Parliamentary questions

Medical Card Reviews

Billy Kelleher

51. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to restore discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27048/14]

HSE Expenditure

Billy Kelleher

52. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive is on course to overspend its budget allocation by €500 million in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27049/14]

HSE Expenditure

Seán Fleming

53. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will stay within its budget this year; if he expects there to be a Supplementary Estimate introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27062/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

54. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the reason for the increase in inpatient and day case waiting lists in the first quarter of 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27067/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Robert Troy

55. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the increase in inpatient and day case waiting lists in the first three months of 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27071/14]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

56. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the way he will address the concerns that have been expressed regarding conditions in emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27051/14]

Medical Card Reviews

Thomas Pringle

57. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that those who will have their discretionary cards reinstated will be reimbursed for any costs incurred while they were unable to access services available under the discretionary medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27046/14]

Hospital Procedures

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

58. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention been drawn to the fact that St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, has decided to suspend life-saving gastric bypass operations for dangerously obese public patients; the exact number of patients that are on the waiting list for this surgery; the number of patients on the outpatient list to see a specialist; the reasons this surgery has been suspended; the way he plans to deal with the patients waiting for surgery and outpatients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27040/14]

Medical Card Reviews

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

59. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health his views on the restoration of certain medical cards as decided on 17 June 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27038/14]

Medical Card Reviews

Thomas Pringle

60. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that will not have their discretionary medical card reinstated as part of the recent announcement to reinstate a quantity of discretionary medical cards; the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27047/14]

Ambulance Service Provision

Seamus Kirk

61. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure increased resources for the national ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27076/14]

Ambulance Service Provision

John Browne

62. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health the way the Health Service Executive is going to deal with the continued concerns regarding the provision of ambulances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27063/14]

Human Rights Issues

Seán Crowe

63. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing hunger strikes of Saharawi political prisoners who are demanding the respect of their most basic human rights and an improvement of the conditions in the prison; that a visit of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to Morocco has failed to improve the conditions of all detained Saharawi political activists; and if he will raise the issue with representatives of the Moroccan Government. [27539/14]

Good Friday Agreement

Brendan Smith

64. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the further steps he believes are necessary in order to complete the terms expressed in the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27564/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

65. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the specific barriers that are preventing agreement in Northern Ireland in relation to the issues surrounding flags, parades and dealing with the past; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27565/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

66. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions he has taken to progress the protection of human rights in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27566/14]

Official Engagements

Brendan Smith

67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contact he has had with the Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, regarding the upcoming Scottish independence referendum; the implications this referendum may have in relations between Britain and Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27568/14]

Home Renovation Incentive Scheme Eligibility

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

68. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide the rationale behind the criteria for the building renovation scheme, specifically in relation to who qualifies for the scheme, as well the established bands of the scheme in view of the fact that it disproportionately benefits higher earners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27522/14]

Property Tax Application

Patrick O'Donovan

69. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the local property tax exemption for properties purchased between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013, if in a situation where a person purchases a property from their siblings as part of the estate from their late parent - all eight children were left a 1/8th entitlement to the property - and the property becomes the purchaser’s sole or main residence, that person is liable for the property tax as they only purchased 7/8th of the property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27555/14]

Teachers' Panel Rights

Pat Breen

70. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties of access to the main or supplementary teaching panels for teachers who have been teaching in special schools since qualifying as primary teachers and who have a minimum of five years teaching experience; the efforts being made to find an acceptable resolution to the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27423/14]

Education and Training Provision

Terence Flanagan

71. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support the reinstatement of a literacy service (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27431/14]

Education and Training Provision

Tom Fleming

72. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support the request for adequate funding by Kerry One World Centre (details supplied) operated by Kerry Action for Development Education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27436/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Olivia Mitchell

73. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills when building of a permanent school building for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27474/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Charlie McConalogue

74. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the National Council for Special Education has included any recommendations stating that girls in an all-girls primary school should get less learning support than girls in a mixed primary school as part of its recent review; if not, the reason he allocates less learning support to an all-girls primary school compared to a mixed school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27475/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Michael Healy-Rae

75. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a special needs assistant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27482/14]

School Transport Administration

Martin Heydon

76. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider a review of the post-primary school transport scheme to consider towns where large proportions of pupils do not for traditional reasons attend the school closest to them and so are losing out on their access to free transport as in the case of pupils in an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27523/14]

Physical Education Facilities

Éamon Ó Cuív

77. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of second level voluntary schools in the State that do not have a sports hall; if he will institute a grant scheme for these schools that would ensure all these schools would have a reasonable opportunity to build same, particularly with the challenges obesity creates in our society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27526/14]

Physical Education Facilities

Éamon Ó Cuív

78. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of second level voluntary schools that progressed in the design of sports halls with the approval of his Department, that were never funded for construction; the names and roll numbers of these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27527/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Finian McGrath

79. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the July programme in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27536/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Éamon Ó Cuív

80. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of improvements under the summer works schemes 2014 that were approved in 2014; the number costing more than €100,000 for approved works; the number approved costing between €50,000 - €100,000; the number approved costing between €25,000 - €50,000; the number approved costing less than €25,000 broken down by category, such as plumbing works, electrical, roofs and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27540/14]

Emergency Works Scheme Application Numbers

Éamon Ó Cuív

81. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of emergency work grant approvals that have been made for emergency works in schools in the past year; the number of these that were for works under €25,000; the number for works between €25,000 - €50,000; the number of works between €50,000 - €100,000; the number for works over €100,000 per job; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27541/14]

Schools Refurbishment

Éamon Ó Cuív

82. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of major refurbishments costing over €100,000 that have been approved for voluntary second level schools in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27542/14]

Educational Disadvantage

Niall Collins

83. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will now declare all DEIS initiatives in Tallaght schools exempt from all cuts to funding; if he will acknowledge the difficulties being experienced by these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27547/14]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Niall Collins

84. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm plans to provide permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied) currently being facilitated in Firhouse Community Centre, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27548/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Charlie McConalogue

85. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in advancing an application for a new school in order to meet the long-term accommodation needs of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27562/14]

School Transport Administration

Dara Calleary

86. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the situation that exists in relation to school transport whereby an application for transport is based solely upon an applicant's initial application; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the case of a student who subsequently changes school, that student's application for transport is still based upon their initial application; his views that this rule is particularly discriminatory towards special needs students who may have to change school due to circumstances beyond their control; if he will make provisions to have this rule changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27577/14]

School Transport Administration

Dara Calleary

87. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will re-examine the circumstances of a special needs student (details supplied) in County Sligo who has been denied school transport; if he will change the eligibility criteria to make it more favourable towards students in similar circumstances to the student concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27578/14]

Trade Missions

Brendan Smith

88. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the further joint trade missions planned between Ireland, Britain and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27567/14]

School Meals Programme

Seán Fleming

89. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if additional funding will be provided to a scheme (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27534/14]

Public Sector Staff

Róisín Shortall

90. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who has spent over two years as a contracted clerical officer within a State agency was placed as a new entrant on the pay scale when they moved to another State body, despite their pension/PRD contributions being retained due to the length of their service; the reason for this discrepancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27538/14]

Redundancy Payments

James Bannon

91. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify a situation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford in respect of employment law and entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27553/14]

Public Sector Staff

John Lyons

92. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a public service employee (details supplied) in Dublin 11 was classed as a new entrant when beginning a new role in the public service in view of the fact that the employee had previously completed two years' service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27654/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

93. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number of persons currently in receipt of rent allowance broken down by county. [27427/14]

Disability Allowance Eligibility

Ciara Conway

94. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being faced by children with additional needs, having reached the age of 16 years and having been assessed as having an intellectual disability, to receive disability allowance; if she will examine correspondence (details supplied) and if she will advise as to the options available to persons in this situation and her views on plans to address this anomaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27434/14]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Jim Daly

95. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a social welfare application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27455/14]

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Michael Creed

96. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27463/14]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Seán Fleming

97. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection in respect of the State pension transition that a person must have at least a yearly average of 24 contributions, the previous yearly average that existed prior to this change; when that change was made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27471/14]

National Parks Projects

Clare Daly

99. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will put a three year plan in place in Killarney National Park to re-establish control over the areas cleared of Rhododendron by groundwork volunteers since 1981. [27530/14]

National Library

Thomas P. Broughan

100. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the post of director of the National Library of Ireland will be filled. [27560/14]

National Parks Projects

Clare Daly

101. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will reintroduce the line method of systematically checking the woods in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, to locate all rhododendron plants for removal, thereby ensuring thoroughness. [27590/14]