Questions

701. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in Carlow that have applied for the school meals scheme for the 2025-2026 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4003/26]

702. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in Kilkenny that have applied for the school meals scheme for the 2025-2026 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4004/26]

703. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if travel expenses such as an employee's mileage is taken into account when being assessed for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4043/26]

704. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of vacancies at each grade of higher executive officer and above within his Department as of 12 January 2026, in tabular form. [4182/26]

705. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify whether personal data held by his Department and its customer facing sections is subject to processing by artificial intelligence tools (details supplied). [4302/26]

706. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he and or his officials have conducted a data protection impact assessment with regards to the use of artificial intelligence tools, and, if so, the dates on which this assessment was conducted. [4307/26]

707. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether she will agree to grant a visa to a human rights defender from Saudi Arabia (details supplied) who is at risk of deportation from Bulgaria to Saudi Arabia. [3815/26]

708. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to respond to concerns (details supplied) that citizenship applications are being delayed. [4187/26]

709. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on his Department’s drafting of the regulations for periodic payment orders indexation rates; if this work has been completed, given that it was due to be actioned by the end of 2025; the date at which these regulations will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4295/26]

710. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide an update on the establishment of the dedicated legacy unit within An Garda Síochána, noting media reports (details supplied) that it was expected to be in place by the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3319/26]

711. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if e-scooter and e-bike users are subject to breathalyser tests to detect alcohol and drug impairment in vehicle users at roadside checkpoints or after incidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3358/26]

712. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of illegal gambling operators and websites have been identified, investigated, subject to enforcement action, and shut down by the relevant authorities in each of the years 2021 to date, inclusive. [3404/26]

713. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the resources - including staffing levels, technical capacity, and budgetary allocations currently dedicated to the investigation and enforcement of illegal gambling activity; and whether these resources are considered sufficient given the rapid growth of unlicensed online operators. [3405/26]

714. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the powers the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland has, or will have under the new gambling legislation, to block illegal gambling websites, disrupt payment processing and advertising, cooperate with international regulators, and pursue operators based outside the State but targeting Irish consumers. [3406/26]

715. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if analysis has been undertaken of international experience, including recent developments in the Netherlands, where increased gambling-related taxation reportedly led to significant revenue shortfalls and market displacement to the black market; and the lessons being applied in an Irish context. [3408/26]

716. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the engagement which has taken place with licensed gambling operators, financial institutions, and technology platforms to prevent illegal gambling operators from accessing Irish customers through crypto payments, offshore sportsbooks, and unlicenced online casinos. [3409/26]

717. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the specific measures being taken to protect vulnerable individuals, including those self-excluded from licenced operators, from being targeted by illegal gambling sites that operate outside Irish regulatory and consumer protection frameworks. [3410/26]

718. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he accepts that illegal gambling now poses a dual risk to public health and gambling harm reduction, and Exchequer revenue and consumer protection; and if so, the additional legislative or enforcement actions planned to address this growing threat. [3411/26]

719. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the implementation of 16.7% uplift on personal injury guidelines following the independent report carried out by the Injuries Resolution Board, which was launched by the Minister on 16 October 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3427/26]

720. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when he expects the next class of Garda recruits to be attested; if he expects any further groups to be attested in 2026; the total number of new Gardaí expected to join the Force in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3446/26]

721. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the standard processing timeframe for naturalisation applications has increased in recent months; if he is aware of reports of recent prolonged delays in applications from certain non-EU countries such as India and Pakistan; the reason for these delays; whether an increase in staff or resources is needed to ensure consistency in…

722. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons classified as tradespeople and/or construction workers that have been deported or voluntarily returned to their home countries in each of the years 2020 to 2025, by occupational sector, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3579/26]

723. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prosecutions per annum under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 since its enactment, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3600/26]

724. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to list the roles within public or semi-State organisations under his Department that are excluded from the single public service pension scheme; the number of people employed in those roles, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3622/26]

725. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when a visa application (details supplied) will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3654/26]