Parliamentary questions

School Completion Programme

Colm Keaveney

172. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the school completion programme funding in an area (details supplied) in County Galway will be protected in 2015; if Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is seeking savings from this programme as it has been cut by 33% since 2008; his plans on reversing those cuts in 2015 or 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6470/15]

Primary Care Centres Data

Colm Keaveney

174. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, for each operational area of the Health Service Executive, the numbers waiting for counselling in the primary care service for an initial appointment, in total, for more than three months, for more than six months, for more than nine months, for more than one year, for more than two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6356/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

191. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will consider flying the Amber Flag from his Department buildings on a chosen day in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6432/15]

Health Services

Colm Keaveney

197. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in view of correspondence (details supplied), his views on whether it is appropriate to have service users of a day service in County Roscommon in a bus for one and a half hours for what should be a ten-minute journey; the action he will take to remedy this, in view of the effect that it is having on the willingness of persons to attend the day service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6486/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

207. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider flying the Amber Flag from his Department buildings, on a chosen day, in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6431/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

219. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider flying the Amber Flag from her Department's buildings on a chosen day in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6428/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Colm Keaveney

221. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on claims that the proposed new model being designed to allocate resources to children with special needs in mainstream schools has the potential to discriminate against so-called high performing schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6456/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Colm Keaveney

222. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is the case that children with an assessed low-incidence-special-educational need will no longer be entitled to special-needs-teaching hours under the proposed new model of allocation; if at present, each child who receives resource-teaching has the legal right to a certain number of hours of such teaching, as determined by the guidelines, and provided by the special education needs organiser. [6457/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Colm Keaveney

226. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the National Council for Special Education's proposed document entitled Delivery for Students with Special Educational Needs: A better and more equitable way, her views on concerns that if professional diagnosis is eliminated then children will be at the mercy of school staff that often have inconsistent levels of experience and training; her further views that without professional diagnosis teachers will be guessing at the problem which hinders the remediation process; and if it is not the case that if the learning difficulty is identified early on by a qualified practitioner the teacher has a much better chance to remediate with proven teaching strategies that meet the particular learning need. [6478/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

241. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider flying the Amber Flag from his Department buildings, on a chosen day, in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6429/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

254. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider flying the Amber Flag from his Department buildings, on a chosen day, in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6426/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

261. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider flying the Amber Flag from his Department buildings, on a chosen day, in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6437/15]

Mental Health Awareness

Colm Keaveney

265. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider flying the amber fFlag from her Department buildings, on a chosen day, in order to raise awareness of the Amber Flag programme, which works to raise awareness of mental health issues within second level schools, sports clubs and youth organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6424/15]

Work Placement Programmes

Colm Keaveney

185. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on permitting persons on disability allowance to access Gateway and Tús schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4465/15]

Bond Markets

Colm Keaveney

237. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether there is a bubble in the sovereign bond market; his views on whether Irish sovereign bonds are currently overvalued; the risk assessment he has carried out in respect of any market correction to the current valuation of Irish sovereign bonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4461/15]

European Central Bank

Colm Keaveney

238. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether the recent measures announced by the European Central Bank will be of benefit to Ireland in terms of measurable indicators; his views on what would constitute the criteria of success for these measures with respect to the Irish economy; his views on whether quantitative easing poses a risk of inflating asset bubbles in stocks, bonds, commodities and-or property; if so, the way he will address that risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4462/15]

European Central Bank

Colm Keaveney

239. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance with reference to the recent measures announced by the European Central Bank, the ceiling the ECB will place on the total holdings of Irish Government bonds held by the Central Bank of Ireland; the current total holdings of Irish Government bonds held by the Central Bank of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4463/15]

Banks Recapitalisation

Colm Keaveney

240. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the actions he will take in the Court of Justice of the European Union with respect to the actions of either or both the European Central Bank or the European Commission in addressing the banking crisis here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4464/15]

Hospital Appointments Status

Colm Keaveney

350. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment to the National Referral Centre for Paediatric Gastroenterology at Crumlin Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3420/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Colm Keaveney

353. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment for life-saving heart surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3467/15]

HSE Investigations

Colm Keaveney

4. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the action being taken in response to events at Áras Attracta; if closed-circuit television, CCTV, and covert inspections will be introduced in nursing homes to monitor standards of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2648/15]

HSE Investigations

Colm Keaveney

32. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the action being taken in response to events at Áras Attracta; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2375/15]

Nursing Home Inspections

Colm Keaveney

79. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if CCTV and covert inspections will be introduced in nursing homes to monitor standards of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2376/15]

TB Eradication Scheme

Colm Keaveney

297. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role which he and his Department have played in varying a TB herd test at a location (details supplied) in County Galway; the date on which this test was first scheduled; the reason it was re-scheduled and brought forward; the exact results of the first test; the actions taken thereafter; the reasons for and type of the second test; the results of same; if he will clarify and justify officially, scientifically and administratively, these results; his and his Department’s roles, influence and impact on all of the meetings held regarding these matters; the dates of these meetings, including conference calls; the reasons for the haste of these decisions, including those taken on 7 January 2015; if his attention has been drawn to constant conflicts of interest in this situation; the reasons for this new public/private partnership, including capital being deployed by the private partner; the total savings to his Department’s and agency’s budgets in 2015 as a result of this rapid change to the State’s farm management plan; the way in which he proposes to eliminate the conflict of interest; if he is satisfied that farmers and others will not be victims of these conflicting positions; the date on which the proposed research will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2536/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Colm Keaveney

371. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the reason persons at a centre (details supplied) in County Roscommon continue to pay more each day towards their lunch than a similar service in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2211/15]

Community Care

Colm Keaveney

372. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form and for each Health Service Executive area and specifically for counties Galway and Roscommon, the additional community nurses that have been provided in 2014; the plans that are in place to provide additional community nurses in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2212/15]

Departmental Investigations

Colm Keaveney

39. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the result of interviews with 14 meter readers throughout Ireland by officials from the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection; the reason members of the Association of Meter Readers have received no update or result of these interviews; the reason, despite numerous requests and a High Court ruling, it has taken more than three years to respond to individual meter readers or to the Association of Meter Readers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1900/15]

Departmental Investigations

Colm Keaveney

41. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the result of interviews with 14 meter readers throughout Ireland by officials from her Department and the Revenue Commissioners; the reason members of the Association of Meter Readers have received no update or result of these interviews; the reason that despite numerous requests and a High Court ruling, it has taken more than three years to respond to individual meter readers or to the Association of Meter Readers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1899/15]

Health Services

Colm Keaveney

195. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health his view on the impact of the closure of a day care centre (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2123/15]

Health Services

Colm Keaveney

196. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the plans regarding the Health Service Executive hostel in Cloonbrackna, Roscommon town; if it will continue to operate; the plans to refurbish it; if there are plans to close it; the reason a service user moved from this hostel in Cloonbrackna to a house in Athleague over the Christmas period without any consultation or notice to his or her family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2124/15]

Fuel Allowance Payments

Colm Keaveney

39. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of the failure of the wholesale and retail markets in home heating oil to pass on the significant decreases in crude oil prices to consumers, and the continuing hardship that many households experience in affording to heat their homes, her views on restoring the fuel allowance back to the previous payment period of 32 weeks from the current level of 26 weeks; her further views on the restoration of other cuts to fuel and energy supports in respect of elderly persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49561/14]

Inflation Rate

Colm Keaveney

129. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance to outline the assessment he has made of the risk that deflation may pose to the economy and if he is seeking to take action to counteract it; his views on whether deflation is of benefit to consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49458/14]

Fiscal Policy

Colm Keaveney

135. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the way he assesses the progress, made since 2011, of the eurozone towards being an optimal currency union; the policies he is pursuing to achieve this goal; the deficiencies he believes still exist in this respect; the risks this poses to the Irish economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49513/14]

Fuel Prices

Colm Keaveney

136. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Irish economy of the lag by the market in wholesale and retail markets in passing on the recent falls in crude oil prices; if this failure to pass on the full fall in crude oil prices continues at its current magnitude the effect that this will have on our GDP and GNP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49559/14]

European Central Bank

Colm Keaveney

139. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance in view of the significant role that inappropriately low set interest rates by the ECB played in the recent economic crisis here, causing an inappropriate positive output gap in the economy and being a consequence of the deficiency of the eurozone as an optimal currency area, the way he assesses the future risk of inappropriately set interest rates to the economy; the way that these risks may be addressed; the actions he has taken in that respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49572/14]

Fuel Prices

Colm Keaveney

229. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the context of the disconnect between the magnitude of the fall in crude oil prices and the magnitude of the fall in retail petrol, diesel and home heating oil prices, his views that perfect competition exists in the wholesale and retail market for petrol, diesel and home heating oil; if not, in what respect is the market deficient in that respect; the actions he has taken to address this issue; the actions he has taken to ensure transparency in the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49506/14]

Disability Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

543. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of registered service providers that are regulated under the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013; the number of registered providers that have ensured that a person who is not involved in the matters the subject of complaint has been nominated to deal with complaints by or on behalf of residents of the centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49557/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Colm Keaveney

551. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive a hospital appointment in view of the fact that they are over a year waiting for this procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49582/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Colm Keaveney

656. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive essential spinal fusion surgery in view of the fact the person has been waiting since 2013 and the condition is getting worse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1288/15]

Health Services Reports

Colm Keaveney

379. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the progress made in implementing each of the 31 recommendations in the 2011 Health Service Executive report, Time to Move On from Congregated Settings; the timeframe for the full implementation of the recommendations of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48938/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

423. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of Health Service Executive staff in the mental health sector, whole time equivalent, in each HSE local area in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and the projections for 2014; if he will indicate within that the additional staff recruited by the €35 million allocations for 2012 and 2013 and the projected number from the 2014 allocation; the number currently on the payroll as distinct from having had their recruitment process completed; if he will provide a breakdown of numbers in acute psychiatric hospitals and in community based services; the numbers in each of the years stated allocated to child and adolescent mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49218/14]

Housing for People with Disabilities

Colm Keaveney

524. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress in achieving each of the nine strategic aims set out in the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011–2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48941/14]

Housing for People with Disabilities

Colm Keaveney

525. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which the implementation planning group for the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011–2016 was established; the number of meetings of the group that have taken place since then; the number of annual progress reports completed since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48942/14]

GLAS Eligibility

Colm Keaveney

296. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on adopting the 12 point proposals (details supplied) for priority entry into the GLAS scheme in respect of commonage farmers that was provided to him by the hill farmers recently; the reasons for his agreement or disagreement with the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47758/14]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Colm Keaveney

424. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an orthopaedic appointment, originally scheduled for October 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47744/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Colm Keaveney

425. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for attendance at every public pain clinic in the State from first referral; if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of persons waiting for more than three months, six months, nine months and one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47752/14]

Departmental Expenditure

Colm Keaveney

497. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form for each year the allocation provided for the congregated settings fund since 2011. [48256/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Colm Keaveney

152. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive treatment in view of the time they have been waiting for this procedure they have almost totally lost their vision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47557/14]

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Colm Keaveney

265. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when persons (details supplied) in County Galway will receive a headage payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45897/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

371. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of posts vacant within each operational area of child and adolescent mental health service; the average waiting time for a first appointment in each operational area; if he will provide in tabular form the number of persons waiting for their first appointment for more than three months, six months, nine months, one year in each operational area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45782/14]