Parliamentary questions

Drug Rehabilitation Clinics

Dara Calleary

403. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are currently on a methadone treatment programme; who are on a programme for more than two years; three years; five years; seven years; and ten years; the way these programmes are monitored; the programmes and supports that are in place to support persons who wish to come off methadone, and live drug-free lives; if he will provide the figures for the past three years for the number of persons who have successfully come off methadone, through these programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27522/15]

Universal Health Insurance Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

404. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health his plans to make available a copy of the report on the detailed costings of universal health insurance presented to him on 21 May 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27533/15]

Hospital Procedures

Bobby Aylward

405. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health his plans for Kilcreene orthopaedic hospital in County Kilkenny, specifically regarding orthopaedic services and the review of elective orthopaedic services for the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27534/15]

Drug Rehabilitation Clinics

Thomas P. Broughan

406. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health following the appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility for drugs and the current increase in cases of human immunodeficiency virus among intravenous drug users, if he will reconsider his position on the reported potential positive impact of medically supervised injection centres (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27535/15]

Drug Rehabilitation Clinics

Thomas P. Broughan

407. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the draft health (injecting centres) Bill 2015 devised by the Ana Liffey Drug Project and the supporting documentation; his views on the Bill; if the Bill or similar legislation will be introduced before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27536/15]

Drug Rehabilitation Clinics

Thomas P. Broughan

408. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the collaboration taking place with the Department of Justice and Equality (details supplied) in relation to legislation and proposals for the introduction of medically supervised injecting centres in view of the reported success of such centres in Sydney, Australia, and in Portugal in reducing the numbers contracting human immunodeficiency syndrome, the number of ambulance call-outs for overdoses and the improvement of health in intravenous drug users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27537/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

409. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if technical aids and appliances grants for vibrating pagers provided by DeafHear are available to deaf persons in counties Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, but not to those in County Meath; if he will ensure funding is extended to County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27539/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Regina Doherty

410. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason funding for equipment, such as vibrating pager systems, for deaf persons under the age of 65 years is not provided for by the Health Service Executive in County Meath under the technical aids and appliances grant for the past four to five years, given that funding was available from the executive in counties Louth, Cavan and Monaghan this year. [27541/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

411. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the total annual spend on oncology services, by location, for each year from 2011 to 2014, inclusive, and for 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27542/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

412. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the current provision for oncology services available, and all related services and treatments, by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27543/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

413. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the current number of oncology consultant posts, and oncology service posts, currently vacant; when they will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27544/15]

Hospital Staff Data

Gerry Adams

414. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the staff numbers employed in the public oncology service, including their principal roles, for example, consultant and radiologist, from 2011 to 2015, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27545/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

415. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adults currently waiting for oncology services, including a breakdown, in tabular form, of location and times for specific services and treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27546/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

416. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of the average waiting time from referral to consultation and treatment, respectively, in the case of persons attending oncology services, from 2011 to 2015, inclusive. [27547/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

417. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the details of all public hospitals from 2011 to 2015, inclusive, using private facilities to provide treatment for oncology services; the number of public health patients who have been treated using private facilities; the cost of same; and the locations where it has taken place. [27548/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

418. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, by location, a breakdown of the use of beds in public and voluntary hospitals for oncology services by persons covered by private insurance operators; and the costs of same from 2011 to date in 2015. [27549/15]

Hospital Services

Gerry Adams

419. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the additional revenue which would be raised if all private patients in public hospitals were charged in full for oncology services provided rather than being charged a fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27550/15]

Constitutional Amendments

Micheál Martin

420. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health his plans to hold a referendum on Article 40.3.3° of Bunreacht na hÉireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21328/15]

HSE Staff Remuneration

Seán Fleming

421. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of business cases he has been asked to approve in respect of sections 38 and 39 agencies for payment of salaries over and above approved pay scales; the number approved; the number still being assessed; if he has issued any updated policy directives on the subject; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26389/15]

Suicide Prevention

Peter Mathews

422. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Health if he will consider providing funding for suicide prevention professional training programmes for all students' union officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27582/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Pat Deering

423. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will receive an appointment for surgery in St. Luke's Hospital in County Kilkenny. [27590/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Pat Deering

424. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will receive a date for a procedure in Waterford Regional Hospital, given that the person is on the waiting list since December 2013 [27591/15]

Hospital Services

Charlie McConalogue

425. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if the national hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia centre is operational at Mercy University Hospital in Cork; if it treats patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations which occur in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27592/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Finian McGrath

426. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason a centre (details supplied) in Dublin 3 has been told there are no more funds and resources to support persons with a disability following a meeting with parents; if he will take action on this urgent matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27606/15]

HSE Reports

Seamus Healy

427. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the terms of reference for the review and assessment of needs at South Tipperary General Hospital being undertaken by a person (details supplied); the nature and extent of the review; the timeframe for the completion of the report; the persons and organisations being consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27629/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Barry Cowen

428. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive a medical appointment. [27631/15]

Primary Care Services Provision

Brendan Smith

429. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when a health centre (details supplied) in County Cavan will re-open; if there are particular issues delaying the re-opening of this much-needed health facility in an area where there has been a huge growth in population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27645/15]

Medical Card Eligibility

Seamus Healy

430. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health if he will reimburse a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary for medication and general practitioner charges for the period 1 November 2013 to 25 June 2014, inclusive, when the person's medical card was restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27673/15]

Medical Card Applications

John Halligan

431. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of cases where general practitioners are not registering for the under sixes medical card scheme, their patients feel the need to register with an alternative general practitioner in order to obtain cover for their children and the patients are being charged upwards of €15 for the privilege of having their files transferred to the new general practitioner; his views as to whether this is an opportunistic charge; if he will raise the issue with the Irish Medical Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27675/15]

Abortion Services Provision

Terence Flanagan

432. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27677/15]

Abortion Services Provision

Terence Flanagan

433. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27678/15]

Abortion Legislation

Terence Flanagan

434. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27679/15]

Hospital Appointments Status

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy

435. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive an appointment at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27688/15]

Hospital Services

Róisín Shortall

436. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the circumstances surrounding the closure of the pancreatic-kidney transplant unit in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9; the reason a consultant has not been recruited to take over the work of a doctor (details supplied); the arrangements that are in place for the large number of transplant patients attending this clinic and for those on the waiting list for transplants; and when this clinic will be fully functioning again [27692/15]

Information and Communications Technology

Maureen O'Sullivan

437. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of the planned information and communications technology-enabled clinical and operational mental health information system, for which €400,000 was allocated in 2013; when the system will be fully operational; if the system will collect social inclusion indicators such as housing, employment, education and income status of persons accessing mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27709/15]

Medical Records

Maureen O'Sullivan

438. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will release all medical records in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; if he will ensure that an examination will take place, of the reason that this public patient's medical files were incomplete when he received them, as this matter is causing great stress for this person' [27710/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Mick Wallace

439. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the care needs of children with special needs in County Wexford are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27369/15]

Hospital Procedures

Bernard Durkan

440. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a computed tomography, CT, scan colonography procedure at Blanchardstown hospital will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27712/15]

Medical Card Applications

Willie Penrose

441. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27717/15]

Medical Card Reviews

Catherine Murphy

442. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the negative impact of the minimum income thresholds for medical card holders who are also in receipt of social welfare payments; if it is open to him to amend this minimum income threshold to allow the Health Service Executive to award medical cards in such cases of obvious need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24635/15]

Psychological Services

Catherine Murphy

443. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that at present there is no child psychology service available in County Kildare, the fourth most populous county in the State; his views that this presents a significant child welfare issue; the dialogue he has had with the Health Service Executive in respect of this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27274/15]

Passport Services

Ruth Coppinger

444. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the greater diversity in backgrounds of Irish citizens, the steps the Passport Office has taken to better serve those applying for and renewing their passports. [27096/15]

Passport Services

Ruth Coppinger

445. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to minimise the impact of the increased demand for passports from the Passport Office each summer. [27097/15]

Passport Services

Ruth Coppinger

446. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of additional staff in the Passport Office for the summer; if he anticipates a high demand for the passport card in the autumn; and the staffing plans for this service. [27098/15]

Diplomatic Representation

Fergus O'Dowd

447. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide the names of the honorary consuls, by location and country; the term of office of each consul; if he proposes to appoint any consul; if so, the process of appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27440/15]

Northern Ireland

Thomas Pringle

448. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the request by the coroner in the inquest of persons (details supplied) in September 1992, and into the linked murders and attempted murders of 28 persons in Northern Ireland, for a public inquiry to be held into the killings, given that the coroner believes that the inquest is not equipped to deal with the issues involved, including the issue of collusion; if he will support the coroner's call; if he will contact the British Government in relation to the important issues involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27504/15]

Institutes of Technology

Joe Costello

449. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for the next stage of the development of the Dublin Institute of Technology campus at Grangegorman in Dublin 7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27183/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

450. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected cost of changing the measurement of geographical distance to a measurement of travel distance in respect of qualifying for grant assistance under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme. [26892/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

451. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reinstating the old adjacent rate of the grant under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme at 24 km. [26893/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

452. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine introducing a special supplementary means tested payment under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme for those living on islands who incur extra travel costs or living costs because they cannot commute. [26894/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

453. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the payment rates under the Student Universal Support Ireland Scheme, given the poor standard of transport links in many rural areas. [26895/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

454. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has conducted any review of the rules of assessing estrangement used by Student Universal Support Ireland; if she is aware of any review conducted by Student Universal Support Ireland on the matter; and the outcome of any of these reviews. [26896/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

455. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide clear guidelines to grant authorities that will compel them to recognise genuine evidence from students that demonstrates estrangement from their families. [26897/15]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Jonathan O'Brien

456. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that students over 23 years of age who are classed as mature students are assessed on their personal income, and not that of their parents; and if she will introduce formal guidelines on same for Student Universal Support Ireland. [26898/15]

Student Grant Scheme Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

457. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of fully reinstating the postgraduate maintenance grant. [26899/15]

Student Grant Scheme Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

458. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that postgraduate fee contributions match undergraduate fee contributions. [26900/15]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Jonathan O'Brien

459. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the rules around transitional courses at third level for the purposes of supports under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme, given the lack of recognition that add-on courses with high progression rates currently have. [26901/15]

Student Grants Data

Jonathan O'Brien

460. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who received a grant in a repeat year of studies during the years 2013-14 and 2014-15; and the guidelines used to decide on their qualifications. [26902/15]

School Staff

Tom Fleming

461. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update regarding the very merited appeal, due to exceptional circumstances, and the importance of the retention of two teachers in respect of a school (details supplied) which caters for children with mild and moderate autism in the Tralee, Killarney and greater mid-County Kerry area, as the projected enrolment for future years is increasing and it is a marginal situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26928/15]

School Management

Seán Kyne

462. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the accountability of boards of management in respect of spending locally raised funds and in respect of capitation grants provided by her Department; if schools have to provide audited accounts; the safeguards in place to ensure moneys are spent appropriately; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26929/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Robert Dowds

463. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a sufficient number of special needs assistants to meet demand at primary level in the forthcoming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27010/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

464. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants who are allocated to part-time posts in each school in County Louth for the upcoming school year. [27020/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

465. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants who are allocated to full-time posts in each school in County Louth for the upcoming school year. [27021/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

466. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of full-time and part-time special needs assistant posts allocated to schools in County Louth in each year since 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27022/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

467. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown in tabular form of funding allocated for the provision of special needs assistants in County Louth in 2015-16; and the total spent per year from 2010. [27023/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

468. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average amount spent per pupil on special needs assistants in County Louth; and how this compares with the allocation per pupil across the State. [27024/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

469. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average amount spent per pupil on special needs assistants in County Meath; and how this compares with the allocation per pupil across the State. [27025/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

470. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding allocated for the provision of special needs assistants in County Meath in 2015-16; and the total spent in each year from 2010. [27026/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

471. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of part-time and full-time special needs assistant posts allocated to schools in County Meath in each year since 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27027/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

472. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of part-time special needs assistant posts allocated to each school in County Meath for the upcoming school year. [27028/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

473. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of full-time special needs assistant posts allocated to each school in County Meath for the upcoming school year. [27029/15]

Special Educational Needs Data

Gerry Adams

474. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown in tabular form of the number of hours of special needs assistance allocated to schools in counties Louth and Meath from 2010. [27030/15]

Special Educational Needs Data

Gerry Adams

475. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average resource hours allocated per child, following assessment, to each school in County Louth from 2010. [27031/15]

Special Educational Needs Data

Gerry Adams

476. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average resource hours allocated per child, following assessment, to each school in County Meath from 2010. [27032/15]

Special Educational Needs Data

Gerry Adams

477. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline in tabular form the number of pupils who required a special needs assistant following assessment, by county from 2010. [27033/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

478. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will advise further on schools submitting applications for resources for special needs assistants in March 2015; and if the level of resources needed, based on assessment, will be met for the upcoming school year. [27034/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

479. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons for the delay in processing applications from schools for resources for special needs assistants for the upcoming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27035/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Gerry Adams

480. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills when schools will be notified regarding the allocation of resources for special needs assistants in respect of the upcoming school year. [27036/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Charlie McConalogue

481. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there has been a delay in announcing the allocation of special needs assistants in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11; if the allocation of assistants has already been decided for this school; when this decision will be communicated to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27040/15]

Education and Training Boards Funding

Robert Troy

482. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for the funds held in the capital reserves of the Longford-Westmeath Education and Training Board, following the disposal of the old school at Castlepollard, County Westmeath, a number of years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27083/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Bernard Durkan

483. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when information regarding the allocation of special needs assistants is likely to become available for the forthcoming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27084/15]

School Transport Availability

Áine Collins

484. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the school bus from Cullen to a school (details supplied) in County Cork is not running for the coming school year. [27119/15]

Languages Programme

Michael McGrath

485. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the campaign to secure recognition for Irish sign language; if her Department is the lead Department in that regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27126/15]

Further Education and Training Colleges

Charlie McConalogue

486. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide figures, in tabular form, on the funding allocated to each of the further education and training colleges from September 2011 to September 2014. [27133/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Clare Daly

487. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is a delay in the allocation of special needs assistants to primary schools, given that concerned persons are unaware of whether they will be sanctioned for next year, even though the summer term is upon us. [27138/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Dara Calleary

488. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the allocation of special needs assistants for the 2015-16 school year has not yet been published; her views on whether it would be beneficial for school managers to be made aware of their allocations before the close of business of the 2014-15 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27197/15]

School Transport Availability

Charlie McConalogue

489. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if students from the Urris area of Clonmany in County Donegal who commenced at a school (details supplied) in September 2012, or subsequently, but who are now being informed by Bus Éireann that they reside closer to secondary schools in Buncrana, will have to pay the concessionary school transport fare to continue to avail of school transport to Carndonagh; if the concessionary fare will be waived to allow them to complete their education at the school, given that they are only now being informed that her Department regards them as residing closer to Buncrana; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27198/15]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Martin Heydon

490. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on applications for special needs assistants in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27200/15]

Departmental Investigations

John McGuinness

491. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to a report (details supplied) on the allegations made by a whistleblower with regard to corporate income tax, if she will confirm the tender process by which the company was selected; the cost of the report; if the full report will be published; the cost of the legal advice in respect of the report and any other matter relative to the allegations; if the terms of reference for the report will be published; the name of the legal advisers; the persons or group of advisers who drafted the terms of reference for the report; if she will provide the list of those interviewed as part of the process of compiling the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27201/15]

Disadvantaged Status

Jonathan O'Brien

492. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Dublin will be considered for inclusion under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme, as part of the upcoming review of the scheme for disadvantaged schools, given that all other schools in the area have been included under the scheme. [27222/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Jonathan O'Brien

493. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if extra funds have been made available for her Department to comply with planning conditions set down by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and upheld by An Bord Pleanála regarding the planning application for the building of a new school for a co-educational day school (details supplied) in County Dublin. [27223/15]

Departmental Circulars

Pat Deering

494. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional funding to schools to offset the extra costs associated with Circular 33/2015, as electronic systems for the recording of pupils' attendance are an additional financial burden on schools, and given that roll books and so on were provided free by her Department until now; the amount her Department has spent on providing roll books and registers to schools for each of the past ten years; and the amount her Department plans to save over the next year due to schools that use electronic attendance systems no longer having to use roll books and so on. [27230/15]

School Services Staff

Niall Collins

495. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the concerns of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 at the absence of proper security as a result of the withdrawal of the community employment scheme; her views on the need to provide resources and advice to the school authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27238/15]

Schools Establishment

Niall Collins

496. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to develop a secondary school in the Firhouse-Ballycullen area of Tallaght, Dublin 24, given the future demand in this area; if she will point out to the relevant officials that South Dublin County Council's new development plan will include a recommendation that no such future school development will take place in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27239/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

497. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application (details supplied) to provide preschool services for children with autism in September 2015; if she will expedite a decision given the very short timeframe to report on the delay in making this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27244/15]

School Transport Eligibility

Jonathan O'Brien

498. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of a change to the school transport scheme (details supplied); and that this change means many large lower-income areas in Galway city are now excluded from the grant. [27255/15]

School Transport Eligibility

Sandra McLellan

499. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options available to a family (details supplied) in County Cork who are just under the distance to qualify for free school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27256/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

500. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the learning support provided for a pupil (details supplied) in County Meath to ensure the support reaches the 30 minutes per day recommended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27260/15]

Professional Fees

Thomas P. Broughan

501. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the concerns of community and voluntary training providers at the proposed fees for engagement and validation of qualifications by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, in particular the impact of such fees on the capacity of organisations to provide education and training programmes for disadvantaged groups; her plans to exempt charities from these fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27284/15]

Third Level Participation

Thomas P. Broughan

502. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the actions her Department is taking to address the non-progression of up to 7,000 students from first year to second year at third level, as reported by the Higher Education Authority last year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27285/15]