Parliamentary questions

Civil Service Staff Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

140. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the qualification and speciality of the person (details supplied) who performed a medical assessment on a person; if the person is qualified and specialised in all of the health conditions of the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12550/19]

Civil Service Staff Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

141. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the deduction of spouses' and children's contributions from the pay or ill health retirement estimate of a person (details supplied) when the person does not have a spouse and the person's child is now 22 years of age; if this is a common procedure in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12551/19]

Hospitals Funding

Michael Fitzmaurice

296. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to the national clinic in Beaumont Hospital that assists those affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as motor neurone disease (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11599/19]

Beef Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

484. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to change the rules to allow a beef animal which is fit for slaughter and from a quality assured farm to be sold in a mart and killed no more than three days later by the new owner to retain its quality assurance bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11776/19]

Animal Slaughtering Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

509. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of carcasses graded by a given machine between when it was discovered to be working out of synchronicity and the last time it was inspected by a Department official (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12368/19]

Beef Exports

Michael Fitzmaurice

510. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the provisions which have been made to facilitate the live export of beef animals in the event that high import tariffs are placed on Irish beef exports in the event of a no-deal Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12369/19]

Animal Slaughtering Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

511. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of factory-fit beef animals from Ireland slaughtered in meat plants in Northern Ireland in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12370/19]

Animal Slaughtering Standards

Michael Fitzmaurice

512. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 239 of 6 March 2019, when a factory must revert to using an approved manual grader; if there is a protocol for a farmer to follow if unhappy with the grade awarded to an animal which he or she sent to slaughter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12413/19]

Animal Slaughtering Standards

Michael Fitzmaurice

513. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if approved manual carcass graders are employed by his Department or the food business operator when they are called upon in a situation in which a mechanical grading machine is found to be working out of synchronicity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12414/19]

Beef Environmental Efficiency Scheme Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

188. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for the beef environmental efficiency pilot scheme by county; the number of cows applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11356/19]

Beef Environmental Efficiency Scheme Data

Michael Fitzmaurice

189. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications to the beef environmental efficiency pilot scheme in terms of herd size (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11357/19]

EU Regulations

Michael Fitzmaurice

239. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the protocols and procedures a farmer must follow to get a carcass grade rechecked if they are unhappy with the grade awarded by the mechanical grading machine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11201/19]

Labour Court Recommendations

Michael Fitzmaurice

253. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if retired nurses are included in the pay deal offered to nurses recently; if they will be impacted by the proposed deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10298/19]

Public Procurement Contracts

Michael Fitzmaurice

302. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if the contractor awarded a HSE contract (details supplied) is paid fully and up to date and millions of euro are not outstanding for the supply of product under the contract and a related contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10453/19]

Public Procurement Contracts

Michael Fitzmaurice

303. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if an assurance will be given that HSE contracts (details supplied) are not in imminent danger of collapse due to payment or other difficulties known to him or the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10455/19]

Public Procurement Contracts

Michael Fitzmaurice

304. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the pricing model for the delivery of product under a HSE contract (details supplied) is logical, sustainable and in alignment with the original tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10457/19]

Public Procurement Contracts

Michael Fitzmaurice

305. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if the extension of two HSE contracts (details supplied) are fully compliant with all aspects of Irish and EU procurement rules; if the extensions rely on special clauses, powers or situations for their legal implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10459/19]

Public Procurement Contracts

Michael Fitzmaurice

306. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE could allow a procurement tender in which a carton to be delivered for the HSE under previous versions of a HSE contract (details supplied) would be charged at a rate of €58.50 plus VAT in view of the fact the maximum standard pricing in the marketplace is circa €5 to €6; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10461/19]

Public Procurement Contracts

Michael Fitzmaurice

307. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the rating in terms of service performance in relation to a HSE contract (details supplied); the way in which it compares to other contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10463/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

405. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regularity with which officials carry out spot checks on carcase grades on a given day to ensure that the mechanical grading machine is working within its required parameters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10887/19]

Tuberculosis Incidence

Michael Fitzmaurice

406. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 442 of 26 February 2019, the number of the 1,808 herds currently restricted due to tuberculosis officially classified as feedlots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10888/19]

Tuberculosis Eradication Programme Administration

Michael Fitzmaurice

407. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the different rules, regulations or procedures that normal herdowners must adhere to when they are restricted due to tuberculosis compared to those operating herds with feedlot status will be clarified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10889/19]

Meat Processing Plants

Michael Fitzmaurice

157. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 489 of 19 February 2019, the locations these UK origin cows were slaughtered; the number of days these cows were resident in Irish herds before they were sent to slaughter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9870/19]

TB Eradication Scheme

Michael Fitzmaurice

158. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason representatives from a group (details supplied) were refused admission to the 2030 TB stakeholder forum; if they will be admitted to future stakeholder meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9871/19]

Fallen Animal Collection Scheme

Michael Fitzmaurice

159. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to removing or amending the maximum travel distance of 125 km on offal in view of the fact that other toxic and chemical waste can be transported to mainland Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9872/19]

Livestock Issues

Michael Fitzmaurice

160. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason he is apparently complicit in a private arrangement between organisations (details supplied) regarding the four-movement rule by allowing Department-funded electronic boards in marts to display information which could devalue animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9873/19]

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

161. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there was legislation put in place to govern for the 16-month rule and 30-month rule on the QPS system; if they can be removed or altered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9874/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

162. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 184 and 185 of 20 February 2019, if the daily system check carried out at the start of each day in meat plants is overseen or carried out by Department officials; when a mechanical grading machine is found to be working out of sync following an inspection, the number of carcasses graded earlier that day by that machine that are rechecked manually, not in real time, to determine the accuracy of the grade and to pinpoint the stage at which the mechanical machine fell out of sync; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9876/19]

Beef Exports

Michael Fitzmaurice

163. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he, with Irish meat plants, requested access to the Chinese market for bone-in beef; if not, the reasoning behind this decision; his plans to submit a request in view of the danger posed to Irish beef exports by Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9877/19]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes

Michael Fitzmaurice

203. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 252 on 5 February 2019, the reason two public bodies under the remit of his Department, SOLAS and QQI are continuing to pass the responsibility of eligible persons applying for a waiver to the certification fees from one to the other; the bodies that must deal with eligible persons applying for a waiver; the person responsible to issue reimbursement application forms to persons that were wrongly overcharged (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9354/19]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Certification

Michael Fitzmaurice

204. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason SOLAS is continuing to add additional conditions onto the renewal of the safe pass cards in the absence of the proposed draft regulations (details supplied) which will provide the additional power to add their own conditions; if SOLAS will suspend these additional requirements until the draft regulations come into law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9355/19]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Michael Fitzmaurice

316. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health when he expects the Spinraza treatment to be made available to sufferers of SMA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9129/19]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Michael Fitzmaurice

317. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available for the Spinraza treatment for sufferers of SMA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9130/19]

Animal Identification Schemes

Michael Fitzmaurice

441. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the definition of a suckler beef cow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9024/19]

Tuberculosis Incidence

Michael Fitzmaurice

442. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of herds restricted due to TB; the number of restricted herds that took in cattle between the date of their last clear test and the date on which they were initially restricted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9025/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

443. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 200 to 202 of 7 February 2019, when a mechanical grading machine is found to be out of sync, the person or body that carries out the service on the machine before a subsequent classification check can be carried out by officials from his Department; the adjustments or corrections made and taken; the location in which they are recorded in order to document the root cause of the issue which led to the machine falling out of sync; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9026/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

444. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the service audit trail that exists to ensure that adjustments made to mechanical grading machines to bring them back within EU defined tolerances are not intentionally or accidentally changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9027/19]

Beef Data and Genomics Programme

Michael Fitzmaurice

445. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 495 of 5 February 2019, the number of herds in receipt of the beef data and genomics programme payments that have more than one animal registered in their herd that is not identified as a beef breed as defined by the scheme guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9028/19]

Energy Policy

Michael Fitzmaurice

487. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a tender process exists for finance companies being promoted through advertising at Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland conferences, whereby the authority is promoting private finance companies to assist in retrofitting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9433/19]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

193. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 618 of 18 December 2018, when a decision will issue in relation to a review of a carer's allowance application submitted in April 2018 by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8855/19]

Home Loan Scheme

Michael Fitzmaurice

207. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the capital allocations for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan will be distributed to county councils in 2019; the reason for the delay in distributing the funding to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8827/19]

Insurance Costs

Michael Fitzmaurice

94. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to situations by which persons who may need to go into a nursing home are seeing insurance companies in some instances increasing their house insurance premiums by nearly four times the original amount in addition to requesting that the electricity and water be turned off; if legislation can be brought forward which would allow a person who had to go into a nursing home to get public liability cover for his or her home in case of intruders on their property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8638/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

184. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of carcasses graded by mechanical machine before it was found to be out of sync rechecked to determine if their respective grades were accurate on occasions when a mechanical grading machine in a meat processing plant was found to be working out of sync and the factory reverted to manual grading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8636/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

185. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 526 of 12 February 2019, the number of carcasses checked at the start of each day to ensure the machine is operating within the limits in view of the fact that the return to service protocol of mechanical grading machines requires at least 100 carcasses to be checked to make sure that they are working within the legal tolerances; the person or body that oversees this protocol; the location it is recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8637/19]

Trans European Transport Network Programme

Michael Fitzmaurice

210. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Ireland did not apply for the revision of the TEN-T core network including applying for the reinstatement of the cross-Border Western Arc in the first three months as promised in A Programme for A Partnership Government almost three years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8639/19]

Trans European Transport Network Programme

Michael Fitzmaurice

211. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Western Arc route is being excluded from the TEN-T core network in order to ensure funding is available for the development of the Dublin metro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8640/19]

Departmental Budgets

Michael Fitzmaurice

177. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the budget of Departments will face cuts due to the spending overrun in the national children’s hospital; if so, the areas the adjustments to the budget will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8348/19]

School Management

Michael Fitzmaurice

253. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures in place for a patron to remove clergy from a school board of management at their discretion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8281/19]

National Children's Hospital Expenditure

Michael Fitzmaurice

408. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if there will be a delay in the delivery of a number of hospital builds (details supplied) due to the overspend on the national children’s hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8159/19]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Michael Fitzmaurice

411. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made in respect of the application submitted in July 2018 by a company (details supplied) for the Translarna drug for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8199/19]