Parliamentary questions

Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Catherine Martin

1641. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that responsibility for delivering objective 1.1.2 of the National Positive Ageing Strategy, relating to contracts of employment for older workers, is assigned to her Department; the progress made by her Department in delivering this objective; the work completed to date; and the contact there has been with other Departments or State bodies towards achieving this objective. [41810/16]

Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Catherine Martin

1642. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that responsibility for delivering objective 1.1.3 of the National Positive Ageing Strategy, relating to flexible workplace practices for older workers, is assigned to her Department; the progress made by her Department in delivering this objective; the work completed to date; and the contact there has been with other Departments or State bodies towards achieving this objective. [41811/16]

Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Catherine Martin

1643. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that responsibility for delivering objective 1.1.4 of the National Positive Ageing Strategy, relating to supporting gradual retirement for older workers, is assigned to her Department; the progress made by her Department in delivering this objective; the work completed to date; and the contact there has been with other Departments or State bodies towards achieving this objective. [41812/16]

Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Catherine Martin

1644. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that responsibility for delivering objective 1.1.5 of the National Positive Ageing Strategy, relating to supporting retirement planning older workers, is assigned to her Department; the progress made by her department in delivering this objective; the work completed to date; and the contact there has been with other departments or State bodies towards achieving this objective.. [41813/16]

Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Catherine Martin

1645. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that responsibility for delivering objective 1.2.2 of the National Positive Ageing Strategy, relating to retraining and upskilling for employment for older workers, is assigned to her department; the progress made by her department in delivering this objective; the work completed to date; and the contact there has been with other departments or State bodies towards achieving this objective.. [41814/16]

Foster Care Provision

Catherine Martin

1680. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of new foster carers recruited by the Child and Family Agency for 2015 and 2016, broken down by social work office and by year. [41470/16]

Foster Care

Catherine Martin

1681. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the conditions under which private foster placements are used by the Child and Family Agency; the number of private placements used by the Child and Family Agency in 2015 and 2016 broken down by local social work office, in tabular form; and the additional cost of these placements over the cost of a Child and Family Agency foster carer. [41471/16]

Child Abuse

Catherine Martin

1682. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of specialist interviews relating to child sexual abuse completed jointly by social workers and gardaí for 2015 and 2016, broken down by area and year. [41472/16]

Child and Family Agency Staff

Catherine Martin

1687. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of social workers in the Child and Family Agency who have completed training to conduct joint Garda-specialist child sexual abuse interviews since 2010; the number of those who are still employed at social worker grade in the Child and Family Agency; and the total number of joint social work and Garda-specialist child sexual abuse interviews carried out in that time. [41593/16]

Children in Care

Catherine Martin

1690. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children leaving care in 2015 and 2016 broken down by area, in tabular form; the number who had a completed aftercare plan; the number who had an allocated aftercare worker in the Child and Family Agency; and the number with an allocated after-care worker from outside the Child and Family Agency. [41838/16]

Children in Care

Catherine Martin

1691. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons aged between 18 and 21 years of age who left care at 18 years of age and are now homeless. [41839/16]

Broadcasting Sector

Catherine Martin

66. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has had any discussions with the RTE board or management about cuts in children's programmes and the outsourcing of same. [38623/16]

Alternative Energy Projects

Catherine Martin

67. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he envisages a long-term future for the burning of biomass in electric power generation. [38624/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

142. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will provide a response to parents of the children of a school to be closed (details supplied) regarding the future of the school site to be shared among two other schools; his plans to assist parents in finding local school places for their children displaced by the closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38438/16]

Garda Station Closures

Catherine Martin

51. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the locations of the Garda stations have been agreed, decided or identified in respect of the Government commitment to reopen six Garda stations in the programme for a partnership Government; if not, is there a timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37985/16]

Garda Station Closures

Catherine Martin

52. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the recent industrial dispute involving the gardaí has caused a delay in the reopening of six Garda stations, as committed to by the Government in the programme for a partnership Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37986/16]

Tax Code

Catherine Martin

55. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Finance if he is considering any relief measures to address the problem of persons and families with low cash incomes who may be forced to lose their homes in the context of the abolition of the dwelling house exemption in part 5 of the Finance Bill 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37928/16]

Gender Proofing of Policies

Catherine Martin

69. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps, having regard to the high rates of discrimination which transgender students experience in the education system, his Department is taking to ensure that all schools and third level institutions have an explicit anti-transphobia policy, that all teachers and educational staff receive appropriate training on the way to sensitively engage with transgender students, that all schools and third level institutions respect and reasonably accommodate students’ preferred gender, that all schools and third level institutions actively prevent and investigate transphobic peer abuse and peer violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37927/16]

Parent and Student Charter

Catherine Martin

70. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the new parent and student charter Bill will include departmental guidelines for schools to address the need to honour a parent's constitutional right for their child to opt out of faith formation during the school day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37929/16]

Legislative Reviews

Catherine Martin

109. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Social Protection if, when a review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 is commenced in September 2017, members of the transgender and intersex communities and those that provide services directly to transgender persons, particularly transgender youth and non binary persons, will be represented in the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37926/16]

Post Office Network

Catherine Martin

37. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the Minister with responsibility for the An Post network; if she has a strategy for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37393/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

59. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a recent issue in Dublin-Rathdown whereby parents and staff at two schools recently learned of closures and relocations via social media and press reports; if there is a process whereby those impacted by school closures, builds or relocations, namely, parents, teachers, staff, community and local elected representatives, are given up-to-date information on any such closures, builds or relocations before this information is published on social media or the press; if there is a process, the details of same; if it will be followed through in future; if no process is in place, his plans to implement one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35187/16]

National Training Fund

Catherine Martin

62. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the national training fund has a current surplus of €272 million projected to the end of 2017; the reason this surplus is not being applied to the crisis in higher education funding if part of its purpose is to provide skills to prospective employees and to facilitate life-long learning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35186/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

138. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 2 November 2016, if he will provide the list of local schools which was supplied to the trust of a school (details supplied) referenced in the parliamentary question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34138/16]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Catherine Martin

206. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of implementing the pre-January 2011 pay scales for all post-December 2010 entrants to all public service recruitment grades; if he will provide a comparison of the salaries and allowances of each post-December 2010 public service recruitment grade with its pre-January 2011 equivalent, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34143/16]

School Costs

Catherine Martin

104. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a survey by a charity (details supplied) and the findings in relation to the costs to parents in preparing children for school and their suggestions to deal with same; the way he will respond to the findings and suggestions of this survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33972/16]

School Staff

Catherine Martin

137. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he has signalled his intent to financially penalise a specified cohort of teachers to which supervision work is not applicable as it does not form part of their conditions and terms of employment and work expressly undertaken and agreed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33418/16]

Respite Care Services

Catherine Martin

341. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds reserved exclusively for persons with dementia provided for in south Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33482/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Catherine Martin

397. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting for an operation for a period of time well outside the expected timeline for same; the reason these delays occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33765/16]

Electric Vehicles

Catherine Martin

487. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is only one low emission electric vehicle commercially available here from the UK which is also wheelchair accessible; his plans to encourage the availability and purchase of low emission electric vehicles for taxi purposes in view of the fact that his Department's policy is to provide new taxi licences only for wheelchair accessible vehicles in order to create a more wheelchair accessible taxi fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33764/16]

Road Tolls

Catherine Martin

17. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to regulate to allow for reduced payment at tolling points for low emission electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32788/16]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Catherine Martin

20. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that less than 1% of the capital spend in transport is devoted to pedestrian and bicycle facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32787/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

120. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 100 children aged between five and 12 years are expected to be without a school place in the Dundrum area following the sudden closure of a school (details supplied); if so, his plans to find school places for these children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32820/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

142. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the transfer of undertakings directive and regulations, TUPE, apply in the instance of his Department taking over a campus (details supplied); and if his Department, as a result of it taking over the campus, now has an obligation under this regulation to the primary school teachers who have now been put at risk under a redundancy process. [32704/16]

Hospital Services

Catherine Martin

345. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retirement of a staff member at a hospital has resulted in the freezing of funding for treatment for a person (details supplied) despite the fact that the person was already approved to have the treatment; his plans to restore this funding and, if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32839/16]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Martin

480. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason it is not possible to split the early childhood care and education, ECCE, grant between two service providers for all parents (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32690/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

85. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the length of time his Department has been in discussions with a school (details supplied) regarding taking over a campus; and if these discussions and negotiations included representatives from both the primary and secondary schools. [32460/16]

School Closures

Catherine Martin

66. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for schools (details supplied) following the recent acquisition of the campus by his Department; if he will provide a timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32169/16]

National Treatment Purchase Fund Payments

Catherine Martin

123. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health when the HSE will start releasing money for privately funded operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31022/16]

Broadband Service Provision

Catherine Martin

9. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made on providing a telephone line for a school (details supplied) in order that it can receive the free broadband package under the schools broadband initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29902/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Catherine Martin

135. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if degree courses (details supplied) are run in collaboration with private for-profit providers; if eligible students on these courses are receiving both their SUSI maintenance grants and registration fees with departmental approval; the amount of fees paid to these private for-profit providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29581/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Catherine Martin

136. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason SUSI is providing funding to students at only certain QQI-approved private third level colleges; the supports he intends to provide to low-income students and parents financially impacted by this inequality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29582/16]

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications Data

Catherine Martin

426. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the average length of time a person would be waiting to secure a wheelchair; if there is variation in the length of time waiting to secure a wheelchair in different areas across the country; if there are delays in the provision of this service at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29579/16]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility

Catherine Martin

427. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health if he is considering adding Alzheimer's disease to the long-term illness scheme; if he will consider liaising with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to investigate the institution of a scheme for free of charge or subsidised public transport for those on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29584/16]

Electric Vehicles

Catherine Martin

558. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the national electric car network; the number of fast charge points there are here; the number currently not functioning; the approximate average time for repair for a given charge point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29580/16]

Sports Capital Programme

Catherine Martin

599. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the application details for the sports capitation grants will be announced; when the decisions awarding the grants will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29583/16]

Oideachas trí Ghaeilge

Catherine Martin

96. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Martin den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cad é an plean atá ag a Roinn le dul i ngleic leis an ollfhadhb atá ann faoi láthair maidir le múinteoirí a sholáthar don Ghaelscolaíocht, go háirithe ar leibhéal na meánscolaíochta; an bhfuil iniúchadh déanta ag a Roinn ar an soláthar múinteoirí i ngach ábhar sna scoileanna a fheidhmíonn trí Ghaeilge ar an dara leibhéal chun na heasnaimh atá ann sna scoileanna faoi láthair agus a bheidh ann sa mheántéarma agus san fhadtéarma a aithint (agus an méadú a thiocfaidh ar líon na scoileanna agus ar líon na ndaltaí sna blianta atá romhainn á chur san áireamh); an bhfuil plean ag a Roinn le dul i ngleic leis na heasnaimh sin sa ghearrthéarma, sa mheántéarma agus san fhadtéarma; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [28965/16]

Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta

Catherine Martin

97. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Martin den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cad é an plean atá aige le tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhúinteoirí atá ag obair i scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta agus nach bhfuil muinín acu as a gcuid Gaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [28966/16]

Cáilíochtaí Aistriúcháin

Catherine Martin

98. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Martin den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén fáth a síleann sé gur leor bunchéim sa Ghaeilge chun obair aistriúcháin a dhéanamh ar son an Stáit, agus cén fáth nár mhaith leis go mbeadh cáilíocht chreidiúnaithe ó Fhoras na Gaeilge, a fhaigheann maoiniú ón Stát, de dhíth ar aistritheoirí chun a léiriú gur féidir leo aistriúchán ar ardchaighdeán a dhéanamh, cé go bhfuil ag éirí go maith leis an chóras seo faoi láthair; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [28967/16]

Vaccination Programme

Catherine Martin

435. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health his plans to implement a catch-up programme for the meningococcal B vaccine, similar to that which was provided in the UK; if access will be provided to children born before 1 October 2016 to this vaccine free of charge as part of the primary childhood immunisation schedule; if not, whether his Department plans to financially assist parents seeking to get older children vaccinated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28438/16]