Parliamentary questions

Primary Care Centres Provision

Róisín Shortall

1442. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposed Primary Care Centre for Finglas; if the HSE has identified sites and begun to draw up plans for this centre; if the provision of this facility remains a priority for the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26174/16]

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications Data

Róisín Shortall

1475. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of children on a waiting list for a wheelchair; the waiting times for children to receive wheelchairs; the funding provided annually since 2010 for the provision of wheelchairs for children on a county-by-county basis in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26329/16]

Departmental Functions

Róisín Shortall

1476. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the Department which is responsible for the provision of nursing hours to enable disabled children to attend primary school; and the age at which a child with disabilities is entitled to attend school under the Constitution. [26330/16]

Fish Farming

Róisín Shortall

1677. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will liaise with Inland Fisheries Ireland to prevent the closure of the commercial trout farms examined in the 2015 expert analysis to support optimised production of freshwater trout report by Canadian Aquaculture Systems; his Department's position in relation to these purposed closures; his views on the impact that these closures will have on recreational angling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25183/16]

Building Energy Rating Compliance

Róisín Shortall

1707. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will publish the analysis of the consultation on minimum thermal efficiency standards in rental properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26338/16]

Public Transport Initiatives

Róisín Shortall

1776. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 812 of 21 July 2016, the status of the delivery of a bus rapid transit, BRT, service along the Swords/Dublin Airport route; if the planned BRT service for this route will only be developed in the context of the delivery of Metro North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25184/16]

Psychological Services

Róisín Shortall

1931. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the role of child art psychotherapy in child welfare and protection services; the psychotherapeutic services available to children who are involved with Tusla; the nature of these services; their availability by region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25479/16]

Social Workers Recruitment

Róisín Shortall

5. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she intends to take to meet general staffing shortages in the social work service to ensure all children in care have an allocated social worker, and to address information technology deficiencies in the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23371/16]

Pension Provisions

Róisín Shortall

586. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposed transfer of Central Remedial Clinic, CRC, pensioners to the single public service pension scheme. [23810/16]

Pension Provisions

Róisín Shortall

814. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way he proposes to support the IASS pensioners in view of the significant loss incurred by such pensioners through recent State dealings and inaction. [23809/16]

State Pathology Service

Róisín Shortall

120. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if, with regard to an infrastructural development being carried out with the support of her Department (details supplied), she will outline the staffing arrangements for this facility; if any recruitment will take place in this regard; if this recruitment process will be open to members of the public to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22197/16]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

416. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will intervene in a case to ensure that a person (details supplied) is not required to make a new carer's allowance application for a relation. [22209/16]

Middle East Peace Process

Róisín Shortall

494. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline his views on correspondence from a group (details supplied) that made a recent submission to his Department; the actions he will take to address the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22757/16]

EU Directives

Róisín Shortall

541. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 148 of 30 June 2016, 1681 of 22 September 2015 and 87 of 24 March 2015, and the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 and the European Communities Birds Directive, her plans to actively engage with Dublin City Council to curtail this issue, including the issue of permits as outlined in previous replies; if her attention has been drawn to an issue (details supplied); the steps she will take to end the disruption and nuisance caused by these birds during the breeding season; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22685/16]

Departmental Strategies

Róisín Shortall

663. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the drafting of a new national cancer strategy for the period 2016 to 2025; if there is a proposed publication date for the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22600/16]

Labour Court

Róisín Shortall

889. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 548 and 549 of 28 June 2016, if she is satisfied that the reply provided by the court does not violate Article 3 of Regulation No. 1182/71 of the EU Council (1971) which determines the rules applicable to periods, dates and time limits, by which EU member states are legally bound (details supplied); if she will instruct the Labour Court to account for its current practice which seems to run counter to this regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22606/16]

Labour Court

Róisín Shortall

890. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of appeals submitted to the Labour Court each year for the past five years; the number of appeals each year for the past five years that were not heard by the Labour Court because they were considered to be one day out of time; and the number of employee appeals each year for the past five years that were not heard by the Labour Court. [22607/16]

Insurance Industry Regulation

Róisín Shortall

66. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance further to his speech to Dáil Éireann on 20 April 2016, the progress of the review of policy in the insurance sector that is ongoing in his Department; if there is any existing regulation that can protect consumers from unjustifiable car insurance premium increases; his plans to introduce a regulatory framework beyond the Financial Services Ombudsman to protect consumers in this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21695/16]

Waste Disposal Charges

Róisín Shortall

104. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 7 July 2016, if the customers of a company (details supplied) can retain their current arrangements without having to notify the company. [21897/16]

Pharmaceutical Sector

Róisín Shortall

193. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on recent media reports of pharmaceutical companies funding training programmes and conference attendances for doctors; if this constitutes a conflict of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21812/16]

Pharmaceutical Sector

Róisín Shortall

219. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views regarding the concerns raised in correspondence dated 30 June 2016 from the Healthcare Enterprise Alliance on the ineffectiveness of the proposed medicines pricing agreement. [21896/16]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Róisín Shortall

138. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of personal advisers recruited by contractors and currently in operation under the JobPath scheme; the basis on which he deems the qualifications and experience of such personal advisers adequate; the procedures in place to ensure that these qualifications and experience, as required by the tendering process, continue to meet the standards set down during the tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21433/16]

Medicinal Products Expenditure

Róisín Shortall

33. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the way he proposes to cut the costs of medication to the State and to the general public. [20949/16]

Health Services Staff Data

Róisín Shortall

86. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the work he has contemplated or plans to determine the areas of greatest need for primary care staff; the extent of unmet demand in each area; the cost of meeting this demand; the staffing requirement in each area; and to develop a system of transparent allocation of such staffing resources. [20948/16]

Patent Applications

Róisín Shortall

427. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to reinstate the entitlement to free passports for senior citizens that was withdrawn in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21133/16]

Occupational Therapy

Róisín Shortall

519. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene to ensure that children who require access to this essential service will not be left waiting beyond the current waiting times in respect to an early intervention team (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20781/16]

Waste Disposal Charges

Róisín Shortall

129. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the actions of a waste company (details supplied) and his proposed actions to ensure that the company is honouring the agreement reached between his Department and waste companies with regard to charges; the steps he will take to ensure that this company honours the agreement that was reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20285/16]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Róisín Shortall

218. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of a situation where persons who are in nursing homes under the nursing homes support scheme, fair deal, are being charged additional flat social charges beyond the agreed contribution, regardless of their means as assessed as part of the contribution; his views on the impact that this has on families and persons with already limited means; if he will act to ensure that persons are not charged unfairly beyond the contribution they are already making as part of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20418/16]

Public Sector Pay

Róisín Shortall

25. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his target date for the complete unwinding of the financial emergency measures in the public interest measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19801/16]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Róisín Shortall

383. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if recruitment to the Office of the Ombudsman is done on an open basis or is restricted to existing civil servants. [19401/16]

Ombudsman's Remit

Róisín Shortall

384. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the consequences or penalties that apply, if any, for senior officials following an adverse finding of the Office of the Ombudsman. [19402/16]

JobPath Implementation

Róisín Shortall

5. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the role of JobPath, with particular reference to the need to ensure a strong focus on upskilling the long-term unemployed. [19049/16]

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Róisín Shortall

8. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to draw up a new national anti-poverty strategy; the timeframe for the completion and publication of the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18816/16]

Insurance Industry

Róisín Shortall

74. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance further to the ongoing review of insurance policy in his Department if he will set out the consideration he is affording to the massive premia hikes faced by the small and medium-sized enterprise sector; the actions he is taking to urgently address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18917/16]

Prescriptions Charges

Róisín Shortall

204. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 412 of 27 January 2015, 120 of 2 December 2015 and 334 of 2 February 2016, the status of the response by the Health Service Executive to this issue; to request an update from pharmacy interface project; and his plans with regard to resolving this anomaly. [18945/16]

Insurance Costs

Róisín Shortall

264. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action she is taking to address the escalation in the cost base of small and medium-sized enterprises associated with soaring insurance costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18918/16]

Hospital Beds Data

Róisín Shortall

171. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 20 April 2016, the number of hospital beds required by the number of patients undergoing full and partial lower limb amputation procedures in 2014 and 2015 by county, in tabular form. [18683/16]

Anti-Social Behaviour

Róisín Shortall

60. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she is aware of the difficulties for An Garda Síochána in policing anti-social activity associated with public drinking in view of the fact that this is not currently an offence and by-laws vary in this regard depending on the local authority, harbour authority, transport authority, and so on; and the steps she will take to address this escalating problem. [18271/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Róisín Shortall

203. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the obligations on the part of public houses that also serve food to provide wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18270/16]

Hospital Mortality Rates

Róisín Shortall

399. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the action he is taking on foot of the findings in his Department's report, National Healthcare Quality Reporting System, in respect of those hospitals that have higher-than-expected death rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18116/16]

National Children's Hospital Location

Róisín Shortall

428. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of an article (details supplied) written by a doctor in St. James's Hospital in Dublin 8 outlining serious concerns over the proposed locating of the National Children's Hospital at the St. James's campus; and if he will address these concerns. [18318/16]

Labour Court

Róisín Shortall

548. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is aware of an anomalous situation in the operation of the Labour Court (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18187/16]

Labour Court

Róisín Shortall

549. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of appeals the Labour Court rejected as a result of late submission, in tabular form; and if she will instruct its appeals office to supply the date for the last day of appeal on decisions in addition to the number of days before the appeal deadline. [18188/16]

School Admissions

Róisín Shortall

118. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 16 June 2016, to address the question in respect of publishing or otherwise setting out the legal advice available to his Department in respect of repealing section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act 2000. [17704/16]

Graduate Medicine Programme Fees

Róisín Shortall

119. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the situation whereby banks are refusing to make student finance available to those wishing to study graduate entry medicine, as the remuneration newly qualified doctors are in receipt of is insufficient to cover the cost of the repayment of this debt; if he will consider introducing a student loan scheme for graduate medical students to improve participation rates for those from lower income households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17705/16]

Medical Qualifications

Róisín Shortall

228. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the situation whereby the student debt burden on those qualifying from graduate entry medicine is so great that many are being forced to emigrate to secure remuneration that will allow them to make repayments, and that many of these newly qualified doctors cannot afford the Irish Medical Organisation registration fee; if he has considered incentives to retain these graduates here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17706/16]

Health Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

212. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 365 of 22 March 2016, if he will provide an update on the status of the development of specific services for persons suffering from Huntington's disease; his plans to develop a specified care pathway for persons suffering from this illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17353/16]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Róisín Shortall

208. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of an anomalous situation whereby a SUSI maintenance grant is not payable to a person (details supplied) who is on a work placement and remains registered a student; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17224/16]

Waste Disposal Charges

Róisín Shortall

268. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he will take to ensure that families who rely on adult nappies in the care of a dependent with a disability or older children who are not toilet ready due to a disability, are not seriously disadvantaged by the change to a pay-by-weight waste charge system as currently is the case. [17310/16]

HSE Reports

Róisín Shortall

368. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health why there has been a delay in publishing the report on the ophthalmic clinical development programme; his plans for same and his views in respect of this programme. [16795/16]