Questions and answers published after July 2012 can be viewed here. Viewing by Government Department is possible by term or specific dates from March 2016 onwards. Written answers are published as received from departments. To see parliamentary questions published before July 2012, search in Dáil debates.
Questions and answers for all sittings
Page 14 of 19
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Schools Building Projects Applications
Bobby Aylward
483. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reassess an application for a second new classroom by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25919/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
School Transport Provision
Bobby Aylward
535. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will amend the current legislation governing the school transport scheme which states that routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis, to ensure that all pupils who wish to avail of concessionary tickets can do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26352/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
School Transport Provision
Bobby Aylward
536. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will amend the current legislation governing the school transport scheme which states that, routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis, and provide additional funding to allow current service providers to supply a higher capacity vehicle to ensure that (details supplied) and all other applicants can be accommodated on route to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26353/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
School Transport Provision
Bobby Aylward
537. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will amend the current legislation governing the school transport scheme which states that, routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis, and provide additional funding to allow current service providers to supply a higher capacity vehicle to ensure that (details supplied) and all other applicants can be accommodated on route to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26354/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Back to Education Allowance
Bobby Aylward
672. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify the changes introduced to the back to education allowance scheme for the 2016-2017 school year and the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26350/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Back to Education Allowance
Bobby Aylward
673. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will amend current back to education allowance scheme legislation to take effect from the commencement of the 2016-2017 school year by introducing a disregard of earnings up to €75 to allow students to earn money from part-time jobs to assist in funding their education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26351/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Free Travel Scheme Eligibility
Bobby Aylward
712. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Social Protection the free travel alternatives that exist within his Department to accommodate a person (details supplied) who is not permitted to drive by the State due to a sight impairment but cannot avail of a free travel pass as they are under 66 years of age and are not in receipt of a disability allowance, blind pension, carer's allowance or an invalidity pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25101/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Rural Development Programme
Bobby Aylward
961. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding allocated to Kilkenny County Council under the €30,000,000 fund announced in 2015 under the town and village renewal scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24971/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Rural Development Programme
Bobby Aylward
962. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding allocated to Carlow County Council under the €30,000,000 fund announced in 2015 under the town and village renewal scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24972/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Dormant Accounts Fund
Bobby Aylward
967. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when Pobal will invite applications for the social enterprise measure under the Dormant Accounts Fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25291/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Free Travel Scheme
Bobby Aylward
1169. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if there are provisions due to be implemented within his Department to accommodate persons that are not permitted by the State to drive due to a sight impairment but cannot avail of a free-travel pass as they are under 66 years of age and are not in receipt of a disability allowance, blind pension, carer's allowance or an invalidity pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25100/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
National Treatment Purchase Fund
Bobby Aylward
1220. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the restoration of the National Treatment Purchase Fund as per the minority Government facilitation agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25294/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Home Help Service Provision
Bobby Aylward
1413. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health when additional home help weekend hours will be allocated to a person (details supplied) following assessment and approval of same by a home help services co-ordinator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26009/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
Bobby Aylward
1615. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when decisions will be returned on all applications received under tranche 3 of the TAMS II young farmer capital investment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26360/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
Bobby Aylward
1624. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a TAMS II application made in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26421/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
Bobby Aylward
1625. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a TAMS II application made in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26422/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
Bobby Aylward
1626. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a TAMS II application made in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26423/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
Bobby Aylward
1627. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a TAMS II application made in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26424/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Inland Fisheries Stocks
Bobby Aylward
1675. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current systems in place to measure the volume of salmon in the rivers Barrow, Nore and Suir; if the most recently recorded levels are above or below average in comparison to preceding years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25153/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Inland Fisheries Stocks
Bobby Aylward
1676. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider the installation of counters to measure the volume of salmon in the rivers Barrow, Nore and Suir; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25154/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Forestry Sector
Bobby Aylward
1708. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the State engages in the procurement of carbon credits from private forestries; if so, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26359/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Road Projects Status
Bobby Aylward
1850. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the State body which has the responsibility for the provision of funding for the completion of the Kilkenny city ring road and the current status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26355/16]
Fri, 16 Sep 2016
written
Public Transport Initiatives
Bobby Aylward
1851. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to develop a national policy to accommodate commuters who avail of car pooling or ride sharing, which includes a long-term strategy for the provision of car parking areas on link roads to national primary routes such as the M9 and N7 ensuring that the current practice of car parking on link roads is safe, legal and convenient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26356/16]
Thu, 21 Jul 2016
written
Schools Building Projects Applications
Bobby Aylward
234. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills to reconsider an application for an extra classroom by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24233/16]
Thu, 21 Jul 2016
written
Schools Building Projects Applications
Bobby Aylward
235. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills to allocate funding for a temporary prefabricated building for use as emergency accommodation and to prioritise an application for an extra classroom in 2017 for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24234/16]
Thu, 21 Jul 2016
written
Special Educational Needs Staff
Bobby Aylward
236. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills to increase the SNA allocation to a school (details supplied) which currently has inadequate SNA support for the 2016-17 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24235/16]
Thu, 21 Jul 2016
written
Local Authority Housing Funding
Bobby Aylward
284. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money utilised by the local authorities in counties Carlow and Kilkenny specifically for the provision of building social housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24238/16]
Thu, 21 Jul 2016
written
Disabled Drivers Permits
Bobby Aylward
690. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to grant a primary medical certificate and disabled driver status to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24236/16]
Thu, 21 Jul 2016
written
Hospital Waiting Lists
Bobby Aylward
691. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to urgently address the waiting list crisis for the 217 children with scoliosis awaiting urgent spinal surgery (details supplied); the reason for the practice of referring children to the Blackrock Clinic and the UK and the subsequent lack of utilisation of facilities at Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin 11, to combat the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24237/16]
Wed, 20 Jul 2016
written
Local Authority Housing Maintenance
Bobby Aylward
203. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will sign an approval order to commence urgently required works at a location (details supplied) in County Kilkenny to alleviate what has been classified as a dangerous health hazard by an independent report commissioned through Kilkenny County Council which has been sent to him and details the significant issues with heating systems in the dwellings of this estate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23135/16]
Wed, 20 Jul 2016
written
Local Authority Expenditure
Bobby Aylward
204. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will amend governing legislation to ensure that public funding raised through general taxation which is spent by local authorities is under the remit of the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts to ensure further scrutiny of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23136/16]
Wed, 20 Jul 2016
written
Waste Management
Bobby Aylward
205. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures being taken by his Department to ensure that waste collection companies are abiding by correct procedure, following his agreement with the waste industry which provides for a price freeze and the introduction of pay-by-weight charges on a phased basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23137/16]
Wed, 20 Jul 2016
written
Basic Payment Scheme
Bobby Aylward
390. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) were to set out their land and associated entitlements for ten years due to force majeure circumstances, would the entitlements revert to their children when same come of age and take ownership of the farm in the future; if the passing of entitlements from farmer to children in such circumstances will be safeguarded with impending Common Agricultural Policy 2020 negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23214/16]
Wed, 20 Jul 2016
written
Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility
Bobby Aylward
391. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the entitlements of a person (details supplied) under the basic payment scheme allocated to same in 2015-16 given that the request has been lodged with his Department for three weeks and is yet to be confirmed as received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23215/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Fines Administration
Bobby Aylward
121. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a facility to pay imposed fines to the Courts Service by way of instalment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22256/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Fines Administration
Bobby Aylward
178. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance to allow a person (details supplied) to pay a fine in instalments, to ensure that no term of imprisonment is imposed to pay a penalty imposed by the courts to the Revenue Commissioners in instalments due to extremely difficult financial circumstances currently being endured by person and their spouse who are both in receipt of social protection payments and do not have the means to pay fine of €2,500 in one instalment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22267/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Local Authority Staff Recruitment
Bobby Aylward
323. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the efforts being made within his Department to fill all vacant local authority arts officer positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22295/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Arts Funding
Bobby Aylward
536. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will commit to reaching an investment of 0.3% of GDP over the three forthcoming budgets of the Government's programme to bring Ireland in line with 50% of the European average by budget 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22293/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Arts Plan
Bobby Aylward
537. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 148 of 15 June 2016, when the important culture policy document, Culture 2020, will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22294/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Emergency Departments
Bobby Aylward
574. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a guarantee that the major trauma care will not be removed from the emergency department in St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny and that the emergency department will not be downgraded in line with reports in a newspaper (details supplied) that the trauma steering group had made a recommendation to that effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22032/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Nursing Home Subventions
Bobby Aylward
677. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to increase the HSE subvention provided to a nursing home (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22752/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Nursing Homes Support Scheme Expenditure
Bobby Aylward
678. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to increase recently administered additional funds by the Health Service Executive to supported care homes by at least 10% during the lifetime of the current Government in addition to the current annual allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22778/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Nursing Home Inspections
Bobby Aylward
679. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to establish a working group consisting of representatives of HIQA, Supported Care Homes for the Elderly and the Health Service Executive to examine the current inspection guidelines that can be applied to supported care homes for the elderly and determine if more suitable inspection guidelines can be established in acknowledgement of the significant saving that such facilities provide to the State per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22779/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Horse Racing Industry Funding
Bobby Aylward
758. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to amend the legislation governing the thoroughbred foal levy so that the breeder pays the levy on the exact amount paid for the stud fee as opposed to the stud owner's advertised fees, ensuring the process is more equitable for breeders who pay the trading fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22701/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Horse Racing Industry Funding
Bobby Aylward
759. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to amend the legislation governing the thoroughbred foal levy so that the breeder pays a 1% levy on the exact amount received at the point of sale, in place of the current system ensuring that pin hookers and other persons who trade in horses would pay their fair share in supporting the industry as they also use the benefactors of this levy ensuring that breeders do not have to pay out money in July when registering foals and cash flow is very scarce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22702/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Horse Racing Industry Funding
Bobby Aylward
760. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that it is equitable, under the terms of the current legislation governing the thoroughbred foal levy, that breeders are being forced to pay a levy on money which is fictitious as the stallion owner does not receive said money as the amount paid is not always equal to the advertised fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22703/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Horse Racing Industry Funding
Bobby Aylward
761. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a working group or commission an investigation into the disbursement of funding raised through the thoroughbred foal levy to ensure that taxpayers' money is being utilised in a fair and transparent manner within the industry and for the betterment of the industry and those who work within it; to ensure that such a working group or commission has representatives from all sectors of the industry including a number of independent breeders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22704/16]
Tue, 19 Jul 2016
written
Horse Racing Industry Funding
Bobby Aylward
762. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the funding collected through the thoroughbred foal levy is distributed within the industry; the percentages of the distribution of funding under the terms of the current legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22705/16]
Wed, 13 Jul 2016
written
Tax Code
Bobby Aylward
102. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider raising the tax-free group B threshold from €30,150 for those inheriting cash or assets from someone outside of their direct family, given that the group A threshold was increased to €280,000 in budget 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21491/16]
Wed, 13 Jul 2016
written
Tax Code
Bobby Aylward
103. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance his views on the huge difference between the tax-free group A and group B thresholds for inheriting money or assets and the inequality it imposes on older citizens who have no children but who may wish to pass on money or assets to nieces or nephews who have cared for them in later life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21492/16]