Parliamentary questions

Taxi Regulations

Johnny Guirke

259. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if regulations will be amended to allow small public service vehicles, SPSVs, taxis and hackneys to pass the required SPSV suitability tests in view of the fact that Covid-19 guidelines provide for Perspex screens between drivers of such vehicles and their passengers in order to prevent their insurance being voided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15879/20]

Banking Sector

Johnny Guirke

279. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Finance if banks have continued to accrue interest on accounts availing of the Covid-19 repayment holiday period without an obligation to do so; the measures he plans to take to motivate and incentivise banks to reimburse such interest to customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15880/20]

Revenue Commissioners

Johnny Guirke

313. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Revenue Commissioners are issuing letters to many SMEs which claimed the Covid-19 restart grants informing them that their business accounts will be audited; the reason for such actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15881/20]

Commercial Rates

Johnny Guirke

303. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of commercial rates valuation appeals awaiting a result in each of the years 2017 to 2019; the average waiting time for such appeals; the measures he plans to put in place to alleviate the situation in view of such a high backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14360/20]

Housing Policy

Johnny Guirke

304. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his policy on restrictions on planning for one-off housing in rural areas and the impact it will have on rural populations and communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14362/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Johnny Guirke

345. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if an official travel restriction will be considered to allow persons to avail of their travel insurance in view of the strong advice from NPHET against non-essential foreign travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14361/20]

Electric Vehicles

Johnny Guirke

630. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will make a roadmap available indicating the plans in place to roll out vehicle charging points to small and medium-sized rural towns aside from large urban centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13331/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Johnny Guirke

888. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the measures he plans to put in place to control the excess rent requirement in view of increased rents, leading to increasingly unaffordable excess rent payable by renters within the HAP system. [13330/20]

Gaeltacht Policy

Johnny Guirke

919. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures she plans to put in place to protect the language and culture of Gaeltacht areas in view of decisions by An Bord Pleanála to allow planning permission for relatively large-scale housing developments in Gaeltacht areas without a requirement for occupants to speak the language or embrace the local culture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13332/20]

Student Accommodation

Johnny Guirke

206. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance he will put in place to alleviate the financial hardship incurred by third level students forced to leave their student accommodation and return home due to Covid-19 restrictions and are still obliged to pay the full terms of their lease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12204/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Johnny Guirke

481. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health if he will make a roadmap available indicating the plans in place to roll out a return of day services for adults with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12205/20]

National Broadband Plan

Johnny Guirke

623. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he plans to take to accelerate broadband roll-out to particularly poorly serviced areas such as rural counties Meath and Westmeath to facilitate the reopening and survival of SMEs and to enable working from home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12206/20]

State Examinations

Johnny Guirke

228. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a definitive date has been set for students who are unhappy with the grades they receive through the predictive grading system to sit the written version of the examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10985/20]

Health Screening Programmes

Johnny Guirke

596. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the steps he will be taking to prioritise cancer screening services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10986/20]

Health Services

Johnny Guirke

616. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the steps he will be taking to ensure PPE is made available to essential healthcare support organisations, such as an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11073/20]

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman

Johnny Guirke

81. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Finance if the office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman has experienced a significant increase in complaints received during the Covid-19 pandemic period; the approximate year on year increase or decrease respectively; the financial sectors experiencing the largest number of complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10337/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Johnny Guirke

677. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures to be put in place to extend the Covid-19 reliefs duration to professions such as self-employed photographers and videographers and so on likely to be the in the last sections to return to normal employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10336/20]

National Broadband Plan

Johnny Guirke

835. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is a detailed schedule available on the roll-out of the national broadband plan by county; if activity is taking place to achieve this schedule; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9422/20]

Road Tolls

Johnny Guirke

969. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a waiver on toll road charges on the M3 until the end of 2020 as a support to businesses in the north midlands reliant on road transport for recovery of their trading position and also as a relief to the many employees that will be using this route to commute to their employment in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9420/20]

Vacant Properties

Johnny Guirke

1244. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the overall national percentage of local authority housing currently vacant, awaiting refurbishment, reallocation or other reasons; the average time vacant; the breakdown by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9421/20]