Departmental Policies

654. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans in place to expand access to specialised provision of speech and language classes, given that evidence suggests that at least 10% of children have speech, language and communication needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10397/26]

655. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether children with verbal dyspraxia/apraxia of speech are eligible for speech and language classes under Circular 0024/2025, including where they have a dual diagnosis of autism; to clarify the way eligibility is determined in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10398/26]

759. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is considering a policy change to bring Ireland in line with the rest of Europe in terms of granting maternity and paternity benefit at 100% or a high percentage of salary for all or a portion of a person's entitlement to the corresponding leave; if there are policy learnings from the recent implementation of J…

762. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for disability allowance remaining a means-tested payment in Ireland, notwithstanding existing income disregards, particularly in light of the system in the United Kingdom where certain disability income supports are not subject to means testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10175/26]

763. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has considered the experience of Irish citizens returning from the United Kingdom who encounter differences in disability income supports and eligibility criteria, including the use of means testing; whether guidance is provided to assist such individuals in understanding the Irish system; and if he will make a sta…

785. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will consider seeking a constitutional change to ensure that counselling notes will be inadmissible in all court cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9281/26]

7. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when he intends to publish the successor to Our Rural Future for the period beyond 2025; and whether that new strategy will include clear, measurable targets for rural services, rural employment, rural housing and ensuring population sustainability. [8692/26]

23. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress of the Town Centre First initiative in Galway east; his plans to support regeneration in towns and villages across County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7450/26]

26. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department’s Our Rural Future Strategy envisions encouraging people to leave Dublin (details supplied). [8410/26]

54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether it is his position that the rural resettlement scheme should be re-established (details supplied). [8409/26]

62. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on whether clear criteria should be put in place for the decision on whether or not there is a referendum on a United Ireland; the timing of such a referendum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8344/26]

383. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether he approved, or intends to approve, any policy direction arising from the current public consultation on the modernisation of withholding taxes (eWHT), including Professional Services Withholding Tax and Relevant Contracts Tax, that would require businesses to provide payment or financial data to the Revenue Commissioners …

384. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether a regulatory impact assessment or cost-benefit analysis has been carried out, or is planned, in respect of proposals contained or implied within the consultation on the modernisation of withholding taxes, particularly regarding the potential requirement for businesses to integrate their financial or accounting systems elec…

385. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether any proposed move toward continuous or real-time reporting or withholding under a modernised withholding tax regime would require primary legislation approved by the Houses of the Oireachtas; whether he will confirm that no expansion of withholding tax mechanisms beyond their current statutory scope will occur without such…

386. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the consideration that has been given to data protection, commercial confidentiality, and system liability issues arising from proposals to increase the frequency and automation of data exchanges between businesses and the Revenue Commissioners under the proposed eWHT framework; whether these considerations have been assessed at p…

640. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the National Planning Statement on Solar Energy; the stage it is currently at; when it is expected to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7359/26]

975. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she has received, reviewed, or been briefed on the report prepared by the expert group established by the HSE to examine the implications of the final of a review (details supplied) for gender-related healthcare services in Ireland; the date on which she first received or was informed of this report; and if she will make a statement on …

976. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the expert group report examining the implications of a review (details supplied) contains any findings or recommendations relating specifically to gender-related healthcare for children and adolescents; whether those findings differ from existing Irish clinical practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7498/26]

977. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts the findings and recommendations of the expert group report examining the implications of a review (details supplied) for gender-related healthcare services; whether she has approved, rejected, or deferred any recommendations arising from that report; and the rationale for her position. [7499/26]

978. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any changes to national policy, clinical governance, or risk-mitigation measures for gender-related healthcare for minors have been approved by her since the completion of the expert group report; and if not, the reasons no such changes have been made. [7500/26]

1210. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the Government is funding interdisciplinary research into the intersection of digital technology, mental health, and societal violence to inform evidence-based policy across the departments of Health, Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and Culture, Communications and Sport; and i…

351. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the policy rationale, projected fiscal impact, and anticipated savings associated with proposals to require international protection applicants who are in employment to make a contribution towards the cost of their accommodation; the estimated annual savings arising from this measure; the safeguards envis…

452. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the internal controls introduced to prevent future financial discrepancies similar to those examined in the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee debate on 22 January 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7269/26]

201. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the work underway to develop and implement the Voice of the Child Report Template and accompanying guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6092/26]

678. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the policy on one off housing will be changed to make it easier for people to build on their own land as per the recent statement by the Taoiseach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6624/26]