Questions

318. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance will he restore the 9% VAT rate for the letting of camping and touring pitches to tourists using their own camping equipment at Fáilte Ireland-registered and approved caravan and camping parks. [68378/26]

319. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance If he will consider increasing the property value for the help to buy scheme from €500,000 in light of the increase in construction costs and so on. [68405/26]

320. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider restoring the 9% VAT rate for the letting of camping and touring pitches at Fáilte Ireland-registered and approved caravan and camping parks as part of Budget 2027; if he has assessed the potential impact such a measure will have on affordability for Irish families, regional tourism, rural employment and Ireland's competitivene…

321. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will act to improve the employment investment incentive scheme as recommended by the report of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum. [68415/26]

322. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the cost of the removal of VAT on counselling and psychotherapy. [68240/26]

323. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he his Department consider a reduction in the VAT rate for the beauty industry in the upcoming budget (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68564/26]

324. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the rationale for the application of VAT, customs-related charges and import administration fees to MedicAlert bracelets imported by individuals; whether exemptions or reliefs apply in respect of such essential medical identification products; whether he has examined the case for a review of their tax and customs treatment where no equivalent p…

325. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he is satisfied that the current legislative and regulatory framework governing mortgage protection insurance adequately protects creditworthy firsttime buyers who are unable to obtain cover due to medical underwriting; the number of cases in which borrowers have been unable to secure mortgage protection despite mortgage approval; and if his …

326. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if prize bonds are subject to the criteria for dormant accounts. [68785/26]

327. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to outline the proposals to establish a double taxation agreement with Barbados. [68733/26]

328. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the total cost to the Exchequer to date in 2026 of the temporary reductions in excise duties on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil; the estimated benefit per litre to consumers arising from those reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68910/26]

329. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the total Exchequer expenditure, by scheme to date in 2026 on fuel-related supports for haulage operators, bus operators, farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers; and the number of beneficiaries under each scheme. [68914/26]

330. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of people who availed of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the Exchequer cost in each year; the number of unsuccessful applications refused; the latest timetable provided to his Department for replacement of the scheme; and whether provision has been made for the transition to the propos…

331. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider increasing the upper purchase price limit of the help to buy scheme for homes in Dublin, where the average price of new builds is higher than the rest of the country; and if this is being considered by his Department. [68854/26]

332. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will designate the TEN-T Priority Improvement Project Donegal as a critical infrastructure project, as requested by Donegal County Council. [68034/26]

333. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if companies (details supplied) are currently on the Office of Government Procurement framework to provide security and or steward personnel to public bodies; and if so, the date on which the companies term on the framework expires, in tabular form. [68059/26]

334. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will review the adequacy of the safeguards under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 against penalisation, and against the disclosure of a discloser's identity without consent, in view of concerns raised publicly in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68089/26]

335. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation further to Parliamentary Question No. 924 of 7 September 2026, seeking to establish the proportion of earned revenue that is reinvested in the Iveagh Gardens, to confirm the amount invested in each of the past five years; the stated purpose of monies returned for the benefit of Iveagh Gardens; t…

336. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide respectively the Departmental gross voted capital allocations for 2026 following the Revised Estimates; the cause of the divergence from the allocations in the revised NDP or in Budget 2026; and if he will provide the proposed 2027 gross voted allocations, in tabular form. [68164/26]

337. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the estimated completion date for the Whitechurch stream flood alleviation scheme; if temporary flood barriers will be erected ahead of the winter months should the permanent barriers not be completed in time; and if local residents will be informed of the comprehensive emergency protocols and ra…

338. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the reason that the January 2024 pay increase paid to medical scientists following restoration of parity with biochemists was not passed on to medical scientists who retired prior to 2024 despite reaching all the parameters set down by DEPR (File Ref: P18-13-2018) entitled "Pay Parity" as Pe…

339. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on the proposed replacement tender for the provision of a service (details supplied) and associated services following the cancellation of the competition by the Office of Government Procurement; whether a revised tender has been published; if so, the date of publication, tender re…

340. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Caiteachais Phoiblí, Bonneagair, Athchóiriúcháin Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Digitiúcháin an bhfuil aon phlean ann chun na fostaithe atá dátheangach (Gaeilge agus Béarla) a úsáid nó a spreagadh go réamhghníomhach chun seirbhísí dátheangacha a chur ar fáil don phobal; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [68503/26]

341. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether he will preserve the option for existing Garda members to retire at age 62 without an additional pension penalty arising from a future increase in retirement age, while allowing those who wish to continue beyond 62 to do so voluntarily, subject to appropriate fitness requirements. …

342. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the up-to-date position regarding the new Garda dog training centre; and the timeline of this project progressing to the next stage. [68646/26]