Parliamentary questions

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Mick Wallace

308. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will amend the back-to-education allowance to cover part-time education as those persons who are currently receiving jobseeker's allowance or benefit and wish to study part-time courses in a specific subject due to the unavailability of full-time courses within a reasonable travel distance do not receive adequate support (details supplied). [37525/16]

Arts Promotion

Mick Wallace

477. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has had discussions with the Minister for Health with regard to setting up a specific funding stream for creative therapies, such as music therapy, which would be funded through her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37479/16]

Arts Funding

Mick Wallace

478. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if, in view of Ireland's growing jazz music scene, she has considered setting up a funding allocation which would be dedicated to this particular genre of music; if she will consider establishing a dedicated jazz venue in Dublin, along the lines of the Bimhuis in the Netherlands which is subsidised annually by the Dutch Government, in view of the lack of specialised venues here and an upcoming closure of a venue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37480/16]

Health Services Staff Data

Mick Wallace

601. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if there are psychotherapists in direct full time State employment; if so, the number of such positions that exist; the areas they relate to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37558/16]

Mental Health Services Provision

Mick Wallace

602. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of meetings of the Wexford Advancing Recovery Ireland (ARI) group that have taken place since its establishment; if he has satisfied himself with the progress of the group to date; if they are any closer to their objective to introduce peer-to-peer support services in mental health services in County Wexford than they were when they started; the cost of the Wexford ARI group to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37559/16]

Carbon Tax Implementation

Mick Wallace

674. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered introducing a carbon tax on beef and dairy products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37666/16]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Mick Wallace

15. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in view of the significant cuts to capital expenditure during the financial crisis, he is satisfied that the Government's Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 plan, which aims at a capital expenditure rate of 2.2% of GDP by 2021, is ambitious enough, particularly in view of the advice of many economic analysts (details supplied) that capital investment should be at least double that; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36565/16]

Equality Proofing of Budgets

Mick Wallace

17. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in the formation of public expenditure policies, his Department carries out impact assessments of the potential effects these policies have on inequality rates here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36566/16]

Financial Services Regulation

Mick Wallace

73. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on a recent new complaints process and complex fee refund compensation scheme announcement for business customers that were part of a bank's global restructuring group (details supplied); and the access that customers that were part of a group will have to the complaints process and compensation fund. [36725/16]

Human Rights

Mick Wallace

37. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, on his recent trade mission to the United Arab Emirates, he raised the country's role in the Saudi led bombing of Yemen earlier in 2016 with his counterparts there; if human rights concerns will have a future impact on Ireland's close ties with the UAE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36231/16]

EU Agreements

Mick Wallace

41. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the migration agreements currently being negotiated by the EU with third countries such as Afghanistan and a number of African states; if he has raised any human rights concerns regarding these agreements at the EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36230/16]

Social Welfare Appeals

Mick Wallace

55. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to reform the social protection appeals system, in view of the almost 60% appeal success rate in 2015 which was highlighted as a concern by the UN; if he will publish the results of all appeals made through this office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36053/16]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Mick Wallace

99. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to reform the rent supplement system in line with calls from advocacy groups (details supplied) for rent supplement levels to be assessed based on individual circumstances and which recommend a range of administrative reforms which would make rent supplement more attractive to landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36052/16]

School Staff Appeals Mechanism

Mick Wallace

199. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason, when it was stated in budget 2017 that there is capacity for one-teacher mainland schools to apply to the staffing appeals board for an extra teacher where the single teacher has children across six or more class groups, a school (details supplied) with one teacher and 17 pupils across eight classes, had its application for a second teacher refused by the staffing appeals board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35808/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

460. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated, with the subsequent outturn, for the implementation of Traveller health policy for each of the years 2013 to date in 2016; the allocation for 2017; if he will provide a calculation of any level of underspend for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36234/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

461. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason the national Traveller health advisory committee has not been convened since October 2012; the way Traveller health is being addressed directly within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36235/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

462. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason the independent review of Traveller health policy undertaken in 2012 has never been put into the public domain; his plans to publish it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36236/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

463. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the Traveller-specific actions that are being taken to address Traveller health inequalities in the HSE service plan in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36237/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

464. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the new funding that is being allocated to Traveller health developments in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36238/16]

Disability Services Provision

Mick Wallace

478. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason assessments of needs for children with disabilities are only provided to children who were born after 2002; his views on whether this cut off point is discriminatory; if he will consider extending the provision of assessments to all children under the age of 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36331/16]

Traveller Accommodation

Mick Wallace

8. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied with the implementation of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998; if he has considered amending the legislation to include sanctions for non-compliance by local authorities with its provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35482/16]

Housing Issues

Mick Wallace

24. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the figures released by the CSO at the end of September 2016, which showed almost one fifth of new housing purchases in Dublin over the past two years were made by investment funds and REITS; his further views on the effects this will have on both the rental market and the property market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35476/16]

Rent Controls

Mick Wallace

35. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce rent certainty measures, along the lines of those in Germany which cap rents for new tenancies at 10% above the existing rental benchmarks, particularly in view of the recent figures from his Department which show that the number of homeless families in Dublin has surpassed 1,000 for the first time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35484/16]

Rent Controls

Mick Wallace

51. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce measures to link rent during a tenancy to the annual percentage change in the consumer price index; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35485/16]

Teacher Training Provision

Mick Wallace

52. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department plans to include specific training on the Traveller and Roma community as a compulsory component of teacher education and continuous professional development for primary and post-primary teachers as recommended by advocacy groups (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35029/16]

Traveller Education

Mick Wallace

73. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to restore funding for Traveller education to pre-2008 levels; the measures he has taken or planned to improve educational outcomes for members of the travelling community here, particularly in view of the high drop out rate from post-primary education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35028/16]

Garda Misconduct Allegations

Mick Wallace

33. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has examined the full transcript of the workings of the O'Higgins commission in detail; if she is satisfied with the role played by the Garda Commissioner in the investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34852/16]

Protected Disclosures

Mick Wallace

45. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the actions she has taken in her current role to ensure that members of An Garda Síochána that have made protected disclosures have not been subjected to bullying or intimidation as a result of making such disclosures; if her attention has been drawn to any such allegations of bullying or harassment; if she is satisfied that the Garda Commissioner and senior Garda management have put adequate steps in place to safeguard against this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34851/16]

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations

Mick Wallace

79. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the GSOC inquiry into events surrounding evidence given to the O'Higgins commission, particularly in relation to a meeting in Mullingar and attempts to undermine the credibility of a person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34848/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

105. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will introduce legislation that will provide for the legal recognition of Traveller ethnicity with a view to creating the conditions for a rights-based approach and to address the marginalisation of the Traveller community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34850/16]

Traveller Community

Mick Wallace

116. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider setting up a Traveller agency which would work to deliver equality for the Traveller community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34849/16]

Disability Services Provision

Mick Wallace

572. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time adult residential care places that were provided in County Wexford in each of the years from 2008 to date in 2016. [34952/16]

Disability Services Provision

Mick Wallace

573. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of service users that are currently on the waiting list to access full-time adult residential care places in County Wexford. [34953/16]

Disability Services Provision

Mick Wallace

574. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of the five respite beds provided by a company (details supplied) that are currently occupied on a semi-permanent to permanent basis by service users waiting for full-time adult residential care places. [34954/16]

Disability Services Provision

Mick Wallace

575. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the HSE in County Wexford is utilising respite accommodation for adults to cater for adults who require full-time residential care places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34955/16]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Mick Wallace

649. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, in view of the plans in Food Harvest 2025 to expand food output, in particular in the dairy sector, and the findings of the recent RDS and IIEA report (details supplied), his Department examined recent scientific advances in the area of methane emissions reductions in the herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34998/16]

Inland Fisheries Stocks

Mick Wallace

668. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason licences for salmon and eel net fishing on the River Slaney are still in a state of suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34999/16]

Inland Fisheries Stocks

Mick Wallace

669. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if salmon and eel stocks on the River Slaney have not recovered in the ten years since licences were suspended; the current factors impacting any regeneration of eel and salmon stocks on the River Slaney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35000/16]

Inland Fisheries Stocks

Mick Wallace

670. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the methodology that is employed by scientific researchers to measure salmon and eel stocks on the River Slaney; the specific locations on the River Slaney that are fished by the scientific researchers in order to determine fish stocks; and if his Department will allow a delegation of one of these Slaney net fishermen and-or a member from this Deputy's office to accompany them during the next exercise to measure salmon and eel fish stocks on the River Slaney. [35001/16]

Tax Code

Mick Wallace

9. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on the considerable tax exemptions that can be availed of by non-resident investors regarding dividend withholding tax; if this will minimise the effects of the tax following the introduction in the Finance Bill 2016 of a dividend withholding tax for non-resident investors in certain property investment funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34049/16]

NAMA Operations

Mick Wallace

21. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider suspending all activities of NAMA in view of the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General Special Report 94 into NAMA's sale of Project Eagle and the Government-proposed commission of investigation into Project Eagle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34050/16]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

27. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider the use of Shannon airport by the military of the United States of America to be a breach of military neutrality and other policies under the defence portfolio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33815/16]

Departmental Expenditure

Mick Wallace

31. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the cost of the Defence Forces at Shannon airport, in relation to protection given to civilian troop carriers and military planes of the United States of America and any other foreign military, for the year 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33814/16]

Private Security Authority

Mick Wallace

64. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of complaints against private investigators that have been submitted to the Private Security Authority since 1 November 2005 when the licensing of private investigators was introduced; the number of these complaints that have been upheld; the limits of inquiry of the PSA in relation to complaints against private investigators; and if she will consider a legislative review of the sale of spyphone software (details supplied) here. [33978/16]

NAMA Property Sales

Mick Wallace

93. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance the number of empty, completed or unfinished residential units which have been sold by NAMA here to date; the average price received for finished and unfinished units respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28642/16]

NAMA Property Sales

Mick Wallace

94. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance the construction companies which have been employed by NAMA to date in their building operations; the average cost per unit; and the way in which this compares with the cost of local authority builds. [28643/16]

Tax Code

Mick Wallace

95. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce a tax on residential properties left vacant for over a year in areas of high housing demand, as is the case in Scotland, England and France; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28639/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Mick Wallace

37. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to comments by the Ombudsman for Children's Office, the steps her Department is taking to ensure that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is fully implemented here, particularly that a child's right not to be discriminated against on any grounds is protected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33520/16]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Mick Wallace

45. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to recent statements by Tusla that it is not adequately equipped to deal with the transfer of unaccompanied minors from the Calais "Jungle" camp, the steps currently being taken to ensure that her Department and child services agencies here such as Tusla will be readily equipped to accept unaccompanied minors from various locations and that any refugee children who come here will be given the care they need upon arrival; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33519/16]

Medicinal Products Data

Mick Wallace

395. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a full list of all drugs removed from the GMS medical card scheme and a list of those drugs whose availability has been restricted under the scheme since 1 January 2015; if the drug Macushield has been removed or restricted; the estimated number of persons here suffering from age related macular degeneration, AMD; the number of persons, accurate or estimated, here over 65 years of age who suffer from AMD; if a value figure is available for a year's supply of Macushield for the average AMD sufferer; if there is funding available to medical card holders for Macushield; if Macushield has been removed or restricted, the reason it was removed or restricted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33739/16]