Parliamentary questions

Passport Applications Fees

Nicky McFadden

146. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider introducing a provision which would allow a reduced cost for old age pensioners applying for passports and passport renewals, similar to the provision of passports for under three year olds (details supplied). [5097/14]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Nicky McFadden

165. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance his views on permitting PAYE workers to claim back tax on charitable donations, particularly with respect to encouraging persons to donate to community initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5091/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Nicky McFadden

201. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the summer works application from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been received by his Department; when a decision will be announced on summer works applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4939/14]

Emergency Works Scheme Applications

Nicky McFadden

202. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the emergency works application from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been received by his Department; when a decision will be announced on emergency works applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4940/14]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Nicky McFadden

475. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, he will consider a cash limited scheme to address the issue of the capacity of the community and voluntary sector to pay enhanced redundancy payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5511/14]

Tax Credits

Nicky McFadden

190. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance if alternatives for financial support are available to single parents who have been affected by the replacement of the one-parent family tax credit with the single person child care credit; if he will provide further information on the option to allow the credit to be used by a non-primary carer in situations where the primary carer has no tax liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3704/14]

Student Grant Scheme Administration

Nicky McFadden

263. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he will take to improve the performance of Student Universal Support Ireland in dealing with grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3820/14]

Local Authority Housing

Nicky McFadden

527. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider allocating funding to support the construction of local authority homes to reduce reliance on the private rented sector and to reduce the number of people on social housing waiting lists at present; if his Department will continue to work with the National Asset Management Agency to identify and provide suitable social housing from its residential properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3781/14]

Family Reunification Policy

Nicky McFadden

571. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the new policy guidelines on family reunification will be brought into law; if it is possible to apply for family reunification before the new law is put in place; if persons who have ongoing applications for subsidiary protection are also permitted to apply for family reunification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3576/14]

Road Traffic Legislation

Nicky McFadden

796. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a derogation for trailer loads of straw and hay from the current 4.65 m height restriction on trailers which is having a huge impact on the transportation of fodder for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3548/14]

Road Safety Strategy

Nicky McFadden

670. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a renewed focus will be placed by his Department on road safety to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries in 2014; the measures he will take to address the problem of drug driving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2297/14]

Road Safety

Nicky McFadden

671. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the recommendations of the speed limits review will be implemented in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2299/14]

Immigration Policy

Nicky McFadden

236. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider the proposal made by the Justice for the Undocumented group in relation to the introduction of an earned regularisation scheme to give undocumented migrants and their families living here the opportunity to come forward and earn their way to permanent residency status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54803/13]

Education Schemes

Nicky McFadden

172. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a review of the scope and governance of the ICT action plan will be carried out to encompass all sources of ICT skills supply and ensure clarity of responsibilities for the overall co-ordination and implementation of actions, as recommended in the Forfás report, Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills, November 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53946/13]

School Curriculum

Nicky McFadden

214. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures undertaken by his Department to develop and improve the ICT skills of students at primary and secondary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53944/13]

Education Schemes

Nicky McFadden

215. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional iterations of the NFQ level 8 conversion programme will be run in 2014 as a strategic response to meeting ICT skills demand, as recommended by the Forfás report, Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills, November 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53952/13]

Jobs Data

Nicky McFadden

308. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if the jobseeker register data could be mined to identify and inform suitable candidates of conversion opportunities in ICT; if her Department, as recommended in the Forfás report of November 2013 on addressing future demand for high-level ICT skills, could draw on international best practice, including the IT 50 plus initiative in Denmark and the Nokia Bridge Programme in Finland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53954/13]

Broadband Service Provision

Nicky McFadden

354. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures undertaken by his Department in relation to improving fibre connections as a percentage of broadband access network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53943/13]

Disease Management

Nicky McFadden

574. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the current diagnosis and treatment facilities available here for Lyme disease; if there is a national strategy in relation to Lyme disease; if an awareness campaign to highlight symptoms of the disease will be pursued by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53935/13]

Primary Care Centre Provision

Nicky McFadden

575. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health when the new primary care centre in (details supplied) in County Westmeath will be operational; the full range of services to be based at the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53936/13]