Written Answers Nos. 187-193
187. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the closure of a care centre (details supplied) in County Kerry; the facility that will be put in place following its closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7377/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with you.
188. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in receiving a date for surgery in the Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin 2, in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10; and when that person will receive a date for the surgery [7379/15]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up with them.
189. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive continued to reduce funding to an organisation (details supplied) which provides high-quality home and social care services to persons with disabilities, since the early 1970s; if additional funding will be provided to enable these services to continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7401/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
190. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if uniform standards are applied, in all cases and in all consulates, in relation to delays to citizenship applications and regarding requirements for birth certificates for those seeking Irish citizenship (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7359/15]
View answerIrish Embassies and Consulates abroad accept applications for Irish citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration. Some Missions receive few if any applications while others, particularly where there is a large Irish community, receive large numbers of applications. The processing time for citizenship applications varies from place to place, and is dependent on the number of applications received and the resources available at the Mission to process those applications. While the Department aims to process all applications as quickly as possible, there is no uniform processing time for citizenship applications and some delays have been unavoidable where high volumes of applications are received.
All applications for Irish citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration must be accompanied by certain documentation depending on the type of application involved. My Department's website, www.dfa.ie/passports-citizenship/citizenship/born-abroad , lists the documentation that must be submitted in each case. Missions may ask for additional documentation or information if a particular application is incomplete or raises additional questions requiring further clarification or validation.
The documentation submitted with FBR applications is particularly important in proving entitlement to Irish citizenship and safeguarding against possible fraud. Applicants submit a wide range of both Irish and foreign birth and other certificates. There is no common standard applied to birth, marriage and death certificates around the world and certificates from different countries and different periods of time display different types of information.
It should be noted that while Irish certificates have all been issued in a standard format since 2003, many applicants will submit Irish certificates which were issued prior to 2003 when both long and short form certificates were the norm. The continued reference to 'long form' certificates in the list of documentation required is there to assist these applicants in differentiating which type of pre-2003 certificate is acceptable.
Officials in the Consular Services Section of my Department would be happy to follow up with the Deputy to get further details in relation to the application (including actual name of applicant and a reference number) so that they can ascertain its current status and likely time frame for decision.
191. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied that two warplanes of the United States of America, a Hercules C130, number RU 3591, and a CC40, number 5835, were present at Shannon airport on 11 February 2015; if he will provide assurances that these planes were not carrying war materials to the Ukraine; the information on which he bases his reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7269/15]
View answerThe Shannon Airport Authority has confirmed that these two aircraft were at Shannon Airport on 11 February 2015.
I can confirm that permission was granted by my Department for the landing of the two aircraft subject to the strict conditions which apply to all foreign military aircraft. These include stipulations that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations.
In relation to information regarding the issue of carriage of war materials, I can further confirm that when lodging the requests in respect of both aircraft, the US Embassy confirmed in writing that the aircraft carried no arms, ammunition or explosives.
192. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is implementing a plain English policy, as outlined by the National Adult Literacy Agency, in his Department's communications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7284/15]
View answerMy Department fully supports the principles of the plain English Policy as outlined by the National Adult Literacy Agency. Our Customer Charter contains a commitment to “write…in simple and clear language and avoid using technical terms unless absolutely necessary”.
Communication with the public is an essential part of the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Passport Service in particular recognises the importance of using plain English in all its communications with our customers, including our application forms, our information sheets and notices, as well as our website. A revised information sheet accompanying the passport application form is currently being developed with these considerations in mind and will be available in the second quarter of 2015.
With regard to our policy work, we are equally conscious of the need for clarity and accountability to our citizens. Web, media and report content is tailored to suit a public audience.
Our commitment to this issue is ongoing and I continue to keep the matter under active review.
193. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the refusal of the Embassy of Ireland to the United Kingdom to accept a letter of protest on 11 February 2015, regarding the way protestors in the Tallaght area of Dublin were being arrested, while there was a "Russia Today" camera crew present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7399/15]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Embassy of Ireland in London did accept a letter of protest on the afternoon of 11 February, having agreed to do so by telephone earlier that day.
The Embassy also brought the letter to the attention of the Department in Dublin.
