Parliamentary questions

Speech and Language Therapy

Seán Canney

233. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the fact that 75% of the available speech and language therapists in HSE community healthcare west are redeployed to either testing or contact tracing, including speech and language therapists from both primary care and social care, and the detrimental effect it is having in the delivery of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27533/20]

Primary Medical Certificates

Seán Canney

30. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance the status of the primary medical certificates; his plans to expand the criteria for eligibility for persons to receive this assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27129/20]

Tax Code

Seán Canney

53. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if he will reform inheritance tax rules for agriculture by which the relief can be extended to favourite successor relief to reflect the changing demographics and family structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26862/20]

Tax Code

Seán Canney

78. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if he will remove agriculture from the commercial definition rate of 7.5% in relation to stamp duty and revise in line with the residential stamp duty charge of 1% up to €1 million and 2% thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26861/20]

Primary Medical Certificates

Seán Canney

82. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance the status of the primary medical certificates; his plans to expand the criteria for eligibility for persons to receive this assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26860/20]

Help-To-Buy Scheme

Seán Canney

87. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance his plans to extend the temporary help-to-buy scheme; his further plans to expand the scheme to include second-hand properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26863/20]

Home Loan Scheme

Seán Canney

379. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to expand the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme to include the refurbishment costs in addition to the capital costs of the house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27130/20]

Planning Issues

Seán Canney

402. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a further extension of time for planning permissions will be considered for housing developments due to the impact of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27083/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Seán Canney

577. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if the time will be extended for community employment scheme workers to remain on their placement due to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. [27079/20]

Student Support Schemes

Seán Canney

664. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if funding will be made available to mature and access students to purchase laptops in order to avail of online and blended learning during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27343/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Seán Canney

73. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht her plans to appoint a nominee from the commercial live events sector onto the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25712/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Canney

142. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to immediately reinstate the full rate per week of the employment wage subsidy scheme and pandemic unemployment payment payments to those persons employed in the events and entertainment industry until they are allowed to return to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25711/20]

Primary Care Centres

Seán Canney

179. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that primary care centres built under a public private partnership arrangement cannot be structurally altered without a formal approval by the PPP company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25710/20]

Warmer Homes Scheme

Seán Canney

146. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the steps he is taking to speed up the process of applications for the warmer homes scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that homeowners in County Galway that are in receipt of fuel allowance and that applied for the scheme in October 2019 were informed in September 2020 that it will take two years before a surveyor is appointed; his plans to allocate resources to clear the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24740/20]

School Transport

Seán Canney

392. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she is considering allowing families relying on the Covid-19 payment to access free school transport for the academic year 2020/2021 in view of the fact that the current payment regime is causing great difficulty for many families particularly in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25235/20]

State Examinations

Seán Canney

399. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will immediately put in place an appeals process for those persons whose teacher predicated grades were downgraded by her Department and which resulted in them losing out on first choice college places; if her attention has been drawn to the huge anger and disappointment felt by many students and their families in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24724/20]

School Transport

Seán Canney

463. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the financial burden being placed on rural families by the cost of school transport; her plans to reduce school transport fees; her views on low income families paying €650 per year for school transport; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that many rural communities agreed to school amalgamations on receiving assurances that their children would receive free school transport to a centralised school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25231/20]

JobPath Programme

Seán Canney

506. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for Jobpath, the administration of the scheme and the contract with the company (details supplied) which was due to finish in 2019 and was extended due to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24757/20]

Further and Higher Education

Seán Canney

620. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the difficulties facing medical students here which is creating a situation whereby doctors that achieved their education through graduate entry programmes are defaulting on student loans due to the high education costs they face here which incentivises them to work abroad; his views on the introduction of a HSE style bursary for clinical years three and four; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25236/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Seán Canney

696. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if his Department has carried out quantitative health risk assessments on the use of face masks; if so, if the results of those assessments are available to the public; if he has sought advice on the wearing of face coverings outside of the advice issued by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24728/20]

Ambulance Service

Seán Canney

731. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the reason qualified PHECC registered advanced paramedics are not being recruited into the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24872/20]

Felling Licences

Seán Canney

864. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in recent months to resolve the delays in issuing felling licences; the extra resources and investment put in place to deliver the necessary changes; the reason for the delay in getting felling licences; the objectives in terms of processing times in the coming months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24721/20]

Forestry Sector

Seán Canney

887. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the spread of ash dieback disease here; the measures being taken to combat the disease; his plans for awareness campaigns in relation to the disease; the funding that has been provided for third-level institutions or researchers in relation to the disease; and the assessments that have been done in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25232/20]

Farm Retirement Scheme

Seán Canney

888. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the introduction of a new early retirement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25237/20]

Abortion Services Provision

Seán Canney

128. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will reverse the decision by his predecessor to alter the model of care for abortion provision (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24248/20]

IDA Ireland

Seán Canney

153. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the provision of water and sewerage facilities for the IDA lands at Athenry, County Galway (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23896/20]

Mortgage Schemes

Seán Canney

285. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if persons who entered into a mortgage break with a bank will have their credit rating negatively affected by this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23888/20]

School Transport

Seán Canney

442. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education her plans to upgrade the school transport service and allow persons from within a parish to attend their local parish school rather than having to go to the nearest school, which may be outside the parish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23899/20]

Pension Provisions

Seán Canney

514. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the pension rights of community employment supervisors; when she will be implementing the LRC recommendation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23905/20]

Court Accommodation

Seán Canney

608. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice the progress on the refurbishment of the existing courthouse in Tuam, County Galway, which is on the Courts Service's programme; when the building will be brought back into use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23898/20]

Home Help Service

Seán Canney

772. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if funding for home help hours will be increased (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23887/20]

Sheepmeat Sector

Seán Canney

893. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of sheep imported in 2018 and 2019 in view of the fact that there is a significant difference in the CSO figures and figures supplied by his Department through the EU trade control and export system; if measures (details supplied) will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23901/20]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Seán Canney

9. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice when funding will be put in place to conform with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the timeline for compliance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22637/20]

Medical Cards

Seán Canney

201. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if legislation necessary to implement changes to the medical card weekly income limit for persons over 70 years of age announced in budget 2020 has been enacted and commenced in view of the fact the situation means that couples with a combined weekly income of between €900 and €1,050 are losing out on their entitlement to a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23030/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Seán Canney

25. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the steps in the process to exhume the bodies at the mother and baby home site in Tuam, County Galway. [21152/20]

Postal Services

Seán Canney

149. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks his plans to develop the post office network as a one stop shop for all offline State transactional services, including motor tax payments, driver licences, public services card renewals, identity verification and administration for Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21865/20]

Taxi Licences

Seán Canney

219. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport his views on the granting of local area hackney licences (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21868/20]

Office of Public Works

Seán Canney

322. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the project for the development of the Office of Public Works regional office in Headford, County Galway will go to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21866/20]

Home Loan Scheme

Seán Canney

397. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason approvals for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme are being withdrawn by his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21153/20]

School Accommodation

Seán Canney

549. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when a design team will be appointed for a new national school campus for Tuam, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21870/20]

School Accommodation

Seán Canney

550. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when a design team will be appointed for a new Gaelscoil campus at Athenry, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21871/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Canney

653. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Covid-19 support payment will be reinstated for self-employed persons in the music and entertainment industry here (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21154/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Canney

727. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears in payments for Covid-19 will be processed (details supplied). [22045/20]

Child Benefit

Seán Canney

743. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend the payment of child benefit to include those children that have reached 18 years of age but are still in full-time secondary school education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22221/20]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Seán Canney

887. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice when funding will be put in place to confirm the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the timeline for compliance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22032/20]

Disability Services Provision

Seán Canney

987. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the plans and timeline for the introduction of transport services for disability service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22638/20]

Hospital Services

Seán Canney

1269. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when the development of the mental health day hospital and disability centre at the Grove Hospital site in Tuam, County Galway will go to tender; when a contractor is expected to be appointed to carry out the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21869/20]

Health Services Staff

Seán Canney

1289. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the reason advanced paramedics that are qualified and work in that capacity in the UK are not being recognised here by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council and are being downgraded to paramedic status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21999/20]

Occupational Therapy

Seán Canney

1293. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if a fast track process will be introduced as a matter of urgency to allow occupational therapists that trained in the UK that are applying for degree recognition here to do so in a short time in view of the fact that applications are taking in excess of seven months from the date of submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22014/20]

National Broadband Plan

Seán Canney

114. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if all dwellings will be treated equally in relation to recent reports indicating that new rural houses without an alternative broadband provider may be subject to large costs as a deterrent to building in rural areas and that no house will be burdened with additional costs in the provision of fibre broadband to the home under the national broadband plan. [18897/20]