Parliamentary questions

Tax Credits

Bobby Aylward

145. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance if he will implement a scheme whereby a tax credit of €620 per hectare per year will be given on special protection area hen harrier designated land, applied where land has lost its total value, due to the Forest Service not issuing any further afforestation licences within the six breeding hen harriers special protection areas, to ensure that in a sale situation, it would sell at a price similar to a land sale for forestry value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43912/15]

Wildlife Conservation

Bobby Aylward

254. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a proper compensation scheme is needed for landowners who farm in line with restrictions due to Hen Harrier designation, if he will assess and implement such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43911/15]

Wildlife Conservation

Bobby Aylward

255. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will amend the stipulation of €370 per hectare up to a maximum of 18.92 hectares under the green low agri-carbon scheme to introduce an equivalent Hen Harrier rate supplement per hectare in excess of 18.9 hectares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43913/15]

Ambulance Service Response Times

Bobby Aylward

400. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the average response time for an ambulance to arrive at the scene of an emergency call in the Graiguenamanagh district of County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43895/15]

Ambulance Service Response Times

Bobby Aylward

401. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if there are time limits in respect of a maximum allocation of time in which an ambulance must arrive to the scene of an emergency call in the Graiguenamanagh district of County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43896/15]

Ambulance Service Response Times

Bobby Aylward

402. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances available to the Graiguenamanagh district of County Kilkenny for emergency call-outs, the average response time for such ambulances in arriving at the scene of an emergency call; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43897/15]

Primary Care Services Provision

Bobby Aylward

403. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if funding exists within the Health Service Executive to assist a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43898/15]

Health Services Funding

Bobby Aylward

406. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will honour its commitment to provide capital funding of €320,000 to Tír na nÓg respite house at 2 Friars Green in County Carlow to construct a new purpose-built house for respite services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43908/15]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Administration

Bobby Aylward

469. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options available to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 2 to avail of further funding under the Momentum initiative in order to avail of further driving lessons. [43530/15]

Public Transport Provision

Bobby Aylward

628. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport why a valid travel pass holder (details supplied) in County Kilkenny is unable to avail of the Bus Éireann 2028 service from Mooncoin to Limerick to see a specialist at University Hospital Limerick, due to the lack of appropriate accessibility for physically disabled persons on buses catering this route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43730/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Bobby Aylward

24. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health for an update on inpatient and day case waiting times at Waterford University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43012/15]

Hospital Services

Bobby Aylward

72. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the proposals in place to tackle the increase in the number of persons on trolleys in St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43013/15]

Accident and Emergency Departments

Bobby Aylward

179. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health why a person who has a long-term illness book is liable to pay an accident and emergency charge if this is the only avenue through which the person can access appropriate after care, due to the consultant being off for the weekend or unavailable [43290/15]

Accident and Emergency Departments

Bobby Aylward

180. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health a list of the statutory exemptions available from hospital accident and emergency charges for children with cerebral palsy or with other long-term illness book qualifying conditions, and the locations of hospitals which facilitate same in the south-east region. [43291/15]

Garda Deployment

Bobby Aylward

104. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí and Garda Síochána stations in the Thomastown district division on 1 November 2010 and on 1 November 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42430/15]

Garda Resources

Bobby Aylward

114. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the additional resources that will be made available to An Garda Síochána in the Thomastown district under Operation Thor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42429/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

312. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are under assessment within her Department, from gardaí either previously or currently stationed or residing in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42321/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

313. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are under assessment within her Department from gardaí either previously or currently stationed or residing in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42322/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

314. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are currently under assessment within her Department from gardaí either previously or presently stationed or residing in the province of Leinster, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42323/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bobby Aylward

528. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for a special needs assistant for a person (details supplied) that is still pending and if an observation of care is required to finalise the decision which was due to take place in September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42779/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

142. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are currently under assessment within her Department, from gardaí either previously or presently stationed or residing in County Carlow, which have been with her Department for at least 24 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41861/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

143. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are currently under assessment within her Department, from gardaí either previously or presently stationed or residing in County Carlow, which have been with her Department for at least 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41862/15]

GLAS Payments

Bobby Aylward

265. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why the three-month payment for 2015 was cut from phase 1 of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, specifically in respect of the aspects relating to bird boxes, hedgerows and the planting of apple trees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41599/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

351. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims from gardaí either previously or at present stationed in County Kilkenny or residing there, which have been under assessment by her Department for at least 24 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41796/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

352. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are under assessment within her Department from gardaí either previously or at present stationed, or residing, in County Kilkenny, which have been with her Department for at least 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41797/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

110. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality for a comprehensive update on the status of a Garda Síochána compensation claim for a person (details supplied), which this Deputy initially raised with her on 12 September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40798/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

111. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána compensation claims that are currently under assessment within her Department; the year in which each of these was received; the current stage of assessment of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40799/15]

Garda Compensation

Bobby Aylward

112. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason so many Garda Síochána compensation claims due to medical reasons or otherwise, some of which have been with her Department for at least two years, have not progressed through the application process in a timely manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40800/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Bobby Aylward

163. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny which has been under assessment since July 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40467/15]

Health Services Provision

Bobby Aylward

432. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if services at Children Respite Services on the Callan Road in County Kilkenny have been permanently closed, suspended indefinitely or postponed on a short-term basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40483/15]

Health Services Provision

Bobby Aylward

433. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health when services at Children Respite Services on the Callan Road in County Kilkenny will be re-opened; the provisions he has in place to offer an alternative to parents who are facilitated by same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40484/15]

Health Services Provision

Bobby Aylward

434. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the periods of time services have been postponed, due to previous closures of Children Respite Services on the Callan Road in County Kilkenny, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40485/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Bobby Aylward

550. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will investigate the feasibility of a purchase-to-rent scheme to provide long-term social housing tenants with the option of purchasing the residence in which they have been housed through housing agencies such as the Respond! Housing Association, Túath Housing and Clúid Housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40042/15]

Medical Card Applications

Bobby Aylward

112. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for a medical card by persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [39636/15]

Medical Card Applications

Bobby Aylward

130. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for a medical card for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39756/15]

Garda Stations

Bobby Aylward

203. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider granting an allocation of funding, through the Office of Public Works, from the sale of Inistioge Garda Síochána station in County Kilkenny to a community centre (details supplied) in the county, in line with the previous commitment given by this Government to ensure that such community projects benefit from the sale of public premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39118/15]

Rural Development Programme

Bobby Aylward

528. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will identify alternative funding initiatives to those initiatives under Pobal that award rural development grant funding to rural based small and medium enterprises - that is, initiatives to regenerate new and existing tourist attractions and other similar projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39165/15]

Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

Bobby Aylward

539. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount of money spent on Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas projects in 2015 to date; the estimated spend in 2015 and 2016, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39338/15]

Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

Bobby Aylward

540. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the drawdown to date of the €5 million reserve earmarked in Leader funding for the period 2014 to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39339/15]

Wildlife Protection

Bobby Aylward

87. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the protections in place to protect the native Irish bee from prevalent threats such as the American foulbrood disease and the small hive beetle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38570/15]

Wildlife Protection

Bobby Aylward

88. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the restrictions in place on imported bees to protect the native Irish bee from the spread of prevalent threats such as the American foulbrood disease and the small hive beetle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38571/15]

Wildlife Protection

Bobby Aylward

89. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will investigate the possibility of quarantining and testing imported bee species, in order to protect the native Irish bee's natural habitat from diseases or other threats which jeopardise the indigenous Irish bee population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38572/15]

Wildlife Protection

Bobby Aylward

90. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has previously conducted or commissioned a survey to assess the threat imported bees can pose to the indigenous Irish bee population through the spreading of disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38573/15]

Wildlife Protection

Bobby Aylward

91. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider the appointment of bee inspectors, similar to those appointed in Northern Ireland, through European Union financial aid funding to monitor and control the spread of pests and diseases that threaten the natural habitat of the indigenous Irish bee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38574/15]

Fisheries Protection

Bobby Aylward

262. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a survey was conducted to determine if eel stocks had been depleted to such levels that fishermen were forced to abstain from eel fishing on the rivers Barrow and Suir; if the survey deemed that eel stocks were below the conservation limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38679/15]

Fisheries Protection

Bobby Aylward

263. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the nature of the survey conducted to determine if eel stocks had been depleted to such levels that fishermen were forced to abstain from eel fishing on the rivers Barrow and Suir; the criteria of same; the locations in which it was carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38680/15]

Fisheries Protection

Bobby Aylward

264. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he envisages that the appropriate rivers will ever be re-opened for eel fishing; if not, if he will consider a voluntary buy-out scheme for current licence holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38681/15]

Inland Fisheries Stocks

Bobby Aylward

265. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will commission a survey on brown trout stocks on the River Barrow to decipher if stocks of same are below the conservation limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38682/15]

Inland Fisheries Stocks

Bobby Aylward

266. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will sanction the restocking of brown trout on the River Barrow to bring the population of same up to appropriate figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38683/15]

Salmon Hardship Scheme

Bobby Aylward

267. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider a voluntary buy-out scheme for current licenceholders on the River Barrow where sea-slob trout population levels have fallen below conservation limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38684/15]