Parliamentary questions

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Robert Troy

24. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will qualify under the jobseeker's allowance scheme based on the person's Pay Related Social Insurance contributions from 2006 to 2015, given that the person has applied and is awaiting a result. [4482/16]

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments

Mattie McGrath

25. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if it is acceptable that extra allowances such as the supplementary welfare allowance diet supplement are being cut off or reduced for persons in receipt of the State pension as a result of the increase of €3 in the State pension; if this counteracts the increase announced in Budget 2016; if this was intended when the increase was announced; if she will ensure that reviews of such payments acknowledge the purpose of the increase in the State pension and make allowance for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4514/16]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Clare Daly

26. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking and her oversight to ensure that persons on community employment schemes receive proper health and safety and manual handling training prior to starting a placement and that they are issued with proper protective clothing where appropriate. [4520/16]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Clare Daly

27. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how she monitors access to training for participants in community employment schemes; and why some persons are unable to access their required entitlements and choices. [4521/16]

Carer's Allowance Applications

John Perry

28. Deputy John Perry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to facilitate an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4552/16]

Tax Code

Pearse Doherty

29. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the expected revenue from the imposition of a 25% special tobacco levy on tobacco companies as a proportion of the profits they generate in the Irish market. [4534/16]

Mortgage Interest Relief Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

30. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the changes in eligibility for tax relief on mortgage interest in respect of first-time buyer home loans in 2009 and 2010; if first-time buyers who obtained their mortgages in those specific years are entitled to the same or to a higher benefit under the scheme; the reason for this measure; the amounts offered in mortgage interest relief for first-time buyers in each year from 2002 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4569/16]

Public Sector Staff Sick Leave

Finian McGrath

31. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to support a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4568/16]

Ministerial Staff

Peter Fitzpatrick

32. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a parliamentary assistant to a Teachta Dála, who is a Minister, has the same entitlement to apply for voluntary early retirement as a parliamentary assistant to a Teachta Dála who is not a Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4497/16]

Flood Relief Schemes Funding

Colm Keaveney

33. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 89 of 26 November 2015, if he reconsidered the case and if he will expedite the granting of funding for these necessary flood relief measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4504/16]

Office of the Ombudsman Investigations

Finian McGrath

34. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 16 of 14 October 2015, if he is aware that the judicial reviews against the ombudsman have been settled on terms favourable to the applicants; if he will examine changes to the in-house complaints procedure to ensure that needless and expensive court challenges are not required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4505/16]

Departmental Agencies Expenditure

Finian McGrath

35. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount the Commission for Public Service Appointments incurred in independent psychologist fees in the years 2012 to 2016 to date; if he will sanction the employment of a psychologist to professionally assist the commission in discharging its important duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4506/16]

Commission for Public Service Appointments

Finian McGrath

36. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 17 of 14 October 2015, the date the legal tender was entered into; if it prevented the Commission for Public Service Appointments from having recourse to the taxing master process; why substantial fees were incurred in this case; if he is aware that the commission is liable for discharging the legal fees of the applicant who successfully argued that the commission was subject to judicial review; given this judgment, the changes he will introduce in the personnel, procedures and processes of the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4507/16]

Departmental Staff Career Breaks

Finian McGrath

37. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the options open to a civil servant on a six-month career break to extend it by a further two months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4508/16]

Departmental Staff Retirements

Finian McGrath

38. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an existing contract is in place to provide retirement planning courses for civil servants; when the next tendering process will take place for such courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4509/16]

Planning Issues

Seán Kyne

39. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 11 November 2014, if the plans have been updated. [4517/16]

Pension Provisions

Róisín Shortall

40. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform why the employment status of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin in relation to a pension was changed from constable to labourer; the implications of this change on the rate of payment to the person; and if this rate of payment is correct. [4537/16]

Action Plan for Jobs

Dara Calleary

41. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his targets to reduce long-term unemployment in terms of specific numbers and percentages in each of the years 2016 to 2020; and the measure that will be taken to achieve this. [4530/16]

Basic Payment Scheme Payments

Billy Kelleher

42. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in a person (details supplied) in County Cork receiving a grant under the area aid scheme; when the application will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4489/16]

GLAS Eligibility

Michael Fitzmaurice

43. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if tier 3 farmers will be allowed into the second tranche of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4495/16]