Parliamentary questions

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Joan Collins

106. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will be reviewed as workers return to work; if the payment will remain open beyond 1 July 2021; and if workers who return to work on fewer hours or on a reduced hourly rate of pay will retain their payment level based on their weekly pay pre-March 2020. [35754/21]

Proposed Legislation

Joan Collins

111. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has, in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, initiated the drawing up of anti-victimisation and blacklisting legislation within six months in line with the recommendation in the report of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands entitled, Examination of Bogus Self-Employment, published on 16 June 2021; and if so, when this legislation will be published. [35331/21]

Departmental Schemes

Joan Collins

150. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has initiated the process to establish a dedicated and appropriately resourced employment status unit in the Workplace Relations Commission to examine and provide determinations on employment status regardless of whether they relate to social Insurance, employment or tax obligations as recommended in the report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands in its Examination of Bogus Self-Employment of 16 June 2021. [35299/21]

Workplace Relations Commission

Joan Collins

154. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has initiated the process to amend the Workplace Relations Act 2015 given the publication by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands of its report on the Examination of Bogus Self-Employment report on 16 June 2021 (details supplied). [35332/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Joan Collins

169. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if a gradual tapering of the pandemic unemployment payment will be put in place to protect income if workers are returning to less hours or less pay from their employer than they had before the pandemic in view of the fact that the reopening of workplaces is very precarious especially with the delta variant and potential future variants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35348/21]

School Staff

Joan Collins

280. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if a behaviour therapist will be provided from its commencement for a school (details supplied). [35418/21]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

281. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education her plans to look at mainstream and autism classes to expand the pilot scheme for speech and language therapists and occupational therapists for autistic children. [35419/21]

Student Visas

Joan Collins

405. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the arrangements that have been made with other European countries, the United States of America and so on in relation to the pandemic; if unvaccinated can students travel; if they are covered for Covid-19 healthcare in the country they are doing their Erasmus programme in; and if they will get vaccinated in the country they are studying in as they may have missed been offered their vaccination here if they are 18 to 29 years of age. [34527/21]

Grant Payments

Joan Collins

111. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the decision makers who issue grants and funding to organisations (details supplied); and the reason a company that has contributed to the economy on a large scale in such a short period of time has been declined the opportunity to recover. [33650/21]

Departmental Schemes

Joan Collins

345. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons with disabilities currently availing of the training support grant that was introduced in 2020; and the breakdown of groups of disabled persons that are applying for the grant. [32535/21]

Departmental Schemes

Joan Collins

346. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount of funding allocated for the training support grant; the courses or training opportunities for which the grant has been used; and her plans to increase the amount of the training support grant in Budget 2022. [32537/21]

Driver Test

Joan Collins

237. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Transport when driver theory tests will recommence. [30310/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Joan Collins

247. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Finance if he will address an issue in relation to the case of a business as raised in correspondence (details supplied). [30398/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Joan Collins

304. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the free travel pass to epilepsy patients given that it is the only mode of transport for them due to their illness. [30330/21]

Child Protection

Joan Collins

475. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 12 May 2021, the outstanding issues that need to be resolved before the State can proceed to ratify the Second Optional Protocol on the UNCRC which includes the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29281/21]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Collins

203. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education when the contractor for a school (details supplied) will commence building; and if she will request a meeting of stakeholders including a group to examine matters related to the school. [28914/21]

Probation and Welfare Service

Joan Collins

224. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage and number of young persons aged up to and including 18 years of age that have an active case with the Probation Service that are also subject to a care order through Tusla. [28884/21]

Third Level Fees

Joan Collins

79. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if counselling psychologists will be treated with equality to clinical psychologists (details supplied); and when the national psychology placement office will be set up. [27376/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Joan Collins

97. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when social welfare payments will be increased to meet the minimum essential standard of living. [26154/21]

Employment Support Services

Joan Collins

122. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to maintain the method of funding, that is, cost met model and not the cost bid model for local employment services (details supplied). [26151/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Joan Collins

132. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to maintain pandemic unemployment payments beyond the end of June 2021 particularly in sectors that are not fully open or open, for example, if workers in the restaurant industry are returning to work with fewer hours due to outdoor only dining that the payment will be tapered to meet the payment that they have been on. [26150/21]

International Agreements

Joan Collins

179. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if or when the second optional protocol on the UNCRC which includes the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography will be ratified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24819/21]

Probation and Welfare Service

Joan Collins

557. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage and total figure of young persons aged up to and including 18 years of age that have an active case with the Probation Service that are also subject to a care order through Tusla. [24070/21]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

975. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way Greyhound Racing Ireland defines rehome in the context of its rehoming statistics; if greyhounds must be spayed or neutered before rehoming to prevent breeding; the checks that are carried out on potential new owners and homes; and if there is a requirement that those accepting greyhounds for rehoming must agree not to give or sell them on to third parties in Ireland or abroad. [24167/21]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

976. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Greyhound Racing Ireland is continuing to present as rehomed or rehomed as pet greyhounds that have in fact been sold abroad for racing or breeding (details supplied); if there are penalties in place for those that accept a greyhound for rehoming but sell the dog on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24169/21]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

977. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of investigating and testing a greyhound for the presence of prohibited substances; the reason the fines imposed on owners of greyhounds that test positive do not at least cover these costs; and if any owners of greyhounds that tested positive have been banned from involvement in racing. [24173/21]

Greyhound Industry

Joan Collins

978. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an apparently uninjured greyhound was put to sleep at Youghal track in October 2020 (details supplied). [24174/21]

Medicinal Products

Joan Collins

666. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health when the drug kaftrio for cystic fibrosis patients will be approved for funding for use in Ireland. [23256/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joan Collins

51. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will support the dire need of PPE including oxygen from Europe with immediate effect to the health service in India; and if emergency oxygen will be sent to India as soon as possible. [22469/21]

School Meals Programme

Joan Collins

75. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider the hot meals programme in the case of a school (details supplied); and if she will review this anomaly. [22468/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joan Collins

128. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if Ireland will send emergency oxygen and PPE to the health service in India as a matter of urgency in response to the crisis there. [22470/21]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

89. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the status of ASD classes in Dublin 12. [20991/21]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

90. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the status of the four schools compelled to open ASD or autism classes in Dublin 12; and if a progress report in relation to same will be provided. [20992/21]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Collins

91. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the status of two schools (details supplied) that are in a tender process; and the status of progress in relation to same. [20993/21]

Special Educational Needs

Joan Collins

92. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if additional schools will be compelled to open ASD classes in Dublin 12. [20994/21]

Health Services Staff

Joan Collins

163. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if clarity will be provided on the pay restoration in section 39 workplaces (details supplied); and if those workers excluded from this process will be included in the new process during the second round of discussions which begin in May 2021. [21015/21]

Health Services Staff

Joan Collins

176. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure issues (details supplied) regarding section 39 pay restoration are addressed. [21024/21]

UN Human Rights Council

Joan Collins

839. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will lead a joint statement in the UN Human Rights Council for the upcoming 80th meeting of the Standing Committee (details supplied). [18314/21]

Tax Credits

Joan Collins

1199. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if credits are automatically awarded in cases in which a person received the pandemic unemployment payment as with other social welfare payments as in the case of a person (details supplied). [20656/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joan Collins

1556. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if patients with lupus were in category 4 and have subsequently been removed from the category (details supplied). [18252/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Joan Collins

240. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if an exception will be made in the case of a person (details supplied). [17805/21]

Vaccination Programme

Joan Collins

1110. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each of the vaccination categories for cohorts 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9; and the number of persons that are in the 70 to 74 years and 75 to 79 years cohorts. [17276/21]

Mental Health Services

Joan Collins

1116. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient beds in hospitals nationally for persons suffering an acute episode of mental illness (details supplied); his plans to increase the numbers of beds and doctors; and the timeframe for same. [17290/21]

Planning Issues

Joan Collins

73. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he plans to cease the strategic housing development regulation. [16101/21]

National Childcare Scheme

Joan Collins

129. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if crèches can opt in and opt out of the national childcare scheme; and his views as to whether his Department should implement the scheme and support crèches to implement it (details supplied). [16070/21]

Health Services Provision

Joan Collins

198. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the wait times for speech and language therapy, SLT, occupational therapy and psychological services in CHO7 for the Dublin 12 area. [16127/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Joan Collins

208. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if therapists are still redeployed for swabbing for Covid-19; and the number from CHO7. [16153/21]

Health Services Staff

Joan Collins

209. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health where the 300 new therapists will be located. [16154/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Joan Collins

220. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the locations in which Covid-19 infections are initiating; the breakdown of same; the number of positive infections from 1 March to 22 March 2021; and the locations and groups in which infections are initiating, for example in workplaces, students, indoor gatherings, outdoor gatherings, retail, schools and so on. [16190/21]

Legislative Measures

Joan Collins

107. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will resolve the legal lacuna in respect of the control of horse-drawn carriages in Dublin city; and if he will ensure that the issue will be resolved in 2021 in order that the owners of horse-drawn carriages can operate within the law, given that the issue has been ongoing for three years (details supplied). [13570/21]