Parliamentary questions

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Data

Charlie McConalogue

326. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of participants in the rural environment protection scheme, agri-environment options scheme 1, AEOS scheme 2 and AEOS scheme 3 as of 20 May 2016; the completion date for participants in each scheme; the number of farmers who have indicated that they will be transferring from the AEOS scheme to tranche 2 of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; the number that transferred from these schemes to tranche 1 of GLAS, in each case broken down between AEOS 1, 2 and 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12124/16]

Plant Protection Products

Charlie McConalogue

327. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the use here of the herbicide glyphosate; the monitoring programme that is in place; the discussions he has had at European Union level with regard to renewing its authorisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12125/16]

Agriculture Industry

Charlie McConalogue

328. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the level of competition in the Irish beef and lamb processing sector; on the planned move by a company (details supplied); the actions taken to ascertain if such a move would undermine competition in these sectors. [12126/16]

Young Farmers Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

331. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 146 of 26 April 2016 (details supplied), if he will provide an update following the submission of an appeal as per advice from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12214/16]

Sports Capital Programme

Charlie McConalogue

344. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he intends to announce a new sports capital programme in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11961/16]

Child and Family Agency Services

Charlie McConalogue

360. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if home support will be arranged through Tusla to assist persons (details supplied) given their circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11922/16]

Pyrite Panel Report Recommendations

Charlie McConalogue

36. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the work of the expert panel established to examine the issue of mica including the number of homes it visited in County Donegal in early May 2016 and when it will report its findings to him; if he will put a redress scheme in place to provide financial assistance to affected home owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11328/16]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Charlie McConalogue

158. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 17 June 2015, if he has made a decision on a matter; if not, when he will; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11398/16]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Charlie McConalogue

159. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to approve an application by a school (details supplied) under the summer works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11401/16]

Summer Works Scheme Data

Charlie McConalogue

160. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department provided funding for playgrounds under the recently announced summer works scheme; if not, if he will provide funding for this under the next summer works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11402/16]

Leader Programmes Administration

Charlie McConalogue

225. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to alter the structure of the delivery of the Leader programme and the local partnership arrangements and to increase funding to the Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11348/16]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Charlie McConalogue

444. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health for a status update on the recruitment of a second permanent consultant neurologist for the north-west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11386/16]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Charlie McConalogue

451. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for a special needs assistant for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11400/16]

Basic Payment Scheme Appeals

Charlie McConalogue

520. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) under the basic payment scheme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11199/16]

Special Educational Needs

Charlie McConalogue

1. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to address concerns over the long waiting times for Special Needs assessment by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if he intends to implement the new system of allocation of resource teaching hours allocation, that is currently being piloted on a national basis in September 2016. [11137/16]

State Examinations Reviews

Charlie McConalogue

3. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his proposals for progressing with reform of the junior certificate; if students in schools that have not implemented the new junior cycle English curriculum will automatically lose 10% in their English examinations in 2017 if their teachers do not agree to engage with the new assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11138/16]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Charlie McConalogue

5. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills how he will double the number of apprenticeships by 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11139/16]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Charlie McConalogue

12. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to address concerns over the long waiting times for special needs assessment by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if he will implement the new system of allocation of resource teaching hours, which is currently being piloted on a national basis, in September 2016. [10836/16]

Educational Reform

Charlie McConalogue

20. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his proposals to reform the junior certificate; if students in schools that have not implemented the new junior cycle English curriculum will automatically lose 10% in their English examinations in 2017 if their teachers do not agree to engage with the new assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10837/16]

Local Authority Housing Funding

Charlie McConalogue

115. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will provide funding for the construction of SI houses to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11029/16]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Charlie McConalogue

77. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question Nos 205 of 17 June 2015 and 205 of 10 November 2015, if he has made a decision on the matter or when he expects to make a decision on it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10721/16]

School Services Staff

Charlie McConalogue

96. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to put a system in place to allow secretaries to become direct employees of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10898/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Charlie McConalogue

148. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health why children with sclerosis are waiting up to two years to have surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10734/16]

Hospitals Building Programme

Charlie McConalogue

149. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the reason the new theatre that is specifically being provided for in Crumlin Hospital in Dublin 12 to assist the treatment of scoliosis is not opened given that the former Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection gave an assurance in Dáil Éireann on 21 January 2016 that its construction was due to be completed in April 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10735/16]

Family Income Supplement

Charlie McConalogue

182. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if he will regard family income supplement as income in the meanstest assessment for medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10876/16]

Legislative Programme

Charlie McConalogue

121. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when legislation to tackle sex trafficking will be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10059/16]

Vehicle Registration

Charlie McConalogue

201. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Finance the waiting time for vehicle registration for cars in County Donegal and his plans to improve this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9793/16]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Charlie McConalogue

245. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will issue a final reply to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9365/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

258. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide funding to assist a third level student with a placement which is to be undertaken in Europe as part of a course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9623/16]

National Educational Psychological Service

Charlie McConalogue

276. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will allocate additional educational assessments for dyspraxia to primary schools, given that the waiting list for pupils in County Donegal to get assessments carried out followed by a diagnosis is very long, causing parents to have to go private; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9719/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

294. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he provides funds to assist students with fees in Northern Ireland; if there are European Union funds that a student can apply directly for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10086/16]

Schools Refurbishment

Charlie McConalogue

298. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will make a decision on the allocation of moneys for the refurbishment of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10122/16]

Technological Universities

Charlie McConalogue

328. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills what the mission of new technological universities is proposed to be and how this differs from both a traditional university and from an institute of technology. [10549/16]

Technological Universities

Charlie McConalogue

330. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the institutes of technology which have formally submitted an expression of interest to the Higher Education Authority in applying for designation as a technological university. [10553/16]

Technological Universities

Charlie McConalogue

331. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the institutes of technology which meet or are close to meeting the institutional profile criteria, the staff profile criteria or the student profile criteria for potential designation as a technological university. [10554/16]

State Examinations Reviews

Charlie McConalogue

333. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and percentage of teachers who have fully engaged in training for the new junior cycle curriculum and assessment; the number of schools that are not currently in a position to implement the new junior cycle English classroom assessment due to the ban by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland on teacher participation; and the number of students who will not be able to participate in the classroom-based assessment if the ban continues. [10585/16]

School Enrolments

Charlie McConalogue

339. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the shortage of primary school places in Gorey in County Wexford; his long-term plans to address the demographic challenge that shows the need for additional places in north County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10638/16]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

376. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government why carer's allowance is not recognised as income under the new tenant purchase scheme 2016, as it is not included in determining a tenant's gross income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9644/16]

Building Regulations

Charlie McConalogue

417. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the contact name and address of the person on the mica expert panel to whom correspondence can be sent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10509/16]

Fuel Allowance Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

435. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend the free fuel scheme, given the cold weather which is causing hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9373/16]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

486. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the entitlement of self-employed farmers who are put on an S stamp under the State pension (contributory) scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9603/16]

Unemployment Data

Charlie McConalogue

502. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of unemployed persons who exited the live register to a long-term labour activation programme including community employment, Tús - the work placement initiative, back to work, back to education, JobBridge or a programme run by Solas; the programme to which they exited; and the percentages of those participants withdrawing who were short-term unemployed and who were long-term unemployed by programme and by quarter for 2014 and for 2015. [9815/16]

Young Farmers Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

960. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal under the 2015 national reserve scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9807/16]

Young Farmers Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

977. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will issue payment to a person (details supplied) under the national reserve scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9366/16]

Grant Payments

Charlie McConalogue

1042. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will issue the crisis grant to pig farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10173/16]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Charlie McConalogue

1080. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has not received any disadvantaged area payments for over two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10613/16]

Public Service Obligation Services

Charlie McConalogue

1149. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the yearly spend on the subvention for City of Derry Airport Dublin to Derry flights as part of the Government public service obligation funding in the years from 2006 until the Public Service Obligation funding was discontinued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10460/16]

Vehicle Registration

Charlie McConalogue

1162. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will issue a final reply to correspondence (details supplied) regarding trailer regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9842/16]

Hospital Services

Charlie McConalogue

73. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health to set down the number of respiratory paediatric centres by hospital group, in accordance with the paediatric model of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9275/16]

Health Services Staff Data

Charlie McConalogue

74. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health to set down the number of paediatric asthma nurses that the Health Service Executive employs in each of the six paediatric centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9276/16]