Parliamentary questions

554. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that are currently in place to address delays in the refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship; and to ensure that apprentices can progress through each phase within the expected timeframe. [50533/26]

555. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprentices that are currently awaiting progression to the next phase of the refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship, and the average waiting time involved. [50534/26]

556. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the ongoing delays affecting apprentices in the refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship; the reasons for those delays; the actions being taken to restore normal progression through the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50535/26]

557. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps in place to address delays in the refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship; the additional measures that are planned; and when those measures are expected to reduce waiting times. [50537/26]

558. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprentices in the refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship that are awaiting progression to the next phase; the average waiting time involved; and the number who have been waiting longer than the expected timeframe. [50538/26]

559. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when an apprentice who completed phase two in February 2025 (details supplied) and has remained in phase three for well over a year can expect to be called to the next phase of the refrigeration and air conditioning apprenticeship. [50539/26]

560. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the development of the new college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50596/26]

561. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the intention within his Department to implement the recommendation of the higher education authority advisory working group established under the HEA’s framework for ending sexual violence and harassment in higher education, that the best option for sourcing SVH investigators for the hi…

562. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the institutions served by the annual funding provided by the HSA to support the establishment of 16 dedicated sexual violence and harassment prevention and response manager posts across higher education institutions; whether his Department intends to increase the resources provided for …

563. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether there is a grant available for the purchase of equipment that could be shared between a number of tidy town organisations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50419/26]

564. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the grants available for community centres/halls; the grants that may be availed of later in the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50506/26]

565. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress made in the development of a new programme to tackle urban disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50600/26]

566. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Seán Kyne den Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail, agus Gaeltachta cad é an scéal is déanaí maidir le hobair feabhsúcháin agus sábháilteachta ar Ché an Chóra, Inis Meáin [50733/26]

567. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide a breakdown of the cap ex and op ex funding drawn down for LIS schemes in each of the years 2020 to date, broken down by local authority [50769/26]

1. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any assessment has been made of the risk that the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme could result in reduced participation by solicitors in criminal legal aid work; the implications of any such reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49647/26]

2. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position of his Department on the central recommendation of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use that the offence of personal possession of drugs be repealed; his views on whether the Government’s stated commitment to a health-led approach is inconsistent with the continued criminalisation of people who use…

3. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress that has been made on securing a bilateral agreement with Britain to ensure that those international protection applicants who should be processed in Britain can be returned there in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49648/26]

4. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to confirm if there is currently any policy review under way in his Department regarding the enforcement of speeding laws through the use of static cameras on the national road network; if divergences between the number of fixed charge notices issued for speed detections at individual locations are compared and revie…

5. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the impact the EU Presidency will have on the availability of the Garda fleet to service our communities, particularly DMR west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49649/26]

6. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department will consider introducing a statutory indemnity for gardaí who are acting within reason while pursuing persons driving scramblers and other vehicles recklessly and illegally. [49644/26]

7. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 will be repealed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49377/26]

8. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his views on the fact that there are currently no dedicated addiction nurses working in Irish prisons despite his Department estimating that seven in ten people committed to prison have addiction issues; and when he expects specialist addiction services to commence in prisons. [49882/26]

9. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether a review has been undertaken of the long-term role and cost-effectiveness of modular accommodation centres established for persons under temporary protection, including a development (details supplied); whether alternative future uses for such facilities are being considered in light of changes to accommoda…

10. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the impact of the seizure of scrambler bikes on community safety in Dublin, since April 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49770/26]

11. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the measures being taken to address ongoing delays in the processing of family reunification for critical skills professionals working here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49851/26]