Parliamentary questions

Sports Capital Programme

Peter Burke

246. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which lottery grants and other capital grants are administered and awarded by his Department; the specific rules that apply; if a voluntary community group (details supplied) will be considered for a grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14341/18]

Departmental Funding

Peter Burke

253. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which lottery grants and other capital grants are administered by her Department; if a group (details supplied) will be considered for a grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14340/18]

Disability Allowance Applications

Peter Burke

272. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [14386/18]

Housing Assistance Payment

Peter Burke

276. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to provide a solution for homeless charities in relation to HAP (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14329/18]

Driver Test

Peter Burke

513. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to change the system for driver tests (details supplied). [13586/18]

Early Childhood Care and Education Funding

Peter Burke

554. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of progress made by her Department in order to find a solution to the current inequitable administering of commercial rates between private early years' service providers for the early childhood care and education scheme, ECCE, and those offering full day-care services and after-school services; the interactions between her Department and other Departments and agencies on this matter; if legal advice has been sought; if her Department has a timeframe for a solution to be found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14005/18]

Environmental Impact Assessments

Peter Burke

631. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the European Union (Licensing of Large-scale Extraction of Peat) Regulations 2016 will be signed into law; the status of interactions to date between his Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the Office of the Attorney General in relation to these regulations; the outstanding issues which are delaying matters; if stakeholders have been briefed on delays on enacting these regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13884/18]

Public Sector Staff Retirements

Peter Burke

18. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when legislation will be passed to facilitate the extension of retirement age by choice for persons working in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8397/18]

Social and Affordable Housing

Peter Burke

335. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the income bands applicable to County Westmeath for social housing will be changed from band 3 to band 2 due to the crisis and escalating cost of living in the county; if the fact that counties such as Meath and Kildare are in band 1 due to their proximity to Dublin and in further view of the fact that County Westmeath borders these counties yet remains in band 3 will be considered; if a motion passed by Westmeath County Council to request that this band be changed has been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13173/18]

Stamp Duty

Peter Burke

93. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance when he plans to sign the commencement order relating to consolidation relief for farmers regarding stamp duty; the length of time the exploration of state aid rules will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12514/18]

Legal Aid Service Expenditure

Peter Burke

334. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a cap on the amount a legal aid solicitor or barrister working in legal aid can make; if there have been cases in which action has been taken against legal professionals that incur additional expense for spurious reasons; if there is a mechanism for an independent third party to review such incidents and the merits contained therein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12312/18]

Hospital Accommodation Provision

Peter Burke

459. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposed upgrade of the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11978/18]

Ambulance Service Funding

Peter Burke

499. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of increased resources for the ambulance service in County Roscommon to allow for the full operation of the ambulance base at Loughglinn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12161/18]

Broadband Service Provision

Peter Burke

793. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when high speed broadband will be available to businesses in an area (details supplied); the alternative options available to these businesses before they receive high speed broadband under the NBP to allow them to continue to operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12213/18]

Community Services Programme

Peter Burke

917. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a group (details supplied) can reapply for CSP funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12780/18]

Community Services Programme

Peter Burke

918. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an application by a group (details supplied) has been received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12781/18]

Public Sector Staff Retirements

Peter Burke

84. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to examine the pay scale that employees are returned to in the public service and HSE when they opt to stay on past the age of 65 years of age; his views on the case of a person (details supplied) who has been returned to a lower pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11177/18]

Vehicle Testing

Peter Burke

470. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position in relation to the possibility of the imposition of a tractor testing system for professional agricultural tractors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10919/18]

Vehicle Testing

Peter Burke

476. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the possibility of opening a test centre for DOEs can be examined; if a person can apply for a licence for this testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11170/18]

Parking Provision

Peter Burke

486. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the new provider for the park-by-text system which covers stations in County Longford (details supplied) will update its mapping system to allow customers to pay for parking in advance at Irish Rail stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11387/18]

Hospital Appointments Status

Peter Burke

153. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [10489/18]

Local Authority Housing Funding

Peter Burke

229. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding for a housing estate (details supplied) in County Longford will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10281/18]

Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Applications

Peter Burke

239. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when compensation for the cessation of turf cutting for a person (details supplied) will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10300/18]

Hospital Appointments Status

Peter Burke

414. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) who has been waiting nine years for orthodontic treatment. [9489/18]

Hospital Appointments Administration

Peter Burke

486. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9940/18]

Nitrates Usage

Peter Burke

723. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the distance within which spreading of slurry can occur in respect of the boundary of a house. [9469/18]

Dormant Accounts Fund Grants

Peter Burke

18. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the allocation her Department received from the Dormant Accounts Fund of €7 million for an initiative aimed at breaking the cycle of childhood poverty; the amount that has been spent to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8866/18]

Family Resource Centres

Peter Burke

20. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department will accept an application for a resource centre at a site (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8865/18]

Local Authority Funding

Peter Burke

237. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if budgetary applications by local authorities (details supplied) will be expedited in order that services can be planned for 2018. [9207/18]

CLÁR Programme

Peter Burke

47. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the CLÁR programme will reopen; the budget of the programme for 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8516/18]

Service Level Agreements

Peter Burke

52. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the service level agreement his Department has with Pobal; the payment policy his Department employs with Pobal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8515/18]

Road Traffic Offences

Peter Burke

185. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on imposing increased safety requirements on the use of quad bikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8884/18]

Gorse Burning

Peter Burke

218. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a person can apply for an extension to the hedge cutting period at the end of February 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8930/18]

Social Insurance Yield

Peter Burke

62. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the value of the social insurance fund; the challenges she anticipates in the future in relation to funding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8398/18]

Land Transfers

Peter Burke

144. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance if changes to the age limits for family transfers are being considered to mitigate higher stamp duty costs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8162/18]

Homeowners Voluntary Relocation Scheme Data

Peter Burke

160. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons that applied for the voluntary homeowners relocation scheme in 2017 in County Roscommon; the number of applications that were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8589/18]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Peter Burke

175. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8149/18]

Hospital Equipment

Peter Burke

279. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans for a MRI scanner in the Midlands Regional Hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8062/18]

Hospital Appointments Status

Peter Burke

304. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for an MRI scan for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8151/18]

Water and Sewerage Schemes

Peter Burke

608. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if relief measures will be put in place for individual members of group water schemes in view of the discontinuation of the domestic water charging regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8617/18]

Tourism Project Funding

Peter Burke

42. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the lakelands project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7533/18]

Sports Capital Programme

Peter Burke

85. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a request for expressions of interest in the large-scale projects under the sports capital programme will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7534/18]

Health Services Staff

Peter Burke

196. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health when the public health nurse operating from a health centre (details supplied) will be restored back to a full-time position instead of the three-day service that has been in operation since November 2017; his future plans for this health centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7830/18]

Fish Farming

Peter Burke

70. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the work of his Department and agencies under its aegis on ensuring investment in fish farms by Inland Fisheries Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7262/18]

Trading Online Voucher Scheme

Peter Burke

81. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the uptake of the trading online voucher scheme by county both in 2017 and since the scheme’s introduction; if the scheme is being expanded; if so, if such an expansion will include data protection and cyber security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7261/18]

School Enrolments

Peter Burke

116. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will receive guidance on an enrolment anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7591/18]

Hospital Appointments Status

Peter Burke

154. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [7554/18]

Garda Vetting of Personnel

Peter Burke

237. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if universities and institutes of technology come under the requirements that require staff to be Garda vetted as per requirements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012; if such requirements are required in circumstances in which staff are close to retiring; the penalties enacted on those persons who do not register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7174/18]

Hospital Appointments Status

Peter Burke

371. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) for an echocardiography will be expedited. [6936/18]

Industrial Relations

Peter Burke

424. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the payment process that has been established for section 39 organisations; and if there is a timeframe. [7218/18]