Parliamentary questions

Adoption Legislation

Róisín Shortall

194. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 240 of 22 October 2019, his plans to allow same-sex couples to avail of the same adoptive leave and benefit which straight couples and single-male adopters are entitled to in the context of the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019; if this is not possible, when he plans to deal with the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53446/19]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Róisín Shortall

242. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline for amendments being considered jointly by his Department and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to encourage the use of vacant properties under the fair deal scheme. [53660/19]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

Róisín Shortall

316. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in nursing homes under the fair deal scheme that have a residential property registered in their name which is included as part of the assessment for the scheme; the number of these homes that have a family member residing in them; the number of homes that are rented or generating an income; and the number that are vacant [53659/19]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Róisín Shortall

209. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a student grant application to SUSI by a person (details supplied); the reason the application was refused; if they can appeal same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53084/19]

Garda Data

Róisín Shortall

288. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community gardaí allocated to the Garda stations in Ballymun, Finglas and Santry; the overall number of gardaí in the stations; the number of community gardaí in the stations in each year since 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53326/19]

Garda Data

Róisín Shortall

289. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí assigned to the drugs unit at the Garda stations in Ballymun, Finglas and Santry; and the number of gardaí assigned to the drugs unit in the stations in each year since 2008. [53327/19]

Mental Health Services Funding

Róisín Shortall

405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the full €55 million in development funding allocated to mental health in 2019 has been released to the HSE by his Department further to his previous commitment (details supplied); the amount of 2019 development funding released to date to the HSE; the month this funding was released or part thereof; the reason development funding for mental health is not released in January of each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52958/19]

Mental Health Services Funding

Róisín Shortall

406. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the amount of mental health development funding for 2019 that has been spent to date; the breakdown of this expenditure by activity and cost, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52959/19]

Hospital Staff Recruitment

Róisín Shortall

426. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a matter in relation to successful candidates on the 2016 HBS recruitment panels for senior staff positions in physiotherapy, speech and language and other allied health professions that are now not eligible for new positions over colleagues that joined panels in 2017; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that successful candidates in 2016 have had their careers delayed by four years; if the matter is part of the policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53087/19]

Jobseeker's Benefit

Róisín Shortall

705. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the social welfare entitlement of a person (details supplied); if they are entitled to support in order to secure employment; if so, the supports available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53083/19]

Community Pharmacy Services

Róisín Shortall

152. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the unwinding of FEMPI for community pharmacists (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52199/19]

National Maternity Hospital Status

Róisín Shortall

268. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the plan to relocate the National Maternity Hospital to the grounds of St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin; the timescale for a response from the Vatican for the divesting of the site; if the site and hospital building will be publicly owned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52434/19]

National Maternity Hospital Status

Róisín Shortall

269. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the proposed governance structure that will apply in the new national maternity hospital in view of his commitment that it will be a public hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52435/19]

Partial Capacity Benefit Scheme Applications

Róisín Shortall

340. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a partial capacity benefit claim by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52298/19]

Public Procurement Regulations

Róisín Shortall

126. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the requirements set down by the Office of Government Procurement or other bodies for contracting parties to publish details on an annual basis or at other intervals of its activities in respect of public procurement using Article 20 of the 2014 EU public procurement directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52014/19]

Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses

Róisín Shortall

127. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timeframe the social considerations advisory group is working towards for completion of its work on the incorporation of social considerations into public procurement projects; the progress made by the group on social considerations in respect of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52015/19]

Higher Education Institutions Staff

Róisín Shortall

140. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the staff to student ratio in publicly-funded higher education institutions here; the corresponding ratios from 2009 to 2014; the comparator figures from benchmark EU countries such as Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52012/19]

HSE Reports

Róisín Shortall

178. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 350 of 15 October 2019 and 160 of 23 October 2019, if he has received a briefing from his officials on the HSE valproate response project report; if a decision has been made to publish or not publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51897/19]

Hospital Consultant Recruitment

Róisín Shortall

349. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure the ongoing provision of a position (details supplied) at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin in view of the fact that the current specialist is due to leave by year end without a replacement provided for; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of families whose children are attending Crumlin for pain management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51265/19]

Budget 2020

Róisín Shortall

98. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 88 of 24 October 2019, the Department or State agency which commissioned official promotional material in respect of budget 2020 which was widely promoted on social media after the budget; the costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50861/19]

Community Employment Schemes Supervisors

Róisín Shortall

99. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans in respect of the long-promised provision of pensions for community employment supervisors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50873/19]

Educational Disadvantage

Róisín Shortall

112. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address educational disadvantage; if the principle of the DEIS approach to targeting resources at such schools in order to counter the impacts of poverty and social exclusion on educational attainment will receive a commitment; if so, the reason class sizes in DEIS band 1 schools have not been reduced in view of the fact other schools have benefited from such reductions; and if the issue will be addressed. [50830/19]

Language Schools

Róisín Shortall

113. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans in respect of the regulation of English language schools in respect of both pay and employment conditions for teachers in the schools and the setting of educational standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50832/19]

School Curriculum

Róisín Shortall

118. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances in which a campaign (details supplied) is providing health messaging to school students in respect of alcohol; if he has sanctioned the activity; his views on the appropriateness of the alcohol industry being involved in educational content; the existing arrangements for health education in respect of substance misuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50860/19]

School Curriculum

Róisín Shortall

119. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of the provision of the SPHE programme in schools, by county and school, in which the programme is not being provided; the steps he is taking to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50875/19]

Juvenile Offenders

Róisín Shortall

138. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of minors referred to the national office on juvenile crime by Garda division in each of the past three years to date in 2019; the number referred to the youth diversion programme for prosecution or other in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50870/19]

Legal Services Regulation

Róisín Shortall

139. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he is taking to open up the education and training for solicitors and barristers in order to achieve greater accountability, independence and competition in these sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50871/19]

Orthodontic Services

Róisín Shortall

200. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the long delay in publishing a report (details supplied) into the orthodontic service; the action the HSE has taken in respect of the issues relating to children that were covered by the report; and if, in the interests of openness and accountability, he will undertake to publish the report without further delay. [50863/19]

Food Safety Authority of Ireland

Róisín Shortall

201. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the research which has been carried out here on the health impacts of nitrates in processed meats; the consideration which has been given to World Health Organisation research on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50865/19]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Róisín Shortall

202. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of child waiting lists for scoliosis treatment by hospital and length of time on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50869/19]

Hospital Services

Róisín Shortall

203. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of appropriate treatment for a person (details supplied); if a care plan has been agreed for them since the meeting of their family with the hospital on 4 October 2019; the timescale for the treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50874/19]

Equine Industry

Róisín Shortall

306. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking and the funding being provided to address the proliferation of horses being bred here especially in respect of urban horses many of which are treated cruelly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50867/19]

Warmer Homes Scheme Data

Róisín Shortall

312. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding allocations to each community-based organisation, CBO, in each of the past three years and in 2019 for the purpose of carrying out energy efficiency retrofits on the homes of persons on low incomes; the number of homes which were upgraded by each CBO; and his plans in respect the continuation of the work. [50862/19]

Childcare Services

Róisín Shortall

349. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take to ensure that the national childcare scheme will not penalise certain categories of lone parents in which it will act as a disincentive to taking up training, education or employment as identified by a group (details supplied); the action she will take in relation to same in the coming years and not merely the arrangements in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50864/19]

Early Years Sector

Róisín Shortall

350. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on a proposal by an organisation (details supplied) for the establishment of an early years and school age agency to replace Departments and agencies in order to ensure a streamlined, seamless and all-encompassing system in order that early child education and welfare issues are responded to appropriately and to achieve better value for money; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50868/19]

Community Employment Schemes Supervisors

Róisín Shortall

400. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the issue of pensions for community employment supervisors which has been promised for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50872/19]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Róisín Shortall

155. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the need in the context of the housing crisis to reform the operation of the fair deal scheme in order to encourage participants in the scheme to make their homes available for letting in order to alleviate the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50486/19]

Rehabilitative Training Allowance Payments

Róisín Shortall

160. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if disability organisations will be provided with funding to allow them to pay the full Christmas bonus to recipients of the rehabilitative training allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50530/19]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Róisín Shortall

259. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will arrange discussions with the Minister for Health regarding the need in the context of the housing crisis to reform the operation of the fair deal scheme in order to encourage participants in the scheme to make their homes available for letting in order to alleviate the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50487/19]

Planning Guidelines

Róisín Shortall

267. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to introduce new planning regulations to ensure that cinemas must have railings and or strip-lighting on gangways to assist those with visual impairment or other disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50529/19]

National Drugs Strategy Implementation

Róisín Shortall

164. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on the recent joint statement from each previous Minister with responsibility for the drugs strategy calling on him to give greater priority to supporting drugs task forces in their work and ensuring that agencies and Departments play their part in the response to the escalating social problems associated with drug misuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49571/19]

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

165. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the severe shortages of services for children with mental health problems in the north-western areas of Dublin in which there are now significant waiting lists for assessments in primary care and for therapy; and the specific steps he will take to address the matter. [49572/19]

Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration

Róisín Shortall

166. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a group (details supplied) and its campaign to eliminate deficits for section 39 organisations in the adoption of the recommendations of the independent review group in the sector and to fund the full restoration of pay for the organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49574/19]

Building Regulations

Róisín Shortall

266. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a newly formed group (details supplied) representing home owners in many developments with serious construction defects; if the report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, Safe as Houses, of January 2018 will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49573/19]

Fiscal Data

Róisín Shortall

93. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the way in which the costs associated with pay restoration for section 39 workers in 2019 and 2020 were factored into the fiscal space calculations for 2019 and 2020, respectively; the way in which the costs have been factored into future fiscal space projections, that is, if the estimated costs are included in the pre-committed amounts for public pay detailed in summer economic statements in 2019 and 2020 or if they are factored in elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49278/19]

Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration

Róisín Shortall

124. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in each remaining year to complete the pay restoration process for section 39 health and disability type organisations by pay costs and associated pension costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49277/19]

HSE Staff

Róisín Shortall

156. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 345 of 5 February 2019, 201 of 19 June 2019, 497 of 9 July 2019 and 344 of 24 September 2019, the position regarding the staff breastfeeding in the workplace policy for HSE staff; if the policy has been signed off on by the HSE leadership team; the reason for the time delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49276/19]

Healthcare Professionals

Róisín Shortall

42. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timescale for the full reversal of financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, for GPs and the ending of the two-tier pay scales for consultants; the other steps he plans to take to address the issue in view of the severe shortage of GPs and hospital doctors and the serious impact which this is having on patient care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49074/19]

School Therapy Services

Róisín Shortall

182. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a pilot project (details supplied); his plans for the future of this intervention model; his plans to roll out the project nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48659/19]

School Therapy Services

Róisín Shortall

198. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a pilot project (details supplied); his plans for the future of this intervention model; his plans to roll out the project nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48658/19]