Written Answers Nos. 156 - 164
156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and/or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26540/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is part of a family unit who have all consented to deportation. The precise arrangements are being made for the various family members, including the person concerned, and these are expected to be finalised in the near future.
I am also advised that an adult member of that family unit has recently been before the Irish courts, having been charged with offences pursuant to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The person concern was convicted on all charges and has received a suspended sentence and a financial penalty.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
157. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if stamp 4 will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26541/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the applicant was granted Long-Term Residency permission on 9 September 2010. I understand that the applicant's permission remains valid and has not to date been withdrawn.
I am further advised that information made available to INIS indicates that since the granting of his Long-Term Residency in September 2010, the applicant was not resident in the State for a period in excess of three years and accordingly INIS will shortly be writing to the applicant in this regard.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process.The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality notwithstanding replies to previous parliamentary questions in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11, who previously had permission to remain here on foot of marriage to an EU national, who has since departed, whose four children were born here and who has established contacts and commitments in this jurisdiction, if the person's case might be considered on these grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26545/14]
View answerThe person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State for a period of five years on 12th January, 2010 on the basis of being the spouse of an EU citizen, who was residing in the State and was exercising their EU Treaty Rights.
The grounds under which the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State no longer apply, as the EU spouse is no longer residing in this State. As a result, the permission to remain which was granted under the provisions of Directive 2004/38/EC and European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008 has been revoked. The person concerned was notified of this decision by letter dated 6th October, 2011.
In March, 2014, the person concerned sought a right of residency in the State, accompanied by a right to work, based on their parentage of an Irish born minor citizen child, and based also on the principles set out in the Zambrano Judgment. This application is under consideration at present. Once a decision has been made in this application, this decision, and the consequences of the decision, will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if stamp 4 will be renewed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26554/14]
View answerI am informed by officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the application for a permanent residence card, submitted by the person referred to by the Deputy, will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008 and Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. I am further advised that a decision will issue to the applicant in writing shortly.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality notwithstanding his reply to a previous parliamentary question in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, if the information conveyed in a letter dated 27 May 2014 is authentic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26556/14]
View answerThe position remains as stated in the response to your Parliamentary Question No. 651 of 27 May 2014.
Any person who doubts the authenticity of correspondence issued from my Department is advised to contact the relevant office/section of my Department dealing with the matter concerned to seek whatever confirmation or reassurance is deemed necessary.
161. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cumulative total of unapproved salary top-ups currently being paid under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27087/14]
View answerNo unapproved salary top ups are being paid in my Department.
162. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has been informed that he or she is not entitled to a supplementary pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26385/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply.
163. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health in view of the recent medical report in The Lancet which found that fluoride was a neurotoxin, if he will immediately move to cease adding it to our water supply. [26448/14]
View answerA number of studies from China, and the systematic review of these by Choi (from the Harvard Medical School) which claim an effect on children's IQ at very high levels of naturally occurring fluoride, were assessed by the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health in 2011. They were found to be of no relevance to Ireland, given our regulated fluoridation levels. The view of the Expert Body is that the overall design of the studies is poor and they do not provide evidence of any effect on children's IQ from either high or low fluoride levels. This view was shared by SCHER (Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks) in its 2011 Review.
The review by Choi is the only paper on fluoride quoted in the report referred to by the Deputy. The report is a review, which contains no new data. The researchers have labelled chemicals as neurotoxicants without indicating how they arrived at the conclusion or whether other agencies agree with them. It should be noted that the Deans of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine continue to support water fluoridation as a safe public health measure for people of all ages.
The Department of Health keeps the policy of water fluoridation under constant review. As part of this ongoing work, a review of evidence on the impact of water fluoridation at its current level on the health of the population and on the environment is being conducted by the Health Research Board on behalf of the Department. This review will be completed by December 2014.
164. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the National Treatment Purchase Fund spend for 2013; this amount as a percentage of the total health spend in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26372/14]
View answerThe NTPF spend for 2013 amounted to €8.976m (0.06% of the total health spend) of which €4.822m was incurred on patient care expenditure. The remainder of €4.154m relates to the running costs of NTPF including their pricing role under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.
The NTPF’s future remit is being considered in the context of the wider health reform programme.
