Departmental Schemes

324. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the climate action summer works scheme will open for applications again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36479/26]

42. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to provide an update on the work his Department is undertaking to develop a new scheme to replace the disabled drivers scheme; if he can provide a timeline of when the new scheme will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35508/26]

185. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when will the sustainable aquaculture scheme be open for applications in 2026; will the eligibility criteria be revised given the unreasonable delays in the aquaculture licensing system which is impacting aquaculture producers awaiting licensing renewals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35722/…

192. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality based on current numbers, the estimated full year cost of increasing the universal hourly subsidy of €2.14 available under the National Childcare Scheme by €0.75; by €1; by €1.50; by €2 hour for a maximum of 45 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35561/26]

249. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will consider expanding the long-term illness scheme to include asthma; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35631/26]

271. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of homes to date that have been retrofitted using funding derived from carbon tax receipts; the total amount of such funding allocated for this purpose; the average grant awarded per dwelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34836/26]

391. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will address the exclusion of feed mill operators and other own account transport operators within the agricultural supply chain from the road transport support scheme; if he will consider extending eligibility to businesses that operate HGV fleets for the delivery of essential agricultural inputs but do not operate "for hire or re…

392. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will undertake an urgent review of the eligibility criteria for the road transport support scheme to ensure that businesses providing essential services to the agricultural sector, such as feed mills, fertiliser suppliers and agricultural merchants, are not unintentionally excluded from fuel support measures; and if he …

393. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider amending the road transport support scheme to include own account operators who incur the same fuel costs as licensed hauliers and who provide essential services to primary producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34912/26]

455. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to consider introducing as a matter of priority an Index Linked Lifetime Tax-Free Threshold available to all Citizens of €600,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34227/26]

1167. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if she will include asthma in the long-term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34887/26]

1249. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to review the SUSI threshold disregard for students working as the recent increase from €8,424 to €8,830 is not adequate. [35186/26]

1251. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for assistance with a DARE scheme application (details supplied). [33986/26]

1263. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the policy rationale for excluding certain QQI validated undergraduate programmes delivered by private higher education institutions from eligibility under the free fees initiative and from SUSI grant support; whether he is aware that the BA (Hons) in Psychology at Carlow College is …

1279. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has considered excluding students' own income from summer employment/weekend work as part of the means test for SUSI grants; if he will examine the cost of removing it to better support families who have to pay fees in full, without support, due to the part-time work of the appli…

1285. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students in receipt of the SUSI grant for 2025/2026 and each level thereof, such as partial fees, full fees, fees plus maintenance and so on; the percentage that this represents of the overall full time undergraduate student population; the additional numbers who benefitte…

3. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans to improve accessibility for artists to apply for the 2026 basic income for the arts, BIA, scheme. [33423/26]

570. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the qualifying criteria for the critical illness protocol; if there is a defined list of medical conditions that qualify under this scheme; if those who contracted long-Covid while working on the frontlines during the pandemic for the HSE are eligible for this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33904/26]

216. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the full cost to the Exchequer of the disabled drivers scheme in 2025, to include all tax exemptions under the scheme and the fuel grant element; whether regular Tax Expenditure Evaluation Reports have been carried out on the scheme as required under his Department's Tax Expenditure Evaluation Guidelines 2014 and 2024; a…

217. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the reason the bike-to-work scheme is not available to those who are retired, on a pension and continue to pay tax; if he plans to change this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32059/26]

243. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if applications for the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme will still be accepted while the new grant-based vehicle adaptation scheme is being developed by the Department of Transport; and if so, whether the eligibility conditions for obtaining a primary medical cert will be broadened given its current strict limit…

292. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment further to the reported expenditure of approximately €30 million under the smart regions enterprise innovation scheme, the status of the remaining €115.3 million in allocated funding; whether the scheme is being continued, restructured, or discontinued; the reasons for the significant delays and administrative c…

293. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether the Community Enterprise Association of Ireland was consulted in the design or implementation of the smart regions enterprise innovation scheme; if so, the nature and timing of this engagement and any input received; if not, the reason for the absence of such consultation; and if he will make a statement…

379. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the next announcement regarding the identification of schools for DEIS status is expected, having regard to the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and Implementation Plan 2026–2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32299/26]

401. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether there are plans to consider additional schools for inclusion in the DEIS programme; the timeframe for any such expansion, especially for schools that were established after the last review point; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32497/26]