Parliamentary questions

General Medical Services Scheme Review

Seán Kyne

249. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if, in the context of the need to secure savings in the GMS scheme, he and his Department are mindful of the pressures which general practitioners practices are already under; and if he will confirm that the efforts to secure the necessary savings are focusing on non-further services [17989/13]

Road Network

Seán Kyne

44. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has, based on the expectations, taken into account the reasoned opinion of the Advocate General, of a negative decision from the European Court of Justice of the European Union in the case concerning the Galway city outer bypass, commenced preparation on a new IROPI or imperative reasons for overriding public interest application to progress the bypass. [15217/13]

The Gathering Initiatives

Seán Kyne

62. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update in the progress of The Gathering 2013; the early indicators of its success at reaching out to the worldwide Irish diaspora; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15045/13]

National Procurement Service

Seán Kyne

271. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the impact the proposed centralisation of State procurement procedures will have on small, local businesses which have been supplying schools and educational facilities for, in some cases, decades and are, through good working relationships, attuned to the particular requirements of local schools. [15232/13]

Schools Building Projects Status

Seán Kyne

272. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm if places on the five year school building programme have become available for schools not originally included but which have overtaken other listed schools in terms of preparation and readiness to proceed with construction and improvements projects. [15233/13]

Public Procurement Regulations

Seán Kyne

296. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the savings to be made under the proposed reform of the State procurement process will most likely be lessened considerably, if not negated, by the adverse impact centralisation will have on the viability of small to medium sized local business which would ultimately increase pressure on the social protection budget. [15231/13]

Free Travel Scheme Administration

Seán Kyne

340. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the basis on which payments are made to public transport providers participating in the free travel scheme; and if consideration will be given to introducing a leap card or similar technology to an enhanced public services card which would more accurately measure usage and journeys taken and consequently maximise the taxpayer investment in this important scheme. [15226/13]

National Wind Energy Strategy

Seán Kyne

361. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress, if any, in facilitating schools and community organisations from receiving credits for the unused electricity generated by their wind turbines which is currently fed into the national grid without any recompense to the micro-generators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15234/13]

Broadband Services Provision

Seán Kyne

362. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there are procedures in place to support relatively new broadband internet service providers in increasing quality broadband provision for those citizens residing in areas not served by fixed line providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15235/13]

Legislative Programme

Seán Kyne

392. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the necessary legislative changes will be introduced in order to empower the Standards in Public Office Commission to compel organisations to co-operate with it when said organisations, such as those involved in the abortion debate which are so obviously engaging in political lobbying, are third parties as set out under the Electoral Acts. [15225/13]

Planning Issues

Seán Kyne

393. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, in view of his central role in the IROPI planning process, his Department will proceed with an IROPI application for the Galway city outer bypass should the Court of Justice of the European Union find that the current application compromises the integrity of a special area of conservation. [15228/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Seán Kyne

394. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if consideration will be given to placing a temporary moratorium on wind energy developments until such time as the review, by his Department, of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines has been completed. [15229/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Seán Kyne

395. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the updating and reviewing of his Department's 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be complete. [15230/13]

Public Transport

Seán Kyne

623. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to work with the Department of Social Protection to introduce leap card technology to the free travel scheme in order to more accurately measure usage on which to base the transfer of public funds to those public transport providers participating in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15227/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Seán Kyne

116. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the measures that have been taken to tackle inpatient and day case waiting lists in University College Hospital, County Galway; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14318/13]

Budget 2013

Seán Kyne

78. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to enabling a citizen who is experiencing financial difficulties to access previously made pension contributions in a similar manner to the access being granted by the Finance Bill to AVC funds for the sole purpose of alleviating a mortgage arrears problem. [12273/13]

Further Education and Training Programmes Provision

Seán Kyne

81. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider amending current FÁS stipulations which are preventing job-seeking persons who worked in the construction industry but who are not qualified plumbers, from receiving the financial assistance required to undertake up-skilling courses that would permit job-seekers to avail of the opportunities that will arise from the installation of water meters nationally. [12272/13]

Broadband Services Provision

Seán Kyne

152. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm if the feasibility of using the existing electricity grid network for the provision of broadband Internet services has been examined; if so if his policy favours the use of using such technology to bring broadband internet access to remote locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12275/13]

Building Regulations Application

Seán Kyne

172. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the progress, if any, of his request that his Department work with the registration body as envisaged under the Building Control Act and the proposed Building Control Amendment Regulations to ensure that those working as architects, with many years of experience, are not excluded from the professions owing to the new qualification requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12276/13]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Seán Kyne

181. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of Section 20 of the Finance Bill which extends the tax-relief for the film industry, consideration will be given to extending such relief to the electronic gaming industry so as to encourage indigenous entrepreneurship which would complement the multi-national presence in Galway and Dublin among other locations. [11611/13]

Further Education and Training Programmes Eligibility

Seán Kyne

188. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if invalidity pension is an eligible scheme for qualifying for a springboard course and if not, whether it can be included in view of the fact that its allowance-based counterpart, disability allowance, is an eligible scheme. [11610/13]

Schools Building Projects Status

Seán Kyne

221. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of the replacement scheme for pre-fabs operated by the Department. [11609/13]

School Accommodation

Seán Kyne

223. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a 13 year old prefab, in poor condition, owned by his Department will be considered for replacement under a prefab replacement programme even though no rent is being paid on same; this prefab is situated in a school (details supplied) in County Galway which has planning permission for a permanent classroom extension. [11617/13]

Disability Activation Projects

Seán Kyne

296. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the progress of the 14 disability activation projects in operation in the BMW region; if she would confirm the locations of the projects; and if there are plans to extend this initiative in view of the benefits which accrue in helping persons with a disability back into the workforce. [11612/13]

Property Taxation Application

Seán Kyne

233. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if he will, in the interests of impartial information provision and clarity, request that Revenue ensure that the letters to be distributed to property owners outlining their estimated local property tax liability will also contain the exact band into which their property falls which has been used to calculate the liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10420/13]

Courses Accreditation

Seán Kyne

275. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the educational course (details supplied) is not a course recognised by his Department and if he appreciates the way this lack of recognition acts as a barrier to accessing educational or social welfare supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10351/13]

Legal Services Regulation

Seán Kyne

532. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to introducing an amendment to the proposed Legal Service Bill that would provide and facilitate a suitably experienced and qualified legal executive practice as a conveyancer and provide such services in their own right. [10360/13]

Legal Services Regulation

Seán Kyne

533. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to introducing an amendment to the proposed Legal Service Bill that would enable a person who is a legal executive become a partner in a law firm. [10361/13]

Legal Services Regulation

Seán Kyne

534. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to introducing an amendment to the proposed Legal Service Bill that would grant a right of audience in the District and Circuit Courts to persons who are legal executives. [10365/13]

Legal Services Regulation

Seán Kyne

535. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to introducing an amendment to the proposed Legal Service Bill that would clarify the evidential status of the attestation of documents by a legal executive acting as a Commission for Oaths. [10366/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Seán Kyne

108. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Student Universal Support Ireland insists on obtaining financial accounts to accompany student grant applications from farms which are in receipt of the farm assist scheme, a payment which is only made to those families working on small low-income farms; if he will clarify the reason a statement from the Department of Social Protection detailing farm assist payment is not sufficient to enable the processing of the initial student grant application. [9501/13]

Flood Risk Assessments

Seán Kyne

113. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the Office of Public Works flood maps in respect of Clifden town, County Galway were prepared; whether they were the result of a desktop study or based on flood history analysis; and if he will outline the process under which these maps may be reviewed. [9498/13]

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Scheme

Seán Kyne

156. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to create a mandatory registration scheme for oil technicians in order to ensure the highest safety standards in guarding against carbon monoxide poisoning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9500/13]

Planning Issues

Seán Kyne

168. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government whether the review (details supplied) into claims of planning irregularities at seven local authorities across the country including Galway County Council will be published; and if so, when this might be. [9499/13]

Tourism Promotion

Seán Kyne

130. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has plans to intensify the use of the railways in promoting tourism such as rail tours which are an exemplary way of attracting tourists and visitors Dublin to the regions outside of Dublin. [8378/13]

Public Service Obligation Services

Seán Kyne

144. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport while being mindful of the social good that public transport services represents as well as their importance particularly in more rural areas, if his attention has been drawn to the Competition Authority’s submission on public transport which highlights the significant savings internationally from tendering out public service obligation services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8379/13]

Leader Programmes Funding

Seán Kyne

531. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding available to the LEADER programme from 2014-2020 in the context of the recent agreement of the EU's new Multi Annual Financial Framework; and if he will clarify the changes, if any, proposed in the funding model. [8985/13]

Departmental Funding

Seán Kyne

648. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when a funding programme will be finalised and ready to accept applications from youth organisations such as youth cafes. [8986/13]

Vaccination Programme

Seán Kyne

747. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the recent incidence of tubercolosis, the policy of administering the BCG vaccine to newborns, which is currently the practice in all regions of the State except of the west of Ireland, will be extended nationwide. [8981/13]

Vaccination Programme

Seán Kyne

748. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an assurance that in the event that cost is a prohibiting factor in the extension of the administration of the BCG vaccine to newborns in the west of Ireland that additional funding will be provided from his Department and the Health Service Executive. [8982/13]

Proposed Legislation

Seán Kyne

749. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce regulations to govern private home care-givers in view of the benefit this would have for practitioners and the public alike; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8984/13]

Hospital Staff

Seán Kyne

233. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm if the number of intern places for graduates of medical colleges here will be increasing in view of the fact that there has been an increase in the number of medical students in recent years in view of the immense benefit such intern places are to graduates for gaining valuable practical experience. [7669/13]

Hospital Staff Issues

Seán Kyne

225. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress being made to ensure that doctors and medical professionals in the health service, such as non-consultant doctors, are employed on contracts with suitable rest periods and time off which is vital for the well-being of the medical professional as well as for upholding the high standard of patient care [5005/13]

Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Seán Kyne

140. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the steps that are being taken to reduce and minimise delays in the processing time for applications to the various schemes as administered by the social welfare services component of her Department. [4035/13]

Departmental Staff Data

Seán Kyne

173. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in view of the significant increase in appeals of social welfare decisions, additional resources, including personnel, will be allocated to the social welfare appeals office in order that persons who are appealing decisions may receive a speedier response. [4034/13]

School Accommodation

Seán Kyne

347. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) in County Galway will have its inadequate, temporary accommodation replaced. [4429/13]

Schools Building Projects Expenditure

Seán Kyne

348. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm when the Five Year Schools Building Programme will be updated and published. [4430/13]

Workplace Relations Services Provision

Seán Kyne

373. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the creation of the new Workplace Relations Service; and if he will indicate when this service will be operational. [4427/13]

Consumer Protection

Seán Kyne

374. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline the progress made in the planned merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency; and his plans to ensure the new body is as effective as possible in promoting fair competition among businesses and in upholding the rights of consumers, both of which are central to our country's economic recovery. [4428/13]

State Bodies Mergers

Seán Kyne

490. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps being taken to ensure, while acknowledging the need for the State to secure savings, the continued existence of An Comisinéir Teanga and the effective performance of the functions ascribed to this position as set out in the Official Languages Act 2003. [4524/13]