Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Crowe

695. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the reduction of the pandemic unemployment payment to taxi drivers in view of the serious continuing impact on passenger numbers as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15780/20]

State Pensions

Seán Crowe

713. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the provisions in place to ensure that those who have lost out due to the change in pension rate bands in 2012 will be given funds owed to them. [14923/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Crowe

777. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the reduction of the pandemic unemployment payment to taxi drivers in view of the serious continuing impact on passenger numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15781/20]

Springboard Programme

Seán Crowe

778. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position of those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment in accessing Springboard courses; the reason some who have applied in recent days have been told that their employment status is unknown, including those whose sectors are still closed down due to Covid-19 restrictions but are still employed by their respective companies or businesses; the reason these persons are being told to refer to their local case workers when they have not been assigned such a case worker; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15782/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Seán Crowe

1263. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that private hospitals are charging as much as €275 for Covid-19 testing before patients can access treatment; if this will be the case for patients referred under the NTPF; his views on whether this is appropriate in view of the fact that while these hospitals were in public hands patients were not previously charged for tests; his plans to cover the costs for testing for patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15779/20]

Middle East Peace Process

Seán Crowe

20. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he and his officials have taken to prevent the proposed annexation of territory in the Palestinian West Bank on 1 July 2020; the contact he has had with his Israeli counterpart and authorities, the American administration that is backing this move and his European colleagues in this regard; and his views on whether further annexation of Palestinian lands will irreparably damage a chance at a peaceful two-state solution. [13616/20]

United Nations

Seán Crowe

21. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his priorities and the difference in approach and policy his Department and representatives hope to introduce and address following the successful election to the UN Security Council. [13617/20]

Special Educational Needs

Seán Crowe

242. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the preparation and guidelines her Department has issued to schools for the summer scheme; the number of children it is expected to facilitate; and the schools that have confirmed they will take part by county in tabular form. [13618/20]

Courts Service

Seán Crowe

331. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures and steps that a person must take to get emergency access to the family law courts in view of the ongoing difficulties being experienced by family court applicants trying to get access to their children following previous court orders. [13614/20]

Departmental Policy Functions

Seán Crowe

332. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she considers An Garda Síochána as falling under the aegis of his Department in respect of Government policy. [13615/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Seán Crowe

513. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if the roll-out of instructions supposedly being given to drivers on public transport by management to allow family groupings to sit together on buses creates health concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13375/20]

National Children's Hospital

Seán Crowe

558. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he has a concern that work on the National Children’s Hospital site beside St. James’s Hospital has all but ceased and that scaffolding is being removed by contractors; the updated position regarding this flagship project aside from the Covid-19 restrictions; the reason for the delay; and if these continuous problems will impact on the final cost of the project. [13619/20]

Middle East Peace Process

Seán Crowe

14. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to recognise formally the state of Palestine in view of a cross-party Dáil Éireann motion in support and a commitment in the programme for Government; and his views on whether the impending annexation of the West Bank by Israel highlights the need for that to occur as a matter of some urgency. [11658/20]

Foreign Birth Registration

Seán Crowe

30. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the average waiting time for processing individuals on the foreign births register; the number of cases waiting to be processed; and when he expects the service to resume. [12584/20]

Fuel Prices

Seán Crowe

37. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Finance the way in which he has responded to the collapse in the price of oil on the world market; and his views on whether it is unfair to consumers and commuters that a marked decrease has not been seen on the price of petrol and diesel at pumps as a result of imposed charges, such as excise, VAT and carbon tax, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis during which persons are wary of using public transport. [11659/20]

Revenue Commissioners

Seán Crowe

80. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if guidance has been issued to the Revenue Commissioners custom service on the importation of large quantities of nitrous oxide containers; if so, if this guidance is based on the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010; and if not or not entirely, if he will provide information on the Act or Acts the guidance is based upon. [12588/20]

Financial Services Regulation

Seán Crowe

81. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if he is considering plans to address the high interest rates some legal moneylenders charge; and if there are plans to introduce a cap on excessively high interest rates. [12589/20]

Special Educational Needs

Seán Crowe

107. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with the chronic shortage of ASD places for students at primary and secondary schools in south-western areas of Dublin; if his attention has been drawn to the challenges facing parents trying to locate places for their children in the 2020-21 school year; the number of places per school; and the advice that will be given to parents who cannot source a place in the new school year. [11649/20]

Special Educational Needs

Seán Crowe

108. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with the chronic shortage of ASD places for students at primary and secondary schools in Dublin; if his attention has been drawn to the challenges facing parents trying to locate places for their children in the 2020-21 school year; the number of places per school; and the advice that will be given to parents that cannot source a place in the new school year. [11650/20]

School Staff

Seán Crowe

109. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the decision to reduce the teaching staff by one teacher at a school (details supplied) will be reviewed in view of the impact of Covid-19 to date on junior infants and their schooling. [11656/20]