Parliamentary questions

National Security Committee

Gerry Adams

1. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the National Security Committee was held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4296/15]

National Security Committee

Gerry Adams

2. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach the number of meetings of the National Security Committee that have taken place in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4297/15]

Commissions of Investigation

Micheál Martin

3. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding the letter he mentioned during the Order of Business on 28 January 2015 that he received from a legal firm in respect of the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry to be established following the Guerin report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5475/15]

Commissions of Investigation

Gerry Adams

4. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the correspondence he received on 8 December 2014, referred to during the Order of Business on 28 January 2015, from a legal firm (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15224/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

5. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Humanist Association of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6609/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

6. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Atheist Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6610/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

7. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with representatives of the Jewish faith and the Islamic community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6611/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Richard Boyd Barrett

8. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Atheist Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9978/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

9. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Atheist Ireland. [12748/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Gerry Adams

10. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Atheist Ireland and their discussions on a blasphemy referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15221/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Gerry Adams

11. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings with leaders of faith communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15222/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

12. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has met religious leaders since the referendum campaign on marriage equality began; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19224/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Gerry Adams

13. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he has met any of the faith communities since the "Yes" vote in the marriage equality referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22945/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Ruth Coppinger

14. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the last meeting he had with Atheist Ireland. [25818/15]

Student Accommodation

Charlie McConalogue

100. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address concerns that the combination of rising rental prices and lack of supply of accommodation for students attending third level institutions will prohibit a large proportion of students from living within a reasonable distance of their campus next year; and her plans to address the lack of supply of student accommodation. [26007/15]

Primary Online Database

Jonathan O'Brien

101. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the administration of her Department’s primary online database project, involving the collection and storage of information on children in the primary school system, including her plans to defund schools if they do not co-operate with the project, and her consultation with parents on information that is to be collected. [25912/15]

School Guidance Counsellors

Michael Fitzmaurice

102. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the impact of the Government’s decision in December 2011 to change the ex-quota status of the role of the guidance counsellor in second level schools, her plans to reverse this cut in the next budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25914/15]

Schools Health and Safety

Charlie McConalogue

103. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the recent survey (details supplied) carried out by the Irish Heart Foundation which researched the state of nutrition standards in post-primary schools and which found that 40% of the schools surveyed did not offer free, clean drinking water; and her plans to reform dietary and nutrition standards in secondary schools. [26008/15]

School Funding

Jonathan O'Brien

104. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider ring-fencing the current capitation grant rates for primary schools and introducing a supplementary system whereby schools may apply for additional capitation funding based on the condition of the school and other needs in order to introduce a fairer scheme and to address the higher expenditure older schools incur. [25913/15]

State Examinations

Charlie McConalogue

105. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the distress experienced by many students as a result of the difficult level of the leaving certificate mathematics ordinary level paper 1; if she has discussed the issue with the State Examinations Commission; if the commission has indicated that the marking scheme will reflect the difficulty level of the paper; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25810/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Michael Fitzmaurice

106. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the 15% cut in resource teaching hours imposed in 2012 upon individual students with special educational needs prior to piloting the model recommended by the National Council for Special Education; whether the pilot scheme will be introduced in the coming school year; to set out the number and percentage of schools in which it is proposed to run the pilot scheme; if she will restore the resource teaching hours allocated to each student with special educational needs to the levels pertaining in 2010 as an interim measure to ensure students with special educational needs are not adversely impacted while she experiments with the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25765/15]

Student Support Schemes

Michael Fitzmaurice

107. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will increase the income threshold for the student support grant to compensate for the negative impact of the Government's austerity programme which has left tax-paying parents in what heretofore would have been considered good jobs unable to afford to send their children to college; if she will further amend the student support grant scheme to allow parents with a gross income of approximately €70,000 but who are going through insolvency or bankruptcy and who are only allowed approximately €28,000 living expenses to avail of the grant; her views on the children of such tax-paying parents being denied a college education as a result of the economic misfortune which has been imposed on their parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25769/15]

Education Expenditure

Clare Daly

108. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on Barnardos research stating that an extra €103 million per annum would ensure free primary education for all schoolchildren; her plans to deliver this important strategic investment in education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25699/15]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Thomas Pringle

109. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will meet representatives from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal, given that the school is in urgent need of a new building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25808/15]

School Transport Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

110. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the decision to remove free school transport for students from an area (details supplied) in County Donegal to their current secondary school; and if she will ensure the free school transport scheme rules provided by her Department for Bus Éireann for implementation are changed to ensure mountain passes which are not traversable in winter months will no longer used be in determining eligibility for free transport. [25809/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

111. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the critical lack of autism spectrum disorder units for children in the north-western Kildare area; the measures she proposes to address this issue in the long term; if a satisfactory resolution in the case of a young student (details supplied) is being worked on; if so, the provision that will be made in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25823/15]

Student Support Schemes

Denis Naughten

112. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has investigated the reason counties with the lowest disposable income have seen a significant drop-off in the number of students availing of a higher education grant; if it is the case that the grant is no longer sufficient to meet the costs for students who cannot commute to college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25701/15]

English Language Training Organisations

Richard Boyd Barrett

113. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 203 of 17 June 2015, if it is appropriate that students from recently closed colleges such as MEC who had already paid fees are being offered a solution that involves them paying even more money to schools they had not been able to afford; if she is satisfied that Ireland's reputation as a destination for English language learning is not being damaged by this approach to both learning and finding solutions when problems such as these arise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25821/15]

Education Policy

Ruth Coppinger

114. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the maintenance of religious beliefs as grounds for teachers and other workers in education to be refused employment or to be disciplined. [25806/15]

Institutes of Technology Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

115. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the practice within some institutes of technology of appointing chaplains and using public funds to do so without advertising, tendering or following public procurement or public appointment guidelines; the public funding that was used to pay for chaplain roles in 2012-13 and 2013-14; and her plans to rectify this. [25734/15]

School Completion Programme

Denis Naughten

116. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children who left a primary school in summer 2014 and who failed to enrol in a secondary school in September 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25702/15]

School Enrolments

Ruth Coppinger

117. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the use of religion to determine admission to schools. [25805/15]

Education and Training Provision

Thomas Pringle

118. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will be pushing for greater supports for lone parents from rural areas to access educational opportunities, including online courses, access to child care, supports for travelling to the place of education and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25807/15]

School Accommodation Provision

Mattie McGrath

119. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number by county of prefabricated primary and post-primary school units being rented; the cost of same for the years 2011 to 2014 and for 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25714/15]

Student Accommodation

Charlie McConalogue

120. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address concerns that the combination of rising rental prices and lack of supply of accommodation for students attending third level institutions will prohibit a large proportion of students living within a reasonable distance of their campus next year; and her plans to address this lack of supply of student accommodation. [25812/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

121. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of the engagement she has had with Middletown Centre for Autism and services offered to schoolchildren with autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25794/15]

Summer Works Scheme Administration

Michael Fitzmaurice

122. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will be making provision for a summer works grant scheme for primary schools in the 2015-16 school year, sufficient to clear the backlog from 2014 as well as meeting the demands from additional national schools which will need works carried out in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25768/15]

Broadband Service Provision

Terence Flanagan

123. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the roll-out of high speed broadband for all primary and post-primary schools in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25817/15]

School Patronage

Catherine Murphy

124. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the documents released to this Deputy under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (details supplied) that show a sustained increase of indicators utilised by her Department to determine the new school need over the past number of years in north Kildare; her further view on the evidence of recent years that also points to a very big increase in numbers looking for places in a Gaelscoil, multi-denominational or non-religious patronage models of education; her view that a new strategy is required to anticipate these continuing trends in north Kildare; if she will commit to initiating this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25820/15]

Education Policy

Seán Kyne

125. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on the public consultation process on the new proposals for education in the Gaeltacht; when the process will be complete; a timeframe for the introduction of the proposals following the consideration of the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25755/15]

School Accommodation Provision

Michael Fitzmaurice

126. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the additional accommodation that is urgently required by schools (details supplied) in counties Leitrim and Roscommon within the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25766/15]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Mattie McGrath

127. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the recommended pupil-teacher ratio for best practice; the extent to which this ratio is currently being exceeded at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25715/15]

Education and Training Boards Administration

Paul Murphy

128. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the anti-bullying policies of the education and training boards; the policies in place to ensure employee consultation in the drafting of these policies; the frequency at which they are reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25815/15]

Education Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

129. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of a policy paper recently launched by Barnardos calling for an additional €103 million in education funding to provide a truly free primary education system; and her plans to move towards a primary schools system where parents do not pay towards the cost of books or transport. [25737/15]

School Staff

Michael Fitzmaurice

130. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that she has amended downwards the number of pupils required for the retention of teachers in two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher national schools, if she will consider reducing the numbers needed for the appointment of teachers in two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25767/15]

Institutes of Technology

Jonathan O'Brien

131. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the results of a survey of academics in institutes of technology commissioned by the Irish Federation of University Teachers and the Teachers Union of Ireland that shows that lecturers are spending time on language and writing skills with students to the detriment of actual teaching time and that many international students are being recruited to courses despite not meeting course requirements; her plans to address this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25733/15]

Third Level Staff

Clare Daly

132. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the damage to the reputation of the National University of Ireland by recent high profile discrimination against female academic staff and applicants at the National University of Ireland Galway, if she will back the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union's call for an independent equality review. [25700/15]

Schools Health and Safety

Charlie McConalogue

133. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the recent survey (details supplied) carried out by the Irish Heart Foundation researching the state of nutrition standards in post-primary schools which found that 40% of schools surveyed did not offer free, clean drinking water; and her plans to reform dietary and nutrition standards in secondary schools. [25813/15]

Schools Site Acquisitions

Charlie McConalogue

134. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the purchase of a site for the three-school Crana College campus in Buncrana in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25811/15]

Education Policy

Maureen O'Sullivan

135. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the concerns of many teachers regarding the impact the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will have on the education system here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25795/15]

Educational Disadvantage

Seán Kyne

136. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the evaluation process under which a school is designated under the delivering equality of opportunity in schools scheme; if the evaluation process is subject to ongoing review; if schools not currently included in the scheme are eligible to apply for consideration, particularly in the interests of equity between schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25754/15]

School Curriculum

Terence Flanagan

137. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to encourage schools to provide alcohol and drug awareness programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25816/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Richard Boyd Barrett

138. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any possibility of fast-tracking the transfer of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin to its permanent location, as the school has been waiting 20 years and is completely unable to cope in its current temporary location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25822/15]

Education Expenditure

Mick Wallace

139. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional investment in education spending to provide a totally free primary education for all children which would cover all financial extras such as books, classroom resources and transportation, in line with the recent call by a charity (details supplied) for an investment of €103 million for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25803/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

140. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she is satisfied with the availability of special needs classes throughout the primary and secondary level sectors; if special needs teachers and special needs assistants continue to be made available in sufficient numbers to meet ongoing and future needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25763/15]

Data Protection

Jonathan O'Brien

141. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of an incident in a County Limerick school where it has emerged that hidden cameras were placed inside the school without the knowledge of staff, parents or pupils; and if the Data Protection Commissioner is investigating this matter. [25735/15]

School Staff

Paul Murphy

142. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the situation where teachers and other workers in the majority of primary and secondary schools could be disciplined owing to their religious views; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25814/15]

Third Level Facilities

Jonathan O'Brien

143. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware two students with disabilities at Saint Angela’s College in County Sligo are unable to visit the canteen because of accessibility issues. [25736/15]

Schools Building Projects Administration

Bernard Durkan

144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet to the maximum extent possible the full requirements as set out in the school building programme and as reflected in submissions from the various school authorities at primary and secondary level; the extent to which this will entail the replacement of existing prefabricated or temporary structures with permanent buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25764/15]

School Guidance Counsellors

Mick Wallace

145. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary schools that have a full-time guidance counsellor; the number that do not have a full-time guidance counsellor; the percentage of these that are fee-paying and that are non-fee-paying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25804/15]

Diaspora Policy

Dominic Hannigan

146. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details on the work of the interdepartmental committee on the Irish abroad; the number of meetings held to date; the work programme for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25981/15]

Departmental Equipment

Seán Fleming

147. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach if his Department uses any system of software for the auto-deletion of e-mail messages; if so, his Department's guidelines on the use of such a system; and the length of time e-mails are stored before they are auto-deleted. [25308/15]

Low Pay Commission Report

Peadar Tóibín

148. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the annual cost of introducing a living wage or minimal-threshold gross salary of €11.45 an hour in his Department and the bodies under his aegis. [25441/15]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Brendan Smith

149. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he raised at his recent meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, the need for the British Government to respond positively and without further delay to the motions passed unanimously by Dáil Éireann in 2008 and 2011 requesting access for an eminent independent legal person to all papers and files pertaining to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25684/15]

Seanad Reform

Lucinda Creighton

150. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Taoiseach if he has considered the report of the working group on Seanad reform 2015 which was published by his Department on 13 April 2015; the steps he will take to implement its findings and recommendations; if any legislation to reform Seanad Éireann is planned during the lifetime of the current Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26091/15]

Eurozone Issues

Micheál Martin

151. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Alexis Tsipras, has been in contact with him since 22 June 2015 on the Eurogroup's talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26428/15]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Pat Breen

152. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason payment of a carer's allowance has ceased in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25693/15]

EU Funding

Michael McGrath

153. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has taken over the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived which was previously operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2014 and prior years, whereby supplies of cheese, rice and butter were distributed to charities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25720/15]

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Dara Calleary

154. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will have an appeal in respect of an invalidity pension processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25724/15]

Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Payments

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

155. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if mortgage interest supplement will be restored to its previous rate as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25728/15]

Civil Registration Legislation

Catherine Murphy

156. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the qualifications necessary to become a registered marriage solemniser; if the General Register Office maintains a list of recognised religious organisations as nominating bodies for this purpose; if the General Register Office has discretion to refuse a request; if so, on what grounds; if the General Register Office has any role in determining which religious groups may act as nominating bodies or have their members included in the list of registered solemnisers and which may not; if so, the criteria used to determine this; if she will provide a list of applicants whose applications have been refused since 2005, indicating the nominating body in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25739/15]

Disability Allowance Payments

Robert Troy

157. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite arrears of disability allowance to a person (details supplied) who has been awaiting same for over ten weeks. [25758/15]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Thomas P. Broughan

158. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to continue using the post office network to administer payments from her Department; the number of years this is guaranteed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25788/15]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Pearse Doherty

159. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when it is expected that an application for carer's allowance will be processed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25824/15]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

160. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to retitle payments under the community employment scheme and the Tús work placement initiative as social welfare allowances and not as wages, thus saving these very low-paid workers on pay related social insurance payments; and the amount it would cost the Exchequer to do this, by year. [25825/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Pat Breen

161. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25826/15]

Social Welfare Appeals

Michael Creed

162. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who has been pursued by her Department for an alleged overpayment of social welfare will be granted an oral hearing on appeal of this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25856/15]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Creed

163. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be approved for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25862/15]

Invalidity Pension Applications

Michael Creed

164. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be approved for an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25863/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Terence Flanagan

165. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25867/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Billy Kelleher

166. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form by county, the number of persons being impacted on by the changes being introduced to the one-parent family payment on 1 July 2015. [25883/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Brendan Griffin

167. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if changes to the eligibility criteria for the one-parent family payment will be reversed in view of the hardship these changes will cause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25918/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Bernard Durkan

168. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date in determining an application for a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25922/15]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Gerry Adams

169. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the concern of the Irish Postmasters Union in respect of the recent issue of revised application forms from her Department; if she is aware that this has already impacted on some post offices' business; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25932/15]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Gerry Adams

170. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update following her own request that her Department review social welfare forms; the timeframe for this review; and the suggested neutral wording in relation to payment options that is to be provided. [25933/15]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Gerry Adams

171. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a commitment to withdraw the amended and contentious social welfare forms currently in circulation; her plans to cease distribution of these forms, being fully cognisant of the potential impact it may hold for smaller post offices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25934/15]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Gerry Adams

172. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the consultation or discussion that took place with postmasters in advance of the decision to issue new social welfare application forms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25935/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

173. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an appeal for a domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25958/15]

Disability Allowance Applications

Bernard Durkan

175. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date in determining an application for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has submitted the requested documentation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25963/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Dominic Hannigan

176. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons under 25 years of age who have qualified for the JobsPlus initiative, by county, since the introduction of the initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25975/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Dominic Hannigan

177. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons under 25 years of age who have qualified for the JobsPlus initiative under the revised criteria since January 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25976/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Dominic Hannigan

178. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons under 25 years of age who currently qualify for the JobsPlus initiative on the basis that they meet the four-month criteria, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25977/15]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Bernard Durkan

179. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a supplementary welfare allowance and associated arrears will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin whose application for disability allowance is being assessed further; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25991/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Brendan Smith

180. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the proposals she has to increase rent supplement levels and to introduce more flexibility in limits for tenants who are at risk of homelessness, as requested by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25995/15]

Guardian's Payment Appeals

Bernard Durkan

181. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the possible alternatives for payment in respect of the grandchild of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who no longer receives a guardianship payment in respect of the child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26005/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Emmet Stagg

182. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in awarding an optical benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [26015/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Bernard Durkan

183. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review eligibility for a domiciliary care allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26028/15]

Invalidity Pension Applications

John Browne

184. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for an invalidity pension will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [26033/15]

Child Care Costs

Seamus Healy

185. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of the failure of the Government, through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, to establish a system of safe, affordable and accessible child care, similar to that in place in the Scandinavian countries, if she will withdraw the measures in relation to lone parents to be implemented on 2 July 2015 and, in particular, the reduction in the age of the youngest child to seven years as the threshold above which the one-parent family payment will not be payable. [26059/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

186. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding voluntary groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26092/15]