Parliamentary questions

Protected Disclosures

John McGuinness

213. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the report requested by him on 8 March 2017 from a person (details supplied) has as yet been received by his Department; the status of a protected disclosure dated 20 June 2016 made by this person to him; if he will expedite a response to the person and issue payment of amounts due to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15067/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

214. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the process within his Department for the dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15074/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

231. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15081/17]

Work Placement Programmes

John McGuinness

232. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports through Tús and community employment schemes he can give to villages and towns to enhance the work of volunteers that take on the upkeep and positive promotion of their towns and villages and that support the Tidy Towns initiative; if he will expand the remit of the schemes managed locally and introduce some flexibility in the qualification of participants and length of time spent on the schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15087/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

269. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15076/17]

Protected Disclosures

John McGuinness

292. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15080/17]

Protected Disclosures

John McGuinness

301. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the process within her Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15069/17]

Protected Disclosures

John McGuinness

361. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the process in his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those in the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15077/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

468. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15068/17]

Services for People with Disabilities

John McGuinness

469. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts made by his Department to uphold the rights of a person (details supplied) to receive information in an accessible and understandable manner in view of the person's learning disability and the fact that the person is dyslexic; the efforts made to inform and assist the person relative to programmes implemented by his Department and funded by the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15089/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

530. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15071/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

553. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15083/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

584. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the process within her Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15078/17]

Departmental Funding

John McGuinness

597. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action to be taken to fulfil the need to provide €25,000 to a project (details supplied) for counselling services; if the core funding for this project will be increased substantially to allow the project to deal with the many demands on its services; and the funding strategy for this sector generally and, in particular, the funding for counselling services. [15085/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

610. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the process within her Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15070/17]

Protected Disclosures Data

John McGuinness

639. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other than those within the organisation to which the disclosure refers; the number of disclosures received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15072/17]

Defence Forces Remuneration

John McGuinness

640. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if arrears of pay due to members of the Army Ranger Wing, owed since 2010, will now be paid; the total amount due to persons and the numbers involved; the reason the payment due was not paid on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15086/17]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

John McGuinness

85. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for funding under the summer works scheme by a school (details supplied) will be approved; and the level of funding being considered. [14657/17]

School Accommodation

John McGuinness

86. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the status of an application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied); when the funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14658/17]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

John McGuinness

120. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) will be re-examined in view of the fact it would appear that some medical evidence was not considered; and if an oral hearing will be arranged in order that the details of the medical circumstances can be explained. [14655/17]

Hospital Appointments Status

John McGuinness

150. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a date for an operation will be arranged as a matter of urgency in the case of a person (details supplied). [14642/17]

Departmental Investigations

John McGuinness

167. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the investigations which have been undertaken by his Department regarding complaints made by a person (details supplied) relative to various matters concerning alleged fraud and contaminated milk; if correspondence sent to his Department regarding these matters had been processed; if the person has been informed of the outcome of any investigation or the status of their complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14659/17]

Revenue Commissioners

John McGuinness

231. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Finance if extra public car parking spaces will be provided at public offices, Hebron Road, Kilkenny; if appropriate plans for car parking will be put in place to accommodate the public and the employees that use the location for services and work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13840/17]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

John McGuinness

379. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 217 of 29 November 2016, when a response will issue from the NCSE (details supplied). [13913/17]

Electoral Reform

John McGuinness

461. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to review the boundaries for the next local elections; if he will introduce changes to the new districts established by the last reform initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13826/17]

Electoral Reform

John McGuinness

462. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of money spent by his Department on the Waterford Kilkenny boundary report; the amount of money spent by Waterford and Kilkenny county councils in preparing their respective inputs to the process; if the figures include the number of person hours worked by all parties involved in the process; if not, if he will quantify this cost; and the next steps in the process and the timeframe for a final decision. [13839/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

John McGuinness

569. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if disability benefit will be approved for a person (details supplied). [13914/17]

Inland Fisheries

John McGuinness

637. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a fish counter will be provided as promised by Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, and the OPW on the River Nore, Kilkenny city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13828/17]

Hospitals Capital Programme

John McGuinness

957. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the status of the Susie Long project planned for St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; if the HSE plans to provide funding for the project; the section within the HSE that is tasked with the delivery of the project; if he has a timeframe in place within which the project will be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13834/17]

Hospital Services

John McGuinness

958. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if angiogram services will be provided at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, in view of the number of persons from the area who must travel to Dublin for the service and the poor public transport system available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13837/17]

Hospital Services

John McGuinness

959. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the current status on the provision for a second cath lab at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13838/17]

Recreational Angling Sector

John McGuinness

1132. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the funding of €5 million per annum for five years associated with the national angling plan launched over 12 months ago has been put in place; the amount of funding spent to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13827/17]

Fisheries Protection

John McGuinness

1133. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of protection staff assigned to the river Nore and Nore estuary, Kilkenny; if vacancies created by retirement have been filled; the number of cases of illegal fishing prosecuted relative to the Nore, Kilkenny; the action taken by his Department arising from local media reports on illegal fishing at this location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13829/17]

Inland Fisheries Stocks

John McGuinness

1134. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to fund the works required on the river Nore, Kilkenny to remove blockages along the river for the safe passage of fish; the work programme and locations along the Nore at which funding will be spent to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13830/17]

Fisheries Protection

John McGuinness

1135. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a compensation package will be put in place for eel fishermen who can no longer fish for eel due to restrictions for conservation purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13831/17]

Fishing Licences

John McGuinness

1136. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of money collected by IFI relative to fishing licences; the number of fisherman paying the extra €25.00 to support conservation measures; the amount collected to date; the amount spent to date and the details of that spend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13833/17]

Salmon Hardship Scheme

John McGuinness

1137. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the provision of a compensation package to buy out snap net fishermen on the river Nore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13835/17]

Inland Fisheries

John McGuinness

1138. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a fish counter will be provided as promised by IFI and the OPW on the River Nore, Kilkenny city. [13874/17]

Rural Transport Services Provision

John McGuinness

1228. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the policy he is pursuing or implementing relative to Bus Éireann and public transport services for rural Ireland; his plans to have a public transport system that gives connectivity throughout the country thus expanding rather than reducing the existing service; his views on the reduction of services through Castlecomer, County Kilkenny and the intention of Bus Éireann to close the services through south Kilkenny, at Thomastown and Callan; the cost to the State of the public service obligation, the school transport scheme and the free travel scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13832/17]

Foster Care

John McGuinness

1308. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the volume of cases handled by the Irish Foster Care Association for 2016 has seen a substantial increase in calls from Waterford; her views on the fact that the highest volume of calls from Waterford relate to allegations and child protection concerns; her plans to address the fact that 62% of the concerns expressed relate to poor communications with social workers; if she is satisfied that concerns from families providing foster care are being dealt with adequately; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13836/17]

Defence Forces Veterans

John McGuinness

1344. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide a service medal for members of the Defence Forces who were involved at Jadotville; if members of the Defence Forces will be acknowledged with a service medal for their tour of duty in the Congo; if retired members of the Defence Forces will be presented with the commemorative medal for 1916; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13842/17]

Health Services

John McGuinness

246. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the financial assistance available to persons who have to travel to Germany to have Lyme disease treated; the financial support available for Lyme disease patients that require ongoing medical treatment and medication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12662/17]

Disease Management

John McGuinness

39. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the supports in place for persons with Lyme disease. [12083/17]

Mental Health Services Provision

John McGuinness

63. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the targets in place for the recruitment of CAMHS personnel in CHO 5 during 2017. [12082/17]

Education and Training Boards

John McGuinness

211. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will put in place appropriate courses for the local community of north Kilkenny to assist persons to prepare for the employment potential at a nursing home and retail outlets currently under construction at Urlingford, County Kilkenny; if a resource centre (details supplied) will be approved for such courses by SOLAS; if the funding will be provided to SOLAS to provide the courses locally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11439/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

John McGuinness

306. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will expedite a request for a review of an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied), in view of the medical evidence provided in their case. [11438/17]

Driver Licences

John McGuinness

779. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the assistance given to persons who apply for a HGV licence at certificate of professional competence stage and onwards but who cannot read or write; the supports currently in place; the material available for such persons in preparation for the test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11527/17]

Foster Care

John McGuinness

828. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Tusla will put in place a universally agreed allegations procedure for use by families that foster children; the reason such a procedure has not been agreed with the stakeholders; the reason their demands have been ignored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11528/17]

Apprenticeship Programmes

John McGuinness

77. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of colleges providing courses for apprentice mechanics; if all colleges charge the apprentices for courses provided or if there are different rates applied depending on the college; if his Department pays the colleges for any aspect of such courses; the way in which the delivery of such courses is monitored relative to standards expected by his Department; if the colleges or his Department have agreed a fee whereby students request a review of examination results; if so, the amount charged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10959/17]

Services for People with Disabilities

John McGuinness

213. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to putting in place a personalised budget plan to cover the cost of care of a person (details supplied); the actions that were taken by the HSE arising from the Ombudsman report of 2012; if the plan being developed by the HSE will include adequate supports for the person's parents and an overall seamless delivery of every service required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10954/17]