Questions

140. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will engage directly with service providers, including Eir, regarding internal policies or procedural barriers that may be preventing or delaying connections to homes and estates, including situations where the objection of a single neighbouring property can impede broadband access for multiple households; and if he will make…

141. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the oversight or regulatory measures in place to ensure that providers do not unduly restrict access to essential broadband infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15267/26]

142. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider the designation of broadband as an essential service, particularly in light of its critical role in healthcare, remote monitoring, education, and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15268/26]

732. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he is aware of the lack of comprehensive adult safeguarding policies within certain sporting organisations, particularly in relation to bullying, harassment, and stalking of adult members; the way in which compliance with robust adult safeguarding frameworks is linked to eligibility for public funding; and if he will make a stat…

733. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the requirements currently placed on sporting organisations both nationally and at a community level in receipt of public funding to have adult safeguarding policies that explicitly address bullying, harassment, and stalking between adult members; and whether funding will be contingent on the implementation and regular review of su…

734. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if Sport Ireland requires national governing bodies and other funded sports organisations to implement and enforce adult safeguarding frameworks comparable to child safeguarding standards; and if he will commit to linking future funding allocations to compliance with these adult safeguarding obligations; and if he will make a state…

735. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which complaints of bullying, harassment, or stalking involving adult participants in sporting organisations are currently overseen or monitored at both a national level; and community level; whether adherence to clear adult safeguarding procedures is a condition of ongoing public funding and governance compliance; and i…

736. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will review the governance and safeguarding conditions attached to Sport Ireland funding to ensure that adult participants are protected from bullying, harassment, and stalking within sporting organisations; and if he will consider making full compliance with adult safeguarding policies a mandatory requirement for receipt of …

737. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the guidance, supports, or training that are provided by his Department or Sport Ireland to assist sporting organisations in developing robust adult safeguarding and anti-harassment policies; and whether ongoing funding is dependent on participation in these programmes and implementation of policy standards; and if he will make a s…

738. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether he accepts that the absence of clear adult safeguarding policies may discourage participation in sport, particularly among women and vulnerable adults; the steps that will be taken to make adult safeguarding compliance a condition of public funding, governance approval, and accountability; and if he will make a statement on…

673. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of public funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the past five years; the way in which this funding is allocated across administration, high-performance programmes, youth development, and athlete support, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9755/26]

674. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which he justifies the practice of charging families for participation in state-supported Olympic development pathways, particularly where athletes have met high-performance selection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9760/26]

675. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps which are being taken to ensure that access to elite development pathways in Irish sport is based on ability and performance rather than a family’s capacity to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9763/26]

131. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he accepts that safeguarding in sport must extend beyond child protection to include clear and enforceable adult safeguarding standards; the steps taken by his Department and Sport Ireland to ensure consistent adult safeguarding policies across all sports organisations; and if he will introduce a requirement that all sporting bo…

73. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when An Post pensioners, who were awarded a pension increase in September 2025, will receive this long-overdue payment; the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2640/26]

77. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his position on the absence of mandatory adult safeguarding policies within sports and running clubs (details supplied); if he will confirm if all clubs should be required to have such policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2817/26]

484. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the current and planned funding streams to ensure that all sports grounds, clubs, and gyms have access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs); and if he will consider establishing a dedicated national fund to support the purchase, maintenance, and replacement of AEDs in sports facilities; and if he will make a statement on the…

8. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will ensure that his Department works closely with Coimisiún na Meán, An Garda Síochána, and education partners to strengthen prevention and protect victims, in order that our online spaces reflect the values of safety, respect, and democracy we expect offline (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. […

50. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport in light of other countries introducing restrictions on social media for under 16s or requiring parental consent, if his Department is considering similar measures in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64061/25]

571. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken to have darts recognised by the Irish Federation of Sport as a sport in its own right; if consideration will be given to granting official recognition to darts so that local clubs and organisations may become eligible to apply for Sports Partnership and other forms of State funding; and if he will make a state…

572. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on whether organisations in receipt of public funding (details supplied) should continue to receive such funding when they fail to recognise or engage with a trade union representing their employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61248/25]

549. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if participants currently in receipt of the basic income for the arts pilot scheme will be retained under the new successor scheme announced in Budget 2026; If so, the duration they will continue to receive the payment; if there will be a defined cut-off point for current participants; if they will be eligible to reapply under the …

2. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider transferring certain State services, such as voter registration, motor tax payments, or cash collection, to An Post with a view to supporting its long-term viability, preventing further post office closures, reducing pressure on other public services and allowing people with lower levels of digital literacy skills…

9. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures he is adopting to ensure that independent radio and broadcasters have fair access to funding in budget 2026, particularly in underserved or rural areas; the means by which he plans to support current affairs and local news provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52422/25]

50. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will engage with the Minister for Finance in advance of budget 2026 to introduce targeted fiscal measures to improve affordability and participation in sport, including tax relief on sporting membership fees and a reduced VAT rate on sport and exercise classes, in order to encourage greater participation across all age groups …