Parliamentary questions

Proposed Legislation

Arthur Spring

106. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress of the criminal law (sexual offences) (amendment) Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12217/15]

Broadband Service Provision

Arthur Spring

196. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that hotels in the Killarney area of County Kerry are currently experiencing difficulties accessing high-speed affordable broadband which is now a salient offering for customer satisfaction and a key determinant in rating agencies assessments of Kerry hotels; and his plans to provide fibre optic broadband which is affordable and sufficiently robust to cater for international tourists. [12260/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Arthur Spring

240. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the circumstances which will allow a person rejoin a community employment scheme when the person's permitted time as an employee of the scheme expires. [12005/15]

Mortgage Interest Rates

Arthur Spring

285. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Finance the efforts made to reduce the standard variable rate offered by the Irish banks to mortgage holders, many of whom are struggling to stay out of arrears; when Irish mortgage holders can expect to be paying the mean euro area standard variable rate of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11951/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Arthur Spring

636. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 389 of 17 February 2015, if he will review the reply in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who is waiting to receive an appointment for an eye operation in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork in view of new information provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11551/15]

Local Authority Housing

Arthur Spring

915. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a scheme which will allow local authorities to purchase private houses which have been put up for sale by the owner. [12006/15]

Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Implementation

Arthur Spring

279. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the feed-in tariffs available for renewable energy producers; if a new policy is being formed regarding the photovoltaic sector, with particular regard to less than 6 kW-hour producers and, second, less than 11 kW-hour producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10877/15]

Health Services Provision

Arthur Spring

429. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the Health Service Executive's plans for a day centre (details supplied) in County Kerry; the way the executive plans to cater for patients and staff in the event that the facility closes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10391/15]

Health Services Provision

Arthur Spring

433. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the issuance of an invoice to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if the invoice will be retracted considering the unusual cause of the need for the medical attention involved. [10414/15]

Proposed Legislation

Arthur Spring

167. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the after-care Bill 2014 in respect of the further entitlement of young persons to State care when leaving residential State care. [9659/15]

Motor Tax Exemptions

Arthur Spring

540. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if persons who are in receipt of invalidity pension or illness benefit and previously purchased a commercial vehicle in a period when they availed of the exemption arrangements where persons on illness benefit or invalidity pension could get permission to work part-time for rehabilitative or therapeutic purposes and keep their full social welfare payment, should be entitled to tax the vehicle as a commercial vehicle when the exemption expired. [9231/15]

Medical Card Drugs Availability

Arthur Spring

170. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health his views on expanding the medical card scheme to cover alternative medicines and treatments for persons suffering from multiple sclerosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8518/15]

Medical Card Drugs Availability

Arthur Spring

171. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health his views on expanding the medical card scheme to cover alternative medicines and treatments for persons suffering with progressive diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8519/15]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

Arthur Spring

225. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to re-introduce a tenant purchase scheme, or any similar type scheme, for occupants of local authority houses nationwide. [8523/15]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Criteria

Arthur Spring

583. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the circumstances under which a local authority may withhold payment of rent to a landlord who has agreed to participate in the rental accommodation scheme. [8084/15]

Water Quality

Arthur Spring

602. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding will be made available for localities (details supplied) currently being provided with inferior quality drinking water due to their geological conditions but which water technically qualifies as acceptable, according to the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014; if he will address the matter; if consideration will be given to allowing connections to be made with alternative sources from superior geological locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8200/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Arthur Spring

389. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the waiting time in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry to receive an appointment for an eye operation in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7013/15]

Teaching Qualifications

Arthur Spring

164. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry city and guilds qualification in hairdressing should be listed on her Department's circular CL47/00 (details supplied) and considered as an equivalent of the Department of Education senior trade certificate in hairdressing in view of the educational and trade relations between the UK and Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6327/15]

Pension Levy

Arthur Spring

255. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the financial emergency measures in the public interest legislation, which gave rise to a public service pension levy, have been implemented in an equitable manner; his views on a specific case where a person (details supplied) who earns over the threshold is being penalised above and beyond this amount. [6071/15]

Property Ownership

Arthur Spring

327. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce new legislation governing the relationship between the sharers of boundaries and the growth and foliage thereon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5501/15]