Parliamentary questions

Greyhound Industry

Mick Wallace

472. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of doping tests undertaken out of competition at kennels since the introduction of such testing; the number of disqualification orders issued for greyhounds involved in anti-doping breaches in each year since 2010, in tabular form; and the number of licences that have been revoked for trainers found to have committed anti-doping breaches in each year since 2010, in tabular form. [42818/17]

Building Energy Rating Administration

Mick Wallace

715. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of BER certificates issued to date in 2017; the type of dwelling related to each BER issued, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42641/17]

Renewable Energy Incentives

Mick Wallace

39. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has read the research carried out by an organisation (details supplied) calling for an incentive scheme for solar photovoltaic, PV, electricity; if his Department will include solar PV in any new renewable electricity support scheme to replace the existing REFIT scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41704/17]

National Mitigation Plan

Mick Wallace

46. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will strengthen the national mitigation plan by including concrete actions and targets in line with Ireland's international emissions obligations and also end Ireland's reliance on purchasing emissions units further to criticisms (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41705/17]

Medicinal Products Availability

Mick Wallace

132. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will make the drug Kuvan, also known as sapropterin, for the treatment of those effected by phenylketonuria here; and when persons may avail of this treatment. [42040/17]

Departmental Contracts Data

Mick Wallace

198. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department and State agencies under his remit; the fees charged for each contract; the State agency involved in each contract; the nature of each contract in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42093/17]

Land Issues

Mick Wallace

76. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the pieces of legislation that enforce the protection of soils, in terms of the introduction of dangerous substances on or in the soil, erosion, organic matter decline, compaction, salinisation and landslides; the programmes of measures for risk areas or national remediation strategies that ensure that contaminated sites receive remediation; if his Department or another Department maps risk areas for erosion, organic matter decline, compaction, salinisation and landslides and prepares an inventory of contaminated sites; his Department's working definition of the meaning, principles and priorities of soil protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41288/17]

Greyhound Industry

Mick Wallace

80. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing mandatory drug testing for all competing greyhounds (details supplied); if he will introduce heavier penalties for those found doping, particularly in view of the fact that in 2017, six greyhounds were found to have cocaine in their systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41289/17]

Air Navigation Orders

Mick Wallace

515. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of applications made to his Department for exemptions for the transportation of munitions or weapons of war through Shannon Airport to date in 2017 under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, SI 224 of 1973; the number of these applications which were granted and denied, respectively, in 2017; the reason given for these decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41324/17]

Air Navigation Orders

Mick Wallace

516. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of US troops who have passed through Shannon Airport to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41325/17]

Local Authority Housing Rents

Mick Wallace

617. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will consider disregarding an increase for qualified child payments in calculating local authority and housing association differential rents as permitted under section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009; the estimated full year cost of such a change; if he will examine the methods used by local authorities and housing associations to calculate rent; and the status of his Department's framework for standardising or harmonising approaches to be adopted by local authorities in relation to various aspects of rent schemes and rent calculation. [41684/17]

Mental Health Guidelines

Mick Wallace

25. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if the use of the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 checklists for assessing mental health in persons are approved for use by the HSE and general practitioners here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40773/17]

Respite Care Services Provision

Mick Wallace

65. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recently published scorecard on the national carers' strategy, which classified respite care as regressive meaning that the situation has worsened since the national carers' strategy was launched, in view of the commitments outlined in the programme for partnership Government to the principle of equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities; if his attention has been further drawn to issues with the provision of respite care and residential care in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40772/17]

General Medical Services Scheme Review

Mick Wallace

158. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the financial supports available for those that suffer from haemochromatosis and require regular venesection; his plans to introduce financial supports to help with the significant financial burden regular treatment creates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41043/17]

Arts Council Funding

Mick Wallace

44. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to increase Arts Council core funding by at least 20% in budget 2018, excluding oneoff commemorative events or Creative Ireland initiatives, in line with the calls from an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40531/17]

Creative Ireland Programme

Mick Wallace

54. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the role her Department played in the design of the artist's social welfare pilot scheme; if artists were involved in the design of the scheme; if concerns have been raised with her regarding the provision whereby artists must prove that they are genuinely seeking other work, taking part in courses or classes such as CV preparation, job searching or referral to Jobpath, Tús and jobs clubs, for example, particularly in view of the well-documented lack of conventional jobs in the creative field; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40532/17]

Commissions of Investigation

Mick Wallace

80. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Taoiseach the timeframe for the publication of the interim report into the Commission of Investigation on the National Asset Management Agency, under section 38(1) of the Commission of Investigation Act 2004. [40852/17]

Neuro-Rehabilitation Policy

Mick Wallace

146. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the implementation of the national neuro-rehabilitation strategy; if his attention has been drawn to an organisation's (details supplied) campaign and its call for specific investment of €7 million in 2018 to address the underfunding of neuro-rehabilitation services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40842/17]

Freedom of Information Remit

Mick Wallace

40. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the 40-plus agencies that are either fully or partially exempt from freedom of information requests; his further views on whether these exemptions are in the public interest with regard to accountability and transparency; if he will consider conducting a review of the agencies that benefit from such exemptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40247/17]

NAMA Reports

Mick Wallace

80. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has issued yearly reports to the EU Commission for the Directorate General for Competition on the use of NAMA's post-acquisition powers; the number of yearly reports that have been issued to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40478/17]

Prescriptions Data

Mick Wallace

333. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the figures for spending on prescriptions of specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors over the past 15 years; the number of persons who are prescribed SSRIs and SNRIs for the same period; the total for each drug listed for each year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40436/17]

Health Products Regulatory Authority

Mick Wallace

334. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners and other professionals who have the authority to prescribe drugs are required to report their patients' experiences of adverse drug reactions to the HPRA; if this is a voluntary action on the part of the general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40437/17]

Disability Services Provision

Mick Wallace

363. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he has read the recently published Health Information Quality Authority, HIQA, inspection report on an organisation (details supplied); if he has satisfied himself that the organisation can implement the proposed action plan in view of the volume of complaints from families and their lack of confidence in the board and directors of the organisation and other issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40576/17]

Foreign Conflicts

Mick Wallace

27. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised concerns over the ongoing bombing campaign in Yemen with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia; his views on whether Ireland's growing trade relations with Saudi Arabia could be interpreted as tacit support of the Saudi led war, in view of Ireland's stated policy of neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39698/17]

Foreign Conflicts

Mick Wallace

37. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has read the recent report by an organisation (details supplied) on the current situation in Yemen; if he will propose that the UN Human Rights Council carry out an investigation into possible war crimes on the part of Saudi Arabia in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39697/17]

Public Services Card

Mick Wallace

50. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the specific legal basis for withholding or denying social welfare payments, including pensions and child benefit, in cases in which a person entitled to such payments fails to register for a public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39595/17]

Public Services Card

Mick Wallace

63. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a cost benefit analysis was carried out by her Department regarding the public services card; if so, the date on which this will be published; the amount her Department has saved by preventing social welfare fraud through the roll-out of the public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39596/17]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Mick Wallace

487. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health when the freestyle libre system will be made available under the long-term illness scheme for persons with diabetes; if availability will not be restricted only to persons with type 1 diabetes but will be made available to every person on multi-daily insulin injections based on clinical need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39589/17]

NAMA Loans Sale

Mick Wallace

229. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 83 of 18 May 2017, the three bidders and the corresponding portfolio that were successful following their reverse inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38943/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Mick Wallace

1272. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for gallbladder removal surgery nationally and in Wexford general hospital and University Hospital Waterford in each of the years 2010 to 2016 inclusive, and the date in 2017, in tabular form. [38942/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Mick Wallace

2078. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons who have left the Defence Forces in 2015 and 2016 and to date 2017, not including mandatory retirements, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36780/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Mick Wallace

2079. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons within the Defence Forces who have taken mandatory retirement in 2015 and 2016 and to date in 2017; the number estimated to take mandatory retirement in each of the years 2018 to 2020, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36781/17]

Bank Charges

Mick Wallace

129. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on the merits of a ban on surcharges on credit and debit cards in view of the decision by the Treasury in the United Kingdom regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35935/17]

NAMA Legal Fees

Mick Wallace

130. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance the law firms currently working for or that have worked for NAMA; and the fees paid to each in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [35936/17]

EU Directives

Mick Wallace

595. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to implement the recommendation of the 2015 McMahon report, to allow applicants the right to enter gainful employment within nine months; if he is satisfied that the current system in place is not in breach of EU Law; if Ireland plans to opt into the EU Reception Conditions Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36661/17]

Garda Expenditure

Mick Wallace

596. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 57 of 1 June 2017, if he will supply the details of the costs associated to the contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) since 2011 by An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36662/17]

Garda Expenditure

Mick Wallace

597. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 86 of 12 April 2017, if he will seek an answer from An Garda Síochána relating to the cost of all Garda overtime and the overtime hours claimed for each of the years 2012 to 2016, respectively; and the checks in place to ensure gardaí have completed overtime claimed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36663/17]

Patient Transport Provision

Mick Wallace

735. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason transport services have not been provided for a person (details supplied). [35216/17]

Care of the Elderly Provision

Mick Wallace

783. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a budget submission by an organisation (details supplied) regarding investment in community supports for persons with dementia in order that they can remain active in their communities and continue to live in their own homes; his views on these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35338/17]

Inland Fisheries Ireland Investigations

Mick Wallace

1309. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of each inspection carried out on a privately operated tailrace at Clohamon on the River Slaney from 1 January to 20 June 2017; the date of each inspection; the authority that carried out each inspection; and if salmon were observed by the inspection team during each inspection, in tabular form [36258/17]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Mick Wallace

1645. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of social and affordable housing commencements for 2017, by all 31 local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35721/17]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Mick Wallace

1646. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of social and affordable housing completions for 2016 and 2017, respectively, by all 31 local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35722/17]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Mick Wallace

1647. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of social and affordable housing planning permissions currently lodged for 2017 and 2018 by all 31 local authorities in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35723/17]

Local Authority Staff Data

Mick Wallace

1648. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of building control officers operating throughout the 31 local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35724/17]

Local Authority Staff Data

Mick Wallace

1649. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of dog wardens operating throughout the 31 local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35725/17]

Rent Pressure Zones

Mick Wallace

45. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will designate Gorey, County Wexford, as a rent pressure zone, in view of continually rising rents there as a result of the fact that it is in the Dublin commuter belt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33437/17]

Tribunals of Inquiry

Mick Wallace

45. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the unit set up within An Garda Síochána to liaise with the disclosures tribunal, in view of reports of personal ties between the Garda Commissioner and members of the unit and questions raised both in the media and in Dáil Éireann over a potential conflict of interest in this regard and that the Commissioner is being investigated as part the tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32752/17]

Policing Authority

Mick Wallace

52. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to strengthen the Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 in order to increase the powers of the Policing Authority with regard to monitoring transparency, providing oversight and ensuring accountability, particularly in view of the ongoing crises within An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32754/17]

Garda Reform

Mick Wallace

56. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether the Garda Commissioner can deliver the reforms necessary for a well functioning, transparent and accountable police force in view of the recent controversies within An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32750/17]

Policing Authority

Mick Wallace

80. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to amend the Garda Síochána Act 2005 in order to make the Garda Commissioner accountable to the Policing Authority and to empower the authority to remove a Garda commissioner from office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32753/17]