Parliamentary questions

Mortgage Lending

Paul Murphy

279. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a bank (details supplied) is discriminating against mortgage applicants who are recipients of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and if he will engage with the bank to ensure that income from the scheme is treated equivalent to other income. [21300/20]

Hare Coursing

Paul Murphy

374. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht her plans for the issuing of hare coursing licences; and her further plans to fully suspend the issuing of same. [22110/20]

Election Monitoring Missions

Paul Murphy

453. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the members from Ireland on the national election observation roster by the county submitted on the application forms as of 30 March 2020; the country submitted on the application forms of each in cases of overseas observers; the due diligence applied prior to appointment of persons to the roster in tabular form; if his attention has been drawn to allegations that some members on the roster were involved in fake election activities while appointed to the roster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21205/20]

School Accommodation

Paul Murphy

496. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure a school (details supplied) has a school building in the area for reopening in September 2020. [21256/20]

School Transport

Paul Murphy

497. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education her views on the decision of Dublin Bus to not renew the contracts for school bus services across Dublin and to cut the school transport services for many schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21257/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

573. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if the necessary support will be provided to allow a school (details supplied) to open safely in view of the issues raised by the board of management. [22033/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Murphy

689. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the precise regulations in relation to the pandemic unemployment payment and jobseeker's payments; and if there are self-isolation or quarantine issues with regard to travel overseas either to green list countries or to non-green list countries (details supplied). [21656/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

1032. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will promptly initiate a public inquiry into nursing homes in view of the evident failings in the system of care for older persons contained in the HIQA report entitled, The Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland, of 21 July 2020 and in particular the findings regarding the way in which Covid-19 got into some homes but not others. [21254/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

1033. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the deaths to date due to Covid-19 in the HSE Crooksling and Tymon North nursing homes; the reason residents were moved from one facility to the other; if he will provide the communications with the families of residents; and if he will report on the relevant staffing issues. [21255/20]

Medical Cards

Paul Murphy

1224. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if melatonin will be added to the list of medicines covered by the medical card. [21645/20]

Medical Cards

Paul Murphy

1287. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health when section 2 of the Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020, which increases the income limit for the over-70s medical card, will be commenced. [21992/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Paul Murphy

1303. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the public health policy in relation to the testing of patients for Covid-19 prior to surgery; and if the same policy applies to public and private hospitals. [22036/20]

Childcare Services

Paul Murphy

997. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will begin to rationalise the system of childcare and distribute the burden of rearing the next generation across all of society rather than all on the immediate parents by establishing a fully funded public system of childcare similar to Sweden (details supplied) in the context of rising childcare costs and potentially fewer childcare places due to Covid-19. [19957/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

1162. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he or his Department have instructed hospital consultants and or general practitioners and or hospital management instructions not to issue certificates permitting certain persons not to wear face masks for medical reasons on foot of reports received that clinical staff at University Hospital Limerick have been told not to issue certificates permitting certain persons not to wear face masks for medical reasons. [19936/20]

Health Services Provision

Paul Murphy

1167. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to plans by the HSE to sell the 52 acres of publicly-owned land at a nursing home (details supplied) in the near future; if his attention has been further drawn to local public opposition to the proposed sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19963/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Murphy

63. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the €350 per week pandemic unemployment payment rate will be maintained rather than reduced. [19015/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Murphy

85. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if jobseeker’s benefits will be raised to the €350 per week pandemic unemployment payment rate rather than reducing the pandemic unemployment payment. [19016/20]

Health Services

Paul Murphy

287. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 years of age that have an acquired brain injury; the person or body that records data on children with the injury; the national strategy for the rehabilitation of children with the injury; and if such a national strategy exists, the steps being taken to implement the strategy for children with same. [19280/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Paul Murphy

289. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the provisions that have been made in the regulations which require persons to wear face masks for those persons that for certifiable medical reasons are unable to wear facemasks. [19339/20]

Direct Provision System

Paul Murphy

812. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will arrange for the transfer of residents of a direct provision centre (details supplied) to different, safe and supportive accommodation in view of letters from residents detailing issues in relation to bullying and inadequate and unsafe food being provided. [18928/20]

Vaccination Programme

Paul Murphy

922. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he has received a full breakdown of the legal costs of fighting court cases in relation to the administration of the Pandemrix vaccine; and his views on whether the State should continue to spend fighting court cases against persons that suffered narcolepsy after receiving the vaccine. [18101/20]

Social and Affordable Housing

Paul Murphy

6. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will use public land for public housing and halt the privatisation of public land banks and public housing. [17643/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

66. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the rent freeze and evictions ban will be extended to 31 January 2021. [17644/20]

Public Sector Pay

Paul Murphy

28. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to adhere to the 2% pay restoration for public sector workers in October 2020 as agreed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020; and his policy approach to public sector pay thereafter. [16866/20]

Election Monitoring Missions

Paul Murphy

342. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the persons on the most recent election observer roster. [16766/20]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

490. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a copy of correspondence delivered to a person (details supplied) in relation to the possible prosecution of another person on grounds of animal cruelty or relating to other matters relevant to such a prosecution mentioned in correspondence between his Department and the person will be provided. [16918/20]

Departmental Correspondence

Paul Murphy

514. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if copies of all correspondence will be provided between his officials and a person (details supplied) relating to the possible prosecution of another person for animal cruelty. [16919/20]

Rights of People with Disabilities

Paul Murphy

562. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will speed up the process of ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Ireland ratified in March 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17299/20]

Disability Services Provision

Paul Murphy

615. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the action the HSE is taking to support a person (details supplied) who is on the autism spectrum and whose condition has deteriorated significantly in the past year. [16537/20]

Apple Escrow Account

Paul Murphy

2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the way in which he plans to respond to the ruling of the General Court of the European Union in regard to a case (details supplied) which was due on 15 July 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16606/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the way in which he plans to ensure that profitable companies do not benefit from significant corporate welfare in the context of supports being made available in the July stimulus. [16314/20]

Commercial Rates

Paul Murphy

15. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if highly profitable companies will be excluded from the suspension of rates. [16310/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

16. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the actions he will take to stop banks charging interest on Covid-19 mortgage breaks. [16311/20]

Tax Code

Paul Murphy

23. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce a tax on net wealth exceeding €1 million in order to fund public investment. [16312/20]

Legal Costs

Paul Murphy

24. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the amount that has been spent on a case (details supplied) to date. [16313/20]

Child Abuse

Paul Murphy

110. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reopen the redress scheme for survivors of sexual abuse in schools and require it to act in accordance with the recommendations from a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16376/20]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Paul Murphy

29. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the carbon emissions reductions he expects will be achieved annually in this term of Government. [16042/20]

Consumer Protection

Paul Murphy

76. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will instruct each airline (details supplied) that operates flights out of Ireland on pain of forfeit of Government financial support to discharge their responsibilities to customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16257/20]

School Transport

Paul Murphy

141. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has approved the cancellation by Dublin Bus of all school transport contracts operated by private bus companies in the Dublin area; his plans for the way in which those private bus operators that depend on school transport contracts will continue in business if the school transport contracts are cancelled; his further plans for the way in which and by which service operator a comprehensive school transport service is to be provided at least to the level previously provided when the schools reopen if the private school transport contracts are cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14954/20]

School Transport

Paul Murphy

265. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a series of matters relating to the non-renewal of school transport contracts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15964/20]

Commemorative Events

Paul Murphy

377. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the National Famine Commemoration will take place on the third Sunday in May 2021 in Buncrana, County Donegal. [16032/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Murphy

693. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will accept self-assessed income for 2019 from self-employed persons, as would be accepted by the Revenue Commissioners for tax purposes, as reference year evidence of income for the purposes of determining the level of continued payment of the pandemic unemployment payment rather than only using 2018 as self-employed reference year income to determine the level of continued payment (details supplied). [15577/20]

Carer's Leave

Paul Murphy

925. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider introducing a statutory instrument to extend carer’s leave and allowance until the end of 2020 for certain cohorts of persons (details supplied). [15144/20]

Immigration Status

Paul Murphy

966. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the delay for a review by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of the EU treaty rights of a person (details supplied) who has applied for citizenship. [16027/20]

Heritage Sites

Paul Murphy

297. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on the proposal by South Dublin County Council to spend an estimated €22 million on the development of a visitors centre and walkways at the Hellfire Club, Rathfarnham (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14226/20]

Passport Applications

Paul Murphy

334. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of an application for Irish passports for the children of an Irish citizen (details supplied); and the way in which the person should now apply for renewal of their Irish passport which expired on 22 May 2020 in the context of their circumstances. [13836/20]

Animal Sales

Paul Murphy

550. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to take action to deal with the widespread non-compliance with the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019, in view of the fact that the majority of advertisements for dogs on a website (details supplied) breach the regulations as highlighted to him in correspondence from a number of animal welfare organisations, Deputies and MEPs. [13779/20]

Bord na gCon

Paul Murphy

552. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an interest free loan reported to be €250,000 from the Irish Greyhound Board to the private operators of Clonmel greyhound stadium has been repaid; and the details of all current IGB loans to tracks and outstanding repayments. [13831/20]

Greyhound Industry

Paul Murphy

553. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will order the immediate closure of Enniscorthy, Youghal, Thurles and Kilkenny greyhound tracks in view of fire safety concerns highlighted in two Indecon reports (details supplied). [13832/20]

Assisted Decision-Making

Paul Murphy

623. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans regarding the prompt roll-out and full funding of the decision support service and further to same, the abolition of the ward of court system in view of commitments made by her predecessor to roll out the new decision support service. [14098/20]