Parliamentary questions

Services for People with Disabilities

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

475. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a situation in which a person (details supplied) with complex special needs will be unable to access their placement in a centre for persons with disabilities due to the fact there is no transport available to them from their home; his views on whether it is acceptable that such a service is not available due to significant cutbacks to the centre; his plans to reinstate the funding to centres such as these to ensure that all service users will be able to avail of transport to and from the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3862/17]

National Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

479. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the implementation of the national positive ageing strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2953/17]

TAMS Administration

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

216. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will initiate an urgent review of the procedures involved in applying for TAMS grants in view of the experience of so many farmers frustrated by the bureaucracy involved and the resultant long delays in the issuance of payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2120/17]

School Curriculum

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

190. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the second level religious education programme; if it is an academic study subject, in line with his Department's memo following a meeting with the NCCA on 27 January 1995, confirmed by the NCCA in writing to his Department on 11 April 1995; if the State religious education course at second level is optional for students; and if the teaching of this course must be conducted on an objective basis and not in adherence to any particular belief system, including that of the school patron. [39376/16]

Education Policy

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

191. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements that should be in place in circumstances in which a second level student opts out of the State religious education course; and his views on whether that should include access to an alternative subject and that being requested to sit at the back of a classroom does not meet the standards of pluralism and inclusivity. [39377/16]

Education Policy

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

192. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the terms of reference of the NCCA's forthcoming review of the religious course at second level; if it will be impartial as to the beliefs and interests of religious and non-religious students and their parents or guardians; if this review will address both the content and the method of delivery in the State funded school system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39378/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

362. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the replacement services that will be in situ for the service users of a centre (details supplied) when it closes in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38703/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

84. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in view of the commitment made by the Minister of State with special responsibility for disabilities in May 2016 that the convention would be ratified within six months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37450/16]

Disease Management

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

557. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons here recorded as having polio; the facilities that exist to support those who have polio; the way his Department is working with others to assist in the global commitment to eradicate polio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37311/16]

Teagasc Courses

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

492. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the waiting list of more than 600 students awaiting certification at a college (details supplied); the steps he is taking to ensure that Teagasc is enabled to deal with this backlog and is in a position to provide a comprehensive syllabus in 2017 and thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35807/16]

Family Resource Centres

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

572. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is anticipated to be an underspend in her department in 2016; if so, if she will consider the needs of the family resource centres and their wide range of programmes directed at children and families, as an appropriate area to absorb any surplus funding that may not yet be utilised or likely to be utilised before the end of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36251/16]

Housing Adaptation Grant

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

284. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to increase the upper level of the housing adaptation grant from €30,000; his further plans to review the means testing system for this grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34628/16]

EU Directives

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

435. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 455 of 25 October 2016, the status of his Department's examination into the fact that the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, has stated that it is currently unable to enforce the European medical devices directive (93/42/EEC) for the provision of custom made devices due to the fact there is no link between the EU legislation and Ireland's current dental legislation; if a decision has been made as to whether he will ensure that the new dental Bill will include the provisions necessary for the HPRA to enforce the European medical devices directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34417/16]

Medicinal Products Supply

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

505. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when the last contact between the HSE corporate pharmaceutical unit and a company (details supplied) took place; if he has read a report from the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group, which conducted a very thorough assessment of the cost effectiveness of a drug, taking into consideration likely savings from reduced primary, secondary and tertiary care expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34625/16]

Medical Card Administration

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

506. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when he expects to receive the final report from the clinical advisory group on medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34626/16]

Neuro-Rehabilitation Policy

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

507. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the expected date for the publication of the implementation plan for the neuro-rehabilitation strategy which was published in 2011; the level of investment that will be made available in 2017 to begin to develop neuro-rehabilitation services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34627/16]

Housing Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

206. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of developments at a housing scheme (details supplied) in County Monaghan; if funding has been allocated for this community facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33696/16]

EU Directives

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

455. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, has said it is currently unable to enforce the European Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC for the provision of custom-made devices because there is no link between the EU legislation and Ireland's current dental legislation; if he will ensure that the new dental Bill will include whatever provisions are necessary for the HPRA to enforce the directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31884/16]

Wards of Court

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

18. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the budget which has been allocated for the effective implementation of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act; if resources will be made available for the recruitment of the director of the decision support service to fulfil its functions in raising public awareness, promoting public confidence and supervising decision making supports and investigations to the fullest; if lessons will be learned from the experience in England and Wales where the Mental Capacity Act is failing due to lack of awareness and poor implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29913/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

470. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the future of a home (details supplied); if there are plans to close this facility; in the event of closure, his plans for residents and those employed in this facility; if there has been any form of consultation with the families and the employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28602/16]