Parliamentary questions

Tax Credits

Willie O'Dea

61. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a report which outlines the cost to the Exchequer of providing a €6,000 housing cost tax credit; his views that the housing cost tax credit should be assigned to any person who in providing a principal private residence for them, or their family, has engaged in a lease or mortgage; that this housing cost tax credit would replace the current mortgage interest relief scheme and remaining claims for tax relief on rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8579/15]

Further Education and Training Programmes Funding

Willie O'Dea

186. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the funding available from the case officers in the Intreo offices for all courses, for example, fork-lift training, Further Education and Training Awards Council, FETAC, courses and so on; and if any of this training, being funded, is subject to having a job secured, prior to funding being approved. [7843/15]

Jobseeker's Benefit Applications

Willie O'Dea

191. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an exception will be made in respect of an application for a jobseeker's allowance from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22, as the reason the claim was closed was due to dockets being submitted late, even though her Department was informed that the dockets would not always be on time from the employer; if the original claim will be re-opened, or if the new claim will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6838/15]

Sick Pay Scheme Reform

Willie O'Dea

97. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 258 of 16 December 2014, if any provisions or exceptions will be provided to public service workers who were on long-term illness leave, more than a year prior to the new illness scheme being introduced, in view of the fact that the look-back period is four years, and as a result, these workers now have no entitlement to sickness allowance for the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6547/15]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Willie O'Dea

33. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the relaxation of the current time limits and capping rules, placed on participants of community employment schemes, who are a year off retirement; if she will grant these participants a special exemption to allow them to work until they are 66 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6231/15]

Poverty Data

Willie O'Dea

1. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the increasing deprivation rate here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5029/15]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

4. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the operation of JobBridge in view of the use of this scheme to hire instructors for training schemes for jobseekers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5030/15]

Child Benefit Payments

Willie O'Dea

21. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on recent IMF commentary on the issues surrounding child benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4913/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Willie O'Dea

31. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the caps currently in place on the rent supplement scheme; if she will provide an update on the HAP scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4912/15]

Unemployment Data

Willie O'Dea

42. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the latest statistics for the long-term unemployed here; if she is satisfied with the current impact of labour activation matters in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4914/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

51. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to reverse the proposed changes to the one-parent family payment which will take effect in July 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4915/15]

Pension Levy

Willie O'Dea

51. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether the assertion of the Pensions Ombudsman to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform that the imposition of a 0.6% levy on private sector pension schemes in 2011 was legal but not necessarily fair; and that Government statements at the time of the levy’s introduction, to the effect that employers could be requested or required by trustees to meet the costs of the charge, were never going to be right; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5062/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

216. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to reports that the community employment and employment services programmes are now only accepting persons on training if they can confirm they have a job secured when they leave the training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4939/15]

Residential Institutions

Willie O'Dea

428. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that Mr. Justice Quirke's first recommendation on the Magdalen women was that they should receive a card entitling them to the free range of services currently received by holders of the Health (Amendment) Act 1996 card, the reason the Government is refusing this card to those women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4520/15]

Roadworthiness Testing

Willie O'Dea

602. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the exemption for testing of vintage vehicles will be changed to a 30-year rolling exemption; if this will also include buses, trucks and trailers in view of the fact that vintage vehicles are important from a hobby, heritage and employment point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3680/15]

Job Creation Data

Willie O'Dea

144. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach if he will provide in tabular form the total number of jobs created and lost in County Limerick in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48526/14]

Control of Firearms

Willie O'Dea

432. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of handguns or rifles stolen from licensed firearm holders excluding firearm dealers and blank deactivated firearms since 2009; when the current enhanced security arrangements were put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1271/15]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Applications

Willie O'Dea

567. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will receive back payment for ADHD medication as applied for under the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49663/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Willie O'Dea

951. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to roll out efibre broadband to Ballyclough, County Limerick, in view of the fact that there are many persons in need of faster broadband for work purposes in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49687/14]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Willie O'Dea

61. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the average waiting time for a decision in respect of appeals for all social welfare payments paid on a weekly basis; the average waiting time for appeal for each of these where there is no oral hearing and where there is an oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49366/14]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Willie O'Dea

62. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the average waiting time for a decision in respect of appeals for invalidity pension, disability allowance, domiciliary care allowance and the one-parent family payment; the average waiting time for appeal for each of these where there is no oral hearing and where there is an oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49367/14]

Youth Unemployment Data

Willie O'Dea

63. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current number of young persons not in education, training or employment; the current percentage of youth unemployment; the way this number compares with the EU area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49368/14]

Data Protection

Willie O'Dea

64. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of data protection breaches that were reported in her Department this year; the action that has been taken to address these breaches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49369/14]

Departmental Investigations

Willie O'Dea

45. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of the savings of €64,000,000 that the 20-man Garda unit has saved her Department so far this year, of which €23,000,000 was attributed to fraud; if all this money has been recovered; if the Revenue Commissioners have examined the cases where moneys were recovered; if she will use this money to reinstate the benefits cut to those most in need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48761/14]

Sick Pay Scheme Reform

Willie O'Dea

258. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if civil servants with excessive sick leave due to critical illnesses prior to the change in sick leave policy in March 2014 will have some allowances applied to their total sick leave allowance in order to facilitate them until their four-year period has concluded, as some persons are being left without any allowance for at least another year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48361/14]

Tax Data

Willie O'Dea

58. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the number of commencement of employment notices that were issued by the Revenue Commissioners for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47622/14]

Tax Data

Willie O'Dea

59. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the number of commencement of employment notices that were issued by the Revenue Commissioners for the County Limerick area for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47623/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

1. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans on increasing the threshold for rent supplements in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47007/14]

European Court of Justice Rulings

Willie O'Dea

4. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when she will address the issues arising from the Dano judgment in the Court of Justice of the European Union; her views at the possibility of benefit tourism here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47107/14]

Pensions Legislation

Willie O'Dea

32. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the actions she will take to increase pension coverage here; if she will provide an update on the operation of the provisions contained in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47003/14]

Child Poverty

Willie O'Dea

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the actions she will take to address the increasing child poverty rates here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47005/14]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

38. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the criteria for granting the carers' allowance for persons who care for children with severe autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47006/14]

Departmental Strategies

Willie O'Dea

39. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to transfer payments from her Department to an electronic system; if she has discussed this proposed change with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47004/14]

Child Care Costs

Willie O'Dea

286. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the cost of child care in this country, if he will alleviate some of the burden on commercial rates on the child care sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46880/14]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

29. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons are having their social welfare benefits terminated on the basis of not replying to a voicemail from her Department; if this is in accordance with the law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46402/14]

Medical Card Data

Willie O'Dea

384. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form for 1 November 2013 and 1 November 2014 for the Limerick health area, the number of medical cards in circulation; the number of which are issued on the basis of the exercise of discretion; the number of which are allocated to over 70s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45849/14]

Mortgage Arrears Proposals

Willie O'Dea

59. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the schemes that are currently in place to support persons in difficulty paying their mortgage; if new schemes are being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45703/14]

Local Authority Housing

Willie O'Dea

195. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if extra housing options are available for those on the housing list who spent time in industrial schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45583/14]

Departmental Expenditure

Willie O'Dea

138. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach the Ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44898/14]

Firearms Licences

Willie O'Dea

267. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will implement the recommendations of her Department's An Garda Síochána working group review of firearms and licensing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44915/14]

Garda Strength

Willie O'Dea

270. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 293 of 7 October 2014 when this Deputy will receive a reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44984/14]

Community Employment Schemes Administration

Willie O'Dea

46. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of the fact that she has stated that 134 community employment supervisors will retire over the next three years, if this will change her estimate in previous written answers regarding pension provision of €3.75 million per annum required for retired community employment supervisors; if she will now consider the implementation of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44479/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

47. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44896/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

58. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44890/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

61. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44481/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

64. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44893/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

77. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44883/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

78. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44887/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

95. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44894/14]

Ministerial Transport

Willie O'Dea

112. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44885/14]