Parliamentary questions

Departmental Contracts

Mattie McGrath

676. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if any concerns have been conveyed to him in relation to non-payment, underpayment or late payment for work done on projects funded by his Department since his appointment in March 2011. [56346/12]

Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Exemptions

Mattie McGrath

124. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person who cannot live in their home due to a court order/barring order which prevents them from living in their home is exempt from the non principal private residence payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56166/12]

Defence Forces Reserve Issues

Mattie McGrath

3. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider retaining the Reserve Defence Forces centre in the town of Clonmel, County Tipperary in view of the fact that there are two units (details supplied); the way he intends existing members based in the Clonmel centre to be accommodated if they have to travel to barracks in Cork and Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54996/12]

Teacher Training Provision

Mattie McGrath

159. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the teacher refund scheme will be re-opened in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55092/12]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Oversight

Mattie McGrath

101. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the progress he has made with the review of the fair deal scheme; if in this review, active consideration will be given to the role the sheltered housing provided by non-profit housing associations could play in the housing and care needs of older persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54606/12]

HSE Funding

Mattie McGrath

102. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the bodies that are funded under section 38 of the Health Act 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54607/12]

Services for People with Disabilities

Mattie McGrath

103. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the funding that has been allocated in 2012 for the transfer of residents living in congregated settings into supported housing in the community; his plans in the next three years in relation to funding this transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54608/12]

Drugs Payment Scheme Administration

Mattie McGrath

656. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if there are any regulations or restrictions in place for the drugs payment scheme that prevent a patient from obtaining two months supply of their prescription in any one month period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54416/12]

Site Acquisitions

Mattie McGrath

112. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills at what stage is the acquisition of the property, from the Mercy Order, required for the extension to a school (details supplied) to enable the amalgamation of a school; on the last report the acquisition of the site required was being dealt with under the redress scheme and the proposed build is due for the 2015/16 school year, if this timeframe can be verified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53645/12]

Ash Dieback Threat

Mattie McGrath

228. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the forestry were slow in taking action to try to limit the spread of ash dieback; the reason they waited until 90% of Denmark's ash trees were destroyed before starting to introduce measures to try to prevent the importation of additional sources of the disease; in view of the fact that the disease has been spreading across Europe for 10 to 15 years, the reason there has not been an information campaign to warn persons of the risk of importing a disease source; the way he can assure the Irish people that this disease has not been recently imported into several areas of the country through young ash plants, firewood, hurley butts, hurley planks or another source; the measures being taken to prevent the spread of the next tree disease to seep across Europe in years to come; with so many foresters retiring over recent years, if we have the experience and resources within Coillte to identify and tackle tree diseases; the percentage of Coillte employees that are actually trained and actively working foresters with the ability to work on the ground to combat this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53675/12]

Banks Recapitalisation

Mattie McGrath

245. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the role of the public interest directors in the State funded banks; the way they are representing the taxpayer; the actions they can take or have they taken when a taxpayer has a grievance with their bank; the action that they have taken to review and reduce the remuneration and pension packages of bankers in the best interests of the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52895/12]

Defence Forces Reserve Funding

Mattie McGrath

544. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Defence the criteria used when deciding the Reserve Defence Force bases that would be removed as opposed to those that would be retained under the value for money review of the Reserve Defence Force and reorganisation of the Reserve Defence Force; the reason it has been proposed to remove the base from Clonmel, a town with such a rich military history; if he will consider reviewing this decision based on his plans for the future uses of Kickham Barracks in Clonmel where a perfectly suitable base could be provided for the RDF alongside the Clonmel Garda Station and where the RDF would not require rental of another premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52841/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Mattie McGrath

595. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount experts such as Geoffrey Shannon, Norah Gibbons and Helen Buckley have been paid in the last decade for their services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52838/12]

Child and Family Support Agency Establishment

Mattie McGrath

608. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the anticipated increased cost of the constitutional changes to the taxpayer in terms of the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency and any other costs which may be incurred; the anticipated savings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52824/12]

Departmental Funding

Mattie McGrath

609. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the State contribution to Barnardos; ISPCC; Children's Rights Alliance and the Campaign for Children; the amount of money spent by these organisations; if the proposed change in the constitution will affect the amount of money that the State funnels into these organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52835/12]

Children in Care

Mattie McGrath

610. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of a Guardian ad Litem; who supplies Guardian ad Litem services; if Guardian ad Litem will be a feature of every case involving a child under Amendment 31; the cost to the taxpayer; if Barnardos, ISPCC and Children's Rights Alliance offer Guardian ad Litem services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52836/12]

Child and Family Support Agency Staff

Mattie McGrath

611. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the child protection staff currently employed by the Health Service Executive will be transferred to the new agency; the number of staff that will be transferred; if they receive will redundancy payments and if so what is the estimated cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52837/12]

Medical Card Eligibility

Mattie McGrath

627. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card has been refused for a seriously ill child who requires palliative care; if he will have this decision reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52262/12]

Universal Health Insurance Provision

Mattie McGrath

632. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the plans to extend free general practitioner care to all claimants of medicines under the long term illness scheme as announced in Budget 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52330/12]

Sports Funding

Mattie McGrath

714. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is any assistance available from the Sports Council or any other body to assist exceptional athletes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52286/12]