Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

EU Funding

Claire Kerrane

108. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will meet with and engage with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly on plans to change the way in which the European Regional Development Fund is managed in view of the downgrading of the region by the European Commission and in further view of the unique challenges the region faces as a region in transition and the urgent need to take advantage of the status while EU co-funding will be at 60%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26152/20]

School Staff

Claire Kerrane

140. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education her plans to introduce a permanent voluntary redeployment scheme for post-primary teachers to allow for an option for relocation similar to that which is in place for many other public sector workers; if such proposals will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26075/20]

State Examinations

Claire Kerrane

146. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if there is an appeals process for leaving certificate students unsatisfied with their predicted grade to appeal the grade rather than the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26138/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Claire Kerrane

189. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the process undertaken to issue arrears due to recipients and former recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment; the length of time the process will take; if additional staff will be employed to assist with the task; when the first payments of arrears will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26136/20]

Health Services

Claire Kerrane

249. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health his views on delays to developmental checks for young children; if he has concerns in this regard; when these developmental checks by public health nurses will resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26143/20]

Speech and Language Therapy

Claire Kerrane

250. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of children on waiting lists for all types of assessments, including speech and language per county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26144/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Claire Kerrane

251. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if therapists employed by the HSE have been redeployed to Covid-19 testing centres; if so, the number; if further redeployment of therapists is continuing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26145/20]

Health Services Staff

Claire Kerrane

252. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that strike action by public health specialists is avoided; his further plans for these specialists in their request for consultant status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26147/20]

Audiology Services

Claire Kerrane

253. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of audiologists in each CHO area; the number of vacancies in each CHO; if audiologists are being redeployed to Covid-19 testing; if so, the number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26148/20]

Audiology Services

Claire Kerrane

254. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number on the waiting lists for audiology for children and adults in each CHO area; the average waiting time in each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26149/20]

GLAS Issues

Claire Kerrane

287. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers are given an opportunity to rectify works uncompleted before being penalised under the rules of the GLAS scheme in cases in which the criteria of the scheme have not been established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26139/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Claire Kerrane

302. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands when libraries will reopen to the public under current NPHET recommendations; if plans are in place for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26137/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Claire Kerrane

308. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands the funding an organisation (details supplied) can apply for to assist it to remain open in view of the effect of Covid-19 on its organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26150/20]

Housing Issues

Claire Kerrane

105. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of ongoing or planned housing developments in County Roscommon; the location and the make-up of the developments; the estimated completion time for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25915/20]

Pensions Reform

Claire Kerrane

23. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of plans to legislate for the State pension age increase to be deferred and remain at 66 years of age; the timeframe for the legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25248/20]

Social Welfare Rates

Claire Kerrane

25. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider moving towards linking social welfare rates with the minimum essential standard of living to ensure that all households relying on social welfare supports receive an amount that is adequate to meet their needs; the steps she will take in Budget 2021 in relation to the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25249/20]

Fuel Poverty

Claire Kerrane

27. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the prevalence of energy poverty here, the increased energy costs faced by families due to more time being spent at home in recent months and rising energy costs; the steps she will take to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25250/20]

Public Services Card

Claire Kerrane

46. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons waiting for a public services card in order to access their entitlements, including the free travel card; the number of persons who turned 66 years of age who became entitled to the free travel card since March 2020 who cannot access the card as they were not SAFE registered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25034/20]

Poverty Data

Claire Kerrane

49. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the CSO report on Enforced Deprivation published on 2 September 2020; her views on the findings of the report; the steps she plans to take to tackle deprivation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25031/20]

Employment Support Services

Claire Kerrane

50. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if the report carried out by external consultants to review all current contracted public employment services has been shared with her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25032/20]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Claire Kerrane

53. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which talks between her Department and a company (details supplied) in relation to access to jobseeker’s benefit came about; the outcome of the talks; if workers will receive backdated payments in cases in which they were on reduced days while in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25035/20]

National Broadband Plan

Claire Kerrane

77. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the engagement he has had in relation to the national broadband plan in seeking to accelerate its rollout as committed to under Balanced Regional Development in the Programme for Partnership Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24326/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Claire Kerrane

533. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by a group of self-employed businesses (details supplied) which are unable to access supports for their businesses with the exception of the pandemic unemployment payment; if existing supports will be made available to the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25244/20]

Regional Development

Claire Kerrane

1. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands the steps she will take to address the growing regional inequalities here and specifically in the northern and western region, which has been downgraded by the EU from a developed region to a region in transition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24325/20]

Rural Development Plan

Claire Kerrane

21. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands the status of the new rural development policy; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24324/20]

Island Communities

Claire Kerrane

32. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands the stage the Interdepartmental Committee on Island Development is at; the next steps and the way in which she plans to progress the work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24322/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

482. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of eligible staff who can apply for the higher executive officer competition in her Department. [23450/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

483. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff who applied for the promotion to higher executive officer in her Department. [23451/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

484. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff by grade (details supplied) who applied for the competition for promotion to HEO. [23452/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

485. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of HEO vacancies in her Department; and the locations and business units the vacancies are in. [23453/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

486. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of members of staff it takes to run the competition for higher executive officer. [23454/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

487. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of running the competition for higher executive officer. [23455/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

488. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when interviews will take place after the application date closes for the promotion to higher executive officer. [23456/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

489. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons on the interview panel for higher executive officer; if interviews will be done by video link or in person for the position; and if the interviewers will be internal staff or external. [23457/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

490. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the age range (details supplied) of applicants for the position of higher executive officer; and the number of applicants under each age range. [23458/20]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

491. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of working days' notice candidates will be given of their interview date for the higher executive officer competition. [23459/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Claire Kerrane

492. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to workers who may lose work due to possible future localised lockdowns when the pandemic unemployment payment is due to cease for new applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23461/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Claire Kerrane

499. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment. [23539/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Claire Kerrane

500. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of previous incomes in each of the three bands of payment under the pandemic unemployment payment. [23540/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Claire Kerrane

501. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the sectoral breakdown of those currently receiving the pandemic unemployment payment. [23541/20]

Child Maintenance Payments

Claire Kerrane

132. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the names of the members who make up the child maintenance review group; if the group has met to date; if it is expected to report by the end of 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23128/20]

Budget Process

Claire Kerrane

133. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the priorities brought forward by stakeholders at the recent pre-budget forum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23129/20]

Pensions Reform

Claire Kerrane

134. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reintroduce the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017 which contained important protections for defined benefit pension scheme members; if not, the way in which she plans to protect these members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23130/20]

Departmental Reports

Claire Kerrane

135. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of report on the impact assessment of the current and projected future increases in carbon tax on low-income families by her Department; the stage the report is at; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23131/20]

Free Travel Scheme

Claire Kerrane

136. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by those entitled to a free travel pass but are unable to access one as they cannot obtain a public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23132/20]

Employment Support Services

Claire Kerrane

137. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the date referrals of jobseekers to contracted employment services will recommence; and when activation services for those already referred will recommence. [23133/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

138. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for a change to the eligibility rules for community employment participants over 55 years of age in circumstances in which they can no longer remain on the scheme beyond three years; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being posed to sponsors in replacing these participants; if she will consider reversing the rule change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23134/20]

Departmental Reports

Claire Kerrane

753. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if the report carried out by external consultants to review all current contracted public employment services has been finalised; if she has received the report; if and when the report will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22426/20]

Teacher Training

Claire Kerrane

19. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider allowing student teachers some days in August and September 2020 to assist teachers and schools in preparing for reopening in view of the fact they missed out on subbing days in May and June in 2020 in addition to valuable teaching experience in the classroom as school placements were cancelled in further view of the fact this would also benefit the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19331/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Claire Kerrane

40. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will allow discretion for primary schools to reduce the curriculum areas temporarily in the first term of the new school year to allow teachers to give more time to SPHE with a focus on well-being following young children returning to school and the impact that Covid-19 will have had on them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19332/20]