Parliamentary questions

Medical Card Eligibility

Ged Nash

683. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health his plans for wide dissemination to all relevant parties of information about the facility by which people with a terminal diagnosis may be given a medical card immediately the terminal diagnosis is verified by a registered medical practitioner regardless of patient means in view of recent press reports which suggest that some patients and their medical and social care teams may not be aware of this facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7040/13]

Smarter Transport

Ged Nash

750. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will be making any further provision for the smarter travel programme in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7087/13]

EU Conventions

Ged Nash

382. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans, in view of Italy's status as the first EU member to ratify ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Workers, to ratify the Convention during the EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5497/13]

Primary Care Centre Provision

Ged Nash

826. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update and detailed timeline on progress regarding the development of a new primary care facility at two locations (details supplied) in Counties Meath and Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5496/13]

Symphysiotomy Report

Ged Nash

183. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update in regard to the status of the Walsh report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4643/13]

Health Services Staff Issues

Ged Nash

614. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide figures for the number of applications received to date for the Health Service Executive nursing/midwifery graduate scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2620/13]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Ged Nash

122. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will publish details of all of the authors, and the relevant publications which have taken advantage of the artist's exemption scheme for non-fiction titles in each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. [1024/13]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Ged Nash

123. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the number of applications made for non-fiction works to be considered for inclusion under the artist's exemption scheme; and the number of applications approved by the Revenue Commissioners in each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. [1025/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Ged Nash

124. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider tightening up the criteria and the application of the artist's exemption scheme for non-fiction publications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1026/13]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Ged Nash

125. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details on the number of applications made to the Revenue Commissioners in 2009, 2010 and 2011 for consideration under the artist's exemption scheme; the number of appeals made in relation to initially unsuccessful applications in these years; if he will provide details of the number of successful appeals in these years; the names of those authors whose appeals were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1027/13]

National Employment and Entitlements Service

Ged Nash

445. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of recent developments in the roll out of service programmes from her Department if she will provide clarification on the current status of the national employment programme and it's dual stranded approach to solving the problem of long term unemployment and for those who are most disadvantaged in terms of the employment market; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58123/12]

Mortgage Arrears Report Implementation

Ged Nash

627. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the greater Drogheda area is not included in the €220,000 valuation bracket under the mortgage to rent scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57910/12]

Personal Insolvency Act

Ged Nash

757. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider lack of engagement from the banks in relation to the provisions of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 to be in breach of the law; if he will provide details on the sanctions he will use against banks who fail to comply with the law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58126/12]

Psychological Services

Ged Nash

924. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will review her decision to move certain psychology services from the Health Service Executive to the new Child and Family Support Agency; if her attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by a number of expert clinical psychologists in relation to this measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1752/13]

HSE Staff Remuneration

Ged Nash

967. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form and by Health Service Executive region the amount paid in bonuses to HSE managers in the years 2009-2012 inclusive; the number of managers who received such bonuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57974/12]

Pension Provisions

Ged Nash

62. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will bring forward his decision announced in his recent budget speech in respect of the maximum allowable pension fund, to a point in 2013 as opposed to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57414/12]

Ministerial Remuneration

Ged Nash

288. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, following the decision to end the arrangements whereby Ministers and Ministers of State receive severance payments on stepping down from office, he will consider extending this arrangements to cover local authority members who are elected to either House of the Oireachtas [55656/12]

Symphysiotomy Report

Ged Nash

134. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a time frame for the publication of the Walsh Report; the reasons for the excessive delay in publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54900/12]

Home Help Service Provision

Ged Nash

576. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of home help staff employed directly by the Health Service Executive to provide home help services in County Louth in 2011 and 2012; the average hourly rate paid to home helps in the county who work directly for the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53820/12]

Home Help Service Provision

Ged Nash

577. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in terms of hours allocated to the home help service in County Louth to the Health Service Executive public provider compared to private sector providers; the sum paid to private and voluntary home help care providers in County Louth in 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53821/12]

Home Help Service Provision

Ged Nash

578. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in terms of hours allocated to the home help service nationally in terms of the Health Service Executive public provider compared to private sector providers; the sum paid by the HSE to private and voluntary home help care providers across the State in 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53822/12]

Health Services Provision

Ged Nash

662. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the Health Service Executive have any plans to establish specialist facilities for the treatment and support of children with Ehler's Danios syndrome; if he will provide details of the number of children here with EDS; the services available on a multidisciplinary basis here; the financial supports available to allow patients to access services and interventions on an ongoing basis abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54440/12]

Property Taxation Collection

Ged Nash

69. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to make arrangements to deduct the household charge and forthcoming property tax directly from the salaries of Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53642/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

73. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the names of the institutions participating in the mortgage arrears resolution process and the dates from which they accessed the scheme. [53682/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

74. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications received under the mortgage arrears resolution process to the last day in October 2012 or the date at which the most recent statistics per participant institution are available. [53683/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

75. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications approved under the mortgage arrears resolution process, the application is admitted under the MARP, and processed by the arrears support unit to the last day in October 2012 or the most recent quarterly reporting date, per participant institution and their placement under the following headings of restructuring, interest only, reduced payment greater than interest only, reduced payment less than interest only, term extension, arrears capitalisation, payment moratorium, hybrid, deferred interest scheme, and any other headings applied in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53684/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

76. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications refused or declined by the arrears support unit to the last day in October 2012 or the most recent quarterly reporting date, per participant institution; the rationale for refusal under the following headings of refusal/decline, unsustainable, sufficient income, sufficient ancillary assets and any other headings applied in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53685/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

77. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications which were refused or declined by the arrears support unit to the last day in October 2012 or the most recent quarterly reporting date, per participant institution where appeals have subsequently been lodged to the institutions internal appeals board. [53686/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

78. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications approved under the mortgage arrears resolution process, that is where the application is admitted under the MARP internal appeal structure to the last day in October 2012 or the most recent quarterly reporting date, per participant institution and their placement under the following headings of restructuring, interest only, reduced payment greater than interest only, reduced payment less than interest only, term extension, arrears capitalisation, payment moratorium, hybrid, deferred interest scheme, and any other headings applied in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53687/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

79. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications refused or declined under the mortgage arrears resolution process, that is the applications is not to be admitted under the MARP internal appeal structure to the last day in October 2012 or the most recent quarterly reporting date, per participant institution and their placement under the following headings of refusal/decline, unsustainable, sufficient income, sufficient ancillary assets and any other headings applied in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53688/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

80. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cumulative number of applications refused or declined under the mortgage arrears resolution process internal appeal structure per participant institution which were subsequently appealed to the Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman; the number of such decisions that were either upheld or refused by the that office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53689/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

81. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the guidance or other interpretative application material that has been provided by those institutions who are participating in the mortgage arrears resolution process scheme to borrowers to assist those borrowers making applications to appeal decisions made by the Arrears Support Unit to the internal appeals structure which have been provided; the participating institution(s)in the scheme that are producing and providing such information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53690/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

82. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the number of reports, reviews, audits, enquiries or other interventions, including the nature of such intervention, for example oral or written which have been made by the Central Bank of Ireland with regard to the operation of the mortgage arrears resolution process scheme and the number of such interventions, per participating institutions to the last day of October 2012 or to which date such data is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53691/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Ged Nash

83. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to review the operation of the mortgage arrears resolution process scheme; if will he consider appointing representatives of the legal profession, including the providers of free legal advice services, consumer interests, voluntary sector housing providers, and providers of information and advocacy services in the voluntary sector housing to any review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53692/12]

Primary Care Centres Provision

Ged Nash

253. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the development of a new primary care centre (details supplied) in County Meath ; if the Health Service Executive has identified a group or groups of GPs to operate the centre; the timeframe that will be applied for completion and operation of the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53540/12]

National Lottery Licence Sale

Ged Nash

334. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will make provision under the new lottery licensing regime to provide funding for organisations currently in receipt of resources from the Department of Justice and Equality under the charitable lotteries scheme which will be gradually wound down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52611/12]

Defence Forces Properties

Ged Nash

543. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Defence his future plans for the Slaugh Hall facility in Drogheda, County Louth, in view of his decision to restructure the Reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52610/12]

Hospital Bed Data

Ged Nash

616. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health his plans for the retention and continued development of a facility (details supplied) in County Louth. [52177/12]

Hospital Bed Data

Ged Nash

617. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health his plans for the development of certain facilities (details supplied) in County Louth [52178/12]

Health Services Staff Issues

Ged Nash

194. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of whole time equivalent staff the expenditure on agency staff amounts to within the Health Service Executive and public health service broken down by separate grades and function in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52011/12]

Tax Collection

Ged Nash

54. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance the amount raised in 2011 from the domicile levy; the amount raised in each year since the introduction of same; the number of persons who have paid the levy each year since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51696/12]

Charities and Voluntary Organisations

Ged Nash

468. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will review plans to wind down the charitable lotteries scheme; his views on whether he will oblige the successful applicant for the State's lottery licence to provide resources to organisations currently supported under the charitable lotteries scheme by way of a clause in, or condition under the licence regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50865/12]

Narcolepsy Issues

Ged Nash

568. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health when he will approve a package of measures to support young persons with narcolepsy who had been vaccinated against swine flu with pandemrix; if he will engage with the representative of an organisation (details supplied) in advance of the approval of any package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50836/12]

Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme Extension

Ged Nash

569. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend the terms of the Neary redress scheme as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50846/12]

Medical Card Reviews

Ged Nash

586. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health when the review of the decision not to award a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Louth will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51057/12]

Nuclear Plants

Ged Nash

197. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has been in contact with his counterpart in the UK in view of the British Government's National Audit Office complaints in relation to the risks to the public outlined in a recent examination of the management of 50 year old storage ponds at the British Nuclear Fuels Limited facility at Sellafield; the precise nature of the concerns he has raised; if he is satisfied that the improvements promised by management are sufficient to protect persons on the east coast of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50275/12]

Mortgage Interest Relief Extension

Ged Nash

221. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending for a year the mortgage relief measures announced in Budget 2012 in view of the fact that we are only just starting to see the beginning of a possible recovery in the property market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49513/12]

Garda Recruitment

Ged Nash

492. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if recruitment to an Garda Síochána will be opened up in 2013; if the current applicant panel will be used to recruit new applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49796/12]

Value for Money Reviews

Ged Nash

271. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Defence when he will publish a value for money report he has received in relation to the Reserve Defence Force; if he will outline his vision for the future role of the RDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49348/12]

Treatment Abroad Scheme

Ged Nash

328. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the programmes and resources available to his Department and the Health Service Executive to allow children with rare illnesses to access treatment in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49202/12]