Written Answers Nos. 316-333
316. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the arrangements that are in place to ensure that regional ISPCA facilities, such as the Donegal Animal Rehabilitation Centre, are safeguarded under the new National SPCA structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49460/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAnimal welfare is a key priority for me, as Minister, and for the Government. The Animal Welfare Grants Programme provides considerable support for animal welfare charities to assist them in their vital work in rescuing and rehoming animals. In November 2024, funding of almost €6 million was provided to 101 animal welfare charities nationwide including an award of €931,750 to the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) and €32,400 to ISPCA Donegal.
My Department has no involvement in the day-to-day running of these charities. It is therefore at the discretion of the ISPCA to deploy resources where they deem can have the maximum impact with regard to their financial situation.
My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation.
The dedicated e-mail address and helpline in place for reporting suspected cases of animal welfare are:
Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379.
Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie.
317. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the rollout of the badger BCG vaccination programme as part of the national bovine TB eradication strategy; the number of badgers vaccinated in each of the past three years; the number culled over the same period; the geographic areas where vaccination is currently taking place; the expected timeline for vaccination to replace culling as the principal wildlife control measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49461/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraBadger vaccination is now a key part of the Irish TB Eradication Programme. This follows over 15 years of research work using BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis infection in badgers, and scientific trials carried out between 2013 and 2017 that show that vaccination is no less effective than culling.
The large-scale rollout of badger vaccination commenced in late 2019. Every year more and more of the countryside is designated as vaccination zones. This is reflected in the numbers of badgers captured for vaccination in these zones rising from an initial figure of 1,937 badgers in 2019, to 8,123 in 2024. The number of badgers that have been captured in cull and vaccine areas during the year 2022 to 2024 are set out in the table beneath;
|
Year |
Culling Areas |
Vaccine Areas |
Total |
|
2022 |
5,199 |
7,244 |
12,446 |
|
2023 |
5,462 |
9,062 |
14,524 |
|
2024 |
5,629 |
8,123 |
13,752 |
The current bovine TB eradication strategy includes a combination of badger culling and vaccination, the intention is to gradually reduce badger culling per annum in tandem with the badger vaccination, however badger vaccination alone would not be deployed in areas with a high incidence of Bovine TB.
On 9th September I published the “Bovine TB Action Plan, Addressing Bovine TB in Ireland”
There are 5 measures in the Plan which are underpinned by 30 actions:
Support herds free of bTB to remain free
Reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bTB
Detect and eliminate bTB infection as early as possible in herds with a bTB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown
Help farmers improve all areas of on-farm biosecurity
Reduce the impact of known high-risk animals in spreading bTB
One of the key actions in Measure 2: Reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bTB is to include a Test Vaccinate Remove approach to badger vaccination that will ensure that only healthy badgers will be vaccinated thus further improving the effectiveness of my Department's wildlife programme.
318. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on restrictive practice as it relates to children with additional needs that are a flight risk; and whether she will instruct her Department to provide supports to carers of children with additional needs to purchase the necessary equipment to safely travel with their children. [49356/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
319. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for the up-to-date figures of those on the waiting list for an assessment of need across the country, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49357/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
320. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to expedite awarded funding for an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49372/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application was received from the service in question, under the Community Extension strand of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. The service was successful in its progression to the next stage, which involves the completion of a legal framework, which is expected to complete imminently.
321. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide information in relation to the contracts awarded to private companies to conduct assessment of need for children; and to outline the scope, duration, and regional coverage of the contract and the providers in each region. [49387/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
322. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline the professional qualifications and disciplines required under HSE contracts for individuals conducting autism assessments; and if these requirements include the involvement of psychologists, psychiatrists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. [49388/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra323. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if all contracted companies are using professionals who meet the qualification standards set out in HSE contracts for autism assessments; and if she will provide details of the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure compliance with these standards. [49390/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra324. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any concerns or complaints have been raised regarding the qualifications or practices of professionals employed by any private provider contracted to conduct autism assessments; and if so, the nature of these concerns and the actions taken by the HSE. [49391/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra325. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will publish the compliance and monitoring framework used by the HSE to ensure that contracted providers adhere to clinical standards and multidisciplinary assessment protocols in autism diagnostics. [49392/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 322, 323, 324 and 325 together.
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
326. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE psychologists, by grade based at Swords children's disability network team in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [49395/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
327. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason children with additional needs are only sponsored with the national childcare scheme until children turn four years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49406/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) includes a sponsorship arrangement which allows specified public bodies to refer children to the Scheme. The need for a sponsored referral is a determination for the relevant Sponsor Body and one that they make based on the particular needs of the child in line with their defined criteria – as set out in the Childcare Support Act 2018.
Given the specified age range, it is taken that the Deputy is referring to Sponsorship available through the Health Service Executive (HSE). To clarify, children eligible for financial support through the HSE Sponsorship referral route include those:
Who are aged under 4 years of age who are not enrolled in a pre-school programme funded by the Minister or the Minister for Education and who would otherwise not attend a childcare service, and;
Who are deemed to be in need of early intervention and require additional supports under the domains of child developmental needs, parental capacity and environmental factors following completion of a Child and Family Health Needs Assessment by a Public Health Nurse, and;
Where there is an identified need for childcare as an additional support to the home environment to meet child developmental needs.
The HSE criteria enable qualifying children to access early learning and care prior to their eligibility for the ECCE Programme, or equivalent.
328. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Ireland will support and advocate for drafting of the proposed new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (details supplied); if he will express support for the new optional protocol before the United Nations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49551/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has established an open-ended intergovernmental working group with a mandate to explore the possibility of a new fourth optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. I welcome the discussions which took place at the first meeting of this working group in early September 2025, which was attended by Ireland’s Permanent Representation in Geneva.
The working group meeting provided a valuable opportunity to consider the possibility of a fourth Optional Protocol, alongside other approaches which could strengthen the provision of and access to education, including pre-primary education in early childhood.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a core international human rights Treaty which Ireland unconditionally supports, both in our international engagement and domestic implementation.
The Convention’s obligations on States have enabled significant progress on child rights worldwide, including the right to education. In addition to exploring the possibility of a fourth Optional Protocol, it is important that the working group also examines how best we can continue to ensure the implementation of existing obligations to which UN Member States are committed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
At a national level, supporting young children’s learning, development and well-being through the ongoing enhancement of early learning and care initiatives such as the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) and the Equal Start programme remain core to First 5, the ambitious Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families.
329. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a date for surgery in the department of vascular surgery WUH has been arranged for a person (details supplied); and if the matter will be expedited. [49324/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
330. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health to examine the case of a person (details supplied) referred by their GP to the University Hospital Limerick ENT section but has yet to receive an appointment date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49339/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
331. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if all frontline health staff, carrying out the same work as their colleagues, are in receipt of the same pay and conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49342/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE have been asked to reply to the Deputy directly
332. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will provide, for each of the past three years, the number of hospital outpatient and day-case attendances where alopecia areata (ICD-10 L63) was recorded as a primary or secondary diagnosis, by hospital group and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49344/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
333. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant dermatologists and dermatology clinical nurse specialists, by hospital and hospital group; the number that list hair and scalp disorders as a special interest; whether the HSE has a published clinical pathway for alopecia areata, including step therapy and access to advanced therapies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49345/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE have been asked to reply to the Deputy directly.
