Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

HSE Staff

Billy Kelleher

367. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, for the end of 2011, the end of 2012, the end of 2013 and the end of 2014 the latest figures available for the number of midwives in each public and voluntary hospital that provides maternity services. [19672/15]

Hospital Appointments Status

Billy Kelleher

369. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Dublin will be admitted to St. James's Hospital in Dublin 8 for a hernia repair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19682/15]

Drug Rehabilitation Clinics

Billy Kelleher

370. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the methadone clinic at Mountview Health Centre in Dublin 15 is the same as or separate from the one proposed at 37 Coolmine Industrial Estate in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19694/15]

HSE Staff

Billy Kelleher

372. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if dedicated Parkinson's disease nurse specialists will be appointed for County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19714/15]

Medical Card Eligibility

Billy Kelleher

373. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if Parkinson's disease patients will be automatically entitled to medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19715/15]

HSE Staff Training

Billy Kelleher

374. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if there are any regular training programmes to upskill nurses and staff in the care of Parkinson's disease patients in day care centres, community hospitals, nursing homes and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19716/15]

Medicinal Products Availability

Billy Kelleher

376. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the provision of Suboxone, if he will provide where it will be made available, that is through the Health Service Executive, general practitioners, etc; if legislative changes are necessary; if so, if he will provide the up-to-date position on its introduction; the amount of money that is going to be set aside for its provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19728/15]

Nursing Home Services

Billy Kelleher

379. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he has acknowledged Nursing Homes Ireland's recent public pronouncements (details supplied) that the consistent failure to publish the costs of public nursing home care amounts to a cover-up; if he further acknowledges, in the interest of openness and transparency, that it is incumbent upon the Health Service Executive to publish immediately public nursing home costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19750/15]

State Examinations Exemptions

Billy Kelleher

420. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider an exemption for persons with epilepsy and narcolepsy who have frequent seizures when sitting State examinations. [19306/15]

Water Charges Exemptions

Billy Kelleher

500. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if householders whose water is undrinkable due to lead pipes running from the water mains to their taps are exempt from paying a water supply charge to Irish Water and only have to pay for wastewater; if this should amount to a 50% reduction in their bill; if they are required to provide Irish Water with test results specific to their home in order to qualify for this reduced charge, or if it suffices that Irish Water is aware of a general problem with lead pipes in their estate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19679/15]

Health Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

166. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if further funding from the Health Service Executive will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, who requires two carers at all times. [19052/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Billy Kelleher

172. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting placement under the fair deal scheme; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19113/15]

HSE Reports

Billy Kelleher

173. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the action he will be taking on foot of the February 2015 Health Service Executive performance report, which indicates that many hospitals are not adhering to the 80-20 public-private mix. [19114/15]

Hospital Consultant Contracts

Billy Kelleher

174. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the consultants contract put in place in 2008-2009, and the provisions in it with regard to Category B consultants which stated that they could do no more than 20% private work relative to their public work, the number of breaches of this provision that have occurred each year since 2009; the number of occasions in which action has been taken against consultants for such breaches; and the sum total of any payments made by consultants, in compensation for breaches of the contract. [19115/15]

Health Services Data

Billy Kelleher

175. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards; general practitioner visit medical cards; and the number for each type, issued on a discretionary basis, as of 1 May 2015. [19116/15]

HSE Staff Promotions

Billy Kelleher

176. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 487 of 21 April 2015, and the reply provided by the Health Service Executive, his views that the executive has not collated data regarding the number of promotions that have been put in place for staff in the executive, since September 2014. [19117/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

142. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will respond to correspondence (details supplied) and advise on the reason these children, who were referred by the public health nurse, did not receive B and A status, as expected. [18885/15]

Public Sector Pensions Levy

Billy Kelleher

309. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the restoration of pensions for retired public servants is being considered by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18314/15]

Health Services Staff Remuneration

Billy Kelleher

441. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the social workers in counties Galway and Roscommon are going to receive their back pay of €7.5 million for twilight premium time; if the Health Service Executive has provided money to the Health Service Executive west to pay for the money owed; if the executive made any payments to an organisation (details supplied); if former employes are included in the back pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18158/15]

Home Help Service Provision

Billy Kelleher

444. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will provide more home help hours to persons (detail supplied) in Dublin 9. [18168/15]

Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage

Billy Kelleher

462. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason the drug Lucentis is not covered by the medical card; and if he will consider same. [18322/15]

Maternity Services

Billy Kelleher

483. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the rates of caesarean sections carried out at Saint Luke's Hospital, County Kilkenny; and the way these rates compare to those in comparable hospitals. [18523/15]

Addiction Treatment Services

Billy Kelleher

506. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to support the alcohol addiction programme CARE, which operates with general practitioners in Finglas and Ballymun in Dublin 11 and in Swords in County Dublin and for which funding has been cut; if he will direct the Health Service Executive to support the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18625/15]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Billy Kelleher

538. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if students (details supplied) in Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, County Cork who are currently studying sports and exercise performance, FETAC 5, will qualify for their grants for next year, following the removal of the sports and exercise diploma, FETAC 6-7, from next year's course list, which has resulted in these students having to moving to a course on the same level, Further Education and Training Awards Council 5 course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18420/15]

Home Renovation Incentive Scheme

Billy Kelleher

578. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a grant scheme to assist householders in meeting the cost of replacing lead water pipes, in view of the fact that householders may currently receive grants for home insulation works, but not for carrying out pipe replacement works required to make their drinking water safe. [18367/15]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Billy Kelleher

77. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of applications for increases in remuneration for any person or persons received by his Department from public service employers since 1 January 2014; the details of the applications for increase, that is, the posts and levels of increase involved; whether the applications were approved; and if he will clearly indicate the number of these applications involving persons in agencies that were funded under section 38 of the Health Act 2004. [17975/15]

IBRC Operations

Billy Kelleher

126. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Finance prior to the appointment of a person (details supplied) to investigate the Siteserv sale and report to him and the Houses of the Oireachtas, if he requested information on the number of liquidations, receiverships and examinerships that were carried out by that person that Arthur Cox Solicitors had acted on for KPMG in the period 2007 to 2015; if so, the liquidations, examinerships and receiverships that Arthur Cox acted on for KPMG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17205/15]

VAT Rate Application

Billy Kelleher

162. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Finance the reason value-added tax is charged on the repair of artificial limbs while no value-added tax is applicable on new artificial limbs; if he will remove the value-added tax; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17697/15]

Garda Deployment

Billy Kelleher

267. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason behind the shortage of private sector vehicle Garda inspectors in the Cork area; and the delay in bus and coach operators getting their buses inspected and approved for public service vehicle licences. [17716/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Billy Kelleher

297. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be considered for a wheelchair, to assist with that person's quality of life. [17267/15]

Health Services Funding

Billy Kelleher

308. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide financial assistance to the Irish Children's Arthritis Network to help support the voluntary work it provides, on a national level, supporting children and their families on a practical, factual and emotional basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17391/15]

Health Services Staff Data

Billy Kelleher

309. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the hiring of paediatric rheumatologists to ease the workload and combat the current waiting list; the timeframe involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17392/15]

Autism Support Services

Billy Kelleher

320. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if legislation will be introduced to regulate the practice of using toxic bleach (details supplied) to treat persons on the autistic spectrum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17434/15]

HIQA Reports

Billy Kelleher

358. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the Health Information and Quality Authority report into Portlaoise Hospital maternity services will be published; and the length of time the executive has to respond to its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17658/15]

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Billy Kelleher

364. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses who are currently waiting for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; the current waiting time; the actions being taken to reduce the waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17685/15]

Nursing Education

Billy Kelleher

365. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the number of college nursing places will be increased to help deal with the pressures on the health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17686/15]

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Billy Kelleher

366. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the way his Department can help the private and voluntary nursing home sector, which is experiencing difficulties in the recruitment and retention of nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17689/15]

National Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Billy Kelleher

370. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the implementation plan for the national positive ageing strategy will be introduced, in view of the fact that the Government launched the strategy on 24 April 2013, and he made it a priority in January 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17702/15]

Hospital Services

Billy Kelleher

373. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if ambulances travelling to St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 4 with cases for cardiac care have recently been redirected to the Mater Hospital, Dublin 7 as St. Vincent's Hospital is or was no longer accepting new cases via ambulance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17726/15]

Health Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

374. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when funding will be put in place for the promised 24-hour care in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17728/15]

Health Services Staff

Billy Kelleher

376. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason the head of the Health Service Executive's national incident management and learning team stood down from the review of maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital in County Galway; if a person has been appointed to replace head of the team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17735/15]

Hospitals Funding

Billy Kelleher

410. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated payments that will be made in each of 2015, 2016, and 2017 to St. James's Hospital in Dublin 8 in relation to its participation in the joint bachelor of science in diagnostic radiography being offered by Trinity College, Dublin and the Singapore Institute of Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17823/15]

Hospital Staff

Billy Kelleher

411. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the way members or staff, including consultants or managers, of St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, are participating in the joint bachelor of science in diagnostic radiography being offered by Trinity College, Dublin and the Singapore Institute of Technology; if their participation falls, or is it planned to fall, within their public service contract hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17824/15]

Hospital Staff

Billy Kelleher

412. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical practice tutor radiographer posts that exist within the Health Service Executive; in which hospitals; the number which are reserved for students participating in the joint bachelor of science in diagnostic radiography being offered by Trinity College, Dublin and the Singapore Institute of Technology, or in any other course being offered by, or in conjunction with, any educational or medical institution in Singapore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17825/15]

HSE Investigations

Billy Kelleher

419. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 402 of 3 March 2015, if he will ensure that the information requested in that question is actually answered; that a general response, as provided on 13 March 2015, is not again produced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17872/15]

Schools Building Projects Administration

Billy Kelleher

444. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Cork can apply for a top-up grant to build a sports hall as recommended, in view of the fact it would be more economical; and if so, the criteria for same. [17202/15]

National Postcode System

Billy Kelleher

573. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the fact that in November 2013, before the postcode contract was finally signed, a European Commission procurement investigation team formally confirmed a breach of European Union procurement legislation to his Department, and that the team also indicated that other elements of the process did not comply with guidelines and best practice, requiring specific action by the Irish authorities to ensure that similar illegal criteria were not employed again, but the postcode contract was signed without review when his Department will respond, as required by the European Union investigation team; the way related interdepartmental communications can be improved in the event of similar investigations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17432/15]

Hospital Consultant Recruitment

Billy Kelleher

316. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on claims by the former director of the national pancreas transplant programme that Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, is abandoning patients on the waiting list and that the hospital and the Health Service Executive are taking an unethical and callous approach by seeking to wind up the transplant programme without telling patients; his views that it is unconscionable that four months after the retirement of the director no plan has been made for seriously ill patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16644/15]

Home Help Service Provision

Billy Kelleher

318. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason for the undershoot of 13.85% against target in the provision of home help hours in counties Cork and Kerry, community health care organisation area 4, in January 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16646/15]

Home Help Service Data

Billy Kelleher

319. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of home help hours allocated in each local health office area; and the way this compared to the targeted allocation as a percentage. [16647/15]

Departmental Reports

Billy Kelleher

320. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when he will publish the international evidence review on independent hospital trusts undertaken by the Health Research Board at his Department's request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16650/15]

Medicinal Products Availability

Billy Kelleher

132. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce alternative treatments for opioid dependency such as Buprenorphine; when these treatments will become available; the way patients will be able to access these treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16011/15]

Medical Card Data

Billy Kelleher

138. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards and the number of general practitioner cards as of 1 April 2015, and the number for each type of card issued on a discretionary basis on that date. [16092/15]

Health Services

Billy Kelleher

98. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive facility, Cuan Ros on the Navan Road, Dublin 7, is under consideration to be used as a step-down facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15858/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Billy Kelleher

99. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason there are no crisis intervention beds available for adults with an intellectual disability in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15859/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Billy Kelleher

100. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will reverse the cuts to the Daughters of Charity budget; the reason respite provision for children and adults with an intellectual disability has been reduced and sidelined in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15860/15]

Hospital Appointments Status

Billy Kelleher

102. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6W will have a cervical spine operation at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15867/15]

Drug Treatment Programmes Places

Billy Kelleher

106. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of medical detox beds available, in each year from 2008 to 2015, for rehabilitating drug addicts; the location of these beds; the cost of each bed; the waiting time to access one of these beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15900/15]

School Funding

Billy Kelleher

129. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, from 2011 to date in 2015, the level of funding provided to Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa in County Cork; the number of teachers employed for the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15844/15]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Billy Kelleher

157. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when disability and health organisations will be informed regarding funding following the cross-departmental review that was due to be completed at the end of last month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15871/15]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Billy Kelleher

321. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of applications for increases in remuneration received by his Department since 1 January 2014; the details of the application for increase, that is the posts and levels of increase involved; and whether the application was approved. [15494/15]

Health Strategies

Billy Kelleher

436. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health following the second anniversary of the launch of the Government's flagship Healthy Ireland policy on 28 March 2015, what action the Cabinet committee on social policy, which has overall responsibility for the implementation of the policy, has taken; the further action he has taken over the failure to publish an implementation plan and outcomes framework in 2013, as promised; the reason there has been such a lengthy delay; when the implementation plan and outcomes framework will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15589/15]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Billy Kelleher

449. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who has been on the waiting list since 2011 will be provided an orthodontic appointment. [15331/15]

Hospitals Data

Billy Kelleher

452. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has entirely removed the previous breakdown on the private-public mix by hospital from its monthly data report, in view of the fact that providing a generic percentage for all acute hospitals is entirely meaningless, and that this means that a significant number of public hospitals could be breaching their 20-80 mix, and this information would no longer be publicly available. [15344/15]

Hospitals Data

Billy Kelleher

459. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the inpatient profiles, that is, public and private, and the elective emergency mix for January 2015, in the manner provided on the December 2014 Management Data Report (details supplied). [15375/15]

HSE Staff Promotions

Billy Kelleher

487. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of promotions that have been put in place for staff in the Health Service Executive since September 2014; and if he will provide this information in tabular form divided by category of employment and Health Service Executive region. [15493/15]

Health Strategies

Billy Kelleher

507. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health following the second anniversary of the launch of the Government's flagship Healthy Ireland policy on 28 March 2015, the progress that has been made in each Department to deliver on the objectives of the policy; the action that has been taken to establish the robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms promised in the report; the number of staff members in his Department who are working full-time on delivering on the Healthy Ireland agenda; the funding that has been specifically allocated to this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15590/15]

Hospital Staff

Billy Kelleher

518. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to concerns (details supplied) regarding the resignation of a surgeon from the kidney and pancreas transplantation team in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; if his and-or the Health Service Executive's attention was drawn to the surgeon's concerns prior to the surgeon's resignation; and the action he is taking to ensure that a full team of surgeons is in place at the kidney and pancreas transplantation unit as soon as possible. [15625/15]

Home Help Service

Billy Kelleher

532. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if exceptions will be made on a case basis, to allow home helps to care for members of their family, in cases where persons are unwilling to allow strangers into their home [15789/15]

General Practitioner Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

1. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to implement his proposals for free general practitioner care for all children under six years of age; the projected annual cost of this plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14852/15]

HSE Waiting Lists

Billy Kelleher

8. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the waiting time targets for scheduled inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient consultant appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14650/15]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Billy Kelleher

24. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the proposals in place to address the long waiting times for orthodontic treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14654/15]

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Billy Kelleher

28. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the way his Department can assist the private and voluntary nursing home sector, which is experiencing difficulties in the recruitment and retention of nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14653/15]

HSE Expenditure

Billy Kelleher

36. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the financial position of the Health Service Executive; his plans to introduce a Supplementary Estimate on foot of recent announcements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14652/15]

Hospital Services

Billy Kelleher

42. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he expects the fall in the number of day cases in our hospitals in 2014 to continue in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14651/15]

Health Services Expenditure

Billy Kelleher

143. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of his Department’s statement last week that in a full year, the additional cost of the universal under-six service, including the preventative wellness checks and arrangements for management of asthma in general practice, would be approximately €67 million, the additional funding that will be provided in 2015, in view of the fact that €25 million was allocated in budget 2015 and the subsequent Health Service Executive Service plan. [15052/15]

General Practitioner Services

Billy Kelleher

144. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the revised costs for free general practitioner care for under sixes, his Department's current estimate of the full year cost of providing free general practitioner care to the population as a whole. [15053/15]

HSE Investigations

Billy Kelleher

454. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the investigation into the case of a person (details supplied) who was a patient at Redwood, County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13888/15]

Hospital Staff

Billy Kelleher

549. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the date that the community-based paediatric palliative care nurse will begin in Letterkenny General Hospital in County Donegal. [14350/15]

Health Services Access

Billy Kelleher

550. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the steps taken to implement the proposal, as discussed with him during a meeting with Our Children's Voice representatives on 4 February 2015, for an agreement to allow children with life-limiting and terminal conditions to access cross-Border care in hospitals in Enniskillen, Derry and Belfast, and to allow them to receive respite and end-of-life care in Belfast Children's Hospice, instead of having to endure lengthy four-hour journeys to Dublin for the provision of such services. [14351/15]

Health Insurance Community Rating

Billy Kelleher

560. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if persons currently working and paying taxes in Northern Ireland and availing of the National Health Service there, but who are resident in the Republic of Ireland, will have to pay lifetime community rating on private health insurance if they take out a policy when they retire from working there after 1 May 2015. [14415/15]

Driving Test Regulations

Billy Kelleher

874. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding driving tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14346/15]

Health Insurance Regulation

Billy Kelleher

154. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he has further extended the date by which the board of the Voluntary Health Insurance must acquire the necessary capital reserves to make an application for authorisation by the Central Bank of Ireland. [13659/15]

Medical Card Data

Billy Kelleher

157. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, for 1 March 2014 and 1 March 2015, for each local health area, the number of medical cards in circulation generally, and also for those over 70 years of age; and for each of these the number of which were issued on a discretionary basis. [13664/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

Billy Kelleher

158. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular format, for March 2014 and March 2015 and for each local health area, the number of persons awaiting placement under the fair deal scheme; and the length of time waiting. [13665/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

Billy Kelleher

159. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting placement under the fair deal scheme; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13666/15]

Maternity Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

112. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 724 of 24 March 2015, if either the Rotunda Hospital or the Coombe Hospital in Dublin will be relocating to the Mater or Tallaght Hospital in Dublin, as recommended in the 2009 KPMG report; if either hospital has indicated a desire to move to those proposed locations or to move to a different co-location with another acute hospital; and his views that any relocation or co-location would only be with an acute hospital in the same hospital group. [13542/15]

Legislative Measures

Billy Kelleher

390. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when she will publish the sexual offences Bill 2015 providing for criminalisation of the purchase of sex; and her plans to have it enacted. [13048/15]

Mental Health Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

481. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reasons he has ceased providing mental health services to children and adolescents in Gorey in County Wexford and forced families from north Wexford to seek support in Enniscorthy in County Wexford; and if he will reverse the decision. [13040/15]

Hospitals Policy

Billy Kelleher

490. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a conflict of interest arises in respect of the chief executive officers of hospital groups being appointed by the Health Service Executive to manage the resources, assets and staffing of hospital groups containing both Health Service Executive hospitals and non-Health Service Executive hospitals; and, if so, the measures being put in place to mitigate that conflict. [13173/15]

Hospitals Policy

Billy Kelleher

491. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the safeguards being put in place to maintain the autonomy of non-Health Service Executive hospitals within hospital groups; and the extent to which hospital group managers may interfere with that autonomy. [13174/15]

Hospitals Policy

Billy Kelleher

492. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if safeguards are being put in place to ensure that non-Health Service Executive hospitals are not competing for funding with a block of Health Service Executive hospitals within the groups in circumstances where the allocation of funding is controlled by a manager appointed by the Health Service Executive; and the powers the manager of a hospital group will have to withdraw resources, assets or staff from non-Health Service Executive hospitals within the group. [13175/15]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Billy Kelleher

582. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will remove the registration fee for apprenticeships which in some cases is now €900 and is creating an obstacle to persons undertaking apprenticeships. [13043/15]

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme

Billy Kelleher

644. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reconsider the decision not to fund Ballymun Whitehall area partnership under the social inclusion and community activation programme, in view of the vital services the partnership provides in an area of socioeconomic disadvantage, and the devastating impact its closure will have on the local community. [12960/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

Billy Kelleher

197. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting placement under the fair deal scheme; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12506/15]

General Practitioner Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

127. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the number of general practitioner vacancies, in tabular form and by local health area. [12218/15]

Medical Card Administration

Billy Kelleher

132. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the additional expenditure incurred in the medical card section since 2011 including overtime, additional staff, administration and so on, on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12244/15]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Billy Kelleher

162. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will assist a lone parent (details supplied) who can no longer receive funding to complete a postgraduate course due to the removal of the one-parent family payment, the removal of that person's entitlement to the back-to-education allowance and the special rate of grant for disadvantaged students, and the removal by her Department of maintenance grants for new postgraduate students from the 2012-13 academic year. [12210/15]

Disadvantaged Status

Billy Kelleher

171. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department will carry out a fresh review of the levels of socio-economic disadvantage in primary and post-primary schools, with a view to including new schools in the delivering equality of opportunity in schools scheme; and if the criteria used will take account of the fact that parents with mortgages may, depending on their circumstances, be in as much financial distress as local authority tenants. [12297/15]

Freedom of Information Data

Billy Kelleher

149. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Taoiseach the number of occasions since the start of 2014 on which the Secretary General of his Department was involved in the clearing or approval of material for release under freedom of information legislation. [11806/15]