Parliamentary questions

Vaccination Programme

John Browne

321. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health given that it is medically accepted that there will be issues with all vaccines, the supports he plans to put in place for girls who may become injured as a result of receiving the human papilloma virus vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35718/15]

Vaccination Programme

John Browne

322. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health the reason parents are not given a copy of the patient information leaflet, prior to signing the consent form for the human papilloma virus vaccine, given concerns expressed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35719/15]

Vaccination Programme

John Browne

324. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will recognise that Pandemrix was at one time considered as safe as the human papilloma virus vaccines, that the benefits outweighed the risks, and the possibility that the many auto-immune reactions being experiences by vaccinated girls are following a similar pattern of neurological disturbances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35743/15]

Road Traffic Offences

John Browne

269. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider an amendment to section 12 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 to allow for suspension of parking fines when such fines are under appeal to either the local authority concerned or to the Ombudsman; if he is satisfied that section 12(c), which allows local authorities to increase the amount of a fine by 50% if it is unpaid after 28 days, is fair and equitable in the circumstances of an appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33787/15]

Register of Lobbyists Legislation

John Browne

439. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there is a anomaly in the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 in that one part says that a representative body may only be required to register as a representative body if a paid employee, or an officeholder, is directly engaged in communicating independently with designated public officials, whereas a guidance note from the Standards in Public Office Commission indicates that a representative body should register when a designated public official is, or ever has been, whether before or after the passing of the Act, employed by, or providing services, and who was-is engaged in carrying on lobbying activities for that representative body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32168/15]

Register of Lobbyists Legislation

John Browne

440. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a representative body retaining the contracted services of a person who was a designated public official up to 2008 is required to register under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 if the contracted person is the sole lobbying contact for that body, or if the registration of the contractor is sufficient to comply with the legislation in a situation where no employed personnel or office holders of the representative body engage independently in lobbying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32169/15]

Employment Rights

John Browne

10. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to outline his plans to regulate the au pair industry in view of the recent publicity regarding poor wages and bad working conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28414/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

John Browne

216. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer's allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [28744/15]

Disability Allowance Applications

John Browne

217. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application under the disability allowance scheme will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [28748/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

John Browne

218. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a carer's allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [28749/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

John Browne

219. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in hearing an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Wexford under the carer's allowance scheme. [28750/15]

Property Tax Administration

John Browne

269. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance the reason it is not inequitable to refuse deductibility of local property tax levied on private rental property against private rental income from that property; how it is equitable to continue disallowing it purely on the basis that it would reduce the tax base; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28555/15]

Mortgage Interest Rates

John Browne

297. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance his views that it is justified, morally or otherwise, for Bank of Ireland to continue charging a variable mortgage interest rate of 5.5% on a property which was purchased as a residential investment some years ago, but which has now been re-designated as a principal private residence, due to the bank requiring the sale of a former principal private residence, the debt on which has been repaid in full, including a tracker mortgage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28845/15]

Tax Code

John Browne

298. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance the reason there is an imbalance in the tax treatment between private rental income and commercial rental income, regarding the different treatment of mortgage interest relief; his plans to provide for equity of treatment under section 97(2) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997; his views on the inherent inequality in refusing to provide equity of treatment on the basis of a figure of €80 million to restore mortgage interest deductibility to 100%, in the case of private rental income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28846/15]

Derelict Sites

John Browne

869. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to bring forward legislation to address the hoarding of empty premises on high streets in towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28887/15]

Derelict Sites

John Browne

870. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Derelict Sites Act applies to brownfield sites in circumstances where a building has been razed and the site is left vacant but in a unkempt condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28888/15]

Disability Allowance Eligibility

John Browne

97. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for a disability allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [27569/15]

Invalidity Pension Applications

John Browne

184. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for an invalidity pension will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [26033/15]

Recycling Policy

John Browne

571. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to establish a system for recycling gas appliances, similar to the waste electrical or electronic equipment provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24747/15]

Cycling Policy

John Browne

649. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, in the context of the Road Safety Bill, he plans to make it an offence when cyclists do not use designated cycle lanes, where these are provided; his further plans to address excessive speeding by cyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24746/15]

Disability Allowance Payments

John Browne

56. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for arrears of disability allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [24050/15]

Invalidity Pension Applications

John Browne

57. Deputy John Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when an application for invalidity pension will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [24051/15]

Hospital Services

John Browne

163. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health when a full-time asthma nurse will be appointed for Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24052/15]

Claims Processing

John Browne

434. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to increase the monetary limit of claims which can be brought to the Small Claims Court, in view of the fact that the €2,000 limit has remained static for almost a decade; if she is aware of the limits in the United Kingdom which were recently raised to £10,000 sterling with plans to increase them by a further 50%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23117/15]

Hospital Staff Recruitment

John Browne

585. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health when the position for a consultant dermatologist will be filled in Waterford University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23292/15]

Derelict Sites

John Browne

757. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to examine the issue of abandoned residential properties which are not in a derelict condition, many of which may be subject to long-running family disputes; having due regard for the constitutional right to private property, his further plans to requisition or otherwise bring back such abandoned and non-derelict residential properties in the interest of being an additional strand to resolving the shortage of homes; if, in the context of the proposed vacant land levy of 3% in urban areas - Planning and Development (No.1) Bill, 2014 - he has considered a similar levy on abandoned residential properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23115/15]

Public Order Offences

John Browne

118. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and planned legislation regarding aggressive begging in public places; the powers provided to An Garda Síochána under this legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22745/15]

Public Order Offences

John Browne

203. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the powers of local authorities to introduce by-laws to deal with aggressive begging in their areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22745/15]

Child Care Services Funding

John Browne

616. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to introduce capital funding for private childcare providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21650/15]

Job Retention

John Browne

79. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions he has taken to protect jobs at a supermarket (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21071/15]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

John Browne

405. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under pillar 1 of the agri-environment options scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20312/15]

Fishing Fleet Modernisation

John Browne

409. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on calls to discontinue the sub-segmentation of tonnage and kilowatts in order to facilitate the modernisation of the Irish fishing fleet in the interests of safety at sea and better fish quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20359/15]

Fishing Fleet Modernisation

John Browne

419. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position on calls to discontinue the sub-segmentation of tonnage and kilowatts in order to facilitate the modernisation of the Irish fishing fleet in the interests of safety at sea and better fish quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20419/15]

Medical Card Applications

John Browne

716. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health the length of time it takes to process a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20552/15]

Energy Conservation

John Browne

217. Deputy John Browne asked the Taoiseach regarding the lack of fulfilling Statutory Instrument 426 of 2014, if he will report annually on energy usage; the actions that have been taken to reduce consumption; the reason no reports have been issued since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18140/15]

Fisheries Protection

John Browne

11. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he plans to carry out a review of the ban on eel fishing, as promised when the closure of the fishery took place in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16196/15]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

John Browne

23. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a new tenant purchase scheme in order to enable tenants to purchase their homes from the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15556/15]

Legislative Measures

John Browne

786. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on an anomaly in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which does not expressly prohibit the signing of a private residential lease on a purely commercial rated property, without the property having the benefit of planning permission for a change of use, or building control approval in relation to fire and safety regulations; if he will consider an amendment to rectify this anomaly in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2012, currently awaiting Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14305/15]

Grassland Sheep Scheme Payments

John Browne

79. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a sheep grazing grant will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10653/15]

Tax Data

John Browne

192. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance the number of taxpayers here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10001/15]

Public Sector Pensions

John Browne

233. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the capitalised value of full pensions for Garda inspectors, Garda superintendents, school principals, directors of services in county councils and paramedics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10002/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

John Browne

376. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the national placement list under the nursing homes support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10000/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

John Browne

511. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the number of houses built by Wexford County Council, including former town councils, for each year from 1970 until 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9999/15]

VAT Rate Application

John Browne

62. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance the VAT rate that applies to defibrillators, which are life-saving equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9423/15]

Insurance Compensation Fund

John Browne

72. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance his views on what has turned out to be an inappropriate insurance compensation fund mechanism for claims against the former Setanta Insurance, in liquidation, which only allows 65% of awards and costs, in view of the fact that policyholders are statutorily bound to take out a motor policy by Government who therefore have a direct or indirect responsibility to adequately oversee the financial viability of insurance companies; his views on whether oversight was lacking in the case of Setanta Insurance, in liquidation; if it is acceptable to him that the balance of 35% of awards and cost should have to be the subject of separate legal action by claimants in view of the statutory nature of motor insurance; the actions that have been taken by Government to ensure that the situation pertaining to the collapse of Setanta Insurance, in liquidation, does not happen again; his plans to amend the Insurance Act 1993 to allow the President of the High Court to administer awards and costs up to the full amount of such awards and costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9545/15]

Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage

John Browne

359. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 693 of 14 January 2015, if when pharmacists are dispensing branded non-generic medication on the explicit instruction of a prescriber to eligible patients using State drug schemes, such as the medical card or drugs payment scheme, they will be fully refunded the extra cost of the medication by the Health Service Executive; if he will provide a composite list of any exceptions to a full refund; the timeframe to refund pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6785/15]

Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council

John Browne

152. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health his plans for the replacement for the position of director of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council; his views that the selection panel for that position should not include current or past members of that council, including current or past chairpersons, that the selection process itself should come under the remit of the Public Appointments Commission in order to ensure that no bias or perceived bias could be attributable to the appointment of the new director; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4241/15]

Tax Code

John Browne

108. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether DIRT paid on children's savings is unfair and a disincentive to save; his further views on an exemption for children under 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2997/15]

Mortgage Interest Relief Application

John Browne

71. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Finance the reason the relevant percentage of mortgage interest relief is not applied to the interest included in a full redemption of an outstanding mortgage on a primary home which was in receipt of it while instalments were being paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2052/15]

Medicinal Products Prices

John Browne

693. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health in view of the policy of reference pricing for prescription medication, if a person with cardiac disease who has been proven to be medically unable to take the generic form of a particular medication is required to pay over the €144 monthly prescription costs as they are using the branded prescription and the branded medication is on the prescription; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1692/15]