government has done a review with parents in relation to the quality of the meals in the school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68202/25]

164. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the way schools can withdraw from a contract for the school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68203/25]

165. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the assistance available for a person (details supplied) who was refused carer's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68206/25]

166. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to develop a non-means-tested support for audiology equipment such as hearing aids; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68260/25]

167. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if secondary schools that entered the DEIS programme from 2022 onwards are excluded from the school meals scheme; the reason a school (details supplied) has not yet been able to access funding for hot school lunch provision; when this school will be able to access funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68310/25]

168. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 22 October 2025, if he will review again the case of a person (details supplied); the reason the publicly available guidance on Gov.ie and Citizens Information states that the homemaker’s scheme “can help you qualify for the State Pension (Contributory)”, when his official reply to the Parliamentary Questio…

169. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans there are to reduce the number of quangos and strip out the amassed red tape and bureaucracy that exists, in order to allow the delivery of projects under his Department’s remit in a more timely, efficient and customer-friendly manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68375/25]

170. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review and expand the level of support provided under the treatment benefit scheme for individuals requiring audiological supports, including hearing aids, or those living with congenital deafness given that lifetime costs for such supports can exceed €50,000 compared to the current €1,000 provision; and if he will make a statement on the m…

171. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 2148 of 4 November 2025 to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in which he confirmed that, although not required by statute, his Department voluntarily publishes its annual consultancy spending online in the interest of transparency and accessibility, if his Department op…

172. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the implementation of objectives (details supplied) under the Protection Pillar 2 of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV)); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68229/25]

173. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when he intends to bring forward the necessary statutory regulations or amending legislation to implement the recommendations of the “Periodic Payment Orders Indexation Rate – Report of the Inter-Departmental Working Group,” accepted by him in July 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68232/25]

174. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current status of the implementation process for the revised indexation mechanism for periodic payment orders under Part IV of the Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 2017; and to specify the expected commencement date for the new framework. [68233/25]

175. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason for the delay in publishing the draft regulations or legislative amendments required to activate the revised PPO indexation rate as recommended in the 2024 Interdepartmental Working Group report; and if he will provide a timeline for publication. [68234/25]

176. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has engaged with the Department of Finance, the Central Bank of Ireland, or the Courts Service in respect of operational readiness for the implementation of the new PPO indexation rate; and to provide details of those engagements. [68235/25]

177. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has assessed the potential financial impact on plaintiffs with catastrophic injuries, such as those arising in a case (details supplied); and if he will publish that assessment. [68236/25]

178. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will ensure that the necessary legislative or regulatory amendments to make the PPO regime fully operational will be enacted before the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68237/25]