Parliamentary questions

Hospital Charges

Colm Keaveney

704. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if persons involuntarily detained under the Mental Health Act 2001 are liable for inpatient charges; if such charges apply to inpatient service users in acute units who are voluntary under the meaning of said Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41563/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Colm Keaveney

742. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be approved for the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41810/14]

Mental Health Services Funding

Colm Keaveney

801. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated and spent on mental health in each year from 2011 to 2013, inclusive; the budget and anticipated spend in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42132/14]

Irish Water Staff

Colm Keaveney

1011. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of meetings he or officials from his Department had with a person (details supplied); the purpose of each of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41333/14]

Irish Water Remit

Colm Keaveney

1027. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to propose amending legislation to clarify that trustees of group water schemes, where such groups have been purchasing water from public supplies, will not be liable to Irish Water for debts incurred by members of such schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41566/14]

Departmental Meetings

Colm Keaveney

1081. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to set out the number of meetings he or officials from his Department have had with a person (details supplied); the purpose of each of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41327/14]

Natural Heritage Areas Designation

Colm Keaveney

1142. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she plans to remove the designation of an area (details supplied) as part of a national heritage area; if so, when the process will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40924/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Colm Keaveney

97. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive their headage payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39573/14]

Departmental Investigations

Colm Keaveney

122. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a copy of the report issued as a result of a scooping exercise carried out in 2009 to assess the nature of employment relating to 14 ESB meter readers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37670/14]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Colm Keaveney

72. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to issues in the recruitment of counselling psychologists by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36797/14]

Psychological Services

Colm Keaveney

110. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to issues with regard to the recruitment of psychologists by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36533/14]

Water Charges Exemptions

Colm Keaveney

116. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the discussions his Department has had with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to water charges and persons with mental health issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36534/14]

Hospital Appointment Status

Colm Keaveney

355. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a hospital appointment will be scheduled in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36630/14]

Defence Forces Personnel

Colm Keaveney

6. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Defence if he will review the 21-year rule for Defence Forces personnel enlisted after 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34557/14]

Defence Forces Personnel

Colm Keaveney

11. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Defence if he will amend rules so that privates and corporals in the Defence Forces could be permitted to serve to age 50 and that sergeants could be permitted to serve to age 60; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34558/14]

Departmental Funding

Colm Keaveney

10. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will continue the scheme to support national organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34326/14]

Departmental Funding

Colm Keaveney

15. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the review of the scheme to support national organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34325/14]

Prescription Charges

Colm Keaveney

795. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in the context of the forthcoming budget, if he will consider waiving the €2.50 prescription charge per item for all long-term residents of nursing homes in view of the fact that studies have shown that prescription charges may lead to patients neglecting to adhere to their full medication regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33072/14]

Medical Card Administration

Colm Keaveney

712. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he or his Department engaged in any discussion with the Irish Medical Organisation on the issuing of general practitioner only medical cards to the over 70s; if an agreement on a new contract has been agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31601/14]

VAT Rate Application

Colm Keaveney

46. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the VAT rate imposed on soya juice, also referred to as soya milk; if there is any proposal to apply the higher VAT rate to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30508/14]

Mental Health Guidelines

Colm Keaveney

195. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in reference to a recent health and safety audit report dated June 2014 conducted in the department of psychiatry at University Hospital Galway which noted that some staff working in the unit had not received training and education in relation to physical restraint, which is a requirement in the 2009 code of practice of the Mental Health Commission on the use of physical restraint in approved centres, the number of staff currently assigned to that department; the number who have not received the training referred to earlier; the action taken to address the management failure in not ensuring all staff had received this training; if any disciplinary action has been taken in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30504/14]

Mental Health Guidelines

Colm Keaveney

196. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in view of the requirement in the 2009 code of practice by the Mental Health Commission on the use of physical restraint in approved centres that all staff working in such units receive training and education in relation to physical restraint of psychiatric patients, and in view of the fact that psychiatric patients sometimes present in accident and emergency units, if he will confirm that all staff working in such units, including any private security guards, have received this training; if he will provide details of the last audit carried out into this; the number of staff who have yet to receive the appropriate training and education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30505/14]

Hospital Staff

Colm Keaveney

197. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is appropriate that private security guards may be deployed to assist in restraining psychiatric patients in accident and emergency departments; if there have been any incidents of same in 2012 or 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30506/14]

Hospitals Data

Colm Keaveney

198. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the numbers of patients, broken down by status as either voluntary or involuntary patients, who have been subjected to electroconvulsive therapy without their express consent in each inpatient acute psychiatric unit, for each year from 2011 to 2013, inclusive, and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30507/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

199. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of cognitive behavioural theorists currently employed within each Health Service Executive operational area; the number of whole-time equivalent posts there are; if he will increase that number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30509/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

200. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the policy initiatives his Department has taken since 2011 aimed at disrupting the power relations within inpatient psychiatric units in terms of service users and those delivering the service; the number of service users appointed to the area management teams within the Health Service Executive; if none, when he plans to implement this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30510/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

201. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the policy initiatives that his Department has taken since 2011 aimed at lessening the influence of the pharmacological industry in the delivery of mental health care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30511/14]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Colm Keaveney

266. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 240 of 1 July 2014, the number of jobseeker's assistance recipients aged 24 and under, who have not made any contribution to the PRSI system, with Class A, Class J and Class S contributions since 2005 who are currently on a job activation measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30274/14]

Maternity Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

727. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the names of all maternity units and their associated perinatal mortality rates in each year from 2003 to 2013, as compiled by the national perinatal reporting system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29423/14]

Hospital Appointment Status

Colm Keaveney

758. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway may expect to receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29693/14]

Medical Card Applications

Colm Keaveney

155. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway may expect to receive a decision on their medical card considering that they are seriously ill in hospital and applied for the medical card in February of this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28578/14]

Adoption Legislation

Colm Keaveney

76. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will bring forward adoption information and tracing legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28013/14]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Colm Keaveney

81. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he expects to formally establish a commission of investigation into mother and baby homes; the budget he will be providing for the Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28012/14]

Tax Collection

Colm Keaveney

143. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance to set out the number of attachment orders on persons which were granted to the Revenue Commissioners in each year from 2011 to 2013, inclusive; the amount of revenue that was gathered in each year by these means; the number that are currently active; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28312/14]

Social Insurance

Colm Keaveney

240. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons, broken down by administrative division and by age group, currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance who have not, to date, made any PRSI contribution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28236/14]

Beef Data Programme

Colm Keaveney

356. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grounds on which a person (details supplied) in County Galway was refused payment under the beef genomics scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28099/14]

Firearms Licences

Colm Keaveney

384. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gun licence applications processed by An Garda Síochána in the Tuam district of the Galway division in each year from 2011 to 2013 inclusive; the number granted, refused or withdrawn in each year; the most common reason for refusal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27919/14]

Crime Data

Colm Keaveney

429. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in tabular form details of the recorded and detected rates for each of the following offences, for each year from 2009 to 2013, inclusive, for the Tuam district of the Galway division of An Garda Síochána, homicide offences, sexual offences, attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences, dangerous or negligent acts, kidnapping and related offences, robbery, extortion and hijacking offences, burglary and related offences, theft and related offences, fraud, deception and related offences, controlled drug offences, weapons and explosives offences, damage to property and to the environment, public order and other social code offences, road and traffic offences, offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28278/14]

Medical Card Applications

Colm Keaveney

455. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a family (details supplied) in County Galway may expect to receive a decision on a medical card application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27854/14]

HSE Properties

Colm Keaveney

557. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health as per correspondence from the operations manager, Galway-Roscommon PCCC, dated 3 June last, the Health Service Executive has stated its intention to place the Tynagh health centre, Main Street, Tynagh, Loughrea, County Galway, for sale in the coming months; if he will confirm that either the HSE or his Department hold legal title to this property; if he will confirm that the land was originally donated by a local person and was intended to provide for community health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28390/14]

Health Services Staff Data

Colm Keaveney

560. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of employees within the Health Service Executive that are currently employed at the journeyman chef grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28395/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Colm Keaveney

126. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the scheme announced by him in Loughrea on 25 April 2014 (details supplied) will be extended to bring fibre-optic broadband to the townland of Cooleeny, Kilrickle, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27637/14]

Hospital Staff

Colm Keaveney

202. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that a recent study (details supplied) into nurse staffing levels and hospital mortality found that an increase in nurses' workloads by one patient increases the likelihood of inpatient hospital mortality by 7%, if he will consider a review of nurse to patient staffing levels within the Health Service Executive and the establishment of clear nurse to patient ratios, relevant to the different areas of care, throughout the health service that reflect the finding of this study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27641/14]

Mental Health Act Review

Colm Keaveney

4. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in regard to the ongoing delay in the publication of the expert group’s review of the Mental Health Act 2001, the impact of that delay in addressing the continuing human rights issues within the mental health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27414/14]

Mental Health Act Review

Colm Keaveney

22. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health further to the ongoing delay in the publication of the expert group’s review of the Mental Health Act 2001, the impact of that delay on addressing the continuing human rights issues within the mental health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27036/14]

Mental Health Act Review

Colm Keaveney

42. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the measures he will bring forward to improve the legal protections for voluntary patients within the mental health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27035/14]

Medical Card Drugs

Colm Keaveney

158. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway cannot avail of macushield under the GMS scheme in their area when it is available under the medical card scheme in other Health Service Executive areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27466/14]

NAMA Loans Sale

Colm Keaveney

44. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance if he has had any discussion with executives or any other representatives of Lone Star regarding the sale of part of the National Asset Management Agency's remaining loan book; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26328/14]

IBRC Liquidation

Colm Keaveney

174. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department in connection with the liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; the number that have been responded to; the number refused, in whole or in part; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25829/14]

Departmental Strategies

Colm Keaveney

175. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has carried out any risk assessments into a scenario whereby an inflationary output gap opens in the general eurozone economy to which the ECB responds by raising its base rate but where Ireland may still have a deflationary output gap; if he will provide details of those risk assessments; the risks he believes this may pose to the economy; if this risk has been factored into his medium to long-term budgetary plans; the measures he believes can be taken to counter this risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25857/14]