Parliamentary questions

Health Services Provision

Joe McHugh

205. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on Health Service Executive clinical programmes in stroke, epilepsy, neurology and rehabilitation for 2013; if he will outline the funding streams that are in place for assisting voluntary and community organisations that support citizens of this state who have neurological conditions and who rely on pertinent services for support, specialist rehabilitation and respite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48913/12]

Tourism Promotion

Joe McHugh

221. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the role of the Irish Open in stimulating the tourism industry here; his plans to develop Irish golf tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48996/12]

Inland Fisheries Issues

Joe McHugh

622. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will update Dáil Éireann on the condition of fishery sites (details supplied) and the impact of a separate oyster fishery on the condition of these sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48650/12]

Citizenship Applications

Joe McHugh

801. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will update Dáil Éireann regarding the citizenship application process; if he will advise the nature of systematic correspondence from his Department to applicants; his plans to improve the levels of communication with applicants while applications are being processed; his views on whether the current system in some instances is constrictive for applicants in that lack of information prevents applicants from travelling abroad because of potential summons at short notice to ceremonies for example; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48129/12]

Hospital Services

Joe McHugh

1177. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will update Dáil Éireann on the deliveries to date by public hospitals of targets that were set out by the Special Delivery Unit which he established following his appointment as Minister for Health; if he will update Dáil Éireann on the rewards system that may apply in respect of the delivery or surpassing of targets set out by the Special Delivery Unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48644/12]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Joe McHugh

243. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health his plans to update the long-term illness benefit scheme to take account of the withdrawal of a product (details supplied) from the market; if the scheme will incorporate replacement products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46695/12]

Bullying in Schools

Joe McHugh

226. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the work carried out to date of the working group on bullying; if he will report on its findings and actions to date; if he will update Dáil Éireann on its current membership; if he will advise Dáil Éireann of the working group's envisaged work programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45945/12]

Community Employment Schemes Review

Joe McHugh

338. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will update Dáil Éireann on her reforms of community employment schemes; if she envisages any criteria changes that would facilitate participation of persons who are currently in receipt of PRSI credits including persons who took voluntary redundancy from the public sector in line with the Croke Park Agreement in 2010 and 2011 in CE schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45946/12]

Property Valuations

Joe McHugh

140. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will appoint valuation officers to each local authority; if he is taking action to address delays in valuations and ultimately in the collection of rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45144/12]

Social Welfare Fraud Cost

Joe McHugh

158. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will update Dáil Éireann on savings that have been made in the social welfare budget through detection of fraud; if she will provide this information on a district basis and in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45030/12]

Local Authority Expenditure

Joe McHugh

206. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a cumulative total for the energy bills of all local authorities including public lighting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45148/12]

National Drugs Strategy Publication

Joe McHugh

288. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will update Dáil Éireann on the support he will provide in 2013 to an organisation (details supplied); if he will advise Dáil Éireann on his Department's commitment to supporting young parents who are overcoming addiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45086/12]

Ferry Services Provision

Joe McHugh

319. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the importance of cross-channel ferries to the Irish transport network and to the Irish tourism industry; his views on differentials in north European ferry route prices for car passengers and foot passengers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45353/12]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Joe McHugh

72. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans with respect to including flexibility into the back to education allowance eligibility criteria; if she will consider in this context, the impact of current eligibility criteria on applicants whose jobseeker's allowance does not meet the 187 day requirement because applicants completed level five qualifications via the Department of Education and Skills job initiative programme; if she will contemplate improving the back to education allowance scheme to accommodate the progression in education of unemployed construction workers; if she will consider a specific example (details supplied) as exemplary of this inflexibility [44097/12]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Joe McHugh

76. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans with respect to including flexibility into the back to education allowance eligibility criteria; if she will consider in this context, the impact of current eligibility criteria on applicants whose jobseeker's allowance does not meet the 187 day requirement because applicants completed level five qualifications via the Department of Education and Skills job initiative programme; if she will contemplate improving the back to education allowance scheme to accommodate the progression in education of unemployed construction workers; if she will consider a specific example (details supplied) as exemplary of this inflexibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44096/12]

School Staffing

Joe McHugh

241. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he envisages any changes to the criteria that govern panel rights status for temporary part-time primary level teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44213/12]

Health Services Provision

Joe McHugh

589. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an account to Dáil Éireann of the process involved when a child who is a patient of Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal, presents to either Beaumont Hospital and Temple Street Hospital, Dublin, with a problem related to a condition (details supplied); if there is a systematic arrangement within the Health Service Executive for such patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44126/12]

Health Services Provision

Joe McHugh

619. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will update Dáil Éireann on the joint replacement programme; if he will outline any reforms that have been introduced since March 2011; if he will provide an update on patient throughput in comparison to previous calendar years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44228/12]

Health Services Provision

Joe McHugh

659. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will update Dáil Éireann on services provided by the State for citizens who suffer from Huntington's disease; if he envisages that improved neurological, genetic, psychiatric and psychological services will be available as part of a national strategy for the treatment of rare diseases; if he will engage with the British Government on the idea of sharing services for sufferers of Huntington's disease; if the fair deal scheme will incorporate home care support and respite services for sufferers who are age less than 65 years; if his Department will consider special facilitation for sufferers of chronic, progressive and incurable conditions including Huntington's disease, who must reapply for medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44528/12]

North South Ministerial Council

Joe McHugh

261. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the commitment to progressing the co-funded A5 road project; if he will further provide an update on the engagement that he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive in respect of this co-funded project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41269/12]