Parliamentary questions

Child Care Reports

Joanna Tuffy

201. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will consider, in consultation with the Department of Social Protection, the implementation of any of the tax relief or tax credit options suggested in the Right from the Start report for reducing the costs of child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7190/14]

Early Years Strategy Implementation

Joanna Tuffy

202. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number and dates of consultations between officials of her Department and officials from the Departments of Health, Education and Skills, Social Protection, Environment, Community and Local Government (Housing), Justice and Equality, and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in terms of input into the early years strategy; her level of satisfaction with interdepartmental and inter-agency co-operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7195/14]

Child Care Services Funding

Robert Troy

203. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware of the impact that the delay in the CCS allocations has had on the community sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7199/14]

Dental Services Provision

Derek Nolan

204. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the date on which a person (details supplied) in County Galway will have all necessary dental treatment carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6971/14]

Departmental Bodies

Michael McNamara

205. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of bodies under the aegis of his Department in respect of Government policy for which he is responsible for answering parliamentary questions pursuant to Standing Order 34. [7003/14]

Ministerial Appointments

Michael McNamara

206. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of bodies to which he has the authority to appoint board members. [7018/14]

Local Authority Functions

Kevin Humphreys

207. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of all specific new powers or functions conferred by legislation on local authorities under his remit since June 2009 and a reference to the specific section or regulation in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7033/14]

Hospital Transfers

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

208. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to explain the reason patients who have had total hip replacements performed are transferred to another hospital in a taxi rather than an ambulance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7040/14]

Hospital Charges

Denis Naughten

209. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his plans to change the way claims for private patients are processed by hospitals in view of the recent audit at the Galway-Roscommon university hospitals group; the steps he is taking to address other deficiencies uncovered by the audit relating to credit cards, failure to record staff leave and giving doctors allowances they were not entitled to and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7051/14]

Hospital Charges

Denis Naughten

210. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown for each hospital in the Galway-Roscommon university hospitals group of unpaid patient bills from 2010 to date in 2014; the amount that has been written off by each hospital for the same period; the amount which is being sought by debt recovery agencies; the amount currently awaiting sign-off by a consultant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7052/14]

Speech and Language Therapy

Jack Wall

211. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7061/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Billy Kelleher

212. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if there has been a policy change in terms of the ability of Health Service Executive early intervention teams to recommend a school for special needs children as part of their assessment; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that one intervention team (details supplied) no longer provides this one-line recommendation and this is affecting children's entitlement to school transportation in line with Department of Education and Skills requirements; if he will rectify this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7062/14]

Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme

Colm Keaveney

213. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in reference to his reply on 23 January 2014 on children and adults with narcolepsy, where he referred to his discussion with the Chief Medical Officer about a no-fault compensation scheme, if he will explain the stage these discussions are at; what the proposal contains; the way he proposes to compensate children and adults with narcolepsy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7069/14]

Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme

Colm Keaveney

214. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in reference to his reply on 23 January 2014 in respect of children and adults with narcolepsy, the basis on which the prognosis is better than previously indicated; the timeframe for this improved prognosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7070/14]

Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme

Colm Keaveney

215. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in reference to his reply on 23 January 2014 in respect of children and adults with narcolepsy, if he will accept an invitation from Sufferers of Unique Narcolepsy Disorder to meet affected families and not just the committee members of that organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7071/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

216. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate eligibility for assistance under the fair deal scheme in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7078/14]

Hospital Appointments Administration

Seán Fleming

217. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Laois will have an endoscopy carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7079/14]

Ambulance Service Response Times

Pádraig MacLochlainn

218. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the target response time for emergency ambulance call-outs in County Donegal; the number of emergency ambulance call-outs in County Donegal in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the number of times in which the teams failed to meet the target response time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7084/14]

Hospitals Funding

Pádraig MacLochlainn

219. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the staffing and funding provision for the James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Carndonagh in County Donegal for 2014; the comparable figures for 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7085/14]

Ambulance Service Staff

Pádraig MacLochlainn

220. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of the number of staff currently employed in the ambulance service in County Donegal, including a breakdown of the various grades and locations of these posts; and if he will provide comparable figures for the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013. [7086/14]

Ambulance Service Provision

Pádraig MacLochlainn

221. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the funding that will be provided for the ambulance service in County Donegal in 2014 and the comparable figures for 2009 to 2013, inclusive. [7087/14]

Medical Card Appeals

Bernard Durkan

222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will review a recent decision to refuse a medical card on appeal in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is an epileptic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7117/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Jack Wall

223. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the reason persons (details supplied) in County Kildare are being assessed as individuals in respect of the nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7121/14]

Calorie Posting on Menus

Michael Healy-Rae

224. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding calorie counts in restaurants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7125/14]

Home Help Service Expenditure

Joanna Tuffy

225. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Health the amount spent in 2012 and 2013 on home help nationwide and the amount spent in 2012 and 2013 on home help in the Health Service Executive west area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7136/14]

Health Services Provision

Michael McCarthy

226. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the provisions that are being made for a person (details supplied) in County Laois to be transferred from Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, to their residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7139/14]

Speech and Language Therapy

Billy Timmins

227. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 6 February 2014, the position regarding the issue raised in the second half of the question and the policy, if any, surrounding the IQ level of the student. [7158/14]

Health Services Staff Data

Jonathan O'Brien

228. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners are considered officers of the Health Service Executive. [7193/14]

Health Services Staff Data

Jonathan O'Brien

229. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the grades at which employees would be considered officers of the Health Service Executive. [7194/14]

Military Aircraft Landings

Brendan Smith

230. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the landing fees received by Shannon Airport in 2012 and 2013 for flights carrying US troops through the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7129/14]

Departmental Bodies

Michael McNamara

231. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of bodies under the aegis of his Department in respect of Government policy for which he is responsible for answering parliamentary questions pursuant to Standing Order 34. [7008/14]

Ministerial Appointments

Michael McNamara

232. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of bodies to which he has the authority to appoint board members. [7023/14]

Local Authority Functions

Kevin Humphreys

233. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of all specific new powers or functions conferred on local authorities by legislation under his area since June 2009 and a reference to the specific section or regulation in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7038/14]

Driver Licences

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

234. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan who was married in Rome can have their driving licence renewed to reflect their change of name; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7048/14]

Road Improvement Schemes

Seán Fleming

235. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will make funding available under the local improvement scheme to local authorities in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7080/14]

Public Service Obligation Services

Tom Fleming

236. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that the public service obligation for Dublin Airport to Kerry Airport is renewed in November when the current PSO expires in view of the fact that this renewal of PSO is crucial for the economic future of County Kerry with regard to tourism, business and all economic activity in the county Kerry and the general south west region. [7091/14]

Public Service Obligation Services

Terence Flanagan

237. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the privatisation of bus routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7116/14]

Public Transport Initiatives

Timmy Dooley

238. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the current status of the DART underground and metro north projects; his views on whether bus rapid transit would provide a cheaper and more effective transport link to the airport instead of metro north; his views on whether expanding the DART to Dublin Airport is a viable project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7131/14]

Public Transport Initiatives

Timmy Dooley

239. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the consultancy costs to the National Transport Authority in reviewing the bus rapid transit options for transport in Dublin; the total spend on consultancy fees by NTA since January 2012 by project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7132/14]

Rail Network

Timmy Dooley

240. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on plans to upgrade the Dublin-Cork railway line; if he will further provide an update on plans to upgrade the Dublin-Belfast line; if it will be possible to separate the operation of the DART from this line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7133/14]

Rail Services

Timmy Dooley

241. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the use of commuter trains on the Limerick-Galway railway line is inappropriate and has resulted in low passenger numbers; if it is possible to provide intercity trains for this line; if Irish Rail will consider running an intercity service from Cork via Limerick and Ennis to Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7134/14]

Sports Events

Paul Connaughton

242. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has given consideration to Ireland hosting a regular season NFL American football game, considering the success the UK is having in hosting such games and the continued rise in support for the game in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7163/14]

Road Safety

Martin Heydon

243. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding proposed changes to weight restrictions for tractors and trailers; the implications this will have for users of these vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7191/14]