Parliamentary questions

Farm Inspections

Michael Lowry

1194. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide figures for the number of Tipperary farmers notified in advance of a single farm payment on farm inspection, as required by the charter of rights drawn up with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37929/13]

Agriculture Schemes Penalties

Michael Lowry

1195. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the discrepancies between single farm payment penalties across the different counties; if he will detail the reasons for same; his views on whether this discrepancy is fair on farmers; if his attention has been drawn to the pressure and distress inspections are placing on farmers; the steps being taken to equalise the penalties across the various counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37930/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Michael Lowry

1262. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the difficulty that has arisen with section 63 of the Adoption Act 2010 due to a recent change in Russian law; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulty this has caused for Irish families already engaged and at an advanced stage of the adoption process with Russia; the steps being taken to assist the families affected; if she will take immediate action to amend section 63 to assist these families in completing their adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38080/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Michael Lowry

379. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will change Special Education Circular 02/05 to include Down's syndrome as a low incidence disability; if he will ensure that children with Down's syndrome are given access to maximum resource hours; if he will commit to making a decision on this matter prior to the summer recess; if he will provide an update on the progress that has been made since meeting representatives of Down Syndrome Ireland on 25 June; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35437/13]

Child Care Services Inspections

Michael Lowry

464. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will detail the reasons that inspection reports for child care facilities have not been published online to date, despite promises to the contrary; the reasons for the delay in publishing these important reports; her views on whether such a delay is acceptable; if she will provide an update on the creation of a register of child care facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32989/13]

Home Help Service Provision

Michael Lowry

510. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the maximum number of hours available to a person requiring round the clock care under the home care package in each Health Service Executive area; the reason for the discrepancy in this figure; his views on whether this is fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33128/13]

Passport Applications

Michael Lowry

153. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding a second business passport application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reason for the delay in issuing a decision in this case; when a decision will issue in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31563/13]

FÁS Training Programmes

Michael Lowry

232. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will allow a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary to complete an apprenticeship with FÁS outside this jurisdiction; if he will recognise their work outside the State for the purposes of their apprenticeship; if his attention has been drawn to the person who cannot complete their apprenticeship within the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30214/13]

FÁS Local Training Initiatives Eligibility

Michael Lowry

236. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the criteria in place for qualification for a named FÁS course (details supplied), if his attention has been drawn to the fact that at present a person must be living in the State for two years to avail of this scheme; his views on whether this is fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30660/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Michael Lowry

178. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the measure introduced in Budget 2013 to provide capital gains tax relief to enable farm restructuring or the swapping of farm land; if EU approval has been given for this measure; if not when such approval is expected; the steps being taken to secure an approval; if he will ensure that any such swaps or transfers undertaken since 1 January will be eligible for this relief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26998/13]

School Staffing

Michael Lowry

240. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide assurance that an essential staff member who is retiring from a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be replaced for the coming academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26601/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Michael Lowry

268. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm the number of student grant applications submitted to SUSI that have been deemed ineligible as they have not been completed within the time frame set out; if he will confirm the number of student grant applications in County Tipperary rejected for the same reasons; if he will concede that the delay in many of these cases was caused by SUSI rather than the applicant; his views on whether this rejection is fair; if he will immediately re-open these applications without forcing students to appeal in view of the delays in the SUSI system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26997/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Michael Lowry

308. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a decision by Student Universal Support Ireland to assess a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 as dependent on their parents in view of the fact that they are living independently and do not receive any financial support from their parents; his views on whether it is fair that this person be assessed as dependent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27734/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Michael Lowry

309. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the decision made to alter the July home provision for children with autism; his views on whether the cutting of these services is fair and equitable; if his attention has been drawn to the distress and upset being caused to parents as a result of the changes made to the July home provision for children with autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27735/13]

Road Projects Issues

Michael Lowry

1115. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of farmers in north Tipperary (details supplied) have yet to be paid for lands acquired through compulsory purchase order for the construction of a road; the reasons for the excessive delay in this case; the steps being taken to tackle this issue; when payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27954/13]

Property Tax Exemptions

Michael Lowry

162. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason an estate (details supplied) in County Tipperary is not an exempted estate for the purposes of the local property tax despite the fact that it was exempt from the household charge; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no improvement works have been undertaken on this estate since the introduction of the household charge; his views on whether this is fair and equitable on the residents in this estate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25992/13]

State Examinations

Michael Lowry

244. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that reasonable accommodations for the leaving certificate exam have not been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if he will detail the reasons these accommodations have not been awarded to the person in question; if his attention has been drawn to the exceptional circumstances at play in this case; if his attention has been drawn to the distress and upset being caused to the person and their family as a result of this decision; his views on whether this decision is fair; if he will review this matter and ask that an exemption be made in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25306/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Michael Lowry

276. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reason this application has been closed despite all information requested being returned by the applicant; his views on whether this action was fair and reasonable; if his further attention has been drawn to the hardship being caused to the person as a result of this decision; if he will re-open this case and ensure that a decision is made as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25650/13]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Michael Lowry

188. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being faced by those engaged in the now discontinued shared ownership scheme; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that countless families across County Tipperary and indeed the country who engaged in this scheme are facing significant financial difficulty due to the fact that the rent on the council owned portion of their home has increased exponentially; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that as a result they are making little progress in the purchase of their home; if he will amend the Housing Act 2009 to resolve this issue; if he will consider allowing these persons to convert to a loan on their full property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24757/13]

Teacher Redeployment

Michael Lowry

363. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary was not granted supplementary panel rights; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the teacher in question meets the service and pay scale requirements; if he considers this exclusion to be fair and reasonable; if he will review this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24487/13]