Parliamentary questions

Community Services Programme

Dominic Hannigan

117. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason the community services grant administered by Pobal will not fund the increase in the minimum wage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3156/16]

Public Sector Staff Retirements

Dominic Hannigan

149. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the guidelines for the age of compulsory retirement for staff working in the Houses of the Oireachtas; if there is a distinction between the retirement age of public representatives and office staff in the House of the Oireachtas and, if so, the justification for this. [3108/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Dominic Hannigan

384. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive has cut a vital grant to Louth-Meath Down Syndrome by 60%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3220/16]

Easter Rising Commemorations

Dominic Hannigan

511. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the rules and guidelines on how invitations will be issued to potential guests at the 1916 Commemoration Events, including those which apply to special guests, such as relations of those who are being commemorated. [2926/16]

Tax Collection

Dominic Hannigan

220. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners can demand back income tax with interest, having previously made the mistake of informing a person (details supplied) that they had no liability for income tax every year for a number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46928/15]

Social Insurance

Dominic Hannigan

48. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason persons in receipt of maintenance payments are treated differently in the taxation of these payments, in that they pay more pay-related social insurance than those with the same income where that income is not from maintenance payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45553/15]

Tax Credits

Dominic Hannigan

49. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection for the analysis supporting the assumption that the new €550 earned income tax credit will reduce the differential between the self-employed vis-à-vis the employed with the same income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45556/15]

Tax Credits

Dominic Hannigan

61. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if the difference in taxation of maintenance payments received is in contravention of Article 40.1 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, which states that all citizens are equal, with the rider that the State may have due regard to differences of capacity, physical and moral, and social function; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45558/15]

Tax Collection

Dominic Hannigan

62. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners can demand back income tax with interest, having previously made the mistake every year for a number of years of informing a citizen that the citizen had no liability for income tax; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45560/15]

Tax Credits

Dominic Hannigan

64. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance the reason persons in receipt of maintenance payments are treated differently in regard to the taxation of those payments, in that they pay more income tax than those with the same income where that income is not from maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45553/15]

Tax Credits

Dominic Hannigan

62. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance given that budget 2016 will allow a €550 earned income tax credit for self-employed persons and that persons receiving maintenance payments could be deemed as self-employed by the Revenue Commissioners, if he will extend this tax credit to maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43192/15]

Patient Transport Provision

Dominic Hannigan

130. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that buses which have been specifically obtained to ferry patients from St. Luke's Hospital to Beaumont Hospital are not in service; the reason for that; and when a service will be provided. [43131/15]

Public Sector Pensions Levy

Dominic Hannigan

114. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are plans to link the payment increase to public sector pensioners to the consumer price index, and if so, the timescales for doing this. [38832/15]

Public Sector Pensions Levy

Dominic Hannigan

115. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a timeframe for the removal of the cuts made to public sector pensions for those on incomes of over €32,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38833/15]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Dominic Hannigan

165. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware of a family (details supplied) in County Meath whose child has missed out on 24 weeks pre-school education, due to being born 11 days after the deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38840/15]

Ambulance Service Provision

Dominic Hannigan

179. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health how an organisation (details supplied) in County Meath will be provided with an ambulance from the Health Service Executive which is surplus to current operating needs; if this will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38834/15]

Waste Management Regulations

Dominic Hannigan

478. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline his views on the spreading of human waste as slurry or fertiliser on Irish farmlands; the measures in place to protect the environment and human health in respect of this matter and to ensure no negative impact or nuisance is caused to the persons living close to where the human waste is being spread; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38287/15]

Farm Waste Management

Dominic Hannigan

1108. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the spreading of human waste as slurry or fertilizer on Irish farmlands; the measures that are in place to protect the environment and human health in relation to this matter and to ensure that there is no negative impact or nuisance caused to the persons living close to where the human waste is being spread; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38288/15]

Emergency Services Personnel

Dominic Hannigan

1128. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of the situation of workers in the emergency call answering service run by Conduit company and British Telecom Ireland; that workers are paid well below the living wage of €11.50 per hour; that they are refused collective union representation; and that they often cannot receive the annual leave to which they are entitled. [37418/15]

Emergency Services Personnel

Dominic Hannigan

1129. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will ensure the Conduit company respects its workers’ basic human right to collective bargaining by engaging in meaningful discussions with the Communications Workers Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37419/15]

Hospital Appointment Delays

Dominic Hannigan

286. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health the reason for delay in performing a tonsillectomy procedure in Crumlin Children's Hospital in Dublin 12 for a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35480/15]

Tax Code

Dominic Hannigan

254. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider the idea of cohabiting couples being allowed to share their tax credits, similarly to married couples, if they meet strict criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34283/15]

Mortgage Data

Dominic Hannigan

255. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the impact on first-time buyers of the new mortgage rules that the Central Bank of Ireland introduced earlier in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34284/15]

Flood Prevention Measures

Dominic Hannigan

287. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the work that will be carried out in an area (details supplied) in County Meath to prevent further flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34187/15]

Garda Deployment

Dominic Hannigan

418. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will increase the number of gardaí stationed in a town (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34174/15]

Education Policy

Dominic Hannigan

500. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to codify and review the Rules for National Schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32815/15]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Dominic Hannigan

139. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has a date for when the revised wind farm planning guidelines will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32365/15]

Departmental Schemes

Dominic Hannigan

301. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider a proposal (details supplied) for a bike to school scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30534/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Dominic Hannigan

42. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons under 25 years of age who would qualify for the JobsPlus incentive scheme as projected by her Department by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29254/15]

Education and Training Boards Staff

Dominic Hannigan

265. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names and the organisation and-or sector they represent of the five persons appointed to each Education and Training Board, under Section 30 (d) of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29250/15]

Local and Community Development Programme

Dominic Hannigan

296. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the development of Local Economic and Community Plans by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29251/15]

Property Tax Data

Dominic Hannigan

297. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details on all local authorities in respect of Section 20 of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012; the percentage increase or decrease applied by each, or where they maintained the Local Property Tax at current levels as notified to his Department for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29252/15]

Youth Employment Initiative

Dominic Hannigan

298. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the Youth Employment Initiative under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme; the budget of the Programme; the allocation to each Programme implementer; the key objectives; the projected number of young persons reached by the Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29253/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Dominic Hannigan

244. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider increasing the cap on the rent supplement in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29060/15]

Tax Credits

Dominic Hannigan

307. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider a tax credit to reduce the cost of child care as part of budget 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29049/15]

Local Enterprise Offices

Dominic Hannigan

367. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps that the Meath local enterprise office will take over the remaining months of 2015 to increase the number of net jobs that the office is helping to create in County Meath; if he will outline details of this plan in his response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29095/15]

Disability Allowance Payments

Dominic Hannigan

435. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Defence the number of Army personnel who have had their disability pension payments reduced under section 13(2) of the Army Pensions Act 1923 after receiving a settlement sum in legal proceedings in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29226/15]

Departmental Funding

Dominic Hannigan

495. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will consider allocating extra funding for playgrounds to large urban communities where there are not enough play amenities for young children, compared to the density of population of young children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29050/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Dominic Hannigan

496. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he is taking to increase the number of free community child care places in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29051/15]

Child Care Costs

Dominic Hannigan

497. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he has had any communication with the Department of Finance regarding the possibility of a child care tax credit in budget 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29052/15]

Medical Card Administration

Dominic Hannigan

673. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health when the over 70s general practitioner visit cards will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29058/15]

Mental Health Services

Dominic Hannigan

674. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health the number of posts currently not filled in the community mental health teams in County Meath; the posts that are not filled; the steps being taken to fill them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29059/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Dominic Hannigan

814. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29065/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Dominic Hannigan

815. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29066/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Dominic Hannigan

816. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29067/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Dominic Hannigan

817. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29068/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Dominic Hannigan

818. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29069/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Dominic Hannigan

819. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29070/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Dominic Hannigan

876. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the next grant will be paid to Meath County Council for social housing development; the amount; the number of units it will build; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29061/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Dominic Hannigan

877. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the process his Department, in conjunction with Meath County Council will use, other than building, if he will provide additional social housing units in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29062/15]