Parliamentary questions

Departmental Programmes

Mattie McGrath

1324. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health when the first phase of the national asthma programme will be implemented; the initial actions that will be taken by him in order to implement the programmer; and the deadlines for these actions [17519/13]

Departmental Programmes

Mattie McGrath

1325. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason implementation of the national asthma programme was not prioritised in the 2013 Health Service Executive services plan with more than one person per week dying from asthma and 470,000 people here living with this respiratory disease that is particularly prevalent in children, with one in five children here suffering from the disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17520/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Mattie McGrath

398. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the criteria that was used when deciding which housing estates were exempt from the local property tax; the category of unfinished housing estates that were included on this list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15341/13]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Mattie McGrath

576. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the orthodontic treatment waiting list in the South East is currently dating back to August 2009; the reason for this delay; the efforts being made to address this backlog and the options available to patients who are waiting for treatment since 2009/2010 almost three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15156/13]

Tourism Promotion

Mattie McGrath

615. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the Tourist Office in Cahir will open for the summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15118/13]

Leader Programmes Expenditure

Mattie McGrath

164. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way savings will be made by his proposals to streamline the LEADER programmes under local authorities as part of the alignment process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14366/13]

Registered Employment Agreements

Mattie McGrath

288. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason the registered employment agreement is being challenged in the High Court; and if he will indicate the present status of the agreement. [14107/13]

Road Network

Mattie McGrath

365. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money that has been spent on the purchase of land for future roads projects in every county council in the south east region each year for the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13704/13]

Road Traffic Legislation

Mattie McGrath

398. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if he will clarify the advice given on the way in which blue flashing lights should be used on vehicles by the Civil Defence when attending to emergency events on motorways; if he will further clarify regarding the implementation of the Road Traffic Act 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13803/13]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Mattie McGrath

460. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of applicants awaiting approval for the fair deal scheme in County Tipperary; of these applicants, the number currently in acute beds in hospital; the number of applicants waiting more than one month for approval for the scheme from the time of application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14147/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Mattie McGrath

50. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the position in relation to liability for the property tax where a person lives above a pub or shop and is paying rates on the entire building; if he will clarify whether or not they are liable for the property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13195/13]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Mattie McGrath

58. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to extend the fuel rebate recently amended in Finance Bill 2013 to include road hauliers and coach companies to the Association of Farm Contractors in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13374/13]

Local and Community Development Programme

Mattie McGrath

142. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will release the budget to the local development companies here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13288/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Mattie McGrath

184. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will amend section 469 (1)(f) of the Taxes Consolidation Act (1997) to delete the words, "or similar treatment prescribed by a practitioner", and to leave the word, "Physiotherapy", to ensure that extra costs are not imposed on physiotherapy patients who have not been referred by their general practitioner, hospital accident and emergency or medical consultant and to ensure that his commitment to the provision of health care in the primary care setting is protected and to ensure that they meet their goal of meeting 90% of health care needs through the primary care setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12904/13]

Public Sector Pensions Issues

Mattie McGrath

247. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the pension related deduction is ever going to be refunded to those with salaries of less than €30,000 as originally stated when the pension related deduction was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12595/13]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Mattie McGrath

309. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the avenue available to a person who is unemployed or disabled who wishes to pursue a community employment or FÁS training course and so on but who is not in receipt of a payment due to the income of their spouse and where such a course would be beneficial to their rehabilitation and well-being; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12486/13]

Tax Code

Mattie McGrath

643. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will have the Department of Finance amend Section 469 (1)(f) of the Taxes Consolidation Act (1997) to delete the words, "or similar treatment prescribed by a practitioner", and to leave the word, "physiotherapy", to ensure that extra costs are not imposed on physiotherapy patients who have not been referred by their general practitioner, hospital accident and emergency or medical consultant and to ensure that the Government's commitment to the provision of health care in the primary care setting is protected and to ensure that it meets its goal of meeting 90% of health care needs through the primary care setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12903/13]

Banking Sector Regulation

Mattie McGrath

62. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if Allied Irish Banks, in which he is the shareholder of 99.8% of the shares, will meet the Central Bank of Ireland licensing criteria as set out in the Licensing and Supervision Requirements and Standards for Credit Institutions. [11728/13]

Banking Sector Regulation

Mattie McGrath

63. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if Permanent TSB, in which he is the shareholder of 99.5% of the shares, can meet the Central Bank of Ireland licensing criteria as set out in the Licensing and Supervision Requirements and Standards for Credit Institutions. [11729/13]

Banking Sector Regulation

Mattie McGrath

64. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if Bank of Ireland, in which he is the shareholder of 15% of the shares, will meet the Central Bank of Ireland licensing criteria as set out in the Licensing and Supervision Requirements and Standards for Credit Institutions. [11730/13]