Parliamentary questions

Leader Programme Administration

Michael Moynihan

146. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that the criteria for selection of the local action groups to develop the local strategic plans will be drawn up so that the existing Leader groups are neither disadvantaged, constrained nor prevented from winning any Leader tender or selection process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25021/14]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Michael Moynihan

261. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the progression rule applies where a student, having previously been enrolled for first year of a level 8 course without doing final year exams or proceeding further or gaining any qualification from this course due to ill-health and having done so without receiving free fees or a Student Universal Support Ireland grant during this time, should be disqualified from State assistance to study a PLC course even at a lower level, even though they have privately funded the first year of this PLC course and now require State funding for the second year of study to complete the course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24712/14]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Michael Moynihan

415. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the outstanding agri-environment options scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24322/14]

Motor Tax Collection

Michael Moynihan

132. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many people are not receiving their automatic notification to renew their motor tax from his Department and that this letter contains the PIN required to process their motor tax payment online; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23467/14]

Medical Card Applications

Michael Moynihan

788. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the position taken by the medical card section of the Health Service Executive in relation to applications from persons with a very small income from self-employment, who are currently in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment, who have been assessed by a local social welfare inspector and the Department of Social Protection has accepted their income details without the need for documentation from the Revenue Commissioners; taking into consideration their very small self-employment income and inability to pay for an accountant in respect of same; his views on the refusal of the HSE to accept the means assessment of the local social welfare inspector as proof of their income and its insistence on full accounts and statements from the Revenue Commissioners. [22597/14]

Medical Card Administration

Michael Moynihan

32. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if the targeted withdrawal of 55,000 medical cards from the over 70s announced in the past two budgets has been achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21260/14]

Medical Card Eligibility

Michael Moynihan

39. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce new guidelines for the awarding of medical cards on a discretionary basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21261/14]

Medical Card Applications

Michael Moynihan

171. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [21620/14]

Medical Card Administration

Michael Moynihan

172. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a request by a person (details supplied) in County Cork to have their medical card application file sent back to them from the Primary Care Reimbursement Service. [21621/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Michael Moynihan

441. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the national broadband plan in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21511/14]

Energy Schemes Data

Michael Moynihan

133. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form the number of persons who received grants under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland schemes in each year from 2009 to 2013; the total value of grants provided in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20745/14]

Energy Resources

Michael Moynihan

134. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he concerned for the future of the Whitegate oil refinery; if the Government has considered purchasing the refinery; if this refinery is still utilised by the National Oil Reserves Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20746/14]

Energy Regulation

Michael Moynihan

135. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the growth of the prepaid energy market; the number of persons now utilising prepaid energy packages; his views on whether there are any issues arising with regard to consumer protection in this market; his views on whether the Commission for Energy Regulation has the necessary resources and legislative authority to properly regulate this market and protect consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20747/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Michael Moynihan

135. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the inclusion of the area of Killorglin, County Kerry in the list of locations for fibre build out as part of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20457/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Michael Moynihan

108. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the review of EirGrid's Grid25 project; when this review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19990/14]

Post Office Network

Michael Moynihan

111. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the strategy his Department has to sustain the post office network here; if he has had discussions with the Department of Social Protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19991/14]

Cyber Security Policy

Michael Moynihan

127. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department has taken any action to address the heartbleed bug; if his Department has any strategy to protect State assets from cyber attacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19943/14]

Offshore Exploration

Michael Moynihan

128. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on his review of the fiscal terms of oil and gas exploration here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19940/14]

Health Services

Michael Moynihan

393. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health when occupational and physiotherapy will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [20127/14]

Tuberculosis Eradication Programme Administration

Michael Moynihan

674. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of ongoing practices relating to TB testing, if it is still the position of his Department that a test must take place when an animal reaches six weeks old, it must have a TB test done to be sold at mart; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19602/14]

Forestry Grants

Michael Moynihan

675. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding afforestation grants (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19604/14]

Medical Card Applications

Michael Moynihan

908. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [19545/14]

Driver Licences

Michael Moynihan

958. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Road Safety Authority is processing applications from drivers who have requested to have the entitlement to tow a trailer of unlimited size added to their driving licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19469/14]

Road Improvement Schemes

Michael Moynihan

682. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the legal position in relation to cattle travelling on roads upgraded on the community involvement schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17342/14]

Post Office Network

Michael Moynihan

341. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to plans to close the post office at Park Shopping Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16106/14]

Children in Care

Michael Moynihan

112. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health his response to the criticisms of the child and adolescent mental health services in the recent report by the Ombudsman for Children entitled A Meta-analysis of Repetitive Root Cause Issues regarding the Provision of Services for Children in Care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14883/14]

Bord Gáis Privatisation

Michael Moynihan

229. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for the resources raised by the sale of Bord Gáis Energy; if 50% of the revenue will be used for job creation measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15210/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Michael Moynihan

335. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the work of the expert panel reviewing the Grid25 project; if the north-east connector plan will be fully reviewed by this panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15179/14]

Renewable Energy Exports

Michael Moynihan

336. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the current status of the memorandum of understanding between the Irish and UK Governments to progress plans for the trading of renewable energy between both countries; if he will state his view on the recent publication of energy targets from the European Commission for 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15180/14]

Petroleum and Gas Exploration

Michael Moynihan

337. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when a new fiscal framework for the exploration and production of oil and gas here will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15181/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Michael Moynihan

367. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the expected completion date of the autism spectrum disorders, ASD, accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13709/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Michael Moynihan

614. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount spent on EirGrid's Grid25 project to date; if he will provide in tabular form the cost of public relations, consultancy costs and advertising costs since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13528/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Michael Moynihan

615. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way the Grid25 project is being financed; if this will increase the cost of electricity to consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13529/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Michael Moynihan

616. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the Grid25 project is a point to point project; his views that this will best serve the regions of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13530/14]

Sale of State Assets

Michael Moynihan

617. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress in the sale of Bord Gáis Energy; if a decision has been made as to where the revenue raised form this sale will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13531/14]

Energy Regulation

Michael Moynihan

625. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the Shannon LNG project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13928/14]

Energy Regulation

Michael Moynihan

626. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason the Shannon LNG project would be subject to a levy for pipelines it would not use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13929/14]

Energy Regulation

Michael Moynihan

627. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has had any discussions with those involved in the Shannon LNG project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13930/14]

Nuclear Safety

Michael Moynihan

11. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has had contact with his British counterpart regarding the higher than normal levels of radiation measured at the Sellafield nuclear plant in January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10964/14]

Post Office Network

Michael Moynihan

3. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to outline his plans to guarantee the future of the Irish post office network; if he is concerned at the possible movement to e-payments by the Department of Social Protection which would have a dramatic impact on the post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11699/14]

EU Directives

Michael Moynihan

6. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way he will respond to the European Commission’s decision to refer Ireland to the European Court of Justice for failing to fully transpose EU internal energy market rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11700/14]

Environmental Investigations

Michael Moynihan

28. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the findings of his Department's report on the development of a sinkhole near Galmoy Mines in County Kilkenny; if he is concerned at this development; the inspections his Department carries out on mines operating here; how regular are these inspections and what they entail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10962/14]

Broadcasting Sector Regulation

Michael Moynihan

30. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the plans he has to reform the 50-50 time allocation by broadcasters at referendums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10965/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Michael Moynihan

32. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on EirGrid’s Grid25 plans; if the North-South interconnector will be part of the overall review of Grid25; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10966/14]

Petroleum and Gas Exploration

Michael Moynihan

38. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the tenders process for the provision of expert advice on Ireland's oil and gas exploration development and production fiscal terms has been completed; the amount of oil and gas that was produced here in 2013; the amount of revenue received by the State from this production and exploration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10963/14]

Local Government Reform

Michael Moynihan

370. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the issues recently raised at a meeting of Killarney Town Council in respect of the lack of a replacement administrative structure for the town following the end of the town council this summer; if he will clarify whether any special arrangements have been made for other tourist towns similar to Killarney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11949/14]

Child Poverty

Michael Moynihan

233. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of all consortia, the respective lead agency and proposed geographical area submitted for proposals to her Department in May 2013 in response to applications invited under the area based response to child poverty programme; the consortia from whom proposals have been approved to proceed to the next stage of the area based response to childhood poverty programme or as it is now referred to the area based childhood; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9993/14]

Child Poverty

Michael Moynihan

234. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide the names and membership of the working group of the project team and the names and membership of the project team that assessed the proposals submitted to her Department in May 2013 in response to applications invited under the area based response to child poverty programme; the process, manner and procedures followed by the project team; the working group of the project team and her Department and the relationship and respective functions of these constituent parts, when assessing and scoring all proposals submitted against the criteria outlined in the material produced by her Department when inviting proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9994/14]

Child Poverty

Michael Moynihan

235. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the scores awarded by the working group of the project team to each proposal submitted in May 2013 to her Department and assessed by the working group of the project team, in response to applications invited under the area based response to child poverty programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9995/14]

Child Poverty

Michael Moynihan

236. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the required criteria during the next stage of development and design for proposals that have been approved to move to the next stage of the area based response to child poverty programme; the process and procedures that are in place to assess compliance with these criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9996/14]