Parliamentary questions

Electricity Transmission Network

Mattie McGrath

656. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the impact of the proposed pylons and overhead power lines on the environment and wildlife in south Tipperary in view of the fact that south Tipperary is the stronghold of the barn owl in Ireland and that this endangered species has been declared in need of habitat protection by the South Tipperary Biodiversity Action Plan V5; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the lower slopes of the Galtees are one of the only places in Ireland where endangered nightjars breed and, these being nocturnal birds like the barn owls, could well be wiped out by the power lines; if his Department has made a submission to the EirGrid Grid Link project consultation process expressing concerns about the impact on wildlife in south Tipperary; if his Department will be making a submission on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45829/13]

Garda Recruitment

Mattie McGrath

828. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to review the application process for members of the public to join An Garda Síochána to prioritise those members of the Garda Reserve whose members are fully attested and have completed their two year probation period. [47039/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

Mattie McGrath

869. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the impact of the proposed pylons and overhead powerlines on the agriculture, livestock and blood stock industry in south Tipperary in view of the numerous studies highlighting the negative impact of overhead lines on these industries where bloodstock in particular are well known to react negatively in the vicinity of such lines; if his Department has made a submission to the Eirgrid's Gridlink project consultation process highlighting the possible negative impact on these important industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45825/13]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Mattie McGrath

901. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment and disadvantaged area payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46365/13]

Medical Card Reviews

Mattie McGrath

1153. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is taking almost two months for the medical card office to complete a review of a decision; if his attention has been further drawn to the difficulties that this is causing persons with medical needs; the efforts he has made to address these waiting times; if he will ensure that a satisfactory turnaround time is adhered to by the medical card office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46457/13]

Health Services Provision

Mattie McGrath

1227. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to implement the national asthma programme in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46876/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

Mattie McGrath

1259. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the impact of the proposed pylons and overhead power lines on the tourism industry in south Tipperary in view of the fact that Ireland's scenery has been a cornerstone of international tourism marketing campaigns for decades, and a Fáilte Ireland visitor attitudes survey in 2007 showed that 80% of overseas holiday makers to Ireland rated scenery as an important reason for their trips, followed by the natural unspoilt environment at 74%; his views regarding the future direction of tourism in Ireland and County Tipperary should pylons and overhead power lines be erected; his views on whether such actions will have a massive negative impact on walking tours within Ireland which are an important aspect of tourism in County Tipperary; if his Department has made a submission to EirGrid's gridlink project consultation process highlighting the possible negative impact on these important industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45826/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

Mattie McGrath

3. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason the Government has not adopted a policy of forcing all 400Kv powerlines underground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45355/13]

Poverty Impact Assessment

Mattie McGrath

226. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to conduct a poverty impact assessment on the impact of the revised rent supplement limits announced in June 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44122/13]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Mattie McGrath

346. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will commit to ending long-term homelessness by restoring the homeless budget to 2012 allocation levels, with no further cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44121/13]

Alternative Energy Projects

Mattie McGrath

145. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of wind turbines it will take to fulill his Memorandum of Understanding in view of the fact that a newspaper (details supplied) reported that the UK will save seven billion sterling by not having to build offshore wind farms and that Ireland is planning to export approximately €2.5 billion worth of electricity annually; if he has carried out a cost benefit analysis and if that analysis has taken into account the well being of the persons here who are to be forced to live with the pylons and turbines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43930/13]

Mobility Allowance Decision

Mattie McGrath

130. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the current position in relation to the mobility allowance and motorised transport grants; when there schemes will be reopened; the form they will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43716/13]

Family Income Supplement Eligibility

Mattie McGrath

153. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the minimum hours in employment condition of the family income supplement scheme is a barrier to those taking up low-paid employment or continuing in low-paid employment; her views on whether it is equitable that a person working 30 hours per week is entitled to a family income supplement while a person working 15 hours per week is not entitled to a family income supplement or any other social welfare payment due to the hours of work; the options available to a person whose hours of employment have been reduced below the minimum hours of employment and where he or she does not qualify for a jobseeker's payment as the hours of employment mean that the person is not available for work; if she will consider this situation and review the minimum hours requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43417/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Mattie McGrath

254. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has decided on the possibility of a cross-Border public inquiry on foot of the report submitted to him by the Omagh victim support group and the decision by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Teresa Villiers, to deny that inquiry; when he made that decision and, if it was done prior to the announcement by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, the reason he has not communicated this decision to the Omagh victim support group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42994/13]

Irish Prison Service

Mattie McGrath

261. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total cost to the State of an investigation into an incidence of bullying within the Irish Prison Service (details supplied); if he will provide a breakdown of the costs; how the decision was made to commission a consultancy company to carry out the investigation; how the consultancy company that carried out the investigation was selected; the reason for the delay in finalising the investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43172/13]

Health Services Provision

Mattie McGrath

515. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide for dialectical behavioural therapy services in County Tipperary in line with the services that exist in Dublin and Cork; when they will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41795/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Mattie McGrath

152. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of payable orders issued by his Department in the month of August 2013; the number of these issued to serving teachers, retired teachers, serving departmental staff, retired departmental staff, other parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41317/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Mattie McGrath

153. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of payable orders issued by his Department in the month of September 2013; the number of these issued to serving teachers, retired teachers, serving departmental staff, retired departmental staff, other parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41318/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Mattie McGrath

154. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of serving teachers on his Department's payroll, retired teachers on his Department's payroll, serving departmental staff and retired departmental staff to whom moneys due to be paid in September 2013 are still awaiting payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41319/13]

Land Repossessions

Mattie McGrath

218. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason, despite the 2009 Land Conveyancing and Law Reform Act having abolished the powers of the sheriff under section 133, which states that the power of the sheriff or of other persons entitled to exercise the sheriff's powers to seize a tenancy under a writ of fieri facias or other process of execution is abolished, except in relation to a tenancy of land that is used wholly or partly for the purpose of carrying on a business, the sheriff is still exercising his power in seizing tenancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41309/13]

Redundancy Payments

Mattie McGrath

121. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in South Tipperary will receive their enhanced redundancy payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40112/13]

Broadband Services Provision

Mattie McGrath

127. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when a sufficient broadband service will become available in an area (details supplied) in County Tipperary as the homes and businesses in this area are finding it extremely difficult to operate without a sufficient service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39873/13]

Leader Programmes Administration

Mattie McGrath

131. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to whom an applicant who is not satisfied with the decision or the decision-making process of a Leader group or development company may appeal or make a complaint; where such persons can find the criteria for matching Leader funds of the Department that has overall responsibility for Leader funds; by whom are the guidelines used when deciding on the criteria for matching funds ultimately set, that is the criteria set at EU level, ministerial level or local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39876/13]

Medical Card Delays

Mattie McGrath

187. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the current turn around time for processing medical card applications where further information has been requested; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is now taking at least one month for further information to be processed; the efforts that he will make to ensure that this time is reduced to ensure that families are not suffering as a result of long delays in processing their medical card applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38918/13]

Housing for People with Disabilities

Mattie McGrath

867. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the additional €10 million in housing funding for persons with a disability can be used towards the retrofit of the homes of persons with a disability under the housing adaptation grant scheme; if extra funding will be made available for this scheme in south Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37013/13]

Local Government Reform

Mattie McGrath

906. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the model upon which he is basing his local government reform plan; if it has proved effective elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37688/13]

Community Development Initiatives

Mattie McGrath

907. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the future direction of community development here; where the money will be spent; the advice he would give to current undergraduates who are studying community development on which areas to specialise in now to enable them to gain employment in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37689/13]

Legal Aid Application Numbers

Mattie McGrath

996. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current number of persons waiting for free legal aid in County Tipperary; the number of persons waiting for free legal aid throughout the country; the average length of time these persons have been waiting for free legal aid in County Tipperary and nationwide; the reason for the delay; the efforts that are being made to reduce the numbers waiting and the waiting times; the advice he would give to citizens who are waiting for free legal aid where their court cases are progressing without approval of free legal aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36895/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Mattie McGrath

1250. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the impending end on 31 October of the current non-Hague adoption process ceasing the eligibility of Irish adoptive parents to adopt children from non-Hague and non-bilateral countries, if there will be reasonable accommodations put in place whereby the eligibility of Irish adoptive parents who are currently engaged in adoption proceedings with these countries but who may not have completed the process prior to the 31 October deadline will be accommodated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37566/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Mattie McGrath

1251. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with regard to section 63 of the Adoption Act 2010, if she, knowing the circumstances of individual pending adoption cases, intends to make amendments or adaptations to ensure their eligibility and thereby allow the completion of those adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37567/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Mattie McGrath

1252. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she intends to inform these adoptive parents of their position, if they will be able to complete their adoption process in the near future or if they will be left in limbo until 31 October; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37568/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Mattie McGrath

1253. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to intercede on behalf of these adoptive parents before the deadline of 31 October; her plans to represent and voice their individual cases to the respective international adoption agencies or representatives in an attempt to ensure the completion of these adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37569/13]

NAMA Portfolio Issues

Mattie McGrath

70. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify if the National Assets Management Agency has property in their portfolio that has been sold or passed on to a company (details supplied) and to explain their meetings with the directors of that company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35971/13]

Architectural Heritage

Mattie McGrath

141. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to reintroduce a grant scheme for the restoration of listed buildings throughout the country; the options that are available to those who own listed buildings and who cannot afford to restore same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33983/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Mattie McGrath

233. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way a student who is living independently of his or her parents and earning his or her own income can be classed as a dependant when applying for Student Universal Support Ireland; the way a student who has no relationship with his or her parents can be refused a SUSI grant because he or she is unable to provide information on his or her parents' income due to the breakdown in or lack of a relationship; if such students can be considered for a higher education grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33438/13]

Pension Provisions

Mattie McGrath

241. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline and compare the levels of pension benefit and the rates of pension benefit accrual of Irish Government Ministers with those of government ministers in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32967/13]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Mattie McGrath

296. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the individual costs of the KPMG report on the State pension, the PwC report on pension charges, the OECD review of the pensions system and the critical review of the Pensions Board and Pensions Ombudsman, broken down into amounts paid to the consultants and ancillary costs such as meetings, catering and departmental officials’ time; if she will identify any of the recommendations that have already been or will be acted upon in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32980/13]

EU Directives

Mattie McGrath

297. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection considering the recent definitive victory by the Waterford Crystal workers against the Government in the European Court of Justice and the potential costs that will now accrue to the State, if she has reviewed the advice to contest the case in the manner the Government did; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32981/13]

Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Collection

Mattie McGrath

391. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there is a handling charge of €10 when a person tries to pay the non-principal private residence tax when such a handling charge does not apply for payment with cheque, postal order, debit or credit card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33328/13]

Criminal Investigations

Mattie McGrath

181. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the presence of the Anglo Irish Bank tapes; the date on which he was made aware of their presence; the action he has taken since being made aware of their presence; the actions that have been taken by the Garda on foot of these recordings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32328/13]

Hospital Services

Mattie McGrath

228. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason there has been no orthoptist services available in Our Lady's Hospital Cashel, County Tipperary since December 2012; when will the previous orthoptist be replaced in Cashel; where are patients who have been on the priority list being treated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32454/13]

Banking Sector Issues

Mattie McGrath

277. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the way AIB and Permanent TSB can advertise for business and investment when it is accepted that they are insolvent institutions with no capacity to offer secure liquidity; the exact extent of the insolvency-liquidity crisis in the above named institutions; his views on the way this will impact on the interest of those taxpayers who might respond to advertised business offers from insolvent institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32187/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Mattie McGrath

333. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a definitive statement on the proposed cuts to special needs assistants' working hours and resource teaching allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31939/13]

Departmental Websites

Mattie McGrath

87. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the person responsible for the management of the Revenue website; the person directly responsible for the updating of the VAT code section of the Revenue website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30959/13]

Services for People with Disabilities

Mattie McGrath

255. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are special grants available for transport to and from third level education where a student has a physical disability and is unable to find suitable accommodation near the college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30231/13]

NAMA Board Recruitment

Mattie McGrath

102. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the way his Department can stand over the transparency, integrity and expertise of the original board of National Assets Management Agency when only 36 names from a pool of more than 800 applications emerged without any interview, notwithstanding the fact that the Department publically advertised for expressions of interest on the 3 of November 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29329/13]

School Transport Eligibility

Mattie McGrath

117. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on school transport arrangements (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28730/13]

School Transport Eligibility

Mattie McGrath

121. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way decisions are being made to establish the nearest school for a student under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme when schools are the same distance apart or where there is less than 1 km in distance of a difference; if it is true that Google Maps is the programme used to establish the distance; the timeframe spent assessing each application using this programme; the amount of discretion allowed in this regard if a student does not attend their chosen school when the distance is the same particularly when one school is more suitable for the needs of the student; if he will examine if this is the best use of resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28780/13]

Civil Registration Legislation

Mattie McGrath

191. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the authority under which the Registrar General acted to set aside the powers vested by legislation in the Supreme Court of the land to appoint a commissioner for oaths to take any affidavit, affirmation, statutory or other declaration, acknowledgment, examination and attestation, for the purposes of any court in this jurisdiction or for the registration of any instrument, when the Registrar General refuses to allow the Commissioner for Oaths to take a solemn declaration from both parties to a civil marriage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29325/13]

Qualified Child Increase Payments

Mattie McGrath

242. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 445 of 11 June 2013, what is the position where the child is normally resident with each parent for an equal amount of time, that is, where a child spends Sunday to Saturday, week on/week off with each parent; the way the child can be considered to be normally resident with one parent over the other in this case where the child is equally resident with each parent; if the payment can be split between both parents in this situation; if the payment cannot be split where the child is normally resident with each parent for an equal amount of time, is it not the case that one parent is being unfairly treated in view of the fact that they would be without a payment when the child is living with them and that this would not be in the best interests of the child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29153/13]