Parliamentary questions

Warmer Homes Scheme

Seán Canney

146. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the steps he is taking to speed up the process of applications for the warmer homes scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that homeowners in County Galway that are in receipt of fuel allowance and that applied for the scheme in October 2019 were informed in September 2020 that it will take two years before a surveyor is appointed; his plans to allocate resources to clear the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24740/20]

School Transport

Seán Canney

392. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she is considering allowing families relying on the Covid-19 payment to access free school transport for the academic year 2020/2021 in view of the fact that the current payment regime is causing great difficulty for many families particularly in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25235/20]

State Examinations

Seán Canney

399. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will immediately put in place an appeals process for those persons whose teacher predicated grades were downgraded by her Department and which resulted in them losing out on first choice college places; if her attention has been drawn to the huge anger and disappointment felt by many students and their families in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24724/20]

School Transport

Seán Canney

463. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the financial burden being placed on rural families by the cost of school transport; her plans to reduce school transport fees; her views on low income families paying €650 per year for school transport; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that many rural communities agreed to school amalgamations on receiving assurances that their children would receive free school transport to a centralised school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25231/20]

JobPath Programme

Seán Canney

506. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for Jobpath, the administration of the scheme and the contract with the company (details supplied) which was due to finish in 2019 and was extended due to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24757/20]

Further and Higher Education

Seán Canney

620. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the difficulties facing medical students here which is creating a situation whereby doctors that achieved their education through graduate entry programmes are defaulting on student loans due to the high education costs they face here which incentivises them to work abroad; his views on the introduction of a HSE style bursary for clinical years three and four; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25236/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Seán Canney

696. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if his Department has carried out quantitative health risk assessments on the use of face masks; if so, if the results of those assessments are available to the public; if he has sought advice on the wearing of face coverings outside of the advice issued by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24728/20]

Ambulance Service

Seán Canney

731. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the reason qualified PHECC registered advanced paramedics are not being recruited into the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24872/20]

Felling Licences

Seán Canney

864. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in recent months to resolve the delays in issuing felling licences; the extra resources and investment put in place to deliver the necessary changes; the reason for the delay in getting felling licences; the objectives in terms of processing times in the coming months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24721/20]

Forestry Sector

Seán Canney

887. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the spread of ash dieback disease here; the measures being taken to combat the disease; his plans for awareness campaigns in relation to the disease; the funding that has been provided for third-level institutions or researchers in relation to the disease; and the assessments that have been done in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25232/20]

Farm Retirement Scheme

Seán Canney

888. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the introduction of a new early retirement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25237/20]

Abortion Services Provision

Seán Canney

128. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will reverse the decision by his predecessor to alter the model of care for abortion provision (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24248/20]

IDA Ireland

Seán Canney

153. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the provision of water and sewerage facilities for the IDA lands at Athenry, County Galway (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23896/20]

Mortgage Schemes

Seán Canney

285. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if persons who entered into a mortgage break with a bank will have their credit rating negatively affected by this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23888/20]

School Transport

Seán Canney

442. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education her plans to upgrade the school transport service and allow persons from within a parish to attend their local parish school rather than having to go to the nearest school, which may be outside the parish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23899/20]

Pension Provisions

Seán Canney

514. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the pension rights of community employment supervisors; when she will be implementing the LRC recommendation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23905/20]

Court Accommodation

Seán Canney

608. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice the progress on the refurbishment of the existing courthouse in Tuam, County Galway, which is on the Courts Service's programme; when the building will be brought back into use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23898/20]

Home Help Service

Seán Canney

772. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if funding for home help hours will be increased (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23887/20]

Sheepmeat Sector

Seán Canney

893. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of sheep imported in 2018 and 2019 in view of the fact that there is a significant difference in the CSO figures and figures supplied by his Department through the EU trade control and export system; if measures (details supplied) will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23901/20]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Seán Canney

9. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice when funding will be put in place to conform with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the timeline for compliance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22637/20]