Parliamentary questions

Departmental Legal Cases

Peadar Tóibín

531. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is currently involved in any investigations into Meath Partnership; and if so, the details of same. [22158/16]

Departmental Legal Cases

Peadar Tóibín

532. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is aware of any other State organisation, EU agency or local authority currently investigating Meath Partnership. [22159/16]

Leader Programmes Data

Peadar Tóibín

533. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there has been a delay in the awarding of Leader contracts to Meath Partnership. [22160/16]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

534. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is aware of the current €375,000 fundraising project being carried out by Meath Partnership. [22161/16]

Departmental Funding

Peadar Tóibín

535. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the foreign travel that Meath Partnership has been involved in the past ten years; the funding that was used to provide for this travel; and the benefits of these meetings. [22162/16]

Arts Funding

Bobby Aylward

536. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will commit to reaching an investment of 0.3% of GDP over the three forthcoming budgets of the Government's programme to bring Ireland in line with 50% of the European average by budget 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22293/16]

Arts Plan

Bobby Aylward

537. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 148 of 15 June 2016, when the important culture policy document, Culture 2020, will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22294/16]

Film Industry

John Lahart

538. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding allocated to the film industry between 2011 to 2016; the spending on the film industry as a percentage of GNP in that time in tabular form; and her views on funding plans for the film industry in budget 2017. [22589/16]

Special Areas of Conservation

Eamon Ryan

539. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to confirm that the European Commission opened infringement proceedings against the Republic of Ireland in February 2015 for not designating more than 400 sites of community interest as special areas of conservation as soon as possible and within six years at most, for not having set site-specific detailed conservation objectives for more than 300 sites, including several sites for freshwater pearl mussel, and for subsequently failing to adopt the necessary conservation measures which correspond to the ecological requirements of the natural habitat types in Annex I and the species in Annex ​II​ of the habitats directive. [22601/16]

Special Areas of Conservation

Eamon Ryan

540. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps the Government has taken to address the proceedings taken against the Republic of Ireland in February 2015 for not designating more than 400 sites of community interest as special areas of conservation as soon as possible and within six years at most, for not having set site-specific detailed conservation objectives for more than 300 sites and for subsequently failing to adopt the necessary conservation measures which correspond to the ecological requirements of the natural habitat types in Annex I and the species in Annex ​II​ of the habitats directive. [22602/16]

EU Directives

Róisín Shortall

541. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 148 of 30 June 2016, 1681 of 22 September 2015 and 87 of 24 March 2015, and the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 and the European Communities Birds Directive, her plans to actively engage with Dublin City Council to curtail this issue, including the issue of permits as outlined in previous replies; if her attention has been drawn to an issue (details supplied); the steps she will take to end the disruption and nuisance caused by these birds during the breeding season; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22685/16]

EU Directives

Clare Daly

542. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 465 of 12 July 2016, if she will clarify who is empowered to submit an application for a derogation and if both local councils and private individuals are empowered to do so. [22698/16]

Ministerial Advisers Data

Seán Sherlock

543. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of politically appointed staff working in her Department, including the names, roles and salaries of each staff member; in the case of special advisers, their qualifications and experience relevant to their roles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22726/16]

National Parks

Éamon Ó Cuív

544. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has received an application from Leitrim County Council to designate north Leitrim as a national park; the process by which such an application will be considered and the timescale of this consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22865/16]

Seirbhísí Aeir Fóirdheonaithe

Éamon Ó Cuív

545. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cad iad na céimeanna atá tógtha aici le mí anuas lena chinntiú go mbeidh seirbhís aeir ann chuig Oileáin Árann tar éis deireadh mhí Mheán Fómhair; cad é an dáta deiridh chun tairiscintí a chur isteach ar an tseirbhís; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [22866/16]

Road Projects Status

Éamon Ó Cuív

546. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress made in the past six weeks to resolve the issues between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Galway County Council regarding the upgrade of the N59 Oughterard to Clifden road; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22867/16]

Leader Programmes Expenditure

Éamon Ó Cuív

547. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total allocation in 2016 for the Leader programme; the estimated amount of this that will be spent on projects; the amount spent in 2016 to date on projects from the 2007-2014 programme; the estimated amount still to be spent on this programme in 2016; the amount that it is estimated will be expended on the 2013-2020 programme in 2016 on animation and on projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22878/16]

Forbairt Calaí agus Céanna

Éamon Ó Cuív

548. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén caiteachas a mheastar a dhéanfar i mbliana ar fhorbairt na céibhe ar Inis Oírr; cén méid atá caite go dtí seo i mbliana ar an togra seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [22879/16]

Cross-Border Projects

Brendan Smith

549. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the restoration of the Ulster Canal; the funding provided in her Department's Estimates in 2016 for this project and the likely expenditure; when this project will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22890/16]

Hedge Cutting Season

Brendan Smith

550. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will implement changes to the closed period for hedge cutting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22891/16]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

David Cullinane

551. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of staff who entered the public service post 1 January 2011, in her Department and by year of entry to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23492/16]

Mental Health Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

552. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the effect the industrial dispute at the Central Mental Hospital is having on services; the number and grade of staff involved; the causes of the dispute; the steps taken to resolve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22090/16]

HSE Funding

Pearse Doherty

553. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the amount of HSE administered grant funding allocated to preschools and or child care providers for the provision of supports for children with special education needs, per county, for the years 2015-16 and 2016-17, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22312/16]

Public Sector Pensions

Michael Healy-Rae

554. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views regarding the pensions that employers of an organisation (details supplied) receive. [22315/16]

Health Services

Louise O'Reilly

555. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of podiatry and chiropody services in the Health Service Executive west region; the number and location of local podiatry clinics in this region that have been discontinued in the past ten years, in tabular form; if he will publish the criteria for discontinuing such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21929/16]

Hospital Consultant Recruitment

John McGuinness

556. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the status of the appointment of new emergency department consultants in St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; the number of new appointments he intends to make in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21930/16]

Hospital Groups

Billy Kelleher

557. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if discussions between the Ireland East Hospital Group, IEHG, and the HSE acute hospitals division to address the disparity in funding sought by IEHG to address service requirements and planned and approved developments, including the winter initiative, the new developments in counties Wexford and Kilkenny as well as full costs associated with the establishment of the pancreatic transplant service to St. Vincent's University Hospital and full year costs of 2015 developments, with the actual allocation received in 2016, have been concluded with an outcome that was satisfactory to IEHG; and the details of the outcome of the discussions. [21931/16]

Hospital Staff Data

Billy Kelleher

558. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time approved emergency medicine consultant posts in each public and voluntary hospital in tabular form. [21932/16]

Emergency Departments Closures

Peter Burke

559. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that there will be no service cut or closure at Mullingar Midlands Hospital accident and emergency department after reports in the media claiming otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21934/16]

Dental Services

Eoin Ó Broin

560. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the reason a dental service (details supplied) is due to close; when, and the duration for which it is due to close; the number of dental appointments that will have to be relocated during this period; the number of dental patients who will be affected by this closure; the reason the Health Service Executive will not provide temporary dentist cover at this location to ensure continuance of service; the cost of providing such temporary cover at the clinic; the location to which dental patients who would have otherwise accessed the clinic will be redirected to for the duration of the closure; if additional resources will be provided to these other clinics to cope with the increase demand for services; the impact that the closure of the clinic will have on waiting times; and the total number of dental appointments covered by the clinic during the past 12 months. [21942/16]

Health Services

Robert Troy

561. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the procedure and the steps involved in the diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome in a child; if he is satisfied that all of the necessary expertise to diagnose and treat this syndrome is in place in psychological services in County Longford. [21943/16]

Medical Card Applications

Noel Rock

562. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health the position regarding medical cards for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21944/16]

Public Sector Pensions

Seán Haughey

563. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health the efforts he is making to ensure that all employees of the Central Remedial Clinic receive adequate pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21948/16]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Mattie McGrath

564. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health when funding will be made available for a residential placement for a person (details supplied) in south Tipperary who has been a patient in St. Luke's Psychiatric Hospital, Kilkenny, since December 2015; the time a person must be hospitalised in an acute facility due to a lack of funding, when a residential placement would be more suitable to their needs; the cost to the State of keeping this person in an acute hospital facility as opposed to a residential facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21950/16]

HSE Funding

Michael Healy-Rae

565. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding Central Remedial Clinic pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21953/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Robert Troy

566. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to expedite a date for surgery for a person (details supplied). [21965/16]

Hospital Staff Data

Niamh Smyth

567. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the amount spent across departments on agency staff by the Cavan Monaghan Hospital Group in 2016 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21991/16]

Dental Services Waiting Lists

Robert Troy

568. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the status of a dental procedure for a person (details supplied). [22014/16]

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Denise Mitchell

569. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is still on the waiting list for a new wheelchair; and when they will receive same. [22024/16]

Ambulance Service Data

Charlie McConalogue

570. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the amount of money spent by Letterkenny University Hospital on private ambulance services in each of the years 2014 and 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22026/16]

Health Services

Robert Troy

571. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reasons a case of Asperger's syndrome was not detected in the case of a person (details supplied). [22027/16]

Respite Care Services

Michael D'Arcy

572. Deputy Michael D'Arcy asked the Minister for Health when he will make funding available for the day-to-day running of a house that will provide respite care for adults at Redshire Road, Murrintown, County Wexford (details supplied). [22029/16]

Health Services

Mick Barry

573. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health his vews on the quality of treatment received by a person (details supplied). [22031/16]

Emergency Departments

Bobby Aylward

574. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a guarantee that the major trauma care will not be removed from the emergency department in St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny and that the emergency department will not be downgraded in line with reports in a newspaper (details supplied) that the trauma steering group had made a recommendation to that effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22032/16]

Health Services Funding

Ruth Coppinger

575. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the State funding provided by his Department and agencies under its remit, including the HSE, to non-profit organisations, including voluntary hospitals and non-governmental organisations for each year from 2008 to 2015. [22040/16]

Health Services Funding

Ruth Coppinger

576. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the State funding provided by his Department and agencies under its remit, including the Health Service Executive, to faith based non-profit organisations, including voluntary hospitals and non-governmental organisations for each year from 2008 to 2015. [22041/16]

Health Services Funding

Ruth Coppinger

577. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the State funding provided by his Department and agencies under its remit, including the HSE, to Anew and its predecessor organisations Anchora and Life Pregnancy Care for each year from 2008 to 2015; and his views on the role of that organisation in providing crisis pregnancy counselling to homeless women given the statement in its constitution recognising the uniqueness of every human life from the moment of conception. [22042/16]

Health Services Funding

Ruth Coppinger

578. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the State funding provided by his Department and agencies under its remit, including the Health Service Executive, to faith-based non-profit organisations for each year from 2008 to 2015. [22043/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Martin Heydon

579. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in dealing with the waiting list for scoliosis surgery for children at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin; if external surgery or treatment abroad can be considered for those on the waiting lists who are in severe pain and have been waiting over a year in some cases for surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22055/16]

HSE Data

David Cullinane

580. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of organisations listed as sections 38 and 39 organisations funded by the HSE for each of the years 2011 to 2015; the amount paid to each organisation in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22058/16]