Parliamentary questions

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]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Michael Fitzmaurice

412. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health when the drugs committee will assess the new submission made 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. [8200/19]

Meat Processing Plants

Michael Fitzmaurice

489. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cows of UK origin slaughtered in factories here per month in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and in January 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8344/19]

Common Agricultural Policy Reform

Michael Fitzmaurice

490. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department plans to evaluate whether the CAP proposals proposed by the main farming organisations truly reflect the views of farmers; if he will allow all farmers to vote on the CAP proposals through an online system such as agfood.ie or through veterinary offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8345/19]

Community Employment Schemes Supervisors

Michael Fitzmaurice

635. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 707 of 12 February 2019, if a community employment scheme supervisor can remain on the same wages if he or she is transferred to a different scheme due to a merger and is demoted in title to assistant supervisor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8343/19]

Commencement of Legislation

Michael Fitzmaurice

651. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to commence the remaining sections of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 in particular section 8, in view of the fact it is holding up roadworks to access forests, grant payments and the supply of timber to sawmills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7677/19]

Health Services

Michael Fitzmaurice

141. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 429 of 22 January 2019, if those living in Glenamaddy, County Galway, availing of Westdoc services and that have no access to transport to bring them to Roscommon will be facilitated in Glenamaddy when they make a call to Westdoc; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7413/19]

School Curriculum

Michael Fitzmaurice

272. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of time allocated in a school day for national school children to have their breaks; the portion of this time allocated for eating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6838/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

526. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the return to service protocol to be followed by the authorised officer to allow a mechanical grading machine to be returned to full service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6412/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

527. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of occasions in 2018 during the course of an unannounced inspection a feed business operator, FBO, was asked to check and record the accuracy of the weighing scales used for the purposes of weighing a carcase in the presence of the authorised officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6413/19]

Community Employment Schemes Supervisors

Michael Fitzmaurice

707. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if supervisors and assistant supervisors of community employment schemes can transfer to another scheme operated by a different sponsoring organisation when a scheme closes; if they must be made redundant before taking up a new position; if the entitlements they have built up in their time on the initial schemes will be honoured by the second employer if they transfer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6414/19]

School Management

Michael Fitzmaurice

121. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for national school principals who are struggling to address the need for one administration day per week (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6140/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

200. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 30 January 2019, if the factories will be named that had to revert to manual grading when their mechanical classification systems were found to be working outside the legally defined tolerances in 2017 and 2018; the dates on which these instances occurred;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6065/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

201. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 30 January 2019, the number of beef carcasses rechecked by Departmental staff on days on which the mechanical classification system of a processing plant was found to be working outside the legally defined tolerances in 2017 and 2018; the length of time factories were instructed to revert to manual grading when the mechanical systems were discovered to be out of sync; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6066/19]

Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Michael Fitzmaurice

202. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections of beef carcasses carried out by Departmental staff in processing factories in 2017 in relation to carcass presentation and carcass classification; if there were discrepancies in relation to the inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6067/19]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes

Michael Fitzmaurice

252. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if SOLAS charges applicants to the construction skills certificate scheme who are in receipt of social welfare payments or who hold a medical card a fee to receive their QQI certification following successful completion of the training and assessment programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5567/19]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes

Michael Fitzmaurice

253. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason SOLAS requires Safe Pass, CSCS and QSCS card holders to be reassessed when they are renewing their respective cards within the allocated time periods in view of a High Court decision in 2017 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5568/19]

Beef Data and Genomics Programme

Michael Fitzmaurice

495. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers can continue to receive payments under the beef data and genomics programme, BDGP, if they have switched from suckler farming to dairying in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5296/19]

Beef Exports

Michael Fitzmaurice

496. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if beef from a herd with a history of tuberculosis can be exported to China; if there are restrictions in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5297/19]

Food Safety Standards Regulation

Michael Fitzmaurice

497. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if beef imported from Poland in 2018 originated from the plant which is the subject of an investigation for illegally slaughtering sick cattle and allowing the meat to enter the food chain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5298/19]

Health Care Infrastructure Provision

Michael Fitzmaurice

185. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the stage the development of the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon, is at; if the design team has incorporated a day care unit dedicated to older persons and to persons with dementia or Alzheimer's disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4854/19]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Michael Fitzmaurice

240. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision on a carer's application by a person (details supplied) will be made; the reason for the delay with same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4769/19]

Beef Data and Genomics Programme

Michael Fitzmaurice

223. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers awaiting 2018 beef data and genomics programme payments; the amount to be paid to farmers under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4624/19]

Beef Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

224. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 185 of 23 January 2019, if no issues arose in classification and carcass presentation when his Department conducted on-the-spot inspections in beef processing plants in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4625/19]

Laboratory Facilities

Michael Fitzmaurice

225. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a cost-benefit analysis of the regional veterinary laboratory network will be published; if there is a timeline for potential investment in the network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4626/19]

Community Employment Schemes Administration

Michael Fitzmaurice

267. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if all community employment schemes are run privately; if not, if they are run by the State; the person or body deemed to be the employer of the supervisors and assistant supervisors on individual community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4508/19]

School Management

Michael Fitzmaurice

222. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure for the removal of clergy who have not resigned or become ineligible to serve by patrons from school boards of management following diocesan changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4096/19]