Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Gino Kenny

325. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason for the exclusion of former residents of county homes, other than from a minority of four selected county homes, from giving evidence to the mother and baby homes commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20230/16]

Human Rights

Gino Kenny

36. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the comments of a person (details supplied) that torture and abuse takes place in the prison and that a person not receiving the same level of support that they did; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19352/16]

Middle East Issues

Gino Kenny

55. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the increase in the number of Palestinian children arrested by Israeli security forces in the past year; the number of these children who were arrested without their parents being informed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19412/16]

Middle East Issues

Gino Kenny

328. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the increase in the number of Palestinian children arrested by Israeli security forces in the past year; the number of these children who were arrested without their parents being informed; and his views on the use of unnecessary force in arresting and detaining these children, in some cases beating them and holding them in unsafe and abusive conditions. [19426/16]

Disability Support Services Provision

Gino Kenny

500. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to develop inpatient rehabilitation services at both national and regional level, to ensure timely access to community neuro-rehabilitation teams, CNT, in each of the nine community health organisations; if he will invest in long-term rehabilitation specific services in the community and provide lifelong support in appropriate settings for persons with neurological conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19302/16]

Infectious Disease Epidemics

Gino Kenny

512. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the public health advice he has issued regarding the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and the Zika virus; how he has publicised this advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15309/16]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Gino Kenny

32. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reverse the lower social protection payment discrimination against young adults under 25 years of age given that those under 25 years of age often have exactly the same expenses for food, rent and other needs as those over 25 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18805/16]

Social Welfare Rates

Gino Kenny

50. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will restore social protection payments to pre-austerity levels adjusted for inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18804/16]

Disability Allowance Payments

Gino Kenny

51. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will abolish means testing for the carer's allowance, increase the respite care grant and replace the mobility allowance that ceased in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18802/16]

Hospital Consultant Recruitment

Gino Kenny

164. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a commitment to expedite the recruitment of a full-time consultant medical oncologist with a special interest in sarcoma in St. Vincent's Hospital; if he will renew the contract of the locum consultant medical oncologist who has a special interest in sarcoma until the post is filled on a permanent basis; if he will agree to meet the sarcoma action group of concerned cancer patients and their families who are seeking an urgent meeting with him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18839/16]

Child Poverty

Gino Kenny

138. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children living in relative and consistent poverty here; how this compares to the European Union and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14722/16]

Food Labelling

Gino Kenny

185. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the fine of €16,000 imposed on a company (details supplied) for mislabelling the origin of beef products is an adequate response to the food safety and farmer welfare issues involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18569/16]

Child Care Services Staff

Gino Kenny

8. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach the average wage for child care workers; and how this compares to European Union and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures. [17147/16]

Direct Provision System

Gino Kenny

26. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the direct provision system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17152/16]

Traveller Community

Gino Kenny

39. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she is considering recognising the ethnicity of Travellers during the lifetime of this Government. [17153/16]

EU Battle Groups

Gino Kenny

24. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence for details of the oversight by Dáil Éireann of the participation of Irish troops in a British-led EU battle group in May 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16650/16]

Child Care Services Staff

Gino Kenny

63. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach the average wage for child care workers; how this compares to European Union and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures. [14721/16]

Medicinal Products Availability

Gino Kenny

421. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health to clarify the availability of the anti-epilepsy drug Epidiolex here; the arrangements for facilitating access by children with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; and if he will intervene to improve access. [17166/16]

Home Care Packages Funding

Gino Kenny

431. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently intervene to restore funding for home care packages given that some areas, such as the Beaumont Hospital local catchment area in Dublin 9, have now run out of funding and are unable to discharge patients due to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15593/16]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Gino Kenny

57. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the objective of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is to permit the sale of unlabelled hormone injected beef and unlabelled genetically modified organism products from the US to be sold in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14498/16]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Gino Kenny

62. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the European Commission's Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiating position is to abandon the precautionary principle, whereby chemicals and pesticides used in the food system must be proven to be safe for animal and human health prior to use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14497/16]

Patient Transport Provision

Gino Kenny

407. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health how the transport needs of patients from Wicklow have been considered in the opening of the Wicklow primary care health centre to facilitate access to the health services there, particularly for elderly and disabled persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14361/16]

Medical Card Eligibility

Gino Kenny

454. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) receiving €144 per week jobseeker's allowance has been turned down for a medical card because he or she does not reach the €164 which would entitle him or her to one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14649/16]

Medical Card Applications

Gino Kenny

482. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health how a person whose income is less than €164 and who is financially independent of his or her parents can apply for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14795/16]

Sports Organisations

Gino Kenny

619. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will intervene with Athletics Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland with regard to the non-selection of a person (details supplied) to the three-man marathon team to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14359/16]

Sport and Recreational Development

Gino Kenny

634. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason pigeon racing is not recognised as a sport here, given the popularity of pigeon racing and the positive aspects of keeping pigeons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14643/16]

Hospital Consultant Retirements

Gino Kenny

79. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the impending retirement of a consultant who specialises in a number of rare eye disorders in children is causing an extreme amount of concern and stress among the families affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13748/16]

Health Services Charges

Gino Kenny

93. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to refund the €100 statutory charge to patients who register at emergency departments in the hope of being treated but leave before being discharged because of onerous waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13749/16]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Gino Kenny

191. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health to include the chronic long-term illnesses Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis on the list of illnesses covered by the long-term illness scheme established under the 1970 Health Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14009/16]

Irish Prisoners Abroad

Gino Kenny

8. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures he is taking to secure the release of a person (details supplied) from detention in Egypt; the reason for the delay in the person's release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11902/16]

Trade Data

Gino Kenny

11. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for detailed information on the trade in goods and services between Ireland and Israel, including restrictions on such trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11901/16]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Gino Kenny

41. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection to afford a full stamp to persons who are in receipt of the carer's allowance in order that, in the event of their carer's job ending, they are eligible for full benefits and in recognition of the service they are providing to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11642/16]

Local Authority Housing

Gino Kenny

41. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to immediately provide resources for local authorities to allow them to put emergency tenancy action teams in place that will pursue both the acquisition of local authority houses and tenancies for the housing assistance payment and rental accommodation scheme so that all available tenancies and purchases are chased down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11594/16]

Teachers' Remuneration

Gino Kenny

22. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills to end the pay discrimination in relation to teachers who took up posts from 2011 onwards and to end unequal pay for new entrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10830/16]

Direct Provision System

Gino Kenny

36. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to reform or abolish direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10140/16]

Mortgage Interest Relief Extension

Gino Kenny

181. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance the arrangements for taxpayers receiving tax relief at source on mortgage interest payments from 2017 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9477/16]

Health Screening Programmes

Gino Kenny

918. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive has decided to end routine eye screening of fifth and six class primary schoolchildren under the primary schoolchildren optical scheme without offering an alternative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10537/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Gino Kenny

80. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists available to children with an autism spectrum disorder in the Dublin Mid-West constituency; the number of children who are on the waiting list to see them and the current waiting period. [7963/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Gino Kenny

81. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists available to children with developmental disorders other than autism spectrum disorders in the Dublin Mid-West constituency; the number of children who are on the waiting list to see them and the current waiting period. [7964/16]

Speech and Language Therapy Provision

Gino Kenny

82. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists available to children with a mental health difficulty in the Dublin Mid-West constituency; the number of children on the waiting list to see them and the current waiting period. [7965/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Gino Kenny

83. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists available to children with an intellectual disability in the Dublin Mid-West constituency; the number of children on the waiting list to see them and the current waiting period. [7966/16]

Autism Support Services

Gino Kenny

94. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children with an autism spectrum disorder receiving special needs supports, special needs assistants, resource teaching and so on in primary and secondary schools in the Dublin Mid-West constituency and the number being supported in special classes in the constituency. [7967/16]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Gino Kenny

320. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of refugees who have arrived here under the European Union refugee programme; and the schedule for future arrivals. [6666/16]

Direct Provision System

Gino Kenny

321. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to change the practice in direct provision which precludes asylum seekers from accessing kitchen facilities and cooking their own food. [6667/16]

Direct Provision System

Gino Kenny

322. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the companies which provide food in the direct provision centres. [6668/16]