Parliamentary questions

One-Parent Family Payment

Willie O'Dea

313. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of increasing the earnings disregard under the one-parent family payment scheme to €146.50 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11610/16]

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

314. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of increasing the earnings disregard under the jobseeker's transitional payment scheme to €146.50 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11611/16]

One-Parent Family Payment

Willie O'Dea

315. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in a full year of paying the one-parent family payment until the youngest child in a family reaches 14 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11612/16]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

316. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of making jobseeker's transitional payment and the Student Universal Support Ireland maintenance grant payable to eligible lone parents who are undertaking an educational or training course for the duration of the course, regardless of the age of the youngest child in the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11613/16]

Back to Education Allowance

Willie O'Dea

317. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of making the Student Universal Support Ireland maintenance grant payable with the back to education allowance for lone parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11614/16]

Social Welfare Rates

Willie O'Dea

327. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the adequacy of social protection rates, given that the deprivation rate for those who are unemployed is 53.4% while the consistent poverty rate for the same cohort is 22.6%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11754/16]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Willie O'Dea

328. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if and when he will consolidate all means-testing under a single national body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11755/16]

Pension Provisions

Willie O'Dea

360. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the interdepartmental group that was to be established to examine the position of persons who are forced to retire at 65 years of age but who no longer qualify for a pension at this age and are forced to apply for a payment under the jobseeker's allowance scheme until they reach pension age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11753/16]

Home Help Service Provision

Willie O'Dea

455. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of home help hours provided to persons in County Clare in each of the years 2010 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11454/16]

Flood Prevention Measures

Willie O'Dea

134. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if Limerick City and County Council has applied for funding under the minor works scheme to carry out urgent repairs in an area (details supplied); if he is aware of the considerable flooding damage already caused in this area, and that the residents whose property has been damaged are contemplating legal action due to the losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10894/16]

Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Willie O'Dea

565. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the processing times for decisions of first instance, by scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10546/16]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Willie O'Dea

566. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time for a decision on appeal for all social protection payments paid on a weekly basis where there is no oral hearing and where there is an oral hearing, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10547/16]

Respite Care Services

Willie O'Dea

634. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if and for how long the practice is to continue where respite care has been reduced from seven nights per month to two nights per month and if a crisis case arises the respite is withdrawn (details supplied); if this practice is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9368/16]

National Minimum Wage

Willie O'Dea

1183. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is aware that the allowance for board and lodgings for domestic workers has not been altered since minimum wage legislation was first introduced; if and when she will change these provisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9934/16]

Maternity Services

Willie O'Dea

89. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when he will establish a baby loss unit for parents who suffer the loss of a child at the University Maternity Hospital in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8644/16]

Teacher Training Provision

Willie O'Dea

384. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills when she will introduce training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, for teachers in schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8186/16]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Willie O'Dea

6. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when arrears will issue under the carer's allowance scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7909/16]

Youthreach Programme Staff

Willie O'Dea

408. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who is employed as a resource worker is not allowed incremental credit for teaching experience and is compelled to accept a salary at point one of the salary scale which is a fraction of the hourly rate the person was paid as a substitute secondary school teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7305/16]

Free Travel Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

63. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to make changes to the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7202/16]

One-Parent Family Payment Data

Willie O'Dea

64. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of lone parents who are no longer eligible for the one-parent family payment and who are in receipt of the jobseeker's transition payment as a result of changes to the one-parent family payment and who are in receipt of the family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7203/16]

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Willie O'Dea

65. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of households to date that have had their rent supplement increased above the agreed thresholds by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7204/16]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

66. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of housing assistance payment recipients and households and the number of households she envisages transitioning from rent supplement to the HAP by the end of 2016, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7205/16]

Pension Provisions

Willie O'Dea

146. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress in establishing an interdepartmental group to examine the issue of those who are forced to retire at 65 years of age but who are not eligible for a State pension until they reach 66 years of age, as he indicated in correspondence dated 24 November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7132/16]

Home Help Service Provision

Willie O'Dea

502. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health why he has not sanctioned home help for a person (details supplied) in County Clare since 9 February 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6767/16]

Mobility Allowance

Willie O'Dea

598. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the status of replacing the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant which were closed to new applicants in 2013; his progress in finding a solution to this issue; the date for finalising proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7110/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

663. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if persons who receive the housing assistance payment and who take up full-time educational courses can receive the Student Universal Support Ireland maintenance grant if they meet the qualifying criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6359/16]

Community Employment Schemes Supervisors

Willie O'Dea

196. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the status of the community and voluntary forum set up months ago to address the issue of community employment supervisors pension and ex-gratia claims, given that to date it has had only one meeting on 27 November 2015 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5546/16]

Irish Youth Justice Service

Willie O'Dea

233. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when she will allocate funding to the Moyross Development Company for urgently required health and safety upgrades to recommence services provided by the Irish Youth Justice Service; the date the funding will be released and the amount that will be made payable; if services will not be denied to the youth of the area as has been the case for some months now; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4805/16]

Respite Care Services

Willie O'Dea

64. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the status of parents and guardians in regard to respite care facilities and the apparently new policy of transferring long-term residents into smaller unfamiliar venues and homes which causes upset and in some cases health problems to the person with disabilities; why parents and guardians have not been consulted on this, given the vulnerability of persons with a disability; why there is a need to transfer residents who have for many years been cared for safely in the same familiar setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4515/16]

Unemployment Data

Willie O'Dea

98. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach the rates of unemployment in Limerick city and county in each of the years 2009 to 2012, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3408/16]

Water Conservation Grant Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

108. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) in County Dublin is not entitled to a water conservation grant since moving address given that the person had already registered with Irish Water; if she will award the grant to this person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3964/16]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Willie O'Dea

137. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection , further to Parliamentary Question No. 112 of 26 January 2016 and a request for a change of personal public service number of a person on religious grounds and given that further information which was requested has been provided, if she will provide an immediate response to this request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4326/16]

Qualified Child Increase Payments

Willie O'Dea

145. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the-full year cost in 2016 of increasing the qualified child increase by €2.20, €3.00, €3.50, €4.00 and €6.00 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4390/16]

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Data

Willie O'Dea

146. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of restoring the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to 2011 rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4391/16]

Departmental Expenditure

Willie O'Dea

147. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the savings made to all schemes under the auspices of her Department as a result of reductions in rates or services since she took office, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4392/16]

Health Services Allowances

Willie O'Dea

331. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the status of replacing the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant which was closed to new applicants in 2013; the progress made to date in finding a solution to this issue; the expected date for finalising proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1194/16]

Hospital Beds Data

Willie O'Dea

354. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of adult beds available in the cystic fibrosis unit in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9; the number of persons awaiting a bed; if the number of beds in this unit will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4182/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Willie O'Dea

46. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of Intreo offices that are accessible, that are inaccessible, to persons with disabilities; the cost of making all Intreo offices accessible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3696/16]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Willie O'Dea

112. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an alternative personal public service number will be issued to a new baby delivered to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who is unhappy with the number provided on religious grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3104/16]

Homemakers Scheme

Willie O'Dea

122. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending the homemaker's credit scheme to persons who left the workforce to provide full-time care before April 1994; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3197/16]

Water Conservation Grant Data

Willie O'Dea

461. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the full year cost of the water conservation grant in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3061/16]

Teacher Redeployment

Willie O'Dea

140. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills to introduce a scheme to enable permanent primary school teachers, currently participating in a temporary teacher exchange scheme for five consecutive years, to continue to exchange their posts on an ongoing basis, subject to the agreement and written approval of the Boards of Management of their respective schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2606/16]

Pension Provisions

Willie O'Dea

70. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress in establishing an interdepartmental group to examine the issue of those who are forced to retire at 65 years of age, but who are not eligible for a State pension until they reach 66 years of age, as he indicated in correspondence dated 24 November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1252/16]

Social Welfare Code

Willie O'Dea

104. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will change the qualifying criteria for training support grants to enable those availing of education under the National Framework of Qualifications level 7 to receive payment at that level, rather than currently as at level 6; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1981/16]

Disability Allowance Payments

Willie O'Dea

105. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who has recently won an appeal under the disability allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1982/16]

Direct Provision Data

Willie O'Dea

120. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016, based on the projected number of persons accessing direct provision, of increasing the weekly adult rate from €19.10 to €23.00, €24.00, €25.00, €27.00, €28.00, €30.00, €32.00, €34.00, €36.00, and €38.74; and of increasing the weekly child rate from €9.60 to €12.00, €14.00, €15.00, €16.00, €18.00, €20.00, €22, €24.00, €26.00, €28.00 and €29.80; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2192/16]

Treatment Benefit Scheme

Willie O'Dea

44. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the benefits that have been withdrawn under the treatment benefits package since 2010; the savings made as a result of each measure; the full-year cost in 2016 of restoring each of the benefits, based on the contracts agreed with dental and medical practitioners at the time they were withdrawn, and based on a 5%, 10%, and 15% increase on the rates agreed at that time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1624/16]

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Willie O'Dea

1. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the changes made to the one-parent family payment given the data in the Survey on Income and Living Conditions which show those living in households with one adult and one or more children had the highest deprivation rate, at 58.7%, in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1190/16]

Community Services Programme

Willie O'Dea

4. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why she has not increased the contribution to the community services programme in line with the increase in the national minimum wage, given that this increase will put community groups under considerable financial strain; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1253/16]

Flood Prevention Measures

Willie O'Dea

14. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the supports and resources available to those affected by flooding; the efforts she is making to assist them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1191/16]