Parliamentary questions

Disability Allowance

Brian Stanley

174. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in a full year if the disability allowance increased by €5.50. [4635/21]

Garda Transport Provision

Brian Stanley

202. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice the number of 1200cc, 1400cc and 1500cc motorcycles, respectively, in the Garda fleet. [4628/21]

HSE Staff

Brian Stanley

235. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the staffing numbers for the HSE pest control services in CHO8; and if there are vacancies awaiting to be filled. [4633/21]

Driver Test

Brian Stanley

109. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if cancellations for driver tests will be offered in the first instance to essential workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. [3808/21]

Medical Cards

Brian Stanley

801. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide CBD oil under the medical card scheme; and the means of reimbursement for the cost or part of same in circumstances in which it is prescribed by a doctor. [4179/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brian Stanley

608. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the position of essential workers providing massage therapy for pain management; and if they can operate under the current Covid-19 lockdown. [2688/21]

Ministerial Communications

Brian Stanley

611. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the reason members of Dáil Éireann have not received responses to emails or phone calls to his office for the past two weeks; and if he will provide a contact number for Members to receive replies to queries during the current restrictions. [2691/21]

Recycling Policy

Brian Stanley

88. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will allow used timber, that is waste and used timber recovered from construction, to be collected and segregated for use as biomass in view of the fact it is been currently exported for use as biomass to other jurisdictions. [45125/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Brian Stanley

568. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of community employment participants who are over 55 years of age; the maximum number of years they can be on the scheme; and the variation that may apply to those who entered the community employment scheme under the part-time jobs opportunity. [45085/20]

Vaccination Programme

Brian Stanley

1024. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if centres or premises have been secured in counties Laois and Offaly in terms of the roll-out of vaccinations. [1463/21]

Vaccination Programme

Brian Stanley

1027. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if staff have been designated for administering vaccines; the training carried out; and the timeframe for community vaccinations. [1468/21]

National Broadband Plan

Brian Stanley

248. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes and premises in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively, that are still awaiting connection to broadband under the national broadband plan. [44372/20]

Alternative Energy Projects

Brian Stanley

249. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department developed a comprehensive policy on the use of biomass for generating power. [44373/20]

Alternative Energy Projects

Brian Stanley

250. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will allow Bord Na Móna to collect and segregate used timber to be used as biomass for power generation as is happening in other jurisdictions. [44374/20]

Rail Network

Brian Stanley

266. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent on improvement and upgrade works on the Ballybrophy to Limerick rail line over the past ten years. [44376/20]

Schools Building Projects

Brian Stanley

390. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education the status of the planned building project for a school (details supplied) in County Laois; and the projected timescale for construction of the new building to start. [44366/20]

Schools Building Projects

Brian Stanley

391. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education if she has assessed the need for a new building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44367/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Brian Stanley

68. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will examine the way in which the anomaly in the SUSI grant criteria can be corrected by which applicants who started third level education living with their parents as a dependent but are now married are still being assessed as a dependent child. [41285/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Brian Stanley

88. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has carried out reviews of the criteria for SUSI grants regarding the definition of a dependent child and when they become an independent adult with their own home during the same third level course. [41286/20]

Mental Health Services

Brian Stanley

99. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when a child psychologist will be appointed to cover counties Laois and Offaly. [40396/20]

Health Services

Brian Stanley

132. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to restart the full child psychology, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy services in counties Laois and Offaly and to expand them. [40397/20]

Parental Leave

Brian Stanley

432. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress being made on providing for adoptive leave and removing the lacuna in the legislation which discriminates against same sex male couples in view of the commitment given by the previous Government. [41232/20]

JobPath Programme

Brian Stanley

7. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider a review of the JobPath programme; and her views on whether it has provided value for money for the State. [30677/20]

JobPath Programme

Brian Stanley

29. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the future of the JobPath programme. [30676/20]

Bus Services

Brian Stanley

43. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if he will clarify the requirement for bus operators to have an establishment and adequate parking spaces for their vehicles as set out in the Guide to Passenger Transport Operator Licencing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40572/20]

State Examinations

Brian Stanley

70. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education her plans to revisit the absence of oral Irish in the 2020 leaving certificate given some students who are competent at oral Irish are being disadvantaged.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40569/20]

Driver Test

Brian Stanley

173. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the waiting times for driving tests in Tullamore and Birr, County Offaly, and Portlaoise, County Laois, respectively; and the efforts being made to address the waiting times. [39314/20]

Home Help Service

Brian Stanley

204. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively, who have been approved for home help services but are still on the waiting list; and the number waiting over six, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively, in tabular form. [38965/20]

Dental Services

Brian Stanley

205. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists employed by the HSE to provide a service to medical card holders and to schoolchildren in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively; and the plans of the HSE has to improve dental services in both counties. [38966/20]

National Educational Psychological Service

Brian Stanley

206. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of preschool and school-going age children between four and 18 year years of age waiting to be seen by a psychologist in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively; the number waiting in excess of 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively in tabular form. [38967/20]

Health Services

Brian Stanley

207. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of children in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively on waiting lists for occupational therapy services; the number waiting in excess of six, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively, in tabular form. [38968/20]

Health Services

Brian Stanley

208. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for speech and language therapy in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively; the number waiting in excess of six, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively in tabular form. [38969/20]

Local Authority Housing

Brian Stanley

76. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to change the practice by which development of council housing starts from a blank canvas design and to move to having generic designs for the various sizes and types of houses required whether that is one, two, three or four-bed units. [38267/20]

Rental Accommodation Scheme

Brian Stanley

96. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to roll out cost-rental housing projects in various regions of the country. [38268/20]

Television Licence Fee

Brian Stanley

46. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress made to date on the collection of the TV licence fee; and her strategy for improving collection. [36595/20]

Television Licence Fee

Brian Stanley

51. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if a commitment will be given to not increase the TV licence fee and to instead ensure that there is a more efficient method of collection. [36596/20]

Rail Network

Brian Stanley

14. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the position on the future of the Ballybrophy-to-Limerick rail line; and his plans to increase usage of the line. [35622/20]

Rail Network

Brian Stanley

66. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the way in which he plans to increase the use of public transport; and his further plans for the upgrade of the Ballybrophy-to-Limerick rail line. [35623/20]

Departmental Communications

Brian Stanley

35. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department will actively promote shopping locally to retain money in local economies and sustain them during this very difficult period. [34935/20]

Small and Medium Enterprises

Brian Stanley

38. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department will promote, through Enterprise Ireland and other State funded bodies, the need to strengthen the connections and interdependence between local businesses. [34936/20]

LEADER Programmes

Brian Stanley

844. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she is taking to provide for interim funding for the Leader programme for the period 2021 to 2023. [34940/20]

LEADER Programmes

Brian Stanley

845. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans for a new Leader programme; and the stage the programme is at regarding pillar 2 funding. [34941/20]

Hospital Facilities

Brian Stanley

109. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the progress which has been made since June 2020 to put in place the refurbishment and new build project for the Abbeyleix Hospital [33284/20]

Hospital Services

Brian Stanley

145. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if a plan has been developed for the future of services at Portlaoise Hospital which will include the continued provision of emergency department services [33283/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brian Stanley

515. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will review the requirement in level 5 Covid-19 restrictions for golf courses to be closed and to allow reopening of courses but not clubhouses in order to continue to protect public health. [33616/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Brian Stanley

833. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if a back-to-work enterprise scheme is reckoned as income in the calculations when a pandemic unemployment payment claim is processed for the different rates. [32314/20]

Pharmaceutical Sector

Brian Stanley

1327. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the amount his Department or the HSE has received from pharmaceutical companies in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020. [33163/20]

Pharmaceutical Sector

Brian Stanley

1328. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the purpose for which the HSE and public hospitals are receiving money from pharmaceutical companies. [33164/20]

Pharmaceutical Sector

Brian Stanley

1329. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE has a policy on its staff and facilities receiving donations from pharmaceutical companies. [33165/20]

Medicinal Products

Brian Stanley

1330. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of breaches there have been of Part IV, regulations 20, 21 and 22 of the Medicinal Products (Controls of Advertising) Regulations 2007; and the details of those breaches. [33166/20]

Medicinal Products

Brian Stanley

1331. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information on the response and enforcement of Part IV, regulations 20, 21 and 22 of the Medicinal Products (Controls of Advertising) Regulations 2007. [33167/20]

Medicinal Products

Brian Stanley

1332. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of prosecutions under section 32 of the Irish Medicines Board Act 1995 under which Part IV, regulations 20, 21 and 22 of the Medicinal Products (Control of Advertising) Regulations 2008 were made. [33168/20]

Disability Services Provision

Brian Stanley

1375. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the progress which has been made to fully reopen services such as speech and language, occupational physiotherapy and child psychology services. [30621/20]

Disability Services Provision

Brian Stanley

1376. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if measures will be put in place to clear the backlog of those children that are waiting for speech and language, occupational therapy and child psychology services. [30622/20]

Animal Slaughtering

Brian Stanley

1402. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the steps taken to address funding issues of local authority services for inspections of local abattoirs. [33285/20]

Animal Slaughtering

Brian Stanley

1403. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the steps taken to mitigate the economic effects on butcher shops in view of funding issues for local abattoir inspections. [33286/20]

School Staff

Brian Stanley

308. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education if her Department will honour the agreement reached between her predecessor and a trade union (details supplied) on 19 October 2019 to use the Labour Court to resolve the outstanding issues for school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30928/20]

Psychological Assessments

Brian Stanley

542. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when the child psychologist post that has been vacant at a centre (details supplied) since January 2020 will be filled, as assessments of need are not being carried out in the required timeframe of three months. [30969/20]

Health Services Provision

Brian Stanley

543. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when services such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy will be restored in full at a centre (details supplied) to clear the waiting list for persons that have been referred and need to avail of the services. [30970/20]

Industrial Development

Brian Stanley

26. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider the establishment of a similar-styled body to the Industrial Development Authority to focus specifically on microbusinesses, workers' co-operatives and small and medium-sized enterprises. [29988/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brian Stanley

65. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to amend the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to make workplace outbreaks of Covid-19 notifiable by workers to the Health and Safety Authority. [29987/20]

School Staff

Brian Stanley

16. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure that school secretaries employed by schools are properly remunerated for their work. [29972/20]

School Staff

Brian Stanley

97. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education the progress being made to grant the same terms and conditions for school secretaries that are not employed by her Department or an education and training board, ETB. [29971/20]

Television Licence Fee

Brian Stanley

128. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the amount of revenue collected in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020, from the television licence fee. [30391/20]

Special Educational Needs

Brian Stanley

159. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education the reason special needs assistant support is not being made available to a school (details supplied) to facilitate pupils to whom SNA access has been granted; if the decision will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30392/20]

Community Alert Programme

Brian Stanley

242. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice if a scheme of grants will be reintroduced for community alert schemes to erect cameras. [30472/20]

Housing Policy

Brian Stanley

69. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the need for cost-rental housing provision in regional towns to accommodate those unable to secure a mortgage from a bank or lending facility. [28356/20]

Housing Policy

Brian Stanley

91. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address the position of persons whose income is above the threshold for social housing but not sufficient to secure a mortgage from a bank or lending facility. [28357/20]

Housing Provision

Brian Stanley

342. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to roll out affordable housing in the midland's region. [25963/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Brian Stanley

513. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding community employment participants that are over 55 years of age; the maximum number of years they can be on the scheme; and the variation that may apply to those that entered community employment under the part-time jobs opportunity. [28268/20]

Income Inequality

Brian Stanley

631. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if the inequality in income vis-à-vis a trainee, a child and educational psychologist and a clinical psychologist undertaking a doctorate who receive a starting salary of approximately €33,000 will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28091/20]

JobPath Programme

Brian Stanley

224. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in each county that engaged with JobPath in each year since it began; and the number whose employment was sustained for more than 12 months in each county. [28070/20]

Mortgage Lending

Brian Stanley

54. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance the status of extending the mortgage repayment break for those on the pandemic unemployment payment. [26628/20]

Mortgage Lending

Brian Stanley

76. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance the steps his Department has taken to investigate whether interest rates can be suspended on mortgages for those on the pandemic unemployment payment. [26629/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Brian Stanley

113. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the value of funding spent on procurement across all Departments in 2018 and 2019 that was non-compliant with EU directives on public procurement and with Circular 10/14: Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement broken down by each Department. [26666/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Brian Stanley

137. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of funding spent on procurement across all Departments in 2018 and 2019 that was non-compliant with EU directives on public procurement and with circular 10/14: Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement by each Department. [26665/20]

Flood Relief Schemes

Brian Stanley

331. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the consideration that has been given to flood relief on the Shannon Callows, County Offaly. [25967/20]

Flood Relief Schemes

Brian Stanley

332. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the consideration that has been given to establishing a single authority with responsibility for flood relief on the Shannon Callows, County Offaly. [25968/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Brian Stanley

571. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding community employment workers cutting grass in housing estates in which the majority of the residents are elderly and the service is of benefit to the community. [26961/20]

JobPath Programme

Brian Stanley

578. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount to date paid to Seetec and Turas Nua regarding the JobPath programme. [27080/20]

Road Projects

Brian Stanley

12. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport his plans to advance the N80 relief road Mountmellick, County Laois. [25663/20]

Road Projects

Brian Stanley

15. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if funding for the inner relief road Mountmellick, County Laois is provided for in the stimulus package or in capital investment plans. [25664/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brian Stanley

97. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Finance if he will put the case to the banks and lending institutions to extend the mortgage payment break for those workers who are still laid off due to Covid-19; and if he will focus in particular on the banks that were bailed out and that the State retains part ownership of. [26055/20]

National Broadband Plan

Brian Stanley

93. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the number of new connections to homes and businesses that will be completed in 2020 in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively by the national broadband plan. [25000/20]

National Broadband Plan

Brian Stanley

100. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the number of homes and businesses in counties Laois and Offaly, respectively, that will be connected to high speed broadband by the national broadband plan in 2020. [24999/20]

National Broadband Plan

Brian Stanley

162. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the estimated cost of the National Broadband Plan in 2020. [16801/20]

Hospital Funding

Brian Stanley

809. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the refurbishment of the accident and emergency department of Tullamore Regional Hospital. [25364/20]

General Practitioner Services

Brian Stanley

842. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if a deal has been done between an organisation (details supplied) and general practitioners regarding charges for letters to be written [25561/20]

National Car Test

Brian Stanley

213. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some NCT centres will not accept cash and have a policy of taking cards only, which is causing issues for many motorists. [23373/20]

Dental Services

Brian Stanley

665. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that dentists in Portlaoise, County Laois, are refusing to take medical card patients even though they are already patients and as a result there are no dental services for public patients in Portlaoise; the efforts being made to address same; and the location public patients should go to. [23382/20]

Bioenergy Strategy

Brian Stanley

105. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the policies his Department will be pursuing to develop biomethane production in the State; and if he considers this a fuel for electricity generation. [21210/20]

Renewable Energy Generation

Brian Stanley

106. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the renewable on demand power source his Department is considering developing for electricity generation over the term of this Government in view of the reduction of indigenous gas supply with the cessation of production at Kinsale gas field. [21211/20]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Brian Stanley

130. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks when fibre broadband will be provided to Clonoghill, Birr, County Offaly. [21753/20]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Brian Stanley

148. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks when fibre broadband will be provided to Cashel Lower, Ballyroan, County Laois. [21797/20]

Parking Provision

Brian Stanley

168. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if local authorities will be compelled to put in place adequate parking facilities for motorcycles and bicycles. [21446/20]

Road Safety Authority

Brian Stanley

191. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the sources of funding for the Road Safety Authority; and if the annual fee paid by HDV drivers for the CPC course will be reviewed. [21204/20]

Driver Test

Brian Stanley

207. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport when driver testing for heavy goods vehicles can be restarted given that it is causing difficulties in the haulage industry. [21647/20]

Taxi Regulations

Brian Stanley

210. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport when the grant scheme for wheelchair accessible taxis will be reopened. [21677/20]

Driver Licences

Brian Stanley

222. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the position in the context of Brexit for those that have English driver licences with various categories and now need to exchange them for a Irish licence. [21926/20]

Driver Test

Brian Stanley

248. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the timeframe persons who have applied for a driver test can expect to wait for an appointment. [22494/20]